How to spend two weeks in South Africa, Zambia, and Botswana: Reflection + resource guide

BY ONEIKA RAYMOND

A reflection and resource guide on how to spend 14 days touring Southern Africa. 

I’ve gotten so many questions about my recent travels to Southern Africa that I figured I would share my itinerary. If you haven’t been following my enthusiastic posts on Instagram and Facebook, Liebling and I spent two weeks exploring South Africa, Botswana, and Zambia, and upon reflection I can honestly say it was one of the most EPIC trips I have ever taken.

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Why? Well, for one, I was visually, culturally, and intellectually stimulated on this trip in a way I never have been on my travels before. Most of the time I go to regions that are either physically stunning (like Bolivia and Chile), steeped in history (like Egypt), or challenge me culturally and intellectually, because the way of life and predominant ways of thinking are so different from what I’m used to (like China and India). Rarely am I engaged on all these levels simultaneously.

But this trip was a different story. 

I was dazzled and humbled by the sights. I learned about animal behaviour, the resilience of the human spirit, and the history of hate. I tasted both adventure and local cuisine. I bore witness to injustice and was reminded of my privilege.

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Freedom fighters. #Madiba #RobbenIsland #NeverForget

A photo posted by @oneikatraveller on

I hiked up a mountain, jumped off a bridge, and held on for dear life as I perched on the edge of a precipice, swirling waters roaring below me. I saw my face reflected in the people around me.   I laughed, cried, and was taken by surprise. I was filled with marvel at the majesty of nature and the breadth of the human experience.

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There were so many layers to this journey and I’m hoping to share more in future posts. I really want to document this trip in particular because I feel like my core readership (Americans and Canadians) treat travel to Africa like an unruly stepchild: unworthy of attention or simply not worth the hassle.

So it is with this in mind that I share my itinerary. Here we go…

Johannesburg, South Africa (2 days)

Joburg was a natural way to begin our exploration as OR Tambo Airport serves as the first point of entry into South Africa for most international flights.

+What we saw/did: Visits to Constitution Hill, Apartheid Museum (an absolute MUST), Soweto and Mandela House (Nelson Mandela’s residence from 1946 to 1962). Strolls through Maboneng (funky neighbourhood that is home to black creatives) and Melrose Arch (swanky gated community with lots of cafes and restaurants with patios).

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+Accommodation: Protea Fire & Ice Melrose Arch.  This Hollywood-themed hotel was clean and modern, if a bit loud due to a number of events being held in the conference rooms and common areas. However, it was a steal– we paid $100 USD/night for a king room (not including breakfast).

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+Food: The Grillhouse (steak house located in the residential neighbourhood of Sandton).  I’m not a beef eater, but the restaurant came highly recommended and Liebling throughly enjoyed his filet.

Kruger National Park, South Africa (2 days)

A visit to South Africa isn’t complete without going on at least one safari.  After Johannesburg, we decided to head to Kruger, the best known of all game parks in the country.

+What we saw/did: This stage of the journey was all about the animals. On our very first game drive we saw the “Big Five” (lion, elephant, leopard, rhino and buffalo), and on our three subsequent drives we spotted a healthy variety of other creatures.

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I made the video below chronicling the experience. It was INTENSE!

+Accommodation: Elephant Plains Lodge. Technically located in the Sabi Sands Game Reserve (a private game reserve that borders on Kruger National Park) this was a great place to lay our heads. We paid $360 USD/night for our villa, 2 daily game drives, and all meals (not including beverages), which I thought was expensive until I realized that a) the price was all-inclusive and b) it was one of the cheapest lodges in the area.

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+Food: All meals were provided by the lodge and I ate until I couldn’t eat any more. Suffice to say, it was tasty.

Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve, South Africa (1 day)

Before flying to Zambia, we stopped at this nature reserve that is part of the Drakensberg mountain range. It’s located about 3 hours outside of Johannesburg.

+What we saw/did: God’s Window (popular vantage point), Bourke’s Luck Potholes (natural rock formations and pools), The Three Rondavels (another popular vantage point consisting of three round peaks said to resemble traditional African huts).

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+Accommodation: Premier Hotel OR Tambo, found next to the airport in Johannesburg. Since we were flying out the next morning to Zambia, it made sense to stay here. It wasn’t fancy, but our room was massive, modern, and great value for $85 USD.

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Livingstone, Zambia and Kasane, Botswana (4 days)

This is where the adventurous, hair-raising aspect of the trip ramped up. 

+What we saw/did: Swam on the edge of Victoria Falls(!), jumped from Victoria Fall Bridge (!!!), then crossed into Botswana to complete a 2-day, 1-night safari in Chobe National Park (which is known widely for its huge elephant population). We also got to learn more about Zambian history after visiting the Livingstone Museum.

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+Accommodation: Green Tree Lodge (Livingstone). Fairly basic and expensive at $90 USD/night, but the owner, Andrew is lovely.

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Jollyboys Backpackers (Livingstone). This lodge and camp, run by fellow Canucks Kim and John, is a hub of activity and a great place to meet other travellers. Jollyboys is also a tour operator– they organized our Victoria Falls excursions as well as our safari with Kalahari Tours. Our double room with ensuite bathroom was simple but spotless and an absolute steal at $65 USD/night.

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Cape Town, South Africa (5 days)

Stunning Cape Town was the perfect coda to our African adventure.

+What we saw/did: Table Mountain hike, visits to the Robben Island Prison Museum (a heart-wrenching must), Bo Kaap (multicultural area known for its brightly coloured houses), V&A Waterfront, Stellenbosch (renowned wine region), Cape of Good Hope/ Cape Point, Boulder’s Beach and Betty’s Bay (where you can see African penguins). Scenic drives through Chapman’s Peak, Hout Bay, Camps Bay, and Hermanus.

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+Accommodation: Radisson Blu Le Vendome. This hotel was recently acquired by the Radisson brand and is in the process of being completely renovated. Older but spotless, it was the best deal on accommodation we got on the whole trip. It was only $50 USD/night for a huge room!

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+Food: We dined at Nelson’s Eye, NV-80, and Hussar. These all are top rated steakhouses dotted around the city.  Again, I don’t eat beef but my dinner companions all vouched for the quality of the food.

Biesmallah. Located in historic Bo Kaap, this restaurant specializes in Cape Malay cuisine. The Cape Malays are an ethnic group in South Africa who are mostly descended from enslaved Indonesians brought to Africa by Dutch colonizers.  The food, at least to me, is a mash up of Southeast Asian and Indian flavours. Great taste and hearty portions! 

Miscellaneous tips

+ Go now— South Africa is cheaper than it’s ever been. The South African rand is struggling, which means things are infinitely cheaper if you come with U.S. dollars.

+ Rent a car. We rented a vehicle in Cape Town and Johannesburg and it was the best idea ever. It was convenient and saved us loads of time. Public transport, from what we saw, is not the best.

+ Check visa requirements carefully. We had every intention of seeing the Zimbabwean side of Victoria Falls until we realized Uni-visa, the joint visa that allows tourists to enter both Zambia and Zimbabwe for the low cost of $50 USD, had been suspended until future notice.  Instead, we paid $80 USD for a multiple entry visa to Zambia and decided not to enter Zimbabwe as planned; at $75 USD for a single entry visa it just didn’t make sense for us.

+Book flights on low-cost carriers to get you around the region. No-frills airlines like Safair, Mango, and Kulula are an inexpensive way to get around if you’re short on time.  

+Make sure you have at least two empty pages in your passport! South African border authorities require all travellers entering the country to have at least two free pages in their travel documents, though it’s unclear as to why.  A gentleman on our flight back to Johannesburg was nearly refused boarding, though after a fair amount of fuss was allow to get on (could be because he is a South African national).  At any rate, the hassle isn’t worth it. Make sure you don’t run afoul of this rule! 

+A note on safety. While heard alarming things about safety in Cape Town and Johannesburg (from both tourists and locals), I’m happy to report that no point during the trip did we ever feel as though we were in danger.  With that said, we were always careful– luck may very well have been on our side. Exercise caution and keep a level head.

That’s it for my first post on our time in South Africa, Botswana, and Zambia! I hope it was helpful and sparked a bit of wanderlust within you! I have more photos and pictures to share, so be sure to check back for updates.

Have you ever been to this region?  Does this sort of trip interest you?

SHARING IS CARING

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