Southern Africa (SA/Zim/Zam/Botswana/Namibia) Master Thread

[Dan]

It's not a kosher kitchen

Meh, misread.

[Dan]

You just cost me a new Chabad House and hot food on Shabbos, but I admit this itin does flow better. Though it doesn't really give more time for vic falls activities.

Su CLE-EWR 2:50pm-4:28pm UA2350 738 J
Su EWR-JNB 8:45pm-5:45pm+1 UA188 789 J
1 night in Joburg

Tu JNB-CPT 8am-10:10am, BA6421 738 J
3 nights in Cape Town

Fr CPT-VFA 9:45am-12:40pm, 4Z390 E135 Y
2 nights vic falls

Su LVI-MQP 2:05pm-3:45pm 4Z471
3 nights Kings Camp

We HDS-JNB 12pm-1pm, Airlink872 E170 Y
We JNB-EWR 8pm-5:45am+1 UA187 789 J
Th EWR-CLE 8:30am-10:16am, UA735 738 J

And adds some cool airports:

HDS, VFA, LVI, MQP....

And the VFA will be quite the shabbas walk.

True, though flying into MQP means we'll miss an evening safari, so effectively only gain 1 safari and we don't gain much in VFA other than walking around the falls vs walking around CPT. Plus we'll have to get from MQP to Kings Camp, which is several hours further than HDS to Kings Camp.
Sigh.

[PlatinumGuy]

Walking safaris can also be an option at some lodges.

Be cognizant of Techum Shabbos...

[Yehuda57]

Fr CPT-VFA 9:45am-12:40pm, 4Z390 E135 Y
2 nights vic falls

You're in vfa for Friday afternoon and Sunday morning, really not giving you much time for anything. Seems like I'm missing something

[Yehuda57]

Be cognizant of Techum Shabbos...

And ask your LOR if that's uvdin d'chol

[Dan]

You're in vfa for Friday afternoon and Sunday morning, really not giving you much time for anything. Seems like I'm missing something

True, though flying into MQP means we'll miss an evening safari, so effectively only gain 1 safari and we don't gain much in VFA other than walking around the falls vs walking around CPT. Plus we'll have to get from MQP to Kings Camp, which is several hours further than HDS to Kings Camp.
Sigh.

[AJK]

You're in vfa for Friday afternoon and Sunday morning, really not giving you much time for anything. Seems like I'm missing something

Aside from Devil's pool, what more does one need to do there beyond walking around the falls which can be done in 48 hours?

[Saulius]

And of course there's the option that I would personally choose: Shabbos at Vic. You can walk to the falls from many hotels, you can push in most of the activities on Friday + a few hours on Thu or Sun, and you will possibly gain an entire day for safariing. Easy enough to make your own Shabbos there.

So CPT>VC>Safari or vv. I would definitely suggest you end with the safari, but the flights may work better the other way.

You can walk to the falls on Shabbos (Zimbabwe side) - but the park has an entrance fee of $30 per person - and it's per entry - Each time you wish to enter the park, you pay an entry fee. So not sure how you work out the logistics of paying before shabbos.

The Zambian side - two of the hotels Royal Livingstone Hotel & Havani Hotel - you have direct park access -  but October / November - is very low water levels /  Falls dry up - so not much of a view from Zambian side.

If you can work out the logistics that you have an entire day to go to Kasane, Botswana -- where the gateway to the Chobe park is - a days tour -- you are very likely to see more there in a few hours then a few days in the Kruger.

[Dan]

The Zambian side - two of the hotels Royal Livingstone Hotel & Havani Hotel - you have direct park access -  but October / November - is very low water levels /  Falls dry up - so not much of a view from Zambian side.

Hmmm.
Looks like Royal Livingstone is on FHR, though pricey. How is the Avani compared to it?

[Dan]

If you can work out the logistics that you have an entire day to go to Kasane, Botswana -- where the gateway to the Chobe park is - a days tour -- you are very likely to see more there in a few hours then a few days in the Kruger.

Can it be done as a day trip? Or better overnight?

