Explore Africa - Zambia

Explore Africa

Locations:

Zambia South Africa Namibia Mozambique Kenya Botswana

Call:

0845 3 447 667

  

Product Details

"Around the world tickets" (a.k.a 'Round the World' or 'RTW' tickets) are a series of single flights built into one ticket. Valid for 12 months - this ticket literally takes you "Around the World" - making this one of the cheapest way to do a big trip to Australia.

How do they work?
Simple - choose the regions / countries you want to visit on your way to Australia and then on the way back. You can build your own ticket - for example - the most popular route is:

London - Los Angeles [USA] - Fiji - Cook Islands [Pacific Islands] - New Zealand - Australia - Singapore - travel overland to - Thailand - London

Price guide:
- Basic routes (4-6 stops) leaving off peak (April-August) cost as little as £800 (incl. taxes*)
- Many stops on many Continents leaving at peak times (Nov-Dec) could cost £2,500+ all-in
- Most people: leave Sept, Oct, Jan-March and pay £1,500-£1,800 (incl. taxes*)

* BEWARE! Watch out for 'Fr' or 'From' [e.g. Fr £566] and what look like really cheap RTW tickets. Once you include taxes and your travel dates the price will be similar to above.

Around the world via Africa

Stand before the largest waterfall on the planet in Zambia, sandboard Skeleton Coast, visit the Maasai Mara tribe, follow the Garden Route, Quad bike on the dunes in Swakopmund, climb Kilimanjaro, cage dive with great white sharks, watch the wildebeest migration and loads more in this awesome continent.

---

"BUILD YOUR OWN" AROUND THE WORLD TRIP: 3 easy steps

1. Read below what gapyear.com users have to say about Africa
2. Find out what you can do and where
3. Decide whether to build this region into your RTW ticket

When you're ready to compare the routes you like, or if you're struggling and need assistance, simply call 0845 3 447 667 or enquire through our online system and we'll help you with the rest. Details at the bottom of this page.

1. THE KEY RTW STOPS IN SOUTHERN AFRICA:

The vast majority of RTW tickets stop off in Johannesburg and/or Cape Town [South Africa], although some routes take you via Nairobi [Kenya].

2. POPULAR ROUTES THAT INCLUDE SOUTHERN AFRICA:

London - Bangkok [Thailand] - travel overland to - Singapore - Bali [Indonesia] - Sydney [Australia] - Christchurch - travel overland to - Auckland [New Zealand] - Johannesburg - travel overland to - Cape Town [South Africa] - London

London - Beijing - travel overland to - Hong Kong [China] - Bangkok [Thailand] - travel overland to - Singapore - Bali [Indonesia] - Auckland - travel overland to - Christchurch [New Zealand] - Sydney [Australia] - Johannesburg [South Africa] - travel overland to - Nairobi [Kenya] - London

London - Cape Town - travel overland to - Johannesburg [South Africa] - Perth - Sydney [Australia] - Auckland [New Zealand] - Santiago [Chile] - travel overland to Rio De Janeiro [Brazil] - London

London - Cape Town - travel overland to - Johannesburg [South Africa] - Perth - Cairns - travel overland to - Sydney [Australia] - Christchurch - travel overland to - Auckland [New Zealand] - Santiago [Chile] - travel overland to - Lima [Peru] - London

London - Johannesburg [South Africa] - Perth - Sydney [Australia] - Auckland [New Zealand] - Fiji [Pacific Islands] - New York [USA] - London

3. THINGS TO SEE & DO IN SOUTHERN AFRICA:

1. Table Mountain
2. Kruger National Park
3. The Garden Route
4. Cage diving with great white sharks
5. The worlds's highest bungy jump.

Botswana:

1. Chobe National Park
2. The Okavango Delta (pictured)
3. Khama Rhino Sanctuary
4. Makgadikgadi Salt Pan
5. Animal migration in March-May.

1. Skeleton Coast
2. Fish River Canyon
3. Sand-boarding (pictured)
4. Quad biking on the dunes in Swakopmund
5. Etosha National Park.

1. Huge, pristine and totally deserted beaches
2. Lake Chicamba
3. Maputo
4. Vilanculos
5. A dhow safari
6. The Bazaruto archipelago

1. Victoria Falls (largest waterfall on the planet, pictured)
2. Kafue National Park
3. South Luangwa National Park
4. walking or elephant safari
5. Micro-lighting.

