Journey through Botswana

9 days
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4.9/5 Excellent
25 reviews  
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Small Group Tour
Whatever time you get in, we guarantee Jo’burg will be there to meet you at the airport. Botswana’s Khama Rhino Sanctuary specialises in rhinos at dusk, the Okavango Delta is great at hippos and mokoros, Bagani does a mean brew and some sweet handicrafts, Chobe National Park does a sweet giraffe, ostrich, zebra, elephant combo, while Vic Falls is perfect for ...
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$1,550
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Overview

Trip type
Small Group Tour
Lodging level
Standard - 3 star
Physical level
Easy
Trip pace
Balanced schedule

Highlights

    • Ever helped save a rhino? well you can answer ‘yes, thanks’ to that once you’ve been to botswana’s khama rhino sanctuary
    • Try and tell the difference between your buddy’s snores and the sound of wild hippos while camping in the heart of the okavango wilderness
    • There's nothing more relaxing than feeling the african sun on your face as you lie back in a mokoro, eyes closed while your expert poler propels you through the okavango delta
    • Elephants might never forget, but you’ll get the unforgettable experience of cruising down the river in chobe national park, home of the world's highest concentration of african elephants
    • Victoria falls is made for thrill seekers and adrenaline junkies. peer over the edge of this crazy cascade, then stay on for adventures on land and in the sky

What's this trip about?

    Whatever time you get in, we guarantee Jo’burg will be there to meet you at the airport. Botswana’s Khama Rhino Sanctuary specialises in rhinos at dusk, the Okavango Delta is great at hippos and mokoros, Bagani does a mean brew and some sweet handicrafts, Chobe National Park does a sweet giraffe, ostrich, zebra, elephant combo, while Vic Falls is perfect for a misty shower. This is just like being in a David Attenborough wildlife doco – only, you know, without Dave himself.

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Details

Itinerary focusActive and Outdoor Sports
Group sizeSmall Group - max of 16 people
Age range18 to 35 years
Flights and transport
Start CityJohannesburg
End CityVictoria Falls

Travel Themes

  • Cultural
  • Local Immersion & Homestays
  • Overland Journeys

Destinations

Activities

  • Culture

Max Group Size

  • Max Group Size: 16

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Itinerary

Travel Map

Day 1 Johannesburg

Sawubona! Welcome to South Africa. Touch down in Joburg (as the locals like to call it). You’ve got the whole day free to explore the capital city (depending on when you get here of course) before you join up with your crew at a 6pm Welcome Meeting tonight (make sure ...

Day 2 Khama Rhino Sanctuary

See ya South Africa – cross the border into Botswana and travel toward the Khama Rhino Sanctuary (approximately 8–10 hours). It sits on the Kalahari Desert, and is an old hunting area transformed into a into a conservation project. It now protects what’s left of Botsw...

Day 3 Maun

Get up real early, jump aboard the truck and head to Maun (approximately 7-8 hours). Catch up on your beauty sleep or kick off the most epic game of I Spy you've ever played. This journey also includes a free massage service (the road might get a little bumpy). In Mau...

Day 4 Okavango Delta

Make your way to the north-western part of the Okavango Delta, close to the Pan Handle. The drive is a not so whopping 300 kilometres and will take you about 6 hours. Now’s the time to find out everything about your fellow travellers – you’ll by just like old mates b...

Day 5 Okavango Delta

Today you get to paddle the river. There's nothing more relaxing than feeling the African sun on your face as you lie back in a mokoro (a traditional dugout canoe), eyes closed while your expert poler propels you down the calm waters, through papyrus and reed beds to ...

Day 6 Caprivi Strip

This morning it’s back in the 4x4s and a drive back to the truck. Then you’ll make your way to the border to cross into Namibia. The drive is approximately 150km and will take about 4 hours, including the border crossing. You’ll drive through the Mahango Game Reserve ...

