Details
Important
Before you decide to travel with GEEO, it is important that you read all of the program information on this page. Our programs are quite adventurous, and we find that travelers who review the full trip details are happier with their experiences.
Trip Notes & Expectations
ACCOMMODATION
This trip includes 5 nights in hotels in comfortable twin rooms with en-suite bathrooms, 5 nights in lodges in standard rooms with en-suite bathrooms, and 2 nights in permanent tents with en-suite bathrooms.
Not all hotels have WiFi, and some areas (e.g., Great Zimbabwe) have sketchy cell phone signal. The 2 nights in Kruger will be in luxury, air-conditioned tents with en-suite bathrooms; each tent has a lovely covered deck overlooking the Sabie River and the lush foliage of hundreds of macadamia trees. There are some holes at the bottom of tents to run lines for electricity, so if you have problems with lizards or insects in your tent/room, please ask the lodge staff for assistance. The farmhouse at Matobo National Park is rustic with insect nets provided in the rooms. While mosquito nets are typically provided, bringing your own lightweight travel net never hurts as backup.
TRANSPORTATION
This is not a physically demanding journey; however, traveling can be difficult, with long drives and poor road conditions at times. The road to Victoria Falls involves extremely challenging conditions with significant potholes that can make for an uncomfortable journey. 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. 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.
LUGGAGE
Pack light and bring luggage which is compact and lightweight, and which you can easily transport. The carrying of your luggage remains your responsibility at all times.
ACTIVITY LEVEL & PACE
Please make sure you have thoroughly read the itinerary and can handle the group activities, which sometimes include day hikes with your daypacks. 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. We recommend always carrying snacks with you. Meals can sometimes be far apart.
YELLOW FEVER
According to the WHO and CDC, there is no risk of Yellow Fever in South Africa or Zimbabwe. It is compulsory to show a valid Yellow Fever vaccination certificate if you are traveling to South Africa or Zimbabwe from a Yellow Fever endemic country . If required, Yellow Fever inoculations need to be administered at least 10 days prior to your entry into the country.
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.
MONEY EXCHANGE
We strongly advise that you bring ZAR (South African Rand) and USD, or exchange money before the start of the tour, to avoid delays on tour. Be prepared to purchase most things with cash since credit cards are not widely accepted as payment. See the "Money Exchange" section for more details.
DRONES
The use of drones in national parks in Southern Africa is prohibited.
MEALS
Eating is a big part of traveling. While traveling with GEEO, you can experience the vast array of wonderful food that is available in Southern Africa. On this program, you will have some flexibility to decide where, what, and with whom to eat during some meals. This will also provide some budgeting flexibility. While our travelers often eat together and share dishes so that they can taste a larger variety of food and enjoy each other's company, there is no obligation to do so. Your tour leaders will be able to suggest some favorite restaurants. For the included meals, vegetarian meal requests and other dietary requirements need to be specified in Good to Go prior to arrival.
GROUP LEADER
All GEEO programs are led by a G Adventures Chief Experience Officer (CEO), whose role is to take the hassle out of travel and help you get the most from your trip. They’ll share information about the places you visit, suggest activities and restaurants, and introduce you to our local friends. While not traditional guides, CEOs have broad knowledge of the region’s history, culture, and daily life. On some excursions, local guides are used for deeper insight.
PROGRAM DETAILS
Single Travelers
Traveling solo? You’re in good company—about half of our participants do the same.
Shared room by default. The program fee covers one person in a twin room. We’ll pair you with a roommate of the same gender if you don’t have a travel companion.
Want a private room? Most trips offer a
“My Own Room” (single-supplement) upgrade. Check the price in the
Extra Services section, then email travel@geeo.org to reserve it. You pay the single-supplement only if you request it.
My Own Room Exception: Receive private accommodation every night except nights 9 and 10 at the farmhouse.
Emergency Contacts
Should you need to contact the tour operator during an emergency, it is best to call the 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 can 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 for any reason you are unable to reach the G Adventures local office, please call the numbers listed below, which will connect you directly with the 24-hour G Adventures Sales team, who will happily assist you and connect you with the right person.
