Details

Frequently Asked Questions

Please read our general FAQs, where you can find essential information that applies to all of our programs.

Resources to Learn & Teach about Southern Africa

Visit our recommended reading page to see the list of books GEEO recommends reading before your program (this is not required reading). We also have lesson plans and Pinterest boards that may be useful for you as you learn about your destination and prepare to bring lessons back to your classroom.

Terms and Conditions

It is very important for you to visit our Terms and Conditions page before signing up for this program.

GEEO Program Confirmation Process

We require a minimum of 6 participants for most GEEO programs. We officially confirm that a program will run once at least 8 people have signed up, which provides a margin for individual cancellations. Nearly all GEEO programs ultimately meet this enrollment quota, and in the rare event that a program does not meet the minimum requirement and GEEO cancels the program, we will work with you to find a suitable alternative or provide a refund of your deposit if you prefer. We encourage you to sign up for any program that interests you, and we will notify the entire group once 6 people are booked and again once 8 people are booked. We always emphasize the importance of exercising caution when making non-refundable travel arrangements, especially given the unpredictable nature of travel. For example, we typically recommend booking flights with flexible change/cancellation policies.

Cancellation policy

All cancellations must be submitted to GEEO in written form by emailing your request for cancellation to travel@geeo.org. If you do not receive a confirmation that we have received your written cancellation request, please call us at 1-877-600-0105. Verbal cancellation requests will not be honored.

• If you cancel 60 days or more prior to departure, all your program fee payments will be refunded besides your $350 deposit which is kept on file for future use
• If you cancel between 30 and 59 days prior to departure, you will receive a 50% refund and your deposit is kept on file for future use
• If you cancel within 30 days of departure, you will receive no refund, but your deposit is kept on file for future use

Trip Notes

1. TRANSPORTATION: This is not a physically demanding journey; however, traveling can be difficult, with long drives and poor road conditions at times. Despite this, most clients feel that the diversity of the African landscape, countries, culture, and wildlife are all well worth the experience. We use a comfortable and safe air-conditioned touring vehicle for the long drives
2. YELLOW FEVER: According to the WHO and CDC, there is no risk of Yellow Fever in Botswana. It is compulsory to show a valid Yellow Fever vaccination certificate if you are traveling to Botswana from a Yellow Fever endemic country or have recently transited through a Yellow Fever endemic country. Yellow Fever inoculations need to be administered at least 10 days prior to your entry into the country. Border officials in Botswana have been strictly enforcing these requirements. Travelers without the correct documentation run the risk of being denied entry. This means you should either skip the Zambian side of Victoria Falls or get a Yellow Fever caccination if you intend to extend your stay and visit Botswana after the trip ends.
3. WATER IN CAPE TOWN: Cape Town is currently experiencing one of the worst droughts it has seen in over 100 years, and while we want you to have the best time possible while there, please try to reduce your water usage.
4. MONEY EXCHANGE: We strongly advise that you bring ZAR (South African Rand) or USD from your home country or exchange money before the start of the tour, to avoid delays on tour. Please see the Money Exchange section for more details.
5. DRONES: The use of drones in national parks in Southern Africa is prohibited.
6. EXTRAS: Looking to add to your experience? Check out our Extras! Specially designed for travelers with unique interests, Extras are optional add-ons to your trip that make your adventure more you-centric. Some extras must be booked prior to departure, and you can find the details under Optional Activities below and email travel@geeo.org to book them.

Group Leader Description

All GEEO/G Adventures group trips are accompanied by one of G Adventure’s group leaders, who they refer to as Chief Experience Officers (CEOs), and an expert driver. All of our leaders in Southern Africa are registered and licensed tourism guides, meaning they’ve studied to have a broad knowledge base of the region’s history, cultures, and wildlife, and are legally certified to lead/guide tours in the regions visited. Most of our leaders in the region are from South Africa, though it may be possible that you’ll have a leader from another country in the southern African region. As the group managers and leaders, the aim of the group leaders is to take the hassle out of your travels and to help you have the best trip possible. They will provide information on the places where we are traveling, offer suggestions for things to do and see, recommend great local eating venues, and introduce you to our local friends. He/she will take care of the small things so you can concentrate on enjoying your adventure. In addition, as an integral part of the team, your drivers are skilled and experienced drivers who have intimate knowledge of the vehicle and routes traveled. We also use local guides where we think more specific knowledge will add to the enjoyment of the places we are visiting.

Fitness Level

This trip includes moderate hiking and other activities that require an average/moderate level of fitness to enjoy. You can skip the longer hikes if you wish.

