Airfare options (Cape Town/JNB/Maun/V Falls)
 

Before I end up having a travel agent book something for me, I was trying to find out what the timing and cost are for the additional flights I might need. It seems next to impossible to find info online for some of them -- so any help is appreciated :)

KNP/Sabi Sands to George: I assume you have to connect thru JNB. Who flies this route? What is a ballpark cost? On kullula.com, I found $73 from JNB to George, but couldn't find anything from KNP (Nelspruit?) to JNB...

Cape Town to V Falls (Livingstone): I read a post from last spring and found that you can get a quote online with British Airways. The quote I found was $350 USD/PP/one way, connecting in JNB. Is this a good or OK fare? Are there other sites to try?

Maun to JNB: What should this cost? If I book a Botswana pkg, it will probably be added on. Do more than one airlines fly this route?

I have tried these sites -- mostly with a 'no flights found' :(

https://www.1time.aero/aqueduct/1time/Booking
https://www.kulula.com/cgi-bin/airkiosk/I7/181002i?MN

It seems none of these routes require a forced overnight in JNB -- is that correct?

Thanks!

Hello,

SABI SANDS TO GEORGE: You will definitely need to route through JNB to go from the Sabi Sands to George. The code for Nelspruit is MQP -- try that one.

CAPE TOWN TO VIC FALLS: $350 sounds rather high. You can definitely fly from CPT to JNB on Kulula or 1time, and then connect to Vic Falls on Nationwide, SAA, or BA -- this should be a lot less than $350.

MAUN TO JNB: Take a look on Air Botswana's website -- right now they are the only airline flying this route. I think it usually runs about $250 one way (this is why monopolies should be illegal).

Cheers,
Julian

Thank you.

I have looked at Air Botswana's site several times (not today tho). It always seems like a 'coming soon' thing and I couldn't get any quotes. Am I missing something?

Hello,

It's a buggy site which often doesn't work well. I'm on a university (super-fast) connection and it still times out occasionally. Even if you find the fares, Air Botswana really doesn't have booking facilities in the US -- I think you are best to let a travel agent handle this one. Sidestep.com priced it at $332 one-way, which is definitely more than I paid through my travel agent.

I also used Sidestep.com to price a flight from JNB to VFA (Vic Falls) and came up with a price of $164 on BA, one-way. You can probably get a cheap CPT-JNB fare because there is so much competition on that route. If you get a JNB-VFA return it will be cheaper (per leg) than a one-way.

Cheers,
Julian

Sorry -- if you want Livingstone (Zambia) the code is LVI. VFA is for Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe). I know Nationwide flies this route, and they are often reasonably cheap.

Cheers,
Julian

Thanks -- I was not familiar with the nationwide site. That's very helpful :)

Air Botswana -- I have never been able to get online pricing at their site :( I guess I will just have to trust whatever the TA quotes me for Maun to JNB...

I have found other fares for KNP to Port Elizabeth and Cape Town to V Falls.

Some of the sites only want SA credit cards and some have internet only fares. Is there any advantage to booking any of these myself?

The best options I found were on kulula.com and flysaa.com

Thanks :)

Hello,

Nationwide does have a booking office in the UK, but the fares are not as good as those in SA. They might, however, be willing to take a US credit card. I have some US credit cards and have used them without problems.

The JNB-MUB flight was about $250 last year, but that was before the fuel shortages.

Cheers,
Julian

I have still not been able to get online pricing for Maun to JNB. I did (miraculously) find an 800 phone number for Air Botswana today and called for a quote. Very depressing :( For the one-way flight, she quoted me <b>$375+$50 (tax) USD</b>! I have sent an email to the TA asking if they (hopefully) have negotiated fares of some kind for this flight. Cross fingers....wait for reply...

Would love any bright ideas if someone has any :)

Hello,

Did you try Sidestep.com (www.sidestep.com)? I was able to get a quote from JNB-MUB on June 19 (the day I'm actually flying) for $344 including taxes.

Cheers,
Julian

The above quote was for the non-stop Air Botswana flight leaving Joburg at 10am and arriving in Maun around 1130.

Cheers,
Julian

Thanks ~~ I checked a lot of sites, but did forget that you mentioned Sidestep. Will give it a try &amp; wait and see what the TA says. Thanks :)