Safari Parks
- Thread starter Deareg
- Start date
david dissadent
New Member
The South African Safari parks were built for the white working and middle class caravaning holidays and are very cheap and pretty much turn up with your own car and tent and go for it. Depends on how much you love watching animals but you could spend two or three weeks inside the Kruger Park no worries. Hire a car (or buy one locally) turn up and drive round the tarred roads between the well fenced of campsites (its the size of Wales). You have to pay (a modest) fee for the rangers to take you on a night drive, that is the best way of spotting lepords. It will take a couple of days to get used to how to watch for game. They used to show relevant National Geographic movies in the camps every night. It was an unbelievable two weeks I spent there. I was, however, happy to be patient and using a relatives car so could take my time and really learn a little about the animals I was watching.
Zimbabwes parks used to be cheaper and better. However things may have changed. Hawange was an unreal experiance with the fences being pretty crap so getting to camp with the animals inside the fucking fence. My mum awoke to the site of a silloutte of an elephant eating of a tree next to her tent and we heard something breathing and sniffing round our goddam tent in the longest night of my life in one of the camps (possibly Robins Camp). Sinamatella camp was also pretty awesome (seen white Rhino). This was all in 1999 so I dont know about now, but it was sooo sooo sooooo sooooooo worth it.
Namibia used to be run by SA so its parks will also be the same, to see Cheeta you probibly have to go to a Namibian camp.
Botswana is alot more expensive and exclusive, I dont know about East Africa as that destination is still a couple of years away.
Zimbabwes parks used to be cheaper and better. However things may have changed. Hawange was an unreal experiance with the fences being pretty crap so getting to camp with the animals inside the fucking fence. My mum awoke to the site of a silloutte of an elephant eating of a tree next to her tent and we heard something breathing and sniffing round our goddam tent in the longest night of my life in one of the camps (possibly Robins Camp). Sinamatella camp was also pretty awesome (seen white Rhino). This was all in 1999 so I dont know about now, but it was sooo sooo sooooo sooooooo worth it.
Namibia used to be run by SA so its parks will also be the same, to see Cheeta you probibly have to go to a Namibian camp.
Botswana is alot more expensive and exclusive, I dont know about East Africa as that destination is still a couple of years away.
Deareg
Well-Known Member
thanks, hopefully it wont have changed too much, i am hoping to spend a few weeks their sometime in the not too distant future, and cant afford the travel agents package thing, i am hoping to just get a plane out and then take things from their, do you know if it is easy to cross back and forward over the borders or if i need visa's? or the best time of year to go?
david dissadent
New Member
Which borders?Deareg said:
The best time to do game veiwing is the dry season as there is less vegitation, that corrosponds with winter in Southern Africa, roughly May to August.
david dissadent
New Member
Its a bit complex, so you are probibly better getting advice from a lonely planet book (or website). The advice changes relatively quickly. You will need a visa for every country.Deareg said:
moonsi til
worked it out now!
It is fairly easy and safe to travel in Africa though I went on a organised overland tour with www.oasisoverland.com . I started in Nairobi and ended in Zimbabwe.
As has been mentioned a visa is required for every country and the cost soon mounts up. I loved my trip and plan on going back to Africa in the next year (I hope)...next trip would be Zimbabwe to Cape Town.
As has been mentioned a visa is required for every country and the cost soon mounts up. I loved my trip and plan on going back to Africa in the next year (I hope)...next trip would be Zimbabwe to Cape Town.
Deareg
Well-Known Member
moonsi til said:
thanks for the link i have bookmarked it, i have heard so many horror stories about africa, i know most of them are bollox, i had 5 weeks in cape town a couple of years ago but did not get to see much of the rest of the country outside it,
do i have to apply for the visas in advance or do i get them at the border do you know? and could you let me know roughly how much it cost you and for how long?
moonsi til
worked it out now!
My trip was expensive as generally I found Africa to be expensive. I paid nearly £650 for my trip which included all my travel costs, a few excursions, all food and accomodation (camping) . When I went to Zanibar I opted out of camping and stayed in a shared room which was $10 per night.
Visas easily cost me about $200....I think Zim alone was either $50 or $70.
I don't know that much about the transport system in Africa but I met a girl on the truck who like myself had travelled alone in other parts of the world but was wary about Africa but we both felt it was doable....but you might find yourself wasting a bit of time. I enjoyed my trip , meeting new folk and camping out and cooking on a fire we made and shopping in the markets.
I think I easily spent £600 in 4 weeks and I was being careful with my cash !! I had an open jaw flight which cost me £550 which was a very good deal. i think that works out at about 2 grand....worth every penny.
E2A: I got all my visas at the borders...I had to take a few extra passport photos with me...but I don't recall using them. I think also there was a better rate for US$ than £...not much difference but some.
Though next time I won't have a few celebration beers whilst still out on Safari....there are no toilets and you can't get out and go behind a tree..
Visas easily cost me about $200....I think Zim alone was either $50 or $70.
I don't know that much about the transport system in Africa but I met a girl on the truck who like myself had travelled alone in other parts of the world but was wary about Africa but we both felt it was doable....but you might find yourself wasting a bit of time. I enjoyed my trip , meeting new folk and camping out and cooking on a fire we made and shopping in the markets.
I think I easily spent £600 in 4 weeks and I was being careful with my cash !! I had an open jaw flight which cost me £550 which was a very good deal. i think that works out at about 2 grand....worth every penny.
E2A: I got all my visas at the borders...I had to take a few extra passport photos with me...but I don't recall using them. I think also there was a better rate for US$ than £...not much difference but some.
Though next time I won't have a few celebration beers whilst still out on Safari....there are no toilets and you can't get out and go behind a tree..