Meals

Eating is a big part of traveling. Traveling with G Adventures you experience the vast array of wonderful food that is available in Southern Africa. On this tour, we provide only a few meals for you and your group members, so as to give you the maximum flexibility in deciding where, what, and with whom to eat. It also gives you more budgeting flexibility in your choices. Our groups tend to eat together to enable you to taste a larger variety of dishes and enjoy each other's company. There is no obligation to do this though - while in the larger centers, your tour leaders will be able to suggest favorite restaurants during your trip. For the included meals, vegetarian meal requests and other dietary requirements need to be specified prior to arrival.

About Our Transportation

For this trip, we use a private local bus for most of the journey and a short flight from Cape Town to Johannesburg. Having our own private vehicle for most of the tour allows us the flexibility of making stops when needed. In addition, we are able to travel to out-of-the-way locations where public transportation does not reach.

About Accommodation

Hotels: 7 nights in comfortable twin rooms with en suite or shared facilities. Lodges: 5 nights in standard rooms with en-suite facilities.

Single Travelers

Half of GEEO’s participants travel by themselves, so please don’t worry if you do not have a travel companion for your trip. Our program fee is for one traveler in double-occupancy accommodation, and GEEO can find you a roommate of the same gender if you do not have a travel companion. Most of our programs have a “My Own Room” option, also known as a “Single Supplement,” which is an extra fee that you can pay to have a room to yourself. You will only incur an additional charge if you specifically request a single room. To see the price for the “My Own Room” option, please find your program on our extra services page. If you want to room alone, please email travel@geeo.org to request a single room.

Joining Instructions

Cape Town International Airport is about 22 km from downtown. We recommend two ways to get into the city. 1) Taxi: To take a taxi, leave the international terminal, cross the first road and you will see the taxi stand. Official taxis have the kilometer rate on the door. 2) Shuttle: If you wish to take a shuttle to the city center, when arriving at the international terminal, turn immediately left and walk straight ahead and you'll see the shuttle services desk. The cost is approximately 80 ZAR. 3) If you have paid in advance for an arrival transfer, a G Adventures representative will be at the airport to meet you. If for any reason you are not met at the airport, please call our local support line. If you are unable to make contact for whatever reason, please make your way to the joining point hotel via taxi. Day 1 is an arrival day, and no activities have been planned. Upon arrival to the city on Day 1, or earlier if you have booked pre-accommodation with us, please make your way to the joining hotel. Please note: Check-in time will be in the afternoon. Once you arrive at the hotel, look for a note at reception from your tour leader. This note will give the details of your Welcome Meeting on Day 1, usually between 6:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m., during which you will get a chance to meet your tour leader and other travelers, as well as learn more about how the tour will run. If you don’t see a note, please ask reception for details. If you miss the Welcome Meeting, your tour leader will leave a note at reception for you with any information you may need and with instructions for the next morning.

Emergency Contacts

Should you need to contact G Adventures during a situation of dire need, it is best to first call their local G Adventures office. If for any reason you do not receive an immediate answer, please leave a detailed message and contact information, so they may return your call and assist you as soon as possible. AIRPORT TRANSFER If you have purchased an arrival through G Adventures or if an arrival transfer is included in the cost of your tour, please note that your arrival transfer has been arranged based on flight information provided to us. If you are advised of a flight schedule change within 48 hours of your scheduled arrival time, we will do our best to rearrange your arrival transfer however we cannot guarantee this. If your arrival transfer does not arrive within 30 minutes after you have exited the arrivals area, please call the local emergency contact numbers listed below for more information. EMERGENCY CONTACT NUMBERS G Adventures Local Representative (South Africa) From outside South Africa: +27 713823286 From within South Africa: 071 3823286 If you are unable for any reason to contact the G Adventures local office, please call the numbers listed below, which will connect you directly with the G Adventures 24-hour Sales team, who will happily assist you. Toll-free, North America only: 1 888 800 4100

Packing List

Please read this article on GEEO’s blog for our staff’s suggestions on the best gear to pack for your upcoming travels. You will be on the move a lot, so our advice is to pack as lightly as possible. Your baggage should be clearly labeled and restricted to one soft compact suitcase (please avoid a hard-top case), or sports bag, maximum 15kg, plus a daypack. Luggage limits on airlines are strictly enforced and space on vehicles is limited. Porters are not often available, so be prepared to carry your own bags. It is important to pack clothes for warm days and cool evenings, as well as a warm jacket for early morning wildlife safari drives. A set of smart casual clothes is also advisable. During the winter months (May to October), the temperatures can get quite cold in Namibia and Botswana. It is wise to bring plenty of layers for cool mornings and evenings. A set of smart casual clothes is also advisable. Please be advised that if you plan to bring a drone with you, the use of drones in national parks in Southern Africa is prohibited. Suggested Checklist