Toll-free, North America only: 1 888 800 4100
Packing List
See our blog post of
staff-recommended gear to help you pack for your upcoming travels. You must be able to carry your own luggage—up stairs, on and off of transport, and during 15 to 20 minute walks. Bring
one soft-sided bag (not hard-top), max 15kg and
one daypack for daily items. Space is limited on transportation, so oversized bags cannot travel.
Pack Light: You will be moving around a lot, so
pack as lightly as possible. Airlines strictly enforce luggage limits, space on vehicles is tight, and you will be responsible for carrying your own luggage.
Be Prepared: Be ready for
warm days and cool evenings. Early morning safari drives can be chilly, so bring a warm jacket. From May to October, temperatures in Southern Africa can be especially cold, so
pack layers for early mornings and nights. Also pack a set of smart casual clothes for evenings or city visits.
IMPORTANT:
Drones are not allowed in national parks in Southern Africa!
As you prepare your packing list, we recommend checking average
weather conditions for your destination.
SuggestedOptionalDocuments
- 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 (or use your phone)
- Small flashlight or headlamp
- Toiletries – your hotels will have soap and shampoo
- Camera (or use your phone)
- 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
- Travel pillow
- Light weight silk sleep sheet
- 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
- Hair dryer (some accommodations provide them in the room or at reception, but possibly not all)
- Earplugs
- Snacks – packing a few granola bars is a good idea; you can also buy snacks when you get there too, so don’t go crazy
- Ziplock bags
- Reading/writing material
- Hand sanitizer/baby wipes
- 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
: 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
Travelers are responsible for securing all required travel documents and meeting the entry requirements for every country on their itinerary, including applicable transit/layover countries.
PASSPORT
All travelers must have a passport valid for
at least 6 months beyond your trip dates with enough blank pages for stamps.
Need to apply or renew? Start here.
ENTRY/VISA REQUIREMENTS
Visa rules change frequently—always verify the latest requirements on the
U.S. State Department Country Information Pages. Non-U.S. passport holders should verify requirements with your country's official government resources. Use the tool below to see entry requirements for your specific itinerary.
Entry information below is provided by Sherpa, a third-party service and trusted G Adventures partner. You must search each of your destination countries separately; “Add connection” solely searches transit visa requirements. Additional fees apply if you choose to purchase any services through Sherpa.
Money Exchange
Currency: The local currency in South Africa is the
South African rand (ZAR). Zimbabwe uses both the
U.S. dollar and
South African rand. For current exchange rates, visit
www.xe.com.
Cash Requirements: This trip involves
extensive tipping throughout, so you will want to have cash on hand. Bring small denomination bills ($1, $5, $10, $20) as large bills are difficult to break. Consider keeping some USD rather than converting everything to ZAR. Your tour leader will tell 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/Debit Cards: 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. Visa/Plus cards are the most widely accepted; it can be more difficult to locate ATMs and businesses that accept Mastercard/Cirrus cards. When purchasing products or services on a credit card, a fee of 3%-10% often applies.
Power Outages: 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. As such, please do not rely on credit or debit cards as your only source of money.
Emergency Funds: Bring
at least $200 USD (or the equivalent in local currency) in cash for emergencies in case of ATM or card issues. Always carry more rather than less to avoid feeling short of funds while traveling.
See the Estimated Trip Costs section at the bottom of this page for budgeting guidance.
For more advice, see our post,
Smart Travel Finances: Your Guide to Money, ATMs, Fees, and Safety Abroad
Tipping
Tipping is optional but appreciated and goes a long way for the people who look after you on the trip. If you are happy with the service, use these ballpark amounts and adjust as you see fit:
- Service providers/Waiters:
10-15% of the bill.
- Local guides and drivers:
$2-3 USD per person per day.
- Safari Guide/Driver:
$2-3 USD per person per day.
- G Adventures tour leader (CEO):
$5-8 USD per person per day.
