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Africa 2023

May - July 2023
A 76-day adventure by Karen Read more
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  • 61footprints
  • 12countries
  • 76days
  • 642photos
  • 68videos
  • 21.2kmiles
  • 14.2kmiles
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  • TravelerAfrica 2023

    1. Africa 2023 - Itinerary and Prep

    May 3, 2023 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 30 °F

    It's happening.

    The trip Craig and I have been talking about, investigating and planning since we got back from South America (early 2020) has become real. Delayed for a few years largely due to pandemic related restrictions, our overlanding trip to Africa, using 3 different tour companies, will last 2 1/2 months and take us through 12 countries from Capetown, South Africa to Cairo, Egypt.

    Our first tour with overlanding travel company Acacia, leaves Capetown on March 18, and takes us through 10 countries in 8 weeks as shown on the attached itinerary map. This includes:

    South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Tanzania (including the island of Zanzibar), Kenya, Uganda & Rwanda.

    This tour's travel vehicle is an overlanding truck that can accommodate up to 24 people. Most travellers will be about 1/2 our age (or less), which is great because the roads are described as unpredictable, and we are all expected to "help" if the vehicle gets stuck. I'm not sure exactly what that means, (can 24 people push what I imagine to be a 10,000 pound truck out of a ditch?) but I'm at the gym 4-5 times a week trying to bulk up, just in case.

    The tours are booked, the flights scheduled, travel insurance (including repatriation of our remains, as needed) purchased, and our trip is registered with the State Dept. We've obtained our vaccines, malarial medication, and visas.

    By the way, our luggage is restricted to a 90 litre duffel bag (needs to fit in a locker on the truck), plus a "day-travel bag". Packing is going to be interesting. Hauling a 50 pound backpack from the truck to our accommodations each day will be equally interesting. Craig better start adding more weight to his weighted squats at the gym.

    Our final 2 weeks has us on a flight to Addis Ababa for a tour of Ethiopia, followed by a flight to Cairo for a tour of Egypt including a cruise down the Nile.

    5 days to go...    Read more

  • TravelerAfrica 2023
    Day 2

    2. We Made It!

    May 9, 2023 in South Africa ⋅ 🌙 45 °F

    We're here!

    Having left the house in Reno at 3:45A on Monday, we arrived in Cape Town at 3:30P on Tuesday, chalking up around 25 hours of travel time. While not my first international flight, it was my first long-haul flight of 14 hours from Dulles to Cape Town, and I have to confess I was dreading it.

    I had booked window seats for us, one in front of the other, and upon learning that Craig's row had an open middle seat while mine did not, I shamelessly guilted him into switching seats with me. Begging aside, I remain eternally grateful for his acquiescence.

    Despite getting very little sleep on the plane, the flight was otherwise pleasant. The food was surprisingly good (for airplane food), the flight attendants attentive and accommodating, and the conversation engaging. My South African born seat mate, who was travelling home for a family visit, was currently making a living as a stewardess on a 14-person cruise yacht operating out of Ft. Lauderdale. You always meet interesting people on the plane, right?    Read more

  • TravelerAfrica 2023
    11
    Day 3

    3. SA: Cape Town - Table Mountain

    May 10, 2023 in South Africa ⋅ ☀️ 55 °F

    The next day, to stretch our legs after our long flights, we elected to do one of the Table Moutain hikes. We chose the Platteklip Gorge Trail, which ascends 2100 ft over 1.6 miles, and is much like climbing large, rocky, uneven stairs for 2 hours. Great fun and just what our bodies needed.

    Table Mountain is a 2 mile wide plateau offering beautiful views of the city and the South Atlantic. It can be accessed by cable car, which we opted into for a quick descent.    Read more

  • TravelerAfrica 2023
    Day 3

    4. SA: Cape Town - Overview

    May 10, 2023 in South Africa ⋅ ☀️ 68 °F

    Cape Town is located at the southwestern tip of South Africa where the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans converge. It's known as the "Mother City", because it was the first European settlement in SA, but perhaps better known for its "apartheid era" lasting from 1948-1994, during which the white minority enforced segregation and inequality amongst racial groups that oppressed the indigenous people. This ended with the election of Nelson Mandela as president in 1994.

