Cape Town to Victoria Falls - Hotel/Lodge

An adventure through the heart of southern Africa's dramatic scenery in South Africa, Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe

Cape Town to Victoria Falls is one of the world’s great classic journeys. Starting from Cape Town, South Africa’s most cosmopolitan city, this trip travels through Namibia's spectacular desert landscape, wildlife-rich game parks in Namibia and Botswana and finally to the mighty Victoria Falls on the border of Zimbabwe and Zambia. This is an adventure through the heart of southern Africa’s dramatic scenery, with rich culture, diverse wildlife and the opportunity to partake in numerous activities along the way.

Responsible Travel

At Exodus we believe in the power of Responsible Travel.

Every time we travel, we are part of a global movement that creates jobs, builds more sustainable societies, encourages cultural understanding and safeguards common natural and cultural heritage. To learn more about what Responsible Travel means to Exodus click here… 

Visa

Botswana

Currently British and Commonwealth and European passport holders do not require visas for Botswana.

If you are transiting through South Africa and are a non UK passport holder you may require a transit visa. Please check before travelling.

Please be aware that children under the age of 18 must provide a full birth certificate (a short one won’t be accepted) as well as a valid passport. If the child is travelling with only one parent or with another adult, the missing parent (or parents) will have to provide an affidavit giving their consent for the child to travel. If flying via S. Africa you may have to pass immigration between flights and the same regulation is needed for entry into S. Africa.

Namibia

Visas for Namibia are not required for UK or Commonwealth passport holders. Other nationalities should check before travelling.

Please ensure you have a one full blank page in your passport. If you are transiting through South Africa and are a non UK passport holder you may require a transit visa. Please check before travelling. Please note that if flying via South Africa you will probably have to pass immigration there. New regulations, as of the 1 Oct 2014, mean that children under 18 will have to have an unabridged birth certificate showing the names of both parents. If the child is travelling with only one parent they will need to have an affidavit from the other parent, of no more than 3 months, confirming the child can travel with the other parent; a court order granting full legal guardianship of the child; or a death certificate of the deceased parent.

South Africa
British passport holders and most European and Commonwealth Passport holders do not require a visa to travel to South Africa.

Please note that all travellers to South Africa who do require a visa are required to have a minimum of 2 blank consecutive pages in their passport i.e. a left hand page and a right hand page to enable an entry visa to be issued.
Please note that new regulations from the 1 June 2015 mean that any child under 18 travelling to South Africa needs to be in possession of an unabridged birth certificate with the names of both parents.
If a child under 18 is only travelling with a single parent, they will also have to have an affidavit, no less than 3 months old, from the absent parent confirming the child can travel with the other parent; a court order granting full legal guardianship of the child; or a death certificate of the deceased parent.

Zimbabwe

Most nationalities, including British require a visa to visit Zimbabwe.  This can be obtained from the Zimbabwean Embassy in London but it is a lot easier to get it on arrival in Zimbabwe. 

The current charge for a single entry visit visa issued on arrival in Zimbabwe is £35.00 or US$55.00, although this could change. If you have not obtained a visa before travelling, you should bring enough cash with you to pay for your visa on arrival. You should ensure you have small notes as immigration officers may not be able to provide change.

If you plan on visiting Zambia as well then there is the UNIVISA (a shared visa for Zimbabwe and Zambia) that will allow you multiple entries into Zimbabwe.

Please note that if flying via South Africa you will probably have to pass immigration there. New regulations, as of the 1 Oct 2014, mean that children under 18 will have to have an unabridged birth certificate showing the names of both parents. If the child is travelling with only one parent they will need to have an affidavit from the other parent, of no more than 3 months, confirming the child can travel with the other parent; a court order granting full legal guardianship of the child; or a death certificate of the deceased parent.

Vaccination

Botswana

Vaccination against Yellow Fever is necessary if you are coming from a country with Yellow Fever, and you must bring a valid certificate of vaccination. Recommended vaccinations are: Polio, Tetanus, Diphtheria, Typhoid, Hepatitis A. Malaria prophylaxis is essential and we suggest that you seek advice from your GP or travel health clinic about which malaria tablets to take.

Namibia

There are no mandatory vaccination requirements.

Recommended vaccinations are: Polio, Tetanus, Diphtheria, Typhoid, Hepatitis A.

