A brief summary on the itinerary
Escape Plan to South Africa, Botswana and Zimbabwe in August 2013:
Total duration 17D16N
Singapore is 6hrs ahead of South Africa
Flight time is 12hrs direct flight on SQ (converted Krisflyer points for free tix!) from Singapore to Johannesburg
Night flight on 2nd Aug, arrive on 3rd Aug Saturday, early in the morning.
Day 1 Pretoria and Joburg City tours (guided)
Day 2 Lion and Rhino Nature Reserve and Cradle of humankind (guided)
Day 3 Tydon Safari in Sabi Sands
Day 4 Tydon Safari in Sabi Sands
Day 5 Tydon Safari in Krueger National Park
Day 6 Return to Joburg via Paranorma Route
Day 7 Fly to Zambia, transfer by land to Botswana, Mowana Safari lodge, Chobe National Park
Day 8 Mowana Safari in Chobe National Park
Day 9 Transfer to Zimbabwe by land, Vic Falls Heli trip
Day 10 Vic Falls tour (guided), explore Vic Falls town
Day 11 Transfer to Zambia by land, Fly to Cape Town via Joburg
Day 12 Cape Peninsula full day tour
Day 13 City tour and V&A waterfront
Day 14 Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden and Hermanus
Day 15 Hermanus and Ostrich Farm
Day 16 Lambert’s Bay
Day 17 Home sweet home
This was not the initial plan that we have as we wanted to do a partial garden route. The weather was bad on our final leg in Cape Town and thus we changed the Garden Route planned on Day 14-Day16 to the those stated above in order to try spend more time in Cape Town.
Budget nature: Budget Buster
The total costs spent is about SGD5.5k per pax (inclusive of main flight taxes, meals, souvenirs, books (lots of them), toys and macadamia nuts and wasted no-shows on hotels). The amount looks alot but considering the itinerary and the duration and comparing with some of the quotations I have inquired, it is of good value in my opinion.
Complexity: DIY for the seasoned traveller
I guess there’s going to be alot more planning to do if you are to arrange everything yourself. I was really concerned with the crime in SA and thus had prearranged all tours and transfer back at home. But it is really nothing much to worry about if you maintain the usual street smartness required and not visit places that you really shouldn’t go and you should be fine. I have seen many DIY tourists whilst travelling similar route and they seemed fine on their own.