What to Expect
- Physical requirements:
This adventure is suitable for OAT travelers who live an active lifestyle enjoy good health, and mobility. You can expect 2-4 hours of physical activities over the course of some days. You will need to access game-viewing drive vehicles by ladder without aid. We reserve the right for our Trip Leaders to modify participation, or in some circumstances send travelers home if their limitations are impacting the group's experience.
- Pacing:
14 locations in 34 days. Early morning and late-afternoon game-viewing drives on safari days, rising at 6am; 1-2 guided walks of up to one hour each, 5 internal flights on 5- to 14-seater aircraft within Botswana and Zimbabwe; road transfers if flights cannot operate due to bad weather. Between Victoria Falls and Hwange National Park, we will fly on a staggered shuttle basis with a maximum of 5 passengers per trip. This means that some passengers will depart earlier and others later. Internal flight from Serengeti to Arusha in Tanzania.
On game-viewing days, we often rise about 6am to see nocturnal animals while they are still active. We have tea and coffee, and then head out on a two-to-three-hour morning game-viewing drive. We return to camp for a late breakfast. We then have time at leisure to take a siesta or relax at camp until afternoon tea, after which there is another game-viewing drive in the late afternoon. You can usually choose to skip a game-viewing drive if you wish to spend more time relaxing at the camp or lodge.
Driving times on days when we make overland transfers can be up to eight hours, but we’ll break the drive with stops for lunch and/or game viewing. Most of the roads are dirt and very bumpy, rough, and dusty.
- Climate & terrain:
Jun-Aug coldest at night and in the morning (40s), Oct-Dec hottest during day (up to 120 degrees). Bumpy, rough terrain during game-viewing; sandy, uneven terrain at camps.
If you are joining our post-trip extension in Rwanda, please bring rain gear and warm clothing for your gorilla trek in Volcanoes National Park.
- Transportation:
In Botswana, Zambia, and Zimbabwe: Open-sided safari vehicles accessed by ladder only; bench seating; 360-degree view, canvas roof optional. Mokoro dugout canoe in Okavango Delta (depending on water level and seasonality). Boats on the Kafue River.
In Kenya, closed-sided seven-seater vans with roof hatches, and in Tanzania, closed 4x4 vehicles with roof hatches, all with window seats; agility required to board; change vehicles at border crossing per government regulation.
Weather permitting, we fly between sites in Botswana, Zambia, and Zimbabwe aboard light five-seat and 14-seat light aircraft. Our longest flight is approximately one hour and 20 minutes; most are shorter.
Please note that throughout our adventure in Africa, local conditions may require us to travel overland in vehicles rather than flying, or to stagger our flights so that some passengers depart later than others. Our experienced Trip Leaders will take care of all necessary arrangements to ensure your safety throughout your journey.
In Botswana, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, game-viewing drives are done in specially outfitted, 4x4 vehicles, often over bumpy, muddy, or dusty paths. The open-sided vehicles hold a maximum of eight passengers (and one Trip Leader) each and have bucket or bench-style seating, with the benefit of a 360-degree view. You may sit three abreast in some rows, but viewing is good even from a middle position. Cold drinks (beer, soft drinks, and water) are available onboard at no additional charge.
We will explore the Kafue River in a boat, and have the chance to explore a bit on foot. In Botswana’s Okavango Delta, we enjoy exploring and game-viewing aboard mokoro dugout canoes—water levels (which fluctuate year-round in the Delta) permitting. Crafted of fiberglass to resemble the traditional wooden boats of yore, these small vessels are poled by expert guides, and carry only two passengers each.
In Kenya, we use comfortable seven-seater safari minibuses with roof hatches.
In Tanzania, we travel between parks and do our game drives in top-quality 4x4 vehicles with roof hatches, all with window seats.
Comfort: each traveler has an individual, high-backed seat with armrests.
Maximum visibility: every seat is a window seat. A large hatch lifts up from the roof for unrestricted viewing. You will have ample opportunities to photograph wildlife—a telephoto lens is best for getting dramatic close-ups.
- Seasonal fluctuations:
Seasonality: weather will determine which activities are available throughout the year. For example, in Botswana’s Okavango Delta, our ability to explore the Delta by foot or by mokoro canoe will depend on local water levels, which fluctuate constantly in the Delta regardless of the season. Your Trip Leader will monitor conditions and advise your group on the safest and most enjoyable options for that time of year.
- Accommodations:
Use of generator-electricity; lantern lighting at night; 1-5 minute walk from tents to main lodge; no air-conditioning; refrigeration only in main camp, not in rooms.
- Special factors:
We’ve designed all the activities to be fun and enjoyable. This trip is dedicated to game-viewing from our vehicles. Walking outside our vehicle is not permitted during our game-viewing drives in Kenyan and Tanzanian national parks for two very good reasons: to protect the animals from excessive disturbance by people, and to keep you safe as you come close to wildlife. Although this means that there is not much physical exertion during our game-viewing safaris, they are quite adventurous. There are elective walking trips on a few days.
However, as part of our Day in the Life experience in a Maasai village, we will walk with the village’s students to their school, over a distance of about half a mile.
- Group size & leadership:
13 maximum.
Visa Information
U.S. citizens will need a visa (or visas) for this trip. In addition, there may be other entry requirements that also need to be met. For your convenience, we’ve included a quick reference list, organized by country:
- Botswana: No visa required.
- South Africa: No visa required, but South Africa will require either proof of a yellow fever vaccination or a waiver of vaccination for this itinerary.
- Kenya: Visa required.
- Tanzania: Visa required. For this itinerary, Tanzania also requires proof of a yellow fever vaccination.
- Zambia: Visa required.
- Zimbabwe: Visa required.
- Rwanda (optional post-trip extension only): No visa required, but Rwanda will require proof of a yellow fever vaccination.
Travelers who are booked on this adventure will be sent a complete Visa Packet— with instructions, applications, and a list of visa fees—approximately 100 days prior to their departure. (Because many countries limit the validity of their visa from the date it is issued, or have a specific time window for when you can apply, we do not recommend applying too early.)
If you are not a U.S. citizen, do not travel with a U.S. passport, or will be traveling independently before/after this trip, then your entry requirements may be different. Please check with the appropriate embassy or a visa servicing company. To contact our recommended visa servicing company, PVS International, call toll-free at 1-800-556-9990.
Vaccinations Information
Proof of a yellow fever vaccination is required for this adventure. It is a legal entry requirement for South Africa and Tanzania. While South Africa will accept a waiver of vaccination, Tanzania will not. Rwanda (visited on the optional post-trip extension) also requires proof of a yellow fever vaccination.
For a detailed and up-to-date list of vaccinations that are recommended for this trip, please visit the CDC’s “Traveler’s Health” website.