Vorkuta

Over the last months I've been trying to plan a visit to Africa. I've never been there before. I've investigated tours to Botswana, South Africa, Kenya and Tanzania. Many times I've been on the verge of signing up for this or that tour, and then have drawn back. I've now come to realize that the reason I haven't signed up for anything is simply that game-viewing doesn't interest me all that much.

I think I could enjoy it for a day or two at the most, but all the tours I've read about involve several days (or even weeks) of game-viewing.

Surely there must be more to see and do? Are self-drive tours recommended (assuming my husband came along; I wouldn't care to do that myself)? We both love landscapes, townscapes, people-watching...but we agree that two days of game-watching is about as much as we would need.

We thought we had finally nailed it down with a tour to South African battlefields. (We're both interested in the Anglo-Zulu and Anglo-Boer wars). That tour seemed to combine our interests in history, landscapes and culture...but then the dates of the tour were changed and so we had to give up.

Sorry if all this seems vague and rambling. I'd be glad of your comments on the feasibility of touring eastern or southern Africa without game-viewing. We're very much at the planning stage (and are beginning to feel as though we'll never advance beyond that).

Celia

I think South Africa would be ideal for you. You can self-drive your own battlefields tour -- the roads in South Africa are excellent, and pretty well marked, and good maps are available in all the bookstores, so self-driving is easy. You'll see towns and rural areas, and enjoy the scenery and the road-side markets too.

The scenery is beautiful in every section of the country; people-watching in Rosebank and Sandton (Johannesburg) is fabulous; Cape Town, the Cape peninsula, and the winelands make for a fabulous vacation.

On every trip we make to southern Africa we spend time in towns as cities as well as in game parks. Take a look at a comprehensive guide book such as Footprint South Africa, to get an idea of all the possibilities other than game-viewing.

Kavey

Agree with Celia's recommendation of South Africa - there's simply SO much to do. How can it be fair for one country to have such resources? ;D

Also consider Namibia which offers some stunning landscapes including the Namib Desert, Skeleton Coast, Fish River Canyon...

alice13

Of course it's not heresy!! I agree with you - love the animals but in all honesty if that's the be all and end all of your trip, then you really haven't been to "Africa" at all.

For self drive I guess SA is the obvious choice. But you know, there are other tours you can do that have as their focus getting from A to B and just checking out what lies in between.
Many are at the budget end and are aimed at young folk - not that older people don't go - but u need the right attitude. No idea how old u are...

There are also more up market offerings from companies like explore worldwide. Check out their website. They also factor in visits to game parks but combine with other stuff.

Just a thought. Every country I have visited in "Africa" has charmed me and in some the only animal I saw was a dog. There is so much else - the people, the landscape, the markets, the music.

karibu. And have fun.

Vorkuta

Thanks everyone for your supportive and helpful messages. (By the way - my husband and I are both 45.) I'll be back on the board when we have a more solid plan worked out. In the mean time, I love your messages.