• Long-sleeved shirts or sweater
• Warm gloves
• Warm hat
• Warm layers
• Compact, packable winter coat
• Light windproof/waterproof rain jacket
• Sun hat
• Personal clothing for weather in the 50’s to the 80’s – we recommend packing 7-8 days of outfits so you only have to do laundry once
• At least one pair of long pants
• Daypack
• Sturdy walking shoes
• Sport sandals or flip-flops
• Sunblock
• Sunglasses
• Watch or alarm clock
• Small flashlight or headlamp
• Toiletries – your hotels will have soap and shampoo
• Camera
• First-aid kit, including: lip salve, aspirin, bandaids, anti-histamine, Dramamine, Imodium or similar tablets for mild cases of diarrhea, electrolyte powder, insect repellent, extra prescription drugs you may be taking

Optional Checklist

• Lightweight silk sleep sheet
• Travel pillow
• Money belt
• Water bottle
• Phone/tablet for internet – most hotels have WiFi
• Chargers for electronics as well as converters/adapters, if needed
• AirTags or Tile trackers
• Packing cubes
• Flip-flops/sandals
• Earplugs
• Snacks – packing a few granola bars is a good idea; you can buy snacks when you get there too, so don’t go crazy here
• Ziplock bags
• Reading/writing material
• Hand sanitizer/baby wipes

Document Checklist

• Passport (with photocopies)
• Any entry visas or vaccination certificates required
• Travel insurance ID card
• Flight itinerary/boarding pass(es)
• USD/EUR cash
• Credit/debit card
• G Adventures vouchers

Laundry

Please note that you will be on the move a lot, and as such there will not be a lot of time for same-day laundry service. Please consult your tour guide to arrange laundry services, if necessary, so that they can advise you or make arrangements. Facilities are available in Cape Town and Victoria Falls.

Passports and Visas

All GEEO trips require that the participant have a valid passport. Please see our general FAQ for information on obtaining a passport. As with all of our trips, we try to provide the most accurate information we can, but governments sometimes change visa rules. It is your responsibility to double check the information we provide below by searching here. Please ensure that you have at least 6 blank pages in your passport. South Africa requires two clean, consecutive pages for each transit through South Africa. You will need two pages to transit South Africa in each direction, and two pages to enter Zimbabwe. South African officials take this requirement very seriously and will turn you around if you do not have sufficient blank pages. SOUTH AFRICA VISA REQUIREMENTS U.S. citizens do not need visas to visit South Africa for the duration of the stay included in this tour. Non-Americans should check with their nearest embassy. ZIMBABWE VISA REQUIRMENTS U.S. citizens can be granted a Zimbabwe visa at the port of entry upon payment of the requisite visa fees. You can also apply for an eVisa (non-refundable), but it will likely take you more time and effort to obtain an e-visa than a visa upon arrival. If you apply for a visa online, you may use "GEEO/G Adventures" as your host name and the hotel's address: "Explorers Village Lodge, Adam Stander Dr, Victoria Falls". A single-entry visa is $30 USD, a double-entry visa is $45 USD, and a multi-entry visa is $160. We have heard from a traveler that they now charge $50 for the double-entry, but the State Department still lists $45. We recommend seeing Victoria Falls from both the Zimbabwean and Zambian side, which would likely necessitate a double- or multi-entry visa. You may also find information online about the KAZA Univisa; this visa is no longer being issued to U.S. citizens on a reliable basis after Zambia lifted visa requirements for many countries, including the United States.

Money Exchange

The local currency in South Africa is the South African rand (ZAR). Zimbabwe uses both the U.S. dollar and South African rand. As currency exchange rates fluctuate, we ask that you refer to the following website for daily exchange rates: www.xe.com. The South African rand can be obtained locally by exchanging foreign currency or by using ATMs (where available). Your tour leader can inform you where you can exchange money throughout the tour and approximately how much cash you will need. Please note that due to past problems with forgery, US dollar notes that are older than the year 2006 are not accepted in Africa. Credit cards can be used in major cities and towns, but please do not rely on them as a method of payment, because they are generally not widely accepted. The majority of our optional activities can be paid by credit card, however. Visa/Plus cards are the most widely accepted by businesses in Southern Africa; it can be more difficult to locate ATMs and businesses that accept Mastercard/Cirrus cards. If you normally use a Mastercard, we highly recommend that you also obtain a Visa card prior to departure. You should also be aware that when purchasing products or services on a credit card, a fee of 3%-10% often applies. Please note that in many areas, there may be occasional power-outages when there will be no electricity for hours at a time. In addition, ATMs outside of larger centers often run out of cash or can be out of order unexpectedly. These factors could affect your ability to access money from ATMs. As such, please do not rely on credit or debit cards as your only source of money. A combination of foreign currency and debit/credit cards for cash advances is best. Always take more rather than less, as you don’t want to spoil the trip by constantly feeling short of funds.