Day 7 Kwando Camp

Today is another drive of approximately 300 kilometres and about 5 hours, before reaching your next camp on the banks of the Kwando River along the border with Botswana. After settling in you can either relax or jump on one of the optional activities available here, s...

Day 8 Chobe National Park

Zip over to the edge of the Chobe National Park, where you’ll spend the night. The drive takes you further through the Caprivi Strip and back into Botswana. Cruise into Chobe Park on the only stretch of tarred road, before reaching your camp. The drive is approximatel...

Day 9 Victoria Falls

This morning there'll be time to join an optional game drive in the Chobe National Park. Then it’s onto Victoria Falls this afternoon (approximately 2–3 hours). You will cross the border into Zimbabwe and arrive in the early afternoon. The trip finishes on arrival but...

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Dates & Availability

Price From $1,148
Price per day$128
Last Updated: 9/6/2018

Check Current Availability, prices, specials with Geckos Adventures.

The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.

Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.

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Geckos Adventures Reviews & Ratings

4.9/5  Excellent
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Logistics

Accommodation

Hotel (1 night), Camping (with basic facilities) (2 nights), Camping (with facilities) (5 nights)

Transportation & Flights

Overland Vehicle,

Transportation & flights

Overland Vehicle
Guides
On this trip you will be accompanied by 2 crew members, a Group Leader and a Driver. (Depending on your group size – from time to time your leader will also be your driver) Your Group Leader’s role involves organizing the overall operation and smooth-running of the trip, managing trip logistics and will form work groups to take turns cooking, cleaning and shopping. Your Group Leader will work towards making the trip as safe and enjoyable as possible for all travellers. Our trips are built around the co–operation and participation of all the group members under the supervision of the group leader. The group leader will show the group how to set up and use the equipment. While not being guides in the traditional sense you can expect them to have a broad general knowledge of the countries visited on the trip, including historical, cultural, religious and social aspects. We also use local guides where we think more specific knowledge will add to the enjoyment of the places we are visiting, especially when tracking and identifying game - we think it's the best of both worlds. Our Group Leaders are chosen for their leadership skills and are wonderful ambassadors for our company and our beautiful continent and its people. Your Driver’s main responsibility is to get you to your destination safely; they are also responsible for the maintenance of the vehicles along the way. Everyone is expected to participate and carry their share of the workload, making camp chores easier. If the whole group participates it will be quicker, easier, and more fun. We endeavour to provide the services of an experienced leader and driver; however, situations may arise where your leader is new to a particular region or training other group leaders.
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is compulsory for all our trips. We require that, at a minimum, you are covered for medical expenses including emergency repatriation. We strongly recommend that the policy also covers personal liability, cancellation, curtailment and loss of luggage and personal effects. When travelling on a group trip, you won't be permitted to join the group until evidence of travel insurance and the insurance company's 24 hour emergency contact number has been seen by your leader. If you have credit card insurance your group leader will require details of the participating insurer/underwriter, the level of coverage, policy number and emergency contact number rather than the bank's name and credit card details. Please contact your bank for these details prior to arriving in-country. Please go to our website for links to various travel insurance providers.
Visa requirements
PASSPORT As a general rule most countries expect that your passport has a minimum of 6 months validity remaining. Please ensure the name on your passport matches the name on your booking and airline tickets. Your passport details are required to complete your booking. Your consultant will contact you when this is required. Take a copy of the main passport pages and other important documents with you, and leave another copy at home with family or friends. VISAS Visas are the responsibility of the individual traveller. Entry requirements can change at any time, so it's important that you check for the latest information. Please visit the relevant consular website of the country or countries you’re visiting for detailed and up-to-date visa information specific to your nationality. Your consultant will also be happy to point you in the right direction with acquiring visas. Visas can take several weeks to process, so