First African-focused vacation - not sure which country to start at

[mandwcruise]

I want to go to Africa and obviously see the offerings centered around South Africa. However, I have some concerns:

 

1. Safety - where can a solo female safely travel to in Africa?

2. Accessibility - is there going to be a major airport nearby, or am I going to have to pay thousands for a 6 hour flight that would cost $300 in the USA?

3. Sightseeing - I want to be near a place I can do a 3-7 day safari tour

4. cleanliness and pests - outside of the safari, where's a place I can avoid mice, scorpions, and oversized insects?

 

Which African countries have you guys visited and what would you recommend? Since I am so new to this, I am open to something completely land-based. It doesn't have to be a cruise around Africa.

[John Bull]

For a safari in a fixed location, I suggest one of the private reserves which adjoin Kruger National Park, South Africa.

The National Park is run by the government, accommodation is in  "rest camps" (like fenced villages) and ranges from tents to quite luxurious self-contained or hotels. Altho the majority of visitors visit and drive the Park in their own vehicles, the Park lays on  daily safaris for those without transport. There are rules which forbid being out in the Park or driving off the tracks. Excellent value, but very much a DIY exercise, however ..............

Surrounding the Nat Park are private reserves - for humans they are separate from the Nat Park, but there are no fences, and animals roam where they want. Those private reserves each have just a few remote but luxury safari lodges. Some lodges are fenced, at others smaller animals (not elephants, rhinos etc) can roam within the camp 24/7 and you are accompanied between your room and the main camp facilities. Those lodges are inclusive, for some alcoholic drinks are extra.

They all include 2 or 3 safari drives per day in an open 4x4 with 6 to 9 passengers, a driver, and on some a spotter whose seat is on a front wing of the vehicle Most are not restricted to tracks. Because of travel arrangements, bookings are from lunchtime on the first day (so afternoon & early evening drives) to breakfast time on the last day (so an early-morning drive, breakfast, pack & depart. Those two part-days count as one day/night  

Folk generally fly in to O.R.Tambo International Airport, Johannesburg and from there you take a short little local flight to  a more-remote airport - you don't need to leave the airport in Jo'burg.. Some lodges include that little flight, all include transfers between that little airport and the lodge.

Best territory is Sabi Sands, quite expensive. Google it.

 

For a roving safari I suggest the Serengeti (and adjoining) in Tanzania, 5 to 7days is ideal.

Roving safaris are in closed 4x4 safari vehicles with pop-up roof, generally up to 6 passengers, with a different safari camp or lodge every day or two. Operators usually offer up to three different levels of accommodation - they include evening meal, breakfast & a packed lunch.

Cost is vaguely between Kruger Nat Park and Sabi Sands. We opted for our own vehicle & driver rather than sharing, this gave us flexibility and we split the accommodation between luxury lodge, standard lodges and tented encampment.

Most Tanzania safaris are from Arusha - that would need a flight via Nairobi (Kenya) to Arusha, or to Kilimanjaro International (Tanzania), with transfers from Arusha or Kilimanjaro airports included in the safari price. 

We had a seven-day safari with Lion King, excellent.

www.lionkingadventures.com  

 

JB 🙂

 

 

[cashmeremypuppydog]

I am currently on a cruise so I do not have much time to write. 
I do not recommend Kruger NP as expert in safaris call it “The Disneyland of safaris”. I would strongly recommend Tanzania. 
Please, view my below humble website I created in 2021 during the pandemic. If you have questions, email me directly and I will reply directly to you.

 

You will NEVER regret doing a safari. However, 3 nights is wayyyyyy to short. I recommend a minimum of 7 nights. We went hunting with the bushmen and it was my favourite day. You don’t want to rush, rush, rush… Enjoy it. Buy your safaris directly in Tanzania and you will save tons of $$. This is what we did. Buying for a travel agent in Canada was way too expensive. 
 

I felt safe everywhere I went in Uganda, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Botswana and a little less safe in South Africa. Can you imagine me saying that!

 

Happy planning!

[Zach1213]

I am a huge fan of Africa. Born and raised in Namibia, and have been to most countries in Africa. It's an amazing continent with so much to offer. 

 

As far as southern Africa goes, a couple places I would specifically focus on are Namibia, Botswana, and Zambia. Botswana is kind of the best of all worlds - it's safe, it's friendly, it's affordable, and it has great safari opportunities. Gaborone can be reached easily via Johannesburg and then you can go from there. 

 

Perhaps doing some combination of Botswana and Namibia would be a good way to see a good variation of landscapes and cultures while remaining in two of the absolute safest countries in Africa. You can fly in to Gaborone and do the safari in Botswana, and then start working your way west to see the endless deserts and ocean in Namibia before flying out of Walvis Bay. 

[John Bull]

22 hours ago, cashmeremypuppydog said:

I do not recommend Kruger NP as expert in safaris call it “The Disneyland of safaris”. I would strongly recommend Tanzania. 