1. Chill out on Zanzibar
2. Climb Kilimanjaro (pictured)
3. Visit the world famous Ngorogoro Crater and Serengeti National Parks.

1. Visit the Maasai
2. See the Maasai Mara (try and spot the Big Cat Diary team!)
3. Watch the wildebeest migration
4. Boat safari amongst crocs/hippo at Lake Baringo
5. See thousands of flamingo at Lake Bogoria

The most popular trip around this region:

Cape Town - garden route - Johannesburg (all South Africa)

The most popular countries are South Africa (pretty much all the round the world routes that hit this region stop off in Cape Town), Namibia and Botswana. While there is plenty of game in South Africa, we rate Botswana as the best and cheapest place to see the ‘big five’ (lions, elephants, leopards, buffalo and rhino) in Southern Africa.

Namibia is awesome for its desert, scenery and South Africa is home to boring things like the world’s tallest bungy jump and sitting in a cage in the water whilst a great white shark comes to have a sniff at your goolies (which are likely to have disappeared by this stage).

For those wanting to try something new then head on up to Mozambique: amazing for game and coral that have been undisturbed by tourists for decades due to the war, now open for all to see. Kenya and Tanzania are the next stops up the coast from there.

What do we recommend?

If you want to have a proper African experience on your round the world travels then do South Africa, Namibia and Botswana. Don’t do it in less than two months if you can afford the time - it is relatively cheap so you can afford it if you budget well. Mozambique, Tanzania and Kenya are great if you have a bit more time... or save them for another trip.

Something worth considering for this region: 'Overland Truck Tour'

When you look at the map you'll see that this region is absoluely massive. Travel is cheap, but pretty haphazard and very long (Kulula do run cheap flights in the area, but then you miss the best stuff - on the ground). This is why we'd recommend considering an overland tour with one of the overland truck companies. Loads of fun and one of the best ways to see the place from grass level with like-minded people (more details at the bottom of the page).

Why add Africa to your Around the World trip?

For many people, Africa holds a fascination that no other continent can ever hope to rival. There is something about the place that stirs primal instincts in even the meekest amongst us. It's impossible to describe the sensation you feel when sitting alone under the stars, listening to the sound of lions roaring in the darkened distance. Starting in glamorous Cape Town, on Africa's southern tip, within a few days you can have seen whales, dived with sharks and witnessed some of the world's most spectacular wildlife. Oh, and enjoyed some wicked night life. As you head further up, you'll encounter a series of fascinating and friendly countries, each of which offer their own rewards and challenges. Expect to see, almost every day, something that you'll remember for the rest of your life.

What others say about this region...

Adam Sloan: "Namibia is such a vast, beautiful country with such a huge diversity of people. There is so much to see in this country and so much variation within it which is why I think I love it so much."

John Lightbound: "Africa gets into your mind and I don't think its possible to not fall in love with the place. The incredibly friendly and welcoming people are the sheer atmosphere of Africa and give the place its vibrance..."

South Africa

Shane Hodges writes...
South Africa is a Liquorice-all-sorts country with a diverse range of people, cultures, personalities and landscapes. Within a few hours drive you can go from bush, to rainforest, to farmland, to desert, to sunny beaches, to snow-topped mountains... and the list goes on.

You can meet Xhosa, Zulu, English, Sotho, Swahili and Afrikaans speaking people, all with their own cultures and traditions. Those are just some of the languages spoken - there are 11 official languages in South Africa! Our rainbow nation weaves its African magic over almost anyone who comes here. It is the most beautiful country full of life and vibrant, enthusiastic people.

South Africa sees a lot of the sun, hence its nickname ‘Sunny South Africa’ but don’t be fooled. Cape Town is known as ‘The Windy City,’ the first settlers named the Western Cape: ‘The Cape of Storms.’ Northern South Africa is famous for its afternoon thunder storms and in winter its snow on the Drakensberg and on the southern mountains. So it's not all sun and heat but don't be deterred because for the most part we have a sunny disposition!