(We suggest pooling contributions in an envelope and presenting it as a group)
Tipping Kitty: On some trips, your CEO may suggest a
“tipping kitty” where everyone contributes at the start of the tour, and the CEO uses that pooled amount to tip service providers for the group as a whole (not including your CEO). If your CEO doesn’t mention it and you’d like to use a kitty, we recommend asking about it early in the trip. Your CEO will advise the suggested amount and preferred currency for the kitty.
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, 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!
Yellow Fever Note: Some countries on GEEO programs may require proof of Yellow Fever vaccination if you are arriving from or transiting through countries with
risk of Yellow Fever transmission. This includes long layovers (typically over 12 hours) in affected countries. The vaccine must be administered at least 10 days before entry to be considered valid. Always check with your health provider and the official entry requirements of each country to determine if you need a Yellow Fever vaccination certificate.
Flights
Wait for official trip confirmation via email from GEEO before booking your flights. Prices tend to be lowest 90–120 days out, but that window varies by route and year. Neither GEEO nor G Adventures bear responsibility for any flights purchased before the trip is confirmed.
This program
begins in Cape Town and
ends in Victoria Falls. Check the itinerary for the required arrival date. Aim to arrive no later than mid-afternoon for the 6 p.m. Day-1 welcome meeting, and consider arriving a day or two early to buffer flight delays and see more of Cape Town. 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
The places visited on this program use
Type C, Type D, and Type G outlets, and the voltage is
220-230V. To use your electronics safely, you’ll need to consider:
1.
Adapter (plug shape)
Adapts your U.S. plug to fit another type of socket. See our recommended
all-in-one travel adapter in our Gear Recommendations post.
2.
Converter / transformer (voltage)
Steps the outlet voltage down to 120V for U.S. appliances that can’t handle higher voltage.
How to know which you need: Look at the fine print on the plug or power brick. An
“Input 100-240 V” means the device is dual-voltage and works worldwide with only an adapter—phones, laptops, and most camera chargers fall into this category. If the label shows
“Input 120 V” (hair dryers, curling irons, some shavers), it could be damaged on high voltage. Pack both an adapter and a travel voltage converter. Converters are inexpensive and sold online or in the travel aisle of many stores.
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.
Early morning safari drives can be quite cold - pack thermal underwear, gloves, warm hat, and multiple warm layers for dawn game drives. At night in the desert it can get quite cold, so make sure you pack warm clothes.
Advice From Past Participants
Extend Your Stay: A few of us stayed a day longer and booked the safari to Chobe National Park in Botswana. All of the safaris were wonderful, but Chobe was completely different, with herds of animals and dirt roads for the jeeps to traverse the park and the beaches. We saw a huge variety of wildlife in different settings (the morning included a boat tour down the river where we saw a lot of animals) and was an astounding experience.
Arrive Early in Cape Town: I and a few others arrived in Cape Town two days early, so we had lots of time to explore. There was so much to see there, and even with the extra days there were still things that I would have loved to have seen—Botanical Gardens, Art Museum, Bo Kaap area, History Museum, etc. I was glad I had planned the extra time in Cape Town.
Victoria Falls Activities: There is very little time for all the optional activities in Victoria Falls. Our group all booked the River Sunset Cruise and had no time to do anything else on our day in Victoria Falls. If travelers want to do activities in Zambia, plan on an extra day, and plan on border-crossing and booking it yourself.
Money & Tipping: I think it's important to let everyone know to have plenty of money for tips - they get used fast! Make sure you have small bills for tips. I wish I knew that info in the states to make it easier to obtain smaller bills. I didn't realize Zimbabwe accepted US cash - I would not have converted all of my money into Rand at the start of the trip and saved US cash for Zimbabwe.
Packing Essentials: It is COLD in the morning and night so bring scarf and layers. Thermal underwear for sleeping, gloves for climbing rocks. Bring snacks - it's a good idea. A swimsuit is NOT needed.
Shopping: Shop in Cape Town. There is very little shopping available along the way.
