Zambia Walking Safaris & S Africa visit
Mar 3rd, 2007, 09:42 PM
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Zambia Walking Safaris & S Africa visit
There's so much now on walking safaris & the different locations, I need help. We're interested in doing a walking safari experiencing as many animals as possible (including tiger fishing & canoeing sounds like must-dos it would be helpful if those who have done multiple trips & stay at multiple places could recommend your #1 & #2 choice areas to visit, the tour company or please advise if we should work directly with the safari lodge AND please give me the best time to visit. Since this is such a once in a lifetime trip we were also thinking of seeing Vic Falls & going down to Capetown & doing the sites & seeing the sharks which I think is in Aug or Sept (can someone please confirm). We only have 3 weeks, is it worth it to try and see either Madagascar or Seychelles since we'll likely never be back in that area (which already sounds really sad). Any advise on how to handle transportation from the US and around Africa, and what airline or company to use? This will be our one trip to Zambia & S. Africa and we have 3 weeks maximum. Sorry so many questions but I've read about so many great places and only have a limited amount of time. Thanks
Apr 10th, 2007, 05:33 AM
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I know this is a month old. But we all somehow missed it. I saw another post of yours and it looks like you are looking good for Zambia.
<b>3 nights South L (Nkawi or Kampa)</b>
I stayed at Nkwali and had excellent game viewing in July. Probably my most productive night drive ever--lions, leopard, hyena, the mongoose, civets, genets.
<b>2 Nights Sausage Tree; 3 nights Old Mondoro (husband likes rustic - I, however will probably not sleep well because it does look rustic)</b>
Old Mondoro is fantastic just-right-rustic. The loudest place I've ever been is Sausage Tree, so that may keep you up more than OM.
Be sure to canoe the Chifungulu Channel to get from Sausage Tree to OM. It is an all day trip with the current. The winding channel is beautiful with flocks of birds and animals along the banks.
<b>2 nights Vic Falls (recommendation is Tongabezi).</b>
People that have stayed there have had good things to say about it to me.
Best time for sharks from what I've learned is late June. I'm going mid-July. The shark season is May-about
August. One of the things you can do to increase your shark odds is book more than one trip. You also have to contend with the weather and seas in June-Aug.
<b>3 nights South L (Nkawi or Kampa)</b>
I stayed at Nkwali and had excellent game viewing in July. Probably my most productive night drive ever--lions, leopard, hyena, the mongoose, civets, genets.
<b>2 Nights Sausage Tree; 3 nights Old Mondoro (husband likes rustic - I, however will probably not sleep well because it does look rustic)</b>
Old Mondoro is fantastic just-right-rustic. The loudest place I've ever been is Sausage Tree, so that may keep you up more than OM.
Be sure to canoe the Chifungulu Channel to get from Sausage Tree to OM. It is an all day trip with the current. The winding channel is beautiful with flocks of birds and animals along the banks.
<b>2 nights Vic Falls (recommendation is Tongabezi).</b>
People that have stayed there have had good things to say about it to me.
Best time for sharks from what I've learned is late June. I'm going mid-July. The shark season is May-about
August. One of the things you can do to increase your shark odds is book more than one trip. You also have to contend with the weather and seas in June-Aug.
Apr 10th, 2007, 05:51 AM
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It posted on its own or more likely I goofed up.
Aug and Sept are good months for wildlife viewing. It will be fairly hot by Sept, which could impact your walking.
See the Livingstone numbers of this link:
http://www.uyaphi.com/afriweather.htm
Cape Town and Zambia will fill 3 weeks. Madagascar and Seychelles would be too much.
Airlines = British Air or South Africa Air or check kayak dot com for others. Internal flights are done by your agent. So I would not contact the lodges directly. I’ve even had Zambia camps tell me that it is no less expensive to go direct. One offered me a 10% discount to go direct as a repeat client, but then I’d be arranging my own charters and those things change all the time so it wouldn’t be worth it to me. Then I’d also have to arrange the rest of the Zambia camps on my own for no discount. In sum, use an agent.
You mentioned Rocco and he can make your arrangements through Destiny Africa. www.destinyafrica.
Also
Eyes on Africa http://www.eyesonafrica.net/ is in Chicago.
Africa Adventure Company http://www.africa-adventure.com is in Florida.
In South Africa is
Taga http://www.tagasafaris.co.za/
Go2Africa www.go2africa.com
These have all been used with success by Fodorites.
For my 2008 trip, I am doing the Cape Town part on my own, and letting the agent do Zambia, at the suggestion of the Africa agent, since I had been in contact with the shark trip people and local tour company. You can see what works best for you--agent do the whole thing or just Zambia.
Sorry to have ignored your other post all this time. It slipped by.
Aug and Sept are good months for wildlife viewing. It will be fairly hot by Sept, which could impact your walking.
See the Livingstone numbers of this link:
http://www.uyaphi.com/afriweather.htm
Cape Town and Zambia will fill 3 weeks. Madagascar and Seychelles would be too much.
Airlines = British Air or South Africa Air or check kayak dot com for others. Internal flights are done by your agent. So I would not contact the lodges directly. I’ve even had Zambia camps tell me that it is no less expensive to go direct. One offered me a 10% discount to go direct as a repeat client, but then I’d be arranging my own charters and those things change all the time so it wouldn’t be worth it to me. Then I’d also have to arrange the rest of the Zambia camps on my own for no discount. In sum, use an agent.
You mentioned Rocco and he can make your arrangements through Destiny Africa. www.destinyafrica.
Also
Eyes on Africa http://www.eyesonafrica.net/ is in Chicago.
Africa Adventure Company http://www.africa-adventure.com is in Florida.
In South Africa is
Taga http://www.tagasafaris.co.za/
Go2Africa www.go2africa.com
These have all been used with success by Fodorites.
For my 2008 trip, I am doing the Cape Town part on my own, and letting the agent do Zambia, at the suggestion of the Africa agent, since I had been in contact with the shark trip people and local tour company. You can see what works best for you--agent do the whole thing or just Zambia.
Sorry to have ignored your other post all this time. It slipped by.
Apr 11th, 2007, 06:50 PM
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Thanks for sharing, I always feel better knowing folks have stayed at the lodges & how they liked them. What did you mean Sausage Tree was loud - loud in the roaring animal sense? Thanks for the temperature info - of course I need to convert "c" to "f" because I don't remember how 
thanks again
thanks again