familiarise yourself with any requirements as soon as you have booked your trip to allow for processing time. SOUTH AFRICA: Many countries do not need visas to visit South Africa as a tourist for up to three months. Please check with the relevant consulates as to whether a visa is required NEW ZEALAND PASSPORT HOLDERS: All New Zealand visitors to South Africa are required to arrange a visa prior to departure via the South African High Commission in Wellington or Auckland. Applicants may be required to apply for the visa in person, or can apply through Travcour NZ if applying in person is not possible. Please visit www.dha.gov.za for further information as well as details on required supporting documents that may need to accompany a visa application. Supporting documentation can be requested via your booking agent. Entry Requirements – Passports: Please note that non-machine readable passports are no longer accepted by South African immigration. All visitors to South Africa must have a machine readable travel document (e-passport). Failure to present an e-passport will result in denied entry. Passengers with a valid visa issued in a non-machine readable passport will be handled on a case by case basis, but a fine will still be applicable. Entry Requirements - Yellow Fever Certificate: A valid Yellow Fever Vaccination Certificate is required for all passengers over one year of age who arrive or are transiting through South Africa, from a country or region listed by the World Health Organization as infected by yellow fever. Travellers unable to present a valid yellow fever vaccination certificate issued at least 10 days before arrival in South Africa will be refused entry. There is no option for travellers without a vaccination certificate to be vaccinated on arrival. Please note this also includes transiting through an infected country or region. Entry Requirements - Travelling with Children: Parents need to produce an original unabridged birth certificate if they are travelling with children. This regulation has been put in place to protect children from being abducted, kidnapped and trafficked. The Department of Home Affairs has urged all parents to apply for unabridged certificates for their children. Additionally, further documentation including permission to travel, may be required if only one parent is travelling. These are requirements of the immigration regulation 6 (12)(a) for parents travelling with children. More information can be found here: http://www.dha.gov.za/index.php/civic-services/traveling-with-children BOTSWANA: Please check with your relevant consulates as to whether a visa is required. For passengers requiring a visa to Botswana, application forms can be downloaded from http://www.gov.bw/en/ as well as instructions for applying. Tourism Development Levy - Effective 1 June 2017: All visitors to Botswana are required to pay a compulsory Tourism Development Levy of 30USD. The Levy will be payable by cash or credit card at your first port of entry into the country. It is valid for 30 days and can be used for multiple entry. Entry Requirements - Yellow Fever Certificate: A valid Yellow Fever Vaccination Certificate is required for all passengers over one year of age who arrive or are transiting through Botswana, from a country or region listed by the World Health Organization as infected by yellow fever. Travellers unable to present a valid yellow fever vaccination certificate issued at least 10 days before arrival will be refused entry. There is no option for travellers without a vaccination certificate to be vaccinated on arrival. Please note this also includes transiting through an infected country or region. Children travelling to Botswana: Please note that if you’re travelling to Botswana with a person under the age of 18 then you need to provide a certified copy of the child’s full unabridged birth certificate in order to enter the country (the one listing the child’s details and both parents’ details. - the short birth certificate which only lists the child’s details won’t be accepted). Additionally, if the child is travelling with only one parent, with neither biological parent, or is unaccompanied, then they must provide an affidavit of consent of the parent(s) that are not travelling, to prove that the trip is made with both parents' consent. Please contact your nearest Botswanan Embassy if you have further questions regarding this. NAMIBIA: Many nationalities are not required to obtain a tourist visa in Namibia if traveling for a maximum period of 90 days. For other nationalities, please contact the local consulate or embassy for visa requirements. Please check with the relevant visa office before departure to make sure there has been no change. ZIMBABWE: Zimbabwe visas are required by most nationalities, including from the EU, US and Australia. For most nationalities, Zimbabwe visas are available at the point of entry. If you plan to purchase your visa on arrival you will need approximately USD30/45 in cash. All nationalities should check with their nearest Zimbabwe Embassy for up to date information. For passengers from countries that require visas prior to arrival there is an E-Visa where information can be found at https://www.evisa.gov.zw/Services/Holiday KAZA Visa: The Kaza visa is valid for travel between Zambia and Zimbabwe. It is available at land borders at Livingstone (Zimbabwe border) and Kazungula (Botswana border). The cost of the visa is USD$50 and is valid for 30 days as long as you stay within Zimbabwe and Zambia. BORDER CROSSINGS ON THIS TRIP: Day 2 Exit South Africa - Groblers Bridge (Groblersbrug) Enter Botswana - Martin's Drift Day 6 Exit Botswana - Mohembo Enter Namibia - Mohembo Day 8 Exit Namibia - Ngoma bridge Enter Botswana - Ngoma bridge Day 9 Exit Botswana - Kazungula road Enter Zimbabwe - Kazungula road
