All-encompassing, action-packed and epic: if you're seeking a classic Southern African adventure, you can't beat the journey from Cape Town to Victoria Falls.
On the way, take in the best parts of Namibia and Botswana. From sunset at Fish River Canyon to early mornings in Etosha National Park, to days on the Okavango Delta – this overland odyssey rings the changes in every country.
- Max 12 people
- Professional Safari Guides
- Safari truck & 4WD
- 20 Breakfasts, 17 Lunches & 12 Dinners
- Entrance Fees
- 20 nights in guest houses, hotels & chalets
- Okavango Delta mokoro excursion
Highlights
- Fish River Canyon – walking
- Namib Desert – Sossusvlei dunes
- Swakopmund – dune boarding & sea kayaking
- Damaraland – rock paintings
- Etosha NP – game drives
- Etosha NP – game drives
- Okavango Delta – mokoro excursion and bush walks
- Victoria Falls – adventure activities
Information
Overnight
20 nights on safari we stay at guest houses, chalets and small lodges including tented lodges, with en suite facilities. Details of accommodation on www.sunway-safaris.com in the downloadable detailed tour itinerary.
Meals
20 breakfasts, 17 lunches and 11 dinners are included. Of which 8 breakfasts are provided by the lodges. The remaining included meals are provided by the Sunway crew, prepared at the vehicle & eaten around the campfire or at the boma.
Transport
for the majority of this safari you travel in custom-built Sunway Safari truck with 12 forward facing seats.
Limited participation
An essential part of your safari is some participation. From carrying your own bag to packing the truck in the morning – it’s all part of your adventure. There are some long days with early starts so we all need to get involved to make the trip run efficiently. Where the tour leaders provide meals we ask that clients help (on rotation) with the washing up.
Responsible Tourism
During our stay in Damaraland a local guide takes us to visit a San Bushman Rock Art site. A conservation partnership was signed in 2003 and the community benefit through employment and a percentage of the income of the lodge. Our walks to view the busman rock art are led by a local community guide. The local community directly benefits from your visit through the employment of the local guide and the entrance fees.
Conservation is not possible without the involvement of local communities and this arrangement ensures the preservation of these amazing rock art sites.
Age Policy
We accept children 12-18 with accompanying adults on scheduled tours (for private groups we can accept younger children).
If the clients are older than 65 years, then we require a medical certificate too (stating client is fit and healthy to embark on a multi-day tour covering long distances etc).
The best time to visit Botswana
Botswana is centrally located in Southern Africa and mostly has a sub-tropical climate. Largely Kalahari desert, there are sizable differences between the day and night temperatures and virtually no rainfall. In the Delta temperatures are more moderate due to the abundance of water. Botswana is a wonderful destination all year round…
Dry season is from May to October: The game viewing is superb and wildlife is very easy to spot.
May:– Autumn temperatures are typically 10°C/50°F to 28°C/80°F.
June, July & August:– Winter morning game drives can be cold at around 6°C/42°F, but it warms to +-25°C/78°F.
September & October:– Spring begins and temperatures warm up to +- 34°C/100°F. The migration of the Southern Carmine Bee-eaters is a sight to behold and a must-see for this time of year.
Green season is from November to April: Baby season and nothing beats seeing a lioness with her cubs, or other young animals at play.
November & December:– Typically cooler than October and between 20°C/69°F and 33°C/91°F. The more desert areas can still have very hot days.
January & February:– The Summer or “Green” months, with occasional storms in the afternoon. Temperatures are around 32°C/90°F in the day.
March and April:– The waters of the Delta start to rise and large herds of elephant and buffalo begin to make their way back to the Okavango as winter approaches. Lovely, clear weather and few clouds prevail, but the nights are cooler and the days very comfortable at around 30°C/87°F.
The best time to visit Namibia
The Namib desert landscapes form a magnificent backdrop for a spectacular safari. Lying on the Tropic of Capricorn, and flanked by the cold Atlantic Ocean, Namibia has a desert climate for the most part and there can be large differences in day and night temperatures, low rainfall and overall low humidity.
All-encompassing, action-packed and epic: if you're seeking a classic Southern African adventure, you can't beat the journey from Cape Town to Victoria Falls. On the way, take in the best parts of Namibia and Botswana. From sunset at Fish River Canyon to early mornings in Etosha National Park, to days on the Okavango Delta - this overland odyssey rings the changes in every country.
Day 1 Cape Town
- Hotel ---
Cape Town is one of the most picturesque cities in the world, with the majestic Table Mountain providing its central focus. After a tour briefing at 8:00am, we visit the African Penguin colony en route to Cape Point Nature Reserve, and spend the rest of the day relaxing on Hout Bay beach. We sample some of Cape Town’s culinary wonders at a local restaurant at the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront (own expense).
Day 2 Cederberg
- Chalet BLD
(B=breakfast, L=lunch D=dinner)
The Cederberg is a massive rock wilderness with giant sandstone boulders that have been sculpted by wind and rain into bizarre and artistic shapes. We head north to the Cederberg and explore the rugged landscape on foot before relaxing in chalets for the evening.
Day 3 Gariep River
- Lodge BLD
We make our way into the more arid regions and upon entering Namibia, we stay at a lodge on the Gariep River. Namibia’s southern border river flows quietly and peacefully and the river valley is hardly affected by tourism. The riverbed is sandy, the water clean and clear. Time free for swimming and relaxing.
Day 4 Fish River Canyon
- Lodge BLD
The Fish River Canyon, situated along the lower reaches of the Fish River, is one of the most impressive natural beauties in the southern part of Namibia. With its depth of up to 550 metres, the Fish River Canyon is the second largest canyon in the world. We make our way to the canyon to marvel at the sheer grandeur of the enormous canyon. Moving on, we arrive at the Quiver Tree Forest outside Keetmanshoop to enjoy the sunset over these bewitching plants.
Day 5 - 6 Namib Desert
- Chalet BLD
The parched Namib Desert has endless orange dunes blown into sharp ridges by the sand-shifting wind and at Sossusvlei they form a gateway into the Namib Desert. We will walk to Sossusvlei, explore Sesriem Canyon and from the comfort of our lodge outside the national park watch a dramatic sunset over the world’s highest sand dunes. (If you prefer not to do the 4km walk to Sossusvlei there is an optional own expense 4WD transfer).
Day 7 - 8 Swakopmund
- Guest house Bx2 Lx1-
Swakopmund is a popular seaside resort with a slightly nostalgic atmosphere, characterized by numerous colonial buildings. In terms of flora, both the Welwitschia Mirabilis and the Kokerboom grow on the stony plains of the Namib and many beautiful specimens surround this coastal town. Swakