One month in Southern Africa. hmmm....
 

Hello Fodorites!

I have an awesome problem. I have one month to travel around Southern Africa and can't decide where to spend it. I've been living in Joburg since February (for work) and go to Zambia for the month of May (for work) and left June for traveling! I know I want to spend at least the first week in Zambia, but should I spend 3-4 weeks there? Go to Malawi (heard it's expensive and difficult), go down to Zimbabwe? Botswana? Mozambique!? So far, I've explored Joburg in depth and love it, and spent a week in Cape Town and loved it. I'll be back in Joburg later this year and will probably have time to explore more of South Africa then.

Any suggestions?

Also, I'll be flying back to the States from Joburg in early July, so I'll have to return this way.

THANKS :)

You could spend some time around Vic Falls, taking a safari in either Hwange, zimbabwe or in Chobe, Botswana. Both parks are great! In Chobe you also have the choice of going on a boat trip, surely an african highlight :)

Do you plan on driving?

That is an awesome problem!! It doesn't sound like you are into the safari thing - you'll get a lot more help here with safari than visiting cities.

I fell in love with the people of Botswana and plan on going for their 50th anniversary to celebrate with them. You could spend some time in Gaborone and some of the smaller towns in Bots. I'm not sure I would be comfortable in cities in Zimbabwe. I have no experience/opinion of your other options.

When you get to visit more of SA, we enjoyed the people we met in/from Zululand and Durban (generally, S Africans are very fun and very friendly!!)

Vic Falls for sure, and I like the idea of taking the side safaris from there, Jesron. Thanks! Maybe I'll plan to spend a week in that area and do a few days around Livingstone and Vic Falls and then a couple days in Chobe.

I won't have my own car, mkhonzo. I'm flying from Joburg to Lusaka and currently trying to decide if I should book a roundtrip flight OR find my way back to Joburg by matatus and whatnot through Botswana or Zimbabwe. hmmm.

christabir, I'm totally into the safari thing! I just love living in the city. Any suggestions you have on which national parks to hit up in Zambia, Botswana, etc. are much appreciated!

Thanks guys :)

What about Namibia? We met a terrific young Italian woman who lives part of the year in Italy and as much as she can in Namibia, building trips for Italians (mostly.) Based on her stories, I think we will be visiting Namibia next time we fly back to Southern Africa.

We too loved Namibia. Did a road trip that covered a lot of the Namibian regions (Sossosvlei, Swakopmund, Etosha, Caprivi Strip), through the Caprivi strip, Chobe, and then Vic Falls. Fantastic trip in 3 weeks.