Shane's Top 5 things to do:

1. Head to Kruger National Park for the most spectacular wildlife on Earth
2. Follow the Garden Route and meet backpackers from across the globe
3. Cage dive with great white sharks
4. Do the biggest bungy jump in the world
5. Visit Robben Island - where Nelson Mandela was incarcerated

Summary

South Africa is a great introduction to the continent. It's very popular with tourists, so the major attractions are extremely accessible by African standards. The cities are very modern, but you can still see traditional African life if you want. It has a reputation for violent crime, but this is very localised, so you needn't worry if you have some common sense.

Botswana

Botswana’s an unusual country. In the middle of one of the hottest, dustiest areas of the planet, it is prone to flooding and boasts the Okavango Delta. This rich wetland area contains a vast number of species. If you really want to get up close and personal with crocs, hippos and all manner of birdlife, then this is the spot for you.

Chobe National Park, for its part, has one of the densest populations of both elephant and wild dogs on the continent. However, what Botswana has in natural wonders - it seriously lacks in material wealth. This is one of the poorest countries on Earth and suffers from all of the social and humanitarian issues that go hand-in-hand with this. If you want to spend your gapyear helping people, then there are few nations that could use a helping hand more readily than Botswana.

Things to do

1. Take a mekoro (dug out canoe) safari deep into the Okavango Delta
2. Head to Chobe for a chance to see some of Africa’s rarest mammals
3. Go quad biking on the Makgadikgadi Pans
4. Visit Moremi, home of the San bushmen

Summary

Much poorer and less developed than South Africa. Come here for canoe safaris, huge herds of elephant and your best chance of seeing wild dogs. Not somewhere that people tend to stay for ages, but definitely worth seeing if you have time.

Namibia

Namibia is a country unlike pretty much any other. It combines its Southern African heritage with colonial German influences that make the major towns of Windhoek and Swakopmund distinctly unusual places to visit. However, the most recognisable feature of the country is its sand. For starters, the dunes around the Sossusvlei area are a sight of truly spectacular proportions. Then there’s the Skeleton Coast itself, which takes its name from the shipping wrecked upon its shores. It may seem an inhospitable place, but a tour into the region will reveal some unforgettable sights. Namibia also boasts great natural wealth further inland, with Etosha National Park a particularly good place to spot a wild cheetah.

Things to do

1. Sandboarding on the huge dunes
2. Safari in Etosha NP
3. Visit the huge (and smelly) seal colonies on the Skeleton Coast
4. Witness elephants on the beach

Summary

Quite unlike anywhere else on the planet. Pretty easy to get to from Botswana, Zambia and South Africa. Fantastic photo ops, crazy sand activities and other-worldly vistas. Popular stop for overland trucks. Light aircrafta are a good way to see the Skeleton Coast.

Mozambique

Mozambique is an undeniably beautiful country that has been ravaged by recent civil war. Travelling here is challenging, but ultimately rewarding as fellow backpackers are still relatively few and far between. You get to enjoy the beautiful beaches, idiosyncratic towns and associated goodness without all the crowds that will undoubtedly descend before too long. The country is getting back on its feet at a rate of knots, but with over one million land mines spread about the place it’s never going to be easy. Some catcaclysmic flooding around 1999/2000 didn’t do much to help either. Chuck in the fact that the official language is Portuguese and you’ve got a travel challenge the size of a small house or a large bungalow.

Things to do

1. Visit the mosques of Mozambique Island
2. Go Scuba diving off the Bazaruto Archipelago
3. Chill out on Tofo or Barra beach

Summary

A 'difficult' destination that rewards the intrepid. It's one of those places you'll be able to brag 'of course, I was there in '04 before the tourists moved in'. Not recommended for novice travellers. Stunning, near empty, beaches are the main draw, but there are loads of historical sites if you run out of sun cream.

Zambia

Kim writes...
Zambia has a vast array of impressive places to visit. For the independent traveller, conditions are sometimes a bit rugged, but with a bit of determination, and some African cheer, all of the locations described in the itineraries below are easily accessible by bus, train or hitching.

You'll get a chance to escape from the hordes of tourists and see some of the ‘real’ Africa. You may miss the one o'clock bus (because it went at ten o'clock that day) but make up for it in the afternoon by swapping stories with the locals in a shebeen (local beer hall). Don’t be surprised if you want to spend an extra day on the lake just so you can see that amazing sunset one more time. Zambia has enough of the amenities to be comfortable, but is certainly still rustic enough for some good old fashioned adventure. Just be warned, most travellers end up spending a lot more time in Zambia than they had originally 'planned'.

