Home Tours Namibia, Botswana & Zimbabwe Dunes to Falls Info

Tour Code

Info

Eg: 15 day small group non-participation Classic Journey

Departs:

Windhoek

Ends:

Victoria Falls

Accommodation

14 nights in 3+ star lodges & tented camps

21 Days From

€4390

Single supplement

€800 pp

+ USD 300 local payment

Tour Code

Info

Eg: 15 day small group non-participation Classic Journey

Departs:

Windhoek

Ends:

Victoria Falls

Accommodation

14 nights in 3+ star lodges & tented camps

21 Days From

€4390

Single supplement

€800 pp

+ USD 300 local payment

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you have any questions regarding your planned African Safari? The list below provides answers to many common questions we get asked with almost every tour.

Does Sunway provide drinking water?

Sunway Safaris does not supply bottled drinking water. There is however clean drinkable water throughout Southern Africa. Tap water in most places is good to drink, and you can always ask your guide for advice if unsure. Each safari truck has a 150ltr water tank, which can be used for drinking. For those who are concerned about the water it is possible to purchase bottled water at own expense.

From an environmental point of view, we ask each client to consider how many plastic bottles they throw away. We suggest you either bring a water bottle from home, or buy a 1.5 ltr bottle of water at the start of the tour. You can then refill that water bottle from the truck or from a tap. If every Sunway client bought one plastic bottle every day, we would use over 40,000 plastic bottles a year! So please help us by re-using your water bottle.

What food can I expect while on Safari?

Sunway will provide three scrumptious meals per day, unless specified in the itinerary [B=breakfast, L=lunch, D=dinner], from lunch on the day of departure until breakfast on the last day of your tour. Good healthy meals make happy travelers. The tour leaders do all the shopping and meal planning for each group. They will always try to obtain fresh produce wherever possible. Each tour has 1 cool box / freezer for the meats and fresh produce only, and 1 cool box for drinks. Please be aware that, due to the diverse tastes of our clients, we are unable to accommodate individual food preferences on our group tours. The group shared meals we provide are subject to available produce, and in our sometimes remote destinations, the variety of ingredients is sometimes limited. However, we do take allergies, vegetarian and vegan dietary requirements into consideration to ensure everyone has suitable meal options. Please bring this to our attention at time of booking.

A rough idea of what meals can be expected:

Breakfast – Cereals and milk or bread/toast, jam and fruit with coffee and tea or the occasional cooked breakfast.

Lunch – Cheese, cold meats, fish, fruit, pasta salads and bread or rolls.

Dinner – Potjies (stews), braais (barbecue), stir fries, curries etc prepared on a wood fire or gas stove.

On several nights we visit local restaurants, which because of individual tastes will be an own expense meal.

Do I need Malaria tablets?

Yes, Malaria prophylaxes are required on all of the safaris that we offer. Some trips, like the South Africa Scenic or Rainbow Route, are only in a Malaria area for 5 days, while others, such as the Zambia, Malawi & Mozambique Trade Route, travel through malaria areas for all 21 days. Your tour leader will advise you when you enter a malaria area, and when you exit a malaria area.

Do not be put off visiting Southern Africa because of malaria. Realistically most of Southern Africa is low risk area and if you use prophylaxis, use insect repellent and cover up at dusk with long shirt or trousers, the chances are very low that you would contract malaria. Of the thousands of clients that Sunway has carried since 1994 we know of only 1 case of a client contracting malaria, and only a handful of guides (and remember that the guides do not even use the tablets). Clients visiting Malawi and Mozambique should pay most attention to precautions as those two countries are warm and wetter, and therefore have higher incidence of malaria.

Please contact your local physician for latest information on malaria prophylaxis and what type of prophylaxis will be best suited for the area that you are visiting.

If you feel when you get home that you have flu like symptoms, headache, stiffness, nausea, fever, then it’s best to consult your doctor immediately. Remember that prophylaxis do mask the symptoms, so get checked out – and remember to tell your doctor that you’ve been to a malaria area. Malaria is easily treatable if detected early.

Are Mosquito nets provided?

If you are joining a camping trip, the Sunway tents have mosquito netting on the windows and door. Mosquitoes spend the heat of the day in shaded areas, so please remember to keep the mosquito net on the door closed during the day too, so that mosquitoes do not enter your tent. At night, you can sleep with the tent window flaps open, and the door rolled up, but remember to keep the mosquito net zipped closed. This will keep out the little biting things (like mosquitos) and the big biting things (like lion and hyena).

On the accommodated safaris, if we visit a malaria area, or a place with mosquitoes, then the accommodation will have nets provided. In areas where there are low numbers of mosquitoes and/or no malaria, mosquito nets will not be provided. These include places such as Knysna, Hermanus, Cape Town, Swakopmund, Windhoek etc.

Can I buy camera memory cards?

Memory cards and other photographic accessories will be available several times on tour. A camera with a zoom lens from wide angle to telephoto, 35-200mm, is advisable to capture both scenic and wildlife shots. Each vehicle is fitted with a 12/24V cigarette lighter – this should not be relied on for charging camera batteries and we recommend you bring a 2nd battery. Remember you can also charge your camera on those nights we use accommodation (SA 220V)

Do I need to bring a sleeping bag and a towel?

If you are joining a camping trip, you will need to bring your own sleeping bag (and small camp pillow) and a towel. Should you not have, or do not want to buy a sleeping bag, you can rent a sleeping bag and camp pillow from the Sunway office for Euro 1 per sleeping bag per day on tour. Please book this at the time of booking.

On most of the Accommodated Adventures & Classic Journeys, all bedding is provided, and you will not be required to bring a sleeping bag or pillow. At most accommodation establishments, towels will be provided, but it is always a good idea to bring a small travel towel for the beach or swimming pool. If you are traveling on a tour that visits the Okavango Delta please make sure to bring a small towel with you as there are no towels supplied. Please make sure to double check your detailed tour itinerary for more information.

How much luggage can I bring?

Due to space and weight limitations within each safari vehicle, luggage should be kept to a maximum of 12kgs per person (excluding camera equipment / day bag). The bag should be of a soft sided duffel bag / back pack design – no hard cases or hard sided bags will be accepted. While many people feel that they will need their full quota of 20kgs, people quickly realise that they have packed far too much.

Can I use my credit card while on safari?

Yes, Mastercard and Visa credit cards and debit cards are widely accepted throughout Southern Africa. American Express is not widely used in Southern Africa.

You’ll be able to use credit card to pay for most restaurant meals, and at most formal shops. Optional activities in Cape Town, Swakopmund, Maun, Livingstone and Victoria Falls can also be paid by credit card. More specific details available in the downloadable Sunway general information dossier.

How much spending / tipping will I need?

Sunway includes all activities in the safari, as detailed in the itinerary. You will therefore not be spending lots of money on additional excursions like game drives, national park fees, bush walks etc – those are included as per your itinerary. There are on some routes, opportunities to do additional own expense activities, such as helicopter flights, white water rafting or canoeing etc – please refer to the optional activities page for wages (right hand menu).

You will need some cash to purchase snacks, drinks, perhaps local curios, and some restaurant meals. For meal expenses you should count the number of lunches and dinners not included in the specific itinerary and then work on about US$15 to US$25 for a sit down restaurant dinner (including a glass of wine or a beer), about US$6 to US$12 for a light lunch or take away. (local currency will be required, but as an indication we’ve shown US$). In most restaurants you will be able to pay buy credit card – Mastercard and Visa are widely accepted, but Diners Club is not.

Bottled water is approximately US$1.50 per liter and a can of beer or coke is roughly US$2.00.

If you budget on +/-US$ 25 per day, you will have ample cash available for out of pocket expenses. Please bear in mind that this daily budget, does not include the expenses of optional activities such as white water rafting, shark cage diving or helicopter flights etc. The prices for these optional extras can be found on our downloadable detailed tour dossier.

Tipping is often a major issue for clients, especially when it comes to tipping the guides that we sometimes use for various activities (e.g. game walks, polers in the Okavango Delta etc). Clients sometimes find it difficult to get a realistic value of the local currency and what it is worth in the local economy. We suggest that a tip of 1-3€ per client per ½ day activity, or the local currency equivalent, is acceptable.

Your two Sunway tour leaders also work extremely hard to ensure that your safari runs smoothly and that all the clients on tour are happy. They are more often than not in bed last and up first, do most of the cooking and also give as much information to the clients about the areas that are visited and of course flora and fauna. We suggest that a tip of 2–5€ per client per day per tour leader is reasonable. A general procedure for tipping the guides, is for the group to collect the guides tips, and place in 2 separate envelopes for each of the tour leaders.

As in all cases with tipping, the final decision of the amount tipped is up to the individual. It is up to you to decide if you thought the service was poor, or exceptional, and the amount tipped should reflect that. The amounts quoted above are guidelines for you to get an idea of what to tip.

Will I be safe while on safari?

Southern Africa, like all 3rd world regions, has its problems, but your tour leader knows all of the areas intimately and will endeavour to show you all of the highlights while always taking your safety into account. Sunway plans the itineraries to visit interesting places, while not placing clients in harms way.

Like all practical advice about safety, be aware of your surroundings but not paranoid. As you would anywhere in the world, don’t leave valuables such as wallet and cameras unattended or in plain view. IE: don’t leave your camera on a restaurant table while you dash to the loo, or leave your wallet on the bed in your room while you’re not there. The temptation for cleaning staff may be too much.

Please also bear in mind that the people in many of the places you will visit are living in difficult and sometimes poor conditions. To them the possessions you have are signs of your relative wealth, and therefore please be sensitive to their position. Don’t create that temptation in their mind by “flaunting” your valuables.

When entering a wilderness area your tour leader will give you a full safely briefing. If you follow the simple rules while in wilderness areas you will have nothing to worry about when in close proximity to wild animals. On game drives keep quiet and don’t make any sudden movements. On game walks walk in a single file, keep quiet and listen to your guide’s instructions and you will enjoy and amazing wildlife experience. When staying in un-fenced campsites do not wander off alone, always make sure that you are aware of your surroundings.

Follow your guide’s instructions and you’ll have a great time.

Do I need travel insurance?

Yes, all clients travelling on a Sunway safari are required to have their own comprehensive travel insurance. The travel insurances needs to cover lost luggage, missed flights and most importantly comprehensive medical cover in the un-likely event of you being injured while on safari.

Please note that while most credit card companies offer travel insurance if you have bought your airline ticket on your credit card, we have found that cover is not sufficient for adventure travel in Africa. We strongly recommend you buy additional specific travel insurance. You need to buy this insurance in your home country, before you travel and your local Sunway travel agent can assist you with this.

Is there an age limit?

The minimum age for our guests is 12 years old, although we do occasionally make exceptions depending on the specific itinerary, the group make-up and sometimes during our low season. Please note that a child of 12-17 years will only be accepted for travel with an accompanying adult.

On some of our safaris we camp wild in remote areas and these campsites are not fenced, so it is possible for wild animals do enter the campsite. It is important that parents make sure that the children listen and follow the guide’s safety instructions. Parents are also required to supervise their children at all times so as not to affect the enjoyment of the tour for any other clients.

We, as Sunway, do not believe that age should be a determining factor on the enjoyment of life! Therefore we do not have an upper age limit.

But clients who are older than 65yrs are required to submit a medical self declarations letter or doctor’s report stating that they are fit and healthy and that they will be able to undertake a safari that includes a moderate level of physical activity, some long driving days and some moderate full day walks. This is not an onerus document, but rather an indication that the client is aware of the style of tour that they will be joining, and capable of participating in all activities on tour. We’ve found that we have many fit and healthy clients who are over 65 years of age, join Sunway trips, and put the younger clients to shame on the mountain walks!

Do Sunway Safaris offer a repeat traveller discount?

There is a 5% discount available to repeat clients, so if you have travelled with Sunway before and are considering another Sunway safari, remember to tell your original booking agent when you book again.

How-to-book-your-Sunway-safari

By booking with your local agent you’ll be advised by a knowledgeable consultant who knows the Sunway tours. You’ll be covered by the travel laws of your country, assisted in your home language, in your own time zone and your agent can assist with travel insurance and visas. You are welcome to contact Sunway and we’ll recommend an agent.

Sunway shows live availability online. Your agent can hold a provisional booking for up to 7 days with no-obligation.

To confirm your safari reservation your agent will require a 20% deposit and a completed booking form. And voilá, you’re off on an adventure!

Related safaris

This is the ultimate 21 day, 3 country journey through Namibia, Botswana, and Zimbabwe.

Climb the towering Sossusvlei dunes, explore Etosha National Park and coastal Swakopmund, then glide through the Okavango Delta by mokoro.

Continue to Zimbabwe to track rhino in Matobo National Park, spot elephants in Hwange National Park, and end at the spectacular Victoria Falls, one of the world’s greatest natural wonders.

Max 12 people
Professional Safari Guides
Safari truck / Minibus & 4WD
20 Breakfasts, 18 Lunches & 13 Dinners
Entrance Fees
18 nights in small lodges, permanent tents & guesthouses, 2 nights tented camp
Use of all equipment

Highlights

Namib Desert – Dune walk
Brandberg Massif – rock paintings
Etosha NP – game viewing
Caprivi - game drive
Okavango Delta – mokoro excursion and bush walks
Moremi – game drives
Matopos – game drive and rock paintings
Hwange – game drives
Victoria Falls – A natural wonder of the world

Information

Overnight

18 nights on safari at small lodges (including tented lodges), with en suite facilities.

2 nights tented camp in the Okavango. Each tent has twin camp beds with linen and en suite chemical toilet. Shared bucket shower tent with hot water off the fire.

Meals

20 breakfasts, 18 lunches & 13 dinners included. Of which 10 breakfasts are provided by the lodges. The remaining included meals are provided by Sunway crew and meals will be enjoyed around the campfire at the truck.

Transport

For the majority of this safari you travel in custom-built Sunway Safari trucks with 12 forward facing seats. On 5% of tours we may use Mercedes Sprinter minibuses with 12 forward facing seats and air conditioning. There are some long distances to cover and a few early morning starts. For the game drives in Moremi/Mababe, Hwange and Matobos and the transfer into the Okavango we use local open sided 4WD vehicles with local guides.

Limited participation

An essential part of your safari is some participation. From carrying your own bag to packing the truck in the morning – it’s all part of your adventure. Where the tour leaders provide meals we ask that clients help (on rotation) with the washing up.

Responsible Tourism

The sausage tree is the traditional tree cut down to make the mokoro (dugouts) used in the Okavango Delta. But sadly these trees are disappearing from the region. Sunway has set up a project to encourage polers in the local community polers to buy fiberglass replica mokoros. These mokoros have a longer lifespan are more stable and are made with no effect on the environment.

Sponsorship for each mokoro is needed. This is something that is close to all of our hearts and we hope that it will be successful. If you would like to contribute, please talk to your guide.

During our stay in Matopos, we support the Matobo Rhino Trust, which works closely with Zimbabwe’s National Parks on rhino conservation. The Trust also empowers local communities by training and mentoring members to become guides or work in tourism, creating lasting impact through both wildlife protection and sustainable development.

Age Policy

We accept children 12-18 with accompanying adults on scheduled tours (for private groups we can accept younger children).

If the clients are older than 65 years, then we require a medical certificate too (stating client is fit and healthy to embark on a multi-day tour covering long distances etc).

The best time to visit Namibia

The Namib desert landscapes form a magnificent backdrop for a spectacular safari. Lying on the Tropic of Capricorn, and flanked by the cold Atlantic Ocean, Namibia has a desert climate for the most part and there can be large differences in day and night temperatures, low rainfall and overall low humidity.

The best time to visit Botswana

Botswana is centrally located in Southern Africa and mostly has a sub-tropical climate. Largely Kalahari desert, there are sizable differences between the day and night temperatures and virtually no rainfall. In the Delta temperatures are more moderate due to the abundance of water. Botswana is a wonderful destination all year round…

Dry season is from May to October: The game viewing is superb and wildlife is very easy to spot.
May:– Autumn temperatures are typically 10°C/50°F to 28°C/80°F.

June, July & August:– Winter morning game drives can be cold at around 6°C/42°F, but it warms to +-25°C/78°F.

September & October:– Spring begins and temperatures warm up to +- 34°C/100°F. The migration of the Southern Carmine Bee-eaters is a sight to behold and a must-see for this time of year.

Green season is from November to April: Baby season and nothing beats seeing a lioness with her cubs, or other young animals at play.
November & December:– Typically cooler than October and between 20°C/69°F and 33°C/91°F. The more desert areas can still have very hot days.

January & February:– The Summer or “Green” months, with occasional storms in the afternoon. Temperatures are around 32°C/90°F in the day.

March and April:– The waters of the Delta start to rise and large herds of elephant and buffalo begin to make their way back to the Okavango as winter approaches. Lovely, clear weather and few clouds prevail, but the nights are cooler and the days very comfortable at around 30°C/87°F.

The best time to visit Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe enjoys a pleasant, mostly sub-tropical climate, moderated by its high elevation. Summers (November–March) are warm and wet, while winters (May–August) are dry and mild. The variety of landscapes—from savannah to highlands—means there’s always something to experience. Zimbabwe is a year-round destination, each season offering its own highlights.

Dry season is from May to October: This is peak safari season with excellent visibility for game viewing in parks like Hwange and Matobo.
May:- Clear, mild autumn days range from 10°C/50°F to 26°C/79°F.

June, July & August:– Winter mornings can be crisp (as low as 5°C/41°F), but daytime temperatures rise to around 24°C/75°F.

September & October:– Temperatures heat up to around 32°C/90°F, especially in low-lying areas. Expect fantastic game sightings as animals gather at waterholes, and Victoria Falls begins to recede, revealing dramatic rock formations.

Green season is from November to April: Lush landscapes, dramatic skies, and the birth of young animals make this an enchanting time to visit.

November & December:– Rain begins to fall, especially in the afternoons, with temperatures between 20°C/68°F and 30°C/86°F.

January & February:– The height of summer brings vibrant greenery and occasional thunderstorms. Expect daytime highs of around 31°C/88°F.

March & April:– As rains taper off, the air clears and temperatures hover around 28°C/82°F. Victoria Falls is at its fullest—an awe-inspiring spectacle.