Details may vary depending on departure date. Please choose
We've given each of our tours a comfort rating and a tour pace, walking or cycling grade to give you a general idea about the level of activity on each tour and the standard of accommodation you will be staying in at the end of your day's adventure.
Often you'll stay in different styles of accommodation during your tour; so we make an average rating across the entire tour. For more information on where you'll stay each night, please refer to the day by day tour itinerary.
Depending on the season, water levels and game concentrations, overnight stops may vary from those suggested. Winters can be very cold and so it is worth expecting it to be colder than you think. Night time temperatures can reach 10 degrees C and lower. Please bring plenty of warm clothing during the winter months (June to Nov). Because daylight is less during the winter months, we may have to omit some parts of the itinerary in order to reach the next night stop before it gets dark. However, the tour leader will confirm the final itinerary upon your arrival. Some drives are long, but Namibia and Botswana are beautiful and stunning countries to travel through.
Optionals can be paid by credit card or local currency. Please check with your Tour Leader.
The following excursions and/or activities are usually available and may be arranged locally. Estimated costs are provided below for guidance only, are on a per person basis unless shown otherwise, and may depend on the number of participants. Prices quoted are correct as of the date these trip notes were originally issued but may change at any time due to currency fluctuations.
Accordingly, you should allow approx. £35 for tipping.
Local Costs
| |
UK |
Botswana |
Namibia |
| Tea/Coffee |
£1.50 |
£0.70 |
£1.00 |
| Soft Drink |
£1.50 |
£1.00 |
£1.00 |
| Bottled Water |
£1.50 |
£0.75 |
£0.80 |
| Bottle of Beer |
£3.50 |
£1.00 |
£1.50 |
| 2 Course Meal* |
£15.00 |
£10.00 |
£15.00 |
| 3 Course Meal** |
£20.00 |
£20.00 |
£20.00 |
| Bottle of Wine |
£14.50 |
£12.00 |
£7.00 |
| Breakfast |
£5.00 |
£3.00 |
|
*Cheap local fare in a small cafe or restaurant.
**Typical food in a simple, reasonably comfortable mid-range restaurant.
Important Information
Travel Insurance
It is a condition of joining any of our tours that you must have valid travel insurance. It must indicate that you have cover for (at least) medical expenses and emergency repatriation in the event of illness or injury. We also strongly recommend your policy includes cancellation protection as all deposit paid are non-refundable.
If you require travel insurance for your tour, Explore Worldwide is an appointed representative of Campbell Irvine Limited, who is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services authority. Our travel insurance policy is specially tailored to the needs of the adventure traveller and will cover you for any included activity on any Explore trip. You can either purchase this at the time of booking or call us 0844 499 0901 after you have booked.
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Visa Requirements
Namibia: Visas are NOT required by UK, AUS, NZ, CAN and USA citizens.
Botswana: Visas are NOT required by UK, AUS, NZ, CAN and USA citizens. Other nationalities should consult the relevant consulate.
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All visa information is subject to change. You should confirm all visa related issues with the relevant Embassy prior to departure.
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Vaccinations & Protection
Nothing compulsory, but we do recommend protection against malaria, hepatitis A, tetanus, typhoid and polio. Consult your travel clinic for latest advice on different prophylaxis available against malaria. Travellers may wish to immunise themselves against meningitis.
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The above is not an exhaustive list. Further information regarding vaccinations and travel health advice can be found by following the NHS and NaTHNaC links at http://www.explore.co.uk/Travelhealth/ and from your local healthcare provider.
Visa and vaccination requirements are subject to change and should be confirmed before departure.
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Know before you go
We strongly recommend that you check your government’s travel advisory for up-to-date information and advice about your destination: safety and security, entry requirements, health, local laws and customs, including advice re: the legality of and local attitudes towards same-sex relationships. For UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office Advice follow the link at http://www.explore.co.uk/Traveladvice/
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Preparing for your tour
Climate
Namibia: In the western part of Namibia (the Windhoek area), winters are dry and mild but with frequent cold nights especially in June and July. Summers are warm and rainfall is low. The low humidity and large number of sunshine hours make for a pleasant and healthy climate for most of the year. In the Namib Desert the weather and climate are unusual and quite distinctive. The region receives very little rain and is a complete desert, but temperatures are kept low most of the time by the cold Benguela current.
Botswana: Botswana’s regional characteristics, from fertile areas in the east to waterless desert in the centre and south, and a vast delta in the north-west, make for extremes of temperatures and highly variable rainfall.
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Seasonal weather patterns can be unpredictable. For up-to-date information on the weather worldwide please visit www.bbc.co.uk/weather.
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Packing for your tour
To assist with packing for your tour, we have detailed some of the essential items you should take with you.
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Luggage
Unfortunately it does occasionally happen that luggage does not always reach its destination on the same flight as its owner, or possibly it may be damaged in transit. If you are unlucky enough for this to occur, it is important that you file a PIR (Property Irregularity Report) with the airline before leaving the airport. This is essential when you come to make a claim either against the airline or from your travel insurance company
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A soft bag or holdall/kitbag (or rucksack with detachable frame). Total allowance: 33lbs/15kg Maximum (due to weight restrictions on our vehicle). For your trip into the Okavango Delta, we strongly recommend you take a smaller bag to carry your clothes and essentials in.
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Trek Kit Bag
For an exclusively designed Explore Trek Bag, follow the relevant link at www.nomadtravel.co.uk/explore
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Clothing
Clothing should be lightweight, however a warm fleece and sweater/thick shirts are essential, as nights (and daytime) can be cold, especially from May to September, and game drives tend to take place at dawn and dusk. Brightly coloured clothing is not suitable for game viewing.
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Footwear
Lightweight trail boots or robust trainers with a good grip, and sandals.
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Equipment
Bring a 2-season (temperature 0°C to 5°C) sleeping bag (3-season (temperature –5°C to 0°C) from May-Sep), a (head) torch, a water bottle, a sun hat, sunglasses and sunscreen. Good foam sleeping mattresses are provided. Binoculars are essential for game viewing and a 300mm lens is recommended for photography. Tents have sewn-in mosquito screening so nets are not required. Bio Degradable Soap and swimming costume are also handy. Bring a 3 pin round plug, as for South Africa, for your battery rechargers. A travel plug is always a handy addition.
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Personal First Aid Kit
For an exclusively designed Explore Medical Kit, visit www.nomadtravel.co.uk/explore
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Need help on Clothing or Equipment?
Then we suggest you contact Nomad Travel, our equipment partner, who specialise in kitting people out for adventurous travel. You receive a special 10% discount in-store or online. Visit one of their stores, phone 0845 260 0044, or visit their website www.nomadtravel.co.uk/explore for further information.
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General Information
Trip Summary
This is a true journey of contrast between the parched orange sands of Namibia and green delta wetlands of Botswana. Using our own chartered safari truck to move around (with smaller 4WD vehicles in Botswana), we’ll explore dramatic canyons and huge sand dunes and enjoy the colonial charm of early European settlements. We’ll experience the vast open landscapes of this sparsely populated region as we journey through the Namib-Naukluft National Park to Swakopmund on the Atlantic seaboard. We continue into southern Damaraland enjoying all the scenic and cultural riches that form a part of this exciting safari adventure. Two days are then spent in the incredible Etosha National Park, one of the best wildlife reserves in Africa. We follow the course of the Okavango River into the vast wetlands of the Okavango Delta to spend another two days game viewing by boat and by vehicle. Finally, we traverse the Kalahari Desert. A crew of three (driver, cook and Explore tour leader) are provided on this mainly camping-based safari. Everyone is expected to put up and take down their own tents and to assist with the preparation of camp meals and some camp chores. We generally camp at well-appointed camping grounds except in the Okavango Delta where we hope to stay on an isolated private wilderness site, depending on availability. Travel, other than in Moremi Game Reserve is generally on good quality asphalt roads or gravel tracks. Due to the large distances covered on this trip, expect some long (though very scenic) travelling days.
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Electric Supply & Plugs
For comprehensive information regarding voltages and plug types in use in the countries visited, follow the relevant link at http://www.explore.co.uk/Traveladvice/
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Please note that charging facilities are available at most Namibian campsites with the use of a South African 3 round pin plug adaptor.
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