Kim's Top 5 things to do:

1. Walk along the top of Victoria Falls - the largest waterfall on the planet
2. Extreme sports in Livingstone; bungy, rafting, gorge swinging...
3. Take a night safari in South Luangwa NP to see a leopard
4. Spend some time by Lake Tanganyika
5. Chill out at Jungle Junction - some backpackers’ islands in the Zambezi

Summary

Lusaka is, to be frank, a bit rubbish. It's just one of those weird purpose-built capitals that lacks much character. Livingstone is a much better place to base yourself, as it's right by Victoria Falls and boasts loads of extreme sports and some of the best rafting in the world. The tourist industry is underdeveloped, so try to avoid the wet season if you want to safari.
The animals are there, but they hide well because they see more poachers than tourists.

Tanzania

Mary Malyon writes...
It was Mwalimu Nyerere, Tanzania’s founding father, who best summed up his country’s magnetism: "These wild creatures amid the wild places they inhabit are... a source of wonder and inspiration".

Bordered by Kenya to the north and Mozambique to the south, Tanzania’s official languages are English and Kiswahili: which despite being a combination of Arabic, Bantu and English, is very much a language in its own right. Formerly known as Tanganyika, the country gained independence in 1961 under Nyerere. He is still regarded with great respect and you will see his picture all over Tanzania.

In 1964 Tanganyika and Zanzibar became the United Republic of Tanzania. The capital is Dodoma, but Dar es Salaam is by far the biggest and most international city, locals refer to it as Bongoland (bongo meaning brain). The giraffe is the country’s national symbol and its most famous game parks are the Serengeti and Ngorongoro. Off the tourist trail, the southern reserves such as Mikumi and Ruaha are equally as impressive. Tanzania contains Africa’s tallest mountain: Mt Kilimanjaro, and the world’s largest game park: the Selous, which is the size of Switzerland. The country is also referred to as the cradle of mankind.

Mary's Top 5 things to do

1. Learn traditional Tanzanian drumming
2. Take Kiswahili lessons at the cultural centre in Dar, Nyumba ya Sanaa
3. Climb Africa’s tallest mountain
4. Visit some world-famous wildlife reserves
5. Travel across the country by train from the palm fringed coast to the chilly southern highlands

Summary

Classic safari territory. Big cats just like you see on the TV. Ancient history and some really nice beaches. As a bonus, the spice islands of Zanzibar are just off the coast, bringing the Arabian influence into the country and Africa's tallest mountain is just sitting there waiting
to be climbed.

Kenya

Chloe Day writes...
Kenya is about the size of France and is a country of great variety and friendly people. It’s one of the best safari destinations in the world and not only does it have a beautiful countryside but it also boasts a stunning coast that is lapped by the warm Indian Ocean.

Kenya is a blend of western and African cultures and has a landscape as varied as its people. Including rolling savannah, thorny bush land, flamingo-ringed lakes, rainforest, desert, the Great Rift Valley and the second highest mountain in Africa.

Chloe's Top 5 things to do

1. The Masai Mara is possibly the most famous wildlife reserve in the world
2. Trek up Mt. Kenya
3. Relax on Diani Beach
4. Visit an archaeological site - Kenya is known as ‘the cradle of humanity’ (so is Tanzania, but we'll let them argue it out in private)

Summary

Avoid Nairobi as much as possible; not the nicest place in the world. The rest of the country primarily offers stunning landscapes and amazing wildlife. You can't come here without visiting the Masai Mara.

SOUTHERN AFRICA: SUMMARY

Southern Africa boasts magnificent landscape, from desert dunes to rolling farmlands, savannah bush, subtropical hardwood forests and superb white sand coast. It has game viewing to equal the best in Africa from Kruger in Mpumalanga to the Zululand area of Kwazulu-Natal, and a host of small parks and reserves in the Northern Provinces and Eastern Capes. Where else can you find penguins and elephants living in the same country?

Explore Africa

Locations:

Zambia South Africa Namibia Mozambique Kenya Botswana

Call:

0845 3 447 667

  

STA Travel is the World's largest youth and independent travel agency. With over 65 branches in the UK and over 450 around the World, you can visit them if you have problems overseas. The Gapyear.com team at STA Travel are on standby to help you plan your dream trip.