    The city boasts a clean, bustling, cosmopolitan environment and is unexpectedly inexpensive. We strolled down to the waterfront after our hike to relax with a beer. ($9 for 2 pints, including tip)    Read more

  • TravelerAfrica 2023
    1
    Day 3

    5. SA: Cape Town - Sightseeing Bus Tour

    May 10, 2023 in South Africa ⋅ ☀️ 70 °F

    On our last free day in Cape Town, before our official tour started, we decided to take the city bus sightseeing tour. The “blue route” gave us views of the city, the waterfront, and the upscale communities at Houts Bay and Camps Bay (on the Atlantic) and False Bay (an inlet). According to the guide, this is where you might run into the likes of Charlize Theron or Leonardo DiCaprio. (We didn’t).
    Here are some pix of the area…    Read more

  • TravelerAfrica 2023
    12
    Day 6

    6. SA: Western Cape

    May 13, 2023 in Namibia ⋅ ☁️ 79 °F

    Our first night with the tour group found us travelling through South Africa's western cape to Highlander's Camp, a vineyard nestled in the Cederberg Mountains. We settled in, then went to the bar where we watched a rugby game (with some very passionate local fans) before dinner, and got to know the rest of our group a bit.

    Our group of 12 (+ a driver and tour leader) includes representation from the U.S. (just us), Australia, New Zealand, France, Germany, Ireland, Singapore, and Zimbabwe. The tour offers 2 sleeping options: tent camping or accommodated (indoor room). We opted for the latter, while 9 others are camping.

    Our tour truck is named "Shashe". At first I was a bit disappointed as several of the features they advertised (tables throughout the bus for people to sit at, charging stations, and overhead storage for day bags) were not available. That said, we have cheerfully adapted and are gradually falling into a routine.    Read more

  • TravelerAfrica 2023
    1
    Day 7

    7. Namibia - the Gariep River

    May 14, 2023 in Namibia ⋅ ⛅ 77 °F

    The border crossing to Namibia was smooth and uneventful, and we continued north, stopping for the evening at Felix Unite on the Gariep (Orange) River. Once again we had delightful accommodation, right on the river.

    Although the accommodations have been lovely thus far, this is not a "glamping trip". The tour requires participation in daily chores such as cooking, washing dishes, and cleaning out the truck. We have been divided into 3 groups of 4 people each, and we rotate the different chores daily. Everyone participates willingly and cheerfully. I know my mother is looking down at me from above, thinking, finally, she's domesticated!

    We also visited Fish River Canyon today, which is the reputedly the second largest canyon in the world. It doesn't quite live up to the Grand Canyon in scope, but we enjoyed a beautiful sunset with the gang.    Read more

  • TravelerAfrica 2023
    1
    Day 11

    10. Namibia: Swakopmund

    May 18, 2023 in Botswana ⋅ ⛅ 73 °F

    Leaving Naukluft Park, we crossed over the Tropic of Capricorn then spent the night in the coastal town of Swakopmund as we headed towards Spitzkoppe.

    I've been out of school for many years now - but how bad is it that I honestly couldn't remember the significance of the Tropic of Capricorn? Had to look it up. It is the latitude line demarking the southernmost point on earth where the sun can be directly overhead. OK.

    Swakopmund was honestly nothing to speak of. The town has morphed into a central location for tourist activities like sky-diving, bush walks, dolphin cruises & sand surfing. Outside of that, it is just a stopping point on our way to other destinations. Since Craig and I are saving our "optional activity" money for game drives, we spent our free afternoong tracking down wifi at a local cafe that is totally ripping off the Starbucks logo. Ha.    Read more

  • TravelerAfrica 2023
    Day 12

    11. Namibia: Spitzkoppe

    May 19, 2023 in Namibia ⋅ ☀️ 73 °F

    Spitzkoppe is a group of granite peaks known as the "Matterhorn of Africa" because of its shape and height. The highest peak of Spitzkoppe is about 1,784 meters above sea level, and it's granite rocks are estimated to be more than 120 million years old.

    We took a brief tour of the ancient rock paintings made by the local San people that used to inhabit the area, then spent the afternoon and evening climbing the rocks, exploring the area, and enjoying a beautiful evening in front of the fire under the stars.    Read more

  • TravelerAfrica 2023
    Day 13

    11. Namibia: (ENP) Etosha National Park

    May 20, 2023 in Namibia ⋅ 🌙 50 °F

    Etosha National Park was awesome!

    One of the most popular destinations in Namibia, ENP is home to 100 mammal species, 340 bird species, 110 reptile species and 16 amphibian species. The park covers an area of 22,270 square kilometers and features a large salt pan that can be seen from space.

    We saw some animals as our truck brought us to our campsite, and then did a full day game drive in open air vehicles the next day. There were many animals near the road - we were so often so close!

    Craig said to me a few days ago that it doesn't entirely feel like we're in Africa until we see the animals. We know we're in Africa now!

    BTW, I can only upload 2 videos per post, so there will be multiple Etosha posts.    Read more

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