since 1982 |
There are transfer companies and private air charters to fly guests to various parts of Zimbabwe. Travelling by road alone is possible in the tourist areas, but in remote parts it is advised to rather use the services of professional transfer companies. |
By air one can fly directly to Victoria Falls international airport or to Livingstone International Airport in Zambia and drive across the border to Zimbabwe (although this involves stopping to do documentation again at the border). It is well worth booking your international flight to Africa together with any scheduled internal link between countries (E.G: Johannesburg- Victoria Falls) at the same time. This will certainly save you money. |
Please be aware that certain hotels and lodges do not allow children, or only children from a certain age. Should you have made the booking without giving the ages of children travelling with you, you may be turned away upon arrival. Some hotels also have rules as to how many people may share a room and regard a child from the age of 12 for instance, as an adult, due to pay an adult rate. Please always be aware of this when making a booking and inform the hotel or lodge of the child’s age on making a booking.
Should the children have a different name to the parents/ parent, there may be problems at the borders. Therefore, please enquire before travelling, what documentation is needed to travel with the child. Should only one parent be travelling, one may need an official letter of consent from the other parent. If the child is travelling with the grandparents or friends, this will also be required. |
- Sun block (essential)
- Sunglasses (essential)
- Mosquito or insect repellent (essential)
- A hat (essential)
- Trainers or hiking boots (comfortable walking shoes and high shoes for at night in case of snakes)
- T-shirts
- Blouses with long sleeves (even in summer, they will protect you from the sun and from mosquitoes)
- Shorts or a light skirt
- Jeans or safari trousers for evenings and cooler days
- Fleece or sweater and a warm jacket for game drives (necessary, even in summer)
- Tracksuit - good for sleeping in during winter months
- Light, compact raincoat is a good idea for the summer
- Swimsuit, as most hotels/lodges have swimming pools
- Binoculars and a camera are a must
- Towel, torch and sleeping bag for camping safaris (not needed at lodges)
- Malaria tablets (if required)
If you are travelling with an organised safari, it is important to check what your weight limit is. Generally you will need to restrict your luggage to 10-12kg (packed in a soft bag) plus a reasonable amount of camera equipment.
*It is best not to take any clothing with camouflage patterns, as wearing them in some parts of Africa; people may think you are part of a militia. Expensive jewellery is also not necessary, even on a luxury safari, it will take a load off your mind and you will not have to worry about its safety. |
The most spectacular time is of course in the wet season (March to May), when the river is at its fullest and the falls at their largest, but in Winter, when the flood is not at its peak, the falls are less obscured in spray. This makes walking along the falls less wet (although you do still get wet!) and photography of the cascades of the falls clearer. The dry season is definitely less hot and more comfortable (May to September). August to September the water levels are lowest, which is best for rafting on the Zambezi. |
A yellow fever certificate is mandatory if you are travelling from an infected area. Vaccinations for cholera, tetanus and yellow fever are advised. Malaria is virulent in the low lying areas of the country which include most of the good wildlife destinations. Take prophylactics two weeks before arrival and continue two weeks after leaving. Your chemist or doctor can advise you of the most suitable drug available as certain drugs lose their effectiveness. |
Passports and visas: the onus is on the traveller to ensure that their passports are valid for travel and that they are in possession of valid visas for all countries being visited and that all necessary health certificates for these destinations are in order. We suggest you contact the embassy or visa service in your area for updated information.
Anyone travelling to South Africa must have two consecutive blank pages in their passport, which lie side by side when the passport is open (i.e. left and a right hand page). Passports must also be valid for at least six months. Passengers who do NOT comply with these requirements, will either be stopped from boarding the aircraft of risk deportation on arrival in South Africa. In addition a parent travelling with children, WITHOUT the other parent, will need a letter of consent from the absent parent. The police must certify this letter of consent.
Departure Taxes: Please note that certain airports and certain countries charge departure taxesthat must be paid in cash on departure by the traveller and cannot be pre-paid. The onus is on the traveller to provide such payments which are often required in US Dollars cash. |
- David Livingstone and the Victorian Encounter with Africa
- Missionary Travels and Researches in Southern Africa, by David Livingstone
- Trees of Southern Africa, by Keith & Meg Coates Palgrave
- Newman’s Birds of Southern Africa, by Kenneth Newman
- A Field Guide to the Larger Mammals of Africa, by Dorst J P Dandelot
- Livingstone and His African Journeys, by Elspeth Huxley
- Robert's Birds of Southern Africa, by Gordon Lindsay Maclean
- Myths and Legends of Southern Africa, by Penny Miller
- A Field Guide to the Trees of Southern Africa, by Eve Palmer
- David Livingstone, The truth behind the legend, by Rob Mackenzie
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