 I think that's a bit unfair on Kruger N.P. 

I see it as a good and inexpensive place for a first safari experience and although it would seem tame compared to less-sanitised reserves, "Disneyland" is waaaay too harsh.

The private reserves clustered around the N.P. are very different and not over-run, but then so are the prices 😮.

 

I certainly agree about Tanzania, altho Tarangire and Lake Manyara are both as tame as Kruger N.P.

 

JB 🙂

[mandwcruise]

Thanks for the replies so far. This is helpful.

 

I am beginnining to see that a lot of these countries are flat-out unsafe, and I have concerns about even connecting through South Africa where tourists are getting targeted inside the airport.

 

I was thinking Tanzania and Botswana. Botswana has Victoria Falls, but might be difficult to get to/back within a 2-legged flight.

 

Defaulting to Tanzania until another viable option shows itself.

[John Bull]

On 11/21/2023 at 11:14 AM, cashmeremypuppydog said:

Buy your safaris directly in Tanzania and you will save tons of $$. This is what we did. Buying for a travel agent in Canada was way too expensive. 
 

I felt safe everywhere I went in Uganda, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Botswana and a little less safe in South Africa. Can you imagine me saying that!

 

Happy planning!

 

 

Yes, buying direct from a safari operator is significantly cheaper, plus  you can much more-easily tailor the offerings to suit your wishes.

 

But a couple of pointers ............

 

If you opt for seats on a roving safari, which of course is cheaper than one for just yourself, be aware that safaris are popular with all nationalities and you will probably be sharing the vehicle for long hours with around 4 others. By booking direct you can ask that you share with folk who speak English (much more widely spoken by travel-savvy folk as a second language than you'd imagine).  At a fixed safari lodge that's perhaps not so important.

 

In Tanzania many businesses, including safari operators, charge a premium of around 5% for paying by card (debit as well as credit) - its the norm. in Tanzania.

We're in the UK.  To get the security of a credit card without the premium of hundreds of pounds, we paid £100 by card and the rest by credit transfer. With that minimum contribution, credit card issuers have liability for the entire transaction so for instance if a vendor went bust we could claim the whole sum from the  card issuer. That proviso may not apply in the USA, and of course the minimum contribution will be different.

 

Almost all of our time in Tanzania was out in the bush, perfectly safe. We followed the safari with about 4 days on the island of Zanzibar - much more interaction with the locals, never felt unsafe.

 

Same applies to our time in Kruger (both the N.P. and a private reserve) .

We also spent about 3 weeks on a road-trip. Driving only in day-time, didn't feel un-safe. But the b&b's, guest houses etc all had high walls topped with barbed wire. In some places we were wary of venturing out in the evenings. 

 

JB 🙂  

(Leaving home now for a Caribbean cruise. Sorry, won't be able to follow-up)

[Heartfelttraveler]

When planning keep in mind the Yellow Fever vaccine requirement for most of Africa.  South Africa is not a yellow fever area.

[mandwcruise]

On 11/24/2023 at 9:14 AM, Heartfelttraveler said:

When planning keep in mind the Yellow Fever vaccine requirement for most of Africa.  South Africa is not a yellow fever area.

Until your comment, I had not even considered that as I am fairly healthy and already have COVID shots.

 

I saw this https://www.go2africa.com/african-travel-blog/vaccinations-need-africa

 

Is it expected that I get all these vaccines before I go?

[Heartfelttraveler]

4 hours ago, mandwcruise said:

Until your comment, I had not even considered that as I am fairly healthy and already have COVID shots.

 

I saw this https://www.go2africa.com/african-travel-blog/vaccinations-need-africa

 

Is it expected that I get all these vaccines before I go?

No.  But if you travel outside of South Africa you will have to get the Yellow Fever Vaccine.  That is the reason we are not going to Kenya etc.  We are flying into Cape Town and doing a 12 night South Africa cruise, then flying to Zimbabwe/Zambia, then flying to Kruger, then flying to Johannesburg and then home.  No YF vaccine required.  As far as Malaria, we will take the pills with us.  Some people actually take the pills prior to and during their African trip.  We are not young anymore and have underlying health issues that we would rather not subject to a bunch of vaccines.

 

In the USA it is no longer recommended for people over 65 to get the YF vaccine.  That was a surprise to me.  Most of the others we have already gotten over the years.  As for the Covid vaccine, I feel that it is a personal choice.

[John Bull]

On 11/25/2023 at 7:51 PM, Heartfelttraveler said:

 

 

In the USA it is no longer recommended for people over 65 to get the YF vaccine.  That was a surprise to me.  Most of the others we have already gotten over the years.  As for the Covid vaccine, I feel that it is a personal choice.

Over-65s and others for whom a YF vaccine can be dangerous can normally get  a YF certificate from their doctor, which exempts them from the vax.

Many countries want to see a certificate if you were in a high-risk area within the previous (10????) days, the incubation period.

 

JB 🙂

 

Edited December 1, 2023 by John Bull