Health & Safety
Many national governments provide a regularly updated advice service on safety issues involved with international travel. We recommend that you check your government's advice for their latest travel information before departure and ensure that your travel insurance covers you for all areas your itinerary covers. Please refer to our website's safety page for links to major travel advisories and updates on safety issues affecting our trip. We strongly recommend the use of a neck wallet or money belt while travelling, for the safe-keeping of your passport, air tickets, cash and other valuable items. Leave your valuable jewellery at home - you won't need it while travelling. Many of our hotels have safety deposit boxes, which is the most secure way of storing your valuables. A lock is recommended for securing your luggage. Your leader will accompany you on all included activities, however during your trip you'll have some free time to pursue your own interests, relax and take it easy or explore at your leisure. While your leader will assist you with the available options in a given location, please note that any optional activities you undertake are not part of your Geckos itinerary, and Geckos makes no representations about the safety of the activity or the standard of the operators running them. Please use your own good judgement when selecting an activity in your free time. Please also note that your Leader has the authority to amend or cancel any part of the trip itinerary if it's deemed necessary due to safety concerns. For more details on the type of conditions and safety standards you can expect on your trip, please refer to Geckos operational safety policy on our website. We recommend that you take a moment to read through this information before travelling, and would appreciate any feedback on how well it's being implemented in the field: http://www.geckosadventures.com/safety-updates FIRE PRECAUTIONS: Please be aware that local laws governing tourism facilities in this region differ from those in your home country and not all the accommodation which we use has a fire exit, fire extinguishers or smoke alarms. BALCONIES: Some hotel balconies don't meet western standards in terms of the width of the balcony fence being narrower than 10cm. TRAFFIC AND DRIVING ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ROAD: Depending on where you come from please note that drivers in this part of the world may drive on the opposite side of the road from what you are used to. Look both ways before crossing any road. Traffic can be a little more chaotic than you might be used to at home. Be aware! SEAT BELTS: Please be aware that local laws governing transportation safety may differ from those in your home country and not all the transport which we use is able to provide seat belts. PICK POCKETING & PERSONAL SAFETY: While travelling there is always the risk of pick-pocketing and petty theft, particularly in the more touristy cities. We recommend that you exercise caution when walking at night and encourage you to walk in groups and only on main, well-lit thoroughfares. Be particularly vigilant on public transport. Simple measures like carrying your day pack on your front, not hanging your bag over the back of your chair or on the floor and wearing a money belt will reduce any chance that your valuables should go missing. WATER SAFETY: Please take care when taking part in any activities in the ocean, river or open water, where waves and currents can be unpredictable. It's expected that anyone taking part in water activities is able to swim and have experience in open water. All swimmers should seek local advice before entering the water. TRAVEL ADVICE & TRAVEL INSURANCE We recommend that you check your government's advice in relation to the areas you will be visiting for their latest travel information before departure and ensure that your travel insurance covers you for all areas your itinerary covers. UNFENCED CAMP SITES: On some trips you will at times stay in unfenced camp sites within national parks. While this is a fantastic experience, there are a few safety rules to follow. While staying in national parks it's important that you listen to any advice given by your tour leader and the park rangers regarding responsible and safe behaviour.
Age Requirements
18 to 35 years
Additional Information
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Trip ID
geckos-GANV

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