[Saulius]

Can it be done as a day trip? Or better overnight?

It's usually done as a day trip. The tours are usually divided into a 3 hour boat ride, an hour lunch and then a 3 hour safari game drive.

I used http://www.bigsamhubber.co.bw  -- Mokoro boat ride and Game drive.
 
I posted back then on tripadvisor https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g298089-i9674-k9909846-Day_trip_to_Chobe-Livingstone_Southern_Province.html (post #7) --  back then coming in from Livingstone, it required a ferry transfer -- but now they just constructed a bridge -- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kazungula_Bridge

[tmendy226]

You can do it in the airport, which I've been told is the fastest (and most expensive)

Yes airport is very smooth, it is inside the terminal between a & b. (Btw getting in and out of the terminal is a real pain. Because of “covid” only one entrance and one exit is open and they’re on different floors).

There are 2-3 provides but they all had the same price so just go when you land and do it with whoever is open/has shortest line.

Regarding VFA, make sure to double check their COVID rules, they might have rules about EXITING the country as well and they also change the rules all the time so double check a day or two before you go. Last I checked it was 48 hours test for zim and 72 hours for zam. And yes you do need a test to go through land borders. For land borders zim also requires you to be fully vaccinated besides the COVID test (this is supposedly only for land border crossing, not air)

[tmendy226]

You just cost me a new Chabad House and hot food on Shabbos, but I admit this itin does flow better. Though it doesn't really give more time for vic falls activities.

Su CLE-EWR 2:50pm-4:28pm UA2350 738 J
Su EWR-JNB 8:45pm-5:45pm+1 UA188 789 J
1 night in Joburg

Tu JNB-CPT 8am-10:10am, BA6421 738 J
3 nights in Cape Town

Fr CPT-VFA 9:45am-12:40pm, 4Z390 E135 Y
2 nights vic falls

Su LVI-MQP 2:05pm-3:45pm 4Z471
3 nights Kings Camp

We HDS-JNB 12pm-1pm, Airlink872 E170 Y
We JNB-EWR 8pm-5:45am+1 UA187 789 J
Th EWR-CLE 8:30am-10:16am, UA735 738 J

In JNB it might be worth staying at the intercontinental or city lodge (cheaper) they’re both in the airport.

[tmendy226]

It's usually done as a day trip. The tours are usually divided into a 3 hour boat ride, an hour lunch and then a 3 hour safari game drive.

I used http://www.bigsamhubber.co.bw  -- Mokoro boat ride and Game drive.
 
I posted back then on tripadvisor https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g298089-i9674-k9909846-Day_trip_to_Chobe-Livingstone_Southern_Province.html (post #7) --  back then coming in from Livingstone, it required a ferry transfer -- but now they just constructed a bridge -- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kazungula_Bridge

You can also look into wild horizons, they seem like the biggest travel agency there and they have day trips from zam/zim with half day boat half day game drive safaris.

[Saulius]

Yes airport is very smooth, it is inside the terminal between a & b. (Btw getting in and out of the terminal is a real pain. Because of “covid” only one entrance and one exit is open and they’re on different floors).

There are 2-3 provides but they all had the same price so just go when you land and do it with whoever is open/has shortest line.

Regarding VFA, make sure to double check their COVID rules, they might have rules about EXITING the country as well and they also change the rules all the time so double check a day or two before you go. Last I checked it was 48 hours test for zim and 72 hours for zam. And yes you do need a test to go through land borders. For land borders zim also requires you to be fully vaccinated besides the COVID test (this is supposedly only for land border crossing, not air)

Also note, Zimbabwe is under nationwide curfew 10pm and 5:30am. Land borders zim - if not vaccinated they will let you through if you have a boarding pass to fly out the same day.
Entry into Botswana requires PCR test that was within 72 hours - and they give you a free rapid antigen test on entry as well.  Botswana has curfew now 8pm and 4am.

[Saulius]

You can also look into wild horizons, they seem like the biggest travel agency there and they have day trips from zam/zim with half day boat half day game drive safaris.

Wild Horizons is more of a company that does the transfer from Victoria Falls and transfers you to their partner in Kasane (African Odyssey).

I just liked Big Sam Hubber - as it gave the most personal attention. The boat ride was just me and my friend.

[Something Fishy]

You just cost me a new Chabad House and hot food on Shabbos, but I admit this itin does flow better. Though it doesn't really give more time for vic falls activities.

Su CLE-EWR 2:50pm-4:28pm UA2350 738 J
Su EWR-JNB 8:45pm-5:45pm+1 UA188 789 J
1 night in Joburg

Tu JNB-CPT 8am-10:10am, BA6421 738 J
3 nights in Cape Town

Fr CPT-VFA 9:45am-12:40pm, 4Z390 E135 Y
2 nights vic falls

Su LVI-MQP 2:05pm-3:45pm 4Z471
3 nights Kings Camp

We HDS-JNB 12pm-1pm, Airlink872 E170 Y
We JNB-EWR 8pm-5:45am+1 UA187 789 J
Th EWR-CLE 8:30am-10:16am, UA735 738 J

Chabad house is where the Chabad heart is or something like that.

No flights get you into VFA/LVI Thu night?

In either case, a day in Chobe is worth more than half a day in Kruger for sure. So maybe shift that by a day.

[tmendy226]

I would suggest to swap VfA completely and some of Kruger/cpt for Namibia. See the other thread for more info soon iyh.

Wondering what @Saulius thinks

[Saulius]

I would suggest to swap VfA completely and some of Kruger/cpt for Namibia. See the other thread for more info soon iyh.

Wondering what @Saulius thinks

I would say also that Cape Town can be skipped. (Although I love going to the Tsitsikamma National Park area (fly into George or Port Elizabeth and drive there)

Namibia - I was there for over two weeks -- but that's a place that requires an awful amount of driving as the distances are big. Etosha - I self drove and saw rhino and very large herds of springbok and zebra, elephants, giraffee - but you are very unlikely to see the big cats, and you are not going to see buffalos, hippos, nile crocodiles, etc. Plus,  careful with Shmiras Einayim - there is the Himba tribe there (in northern Namibia and Etosha vicinity) - the woman go dressed like in Gan Eden Kodem Hachet.

Compared to Chobe, where it's an hour drive from Victoria Falls - and on the boat ride I saw hundreds of Nile Crocodile and Hipos, large breeding herds of elephants and on the game drive we tracked a lion, and saw plenty of other game.

Kruger -- is a hit or miss -- highly depends on the days luck of what one will see- although in the Winter / dry season when there is less vegetation and limited water sources  (where the animals congregate) - so it's more probable to have good sightings. - but not everybody has the luck of seeing anything exciting. Do look at https://www.latestsightings.com/latest-wildlife-sightings

[Saulius]

I would say also that Cape Town can be skipped. (Although I love going to the Tsitsikamma National Park area (fly into George or Port Elizabeth and drive there)

Namibia - I was there for over two weeks -- but that's a place that requires an awful amount of driving as the distances are big. Etosha - I self drove and saw rhino and very large herds of springbok and zebra, elephants, giraffee - but you are very unlikely to see the big cats, and you are not going to see buffalos, hippos, nile crocodiles, etc. Plus,  careful with Shmiras Einayim - there is the Himba tribe there (in northern Namibia and Etosha vicinity) - the woman go dressed like in Gan Eden Kodem Hachet.

Compared to Chobe, where it's an hour drive from Victoria Falls - and on the boat ride I saw hundreds of Nile Crocodile and Hipos, large breeding herds of elephants and on the game drive we tracked a lion, and saw plenty of other game.

Kruger -- is a hit or miss -- highly depends on the days luck of what one will see- although in the Winter / dry season when there is less vegetation and limited water sources  (where the animals congregate), and lions like to sleep / congregate on the paved roads as the tar retains quite a lot of heat - so it's more probable to have good sightings. - but not everybody has the luck of seeing anything exciting. Do look at https://www.latestsightings.com/latest-wildlife-sightings