Tipping

Tipping is an expected, though not compulsory, component of this program and an expression of satisfaction with the people who assist you on your trip. Amounts given are up to your discretion. Tipping is also one of the most direct ways that you can have a positive economic impact within the local community. Although it may not be customary for you, it is an important source of income for those in the tourism industry in Africa. Giving a tip should be seen as a formal “thank you,” and the action should in no way be awkward. The best method of tipping someone who has served your entire group is to plan in advance, and not rush when it comes to saying goodbye. A suggestion would be for each group member to contribute anonymously by putting their tip into an envelope, which the tour can present to the recipient(s), offering their thanks and showing their appreciation. This method brings the action out into the open, allowing for friendly and appreciative interaction between the group and the recipient(s). You may use the following as a guideline: Tour leader: $5-8 USD per day Local guides: $2-3 USD per day Safari Guide/Driver: $2-3 USD per day Restaurant Staff: 10-15% of cost of bill

Vaccinations

GEEO cannot provide any medical advice, so it is very important to consult your doctor or a travel clinic about which vaccinations you will need for your trip. We recommend contacting Passport Health (http://www.passporthealthusa.com/), which has travel clinics located throughout the United States. You can also check the CDC's recommended vaccinations for your destination. Please take this seriously!

Flights

We find the best prices for flights are often available around 90 days before departure, but of course this varies greatly from route to route and year to year. You should wait until this trip is confirmed before you book non-refundable flights. GEEO and G Adventures bear no responsibility for any flights purchased before the trip is confirmed. This program begins in Cape Town and ends in Victoria Falls. Please double-check our itinerary for the date by which you must arrive in Cape Town. You may want to arrive in Africa one or more days early in case you have flight disruptions. You can arrive at any time you choose, but try to make it in time for our 6:00 p.m. Welcome Meeting on Day 1. You can depart Victoria Falls any time on the final day of the program, or stay longer to see more of the area.

Plugs and Converters

There are two components to provide external power to your device: adapters and transformers (also called electrical converters). The adapter is for your device's plug, adapting the prongs on a standard U.S. two- to three-pronged power cord to fit the local outlets. The transformer/converter changes the local voltage to the voltage used in the U.S. You will want to bring plug adapters for outlet types C, D, and G. The voltage is 220-230 Volts. (Standard U.S. electrical outlets are 120V.) Most new devices, including phones and laptops, are made to work with the different voltage rates, but some devices, like hair dryers, may only work on the U.S. standard of 120V. Check your device's plug or manual to see what voltage range it requires. Most transformer blocks will have an “Input” line that defines its voltage capacity; for example, “Input: 100-240V” means that it will work with voltages between 100V to 240V. If your device can’t handle the higher voltage, you’ll need to purchase a transformer/converter. You can find world transformers/converters online or at many retail stores in the travel section.

Expectations

Before you decide to travel with GEEO, it is important that you read all of the information about the program you are considering. Remember, our programs are quite adventurous.

• The purpose of the accommodation is to provide a safe, well-located place for you to sleep. Sometimes you will be pleasantly surprised, but do not expect luxury as we are trying to keep these trips as inexpensive as possible.
• You must be able to easily carry or roll your luggage, so do not over-pack.
• Many of our programs occur in locations where it is very hot during the day. Please make sure you have thoroughly read the itinerary and can handle the group activities, which sometimes include day hikes with your daypacks.
• We recommend always carrying snacks with you. Meals can sometimes be far apart.
• Please make sure you understand the role of your tour leader on this trip as they are not the traditional “guide” you may be expecting. While our trips are educational, they aren’t study/lecture trips. We want you to learn through exploring, and much of your experience will be based on how active you choose to be in acquiring knowledge and interacting with locals.

Hopefully this is the kind of adventure you are interested in!

Weather

This trip takes place over the Southern Hemisphere’s winter. It is a great time to travel in this region as it will be relatively dry and the days will be comfortable temperatures between the high 50s and 80s. At night in the desert it can get quite cold, so make sure you pack warm clothes.