Malaria prophylaxis is essential and we suggest that you seek advice from your GP or travel health clinic about which malaria tablets to take.

South Africa

There are no mandatory vaccination requirements.

Recommended vaccinations are: Polio, Tetanus, Diphtheria, Typhoid, Hepatitis A.

Malaria prophylaxis is essential if travelling in the greater Kruger area and we suggest that you seek advice from your GP or travel health clinic about which malaria tablets to take. The rest of South Africa, including the Garden Route, has a low risk of Malaria.

Dengue fever is a known risk in places visited. It is a tropical viral disease spread by daytime biting mosquitoes. There is currently no vaccine or prophylaxis available for Dengue, and therefore the best form of prevention is to avoid being bitten. We recommend you take the usual precautions to avoid mosquito bites.

Zimbabwe

There are no mandatory vaccination requirements. Recommended vaccinations are: Polio, Tetanus, Typhoid, Hepatitis A. Malaria prophylaxis is essential and we suggest that you seek advice from your GP or travel health clinic about which malaria tablets to take.

Eating and Drinking

All breakfasts and 4 lunches included.

We suggest you allow about US$200 for meals not included in the itinerary. Please note that most included meals are actually prepared by the crew. Camp meals should be wholesome and plentiful, but do not expect cordon bleu cooking. Please note sometimes it is not easy to get fresh meat. However, the general standard of food is good and vegetarians are well catered for. Please notify Exodus of specific dietary requirements.

The water provided on this trip is safe and clean drinking water, normally coming from bore-holes. It is not bottled water, however. If you would rather have bottled water then this will be at your expense, though we would encourage you to make use of the safe drinking water provided as this helps diminish plastic consumption.

Weather

The Southern Hemisphere essentially has the opposite weather to the UK. The summer months of June, July and August, whilst clear and warm during the day, can drop down to single figures and even below freezing at night. Between September and May it is considerably warmer with the time between October and March being the hottest, getting up to the high 30sºC and sometimes above. However it is always a dry heat and the temperature does drop at night. The wet season is between November and February, but this is not a bad time to go, as it generally does not rain for very long.

Weather Charts

Victoria Falls

Is this trip for you?

We run both Camping and Lodge/Hotel departures for this trip, both following a very similar itinerary.

Lodge/Hotel departures offer an accommodated version of the camping trip, staying in a range of Standard and Comfortable Hotels/chalets/lodges ranging from 2 or 3 stars. Breakfasts are eaten either at the lodge restaurant or are prepared by the local team, whilst lunches and dinners are typically prepared by the leaders and will be enjoyed in a camp-setting to give you the true open-air African experience. Some dinners will be eaten in lodge/hotel restaurants as well. 

Transport for all departures is in a specially modified safari vehicle. All vehicles carry a reference library, fridge and/or icebox. 80% of Namibian roads are good gravel roads. However, the road conditions are completely dependent on how they are being maintained at the time and on occasion conditions can be poor. This can have an impact on journey times as well as comfort, and can be punishing on the vehicles. Distances are long on some days as this 21 day trip is 5000km long, but it does take in an amazing variety of landscapes from desert to swampland and wildlife with scenic views. Game drives are completed in the vehicle that we use throughout the tour (with the exception of optional game drives). Drive times below are only approximations and do vary with road conditions and the number of stops.

Where we travel to in South Africa is safe, and the risk of crime is generally low. However, there are important steps that can be taken to minimise the risk of theft and these include leaving valuables in your hotel's safe, at home, or concealed in the vehicle when not needed. Do not carry more cash than you need, as cards are widely accepted in South Africa. If using an ATM, do not do this alone and be mindful of your surroundings. It is not advisable to walk around after dark, particularly in the city of Cape Town where you can easily and inexpensively take an Uber, or ask your hotel to arrange a taxi.

Legal Note: all group members joining this tour will be asked to sign an indemnity form at the start of the holiday. This indemnity form is a requirement of the South African Tourism Service Association which our local supplier is a member of. As a client of Exodus Travels Ltd, your rights under the Package Travel Regulations (1992) are unaffected, and Exodus remains liable for the actions of our sub-contractors.

Following a review of all our trips we have categorised this trip as generally not suitable for persons of reduced mobility. However if you are a regular traveller on such trips, please contact customer services to discuss the trip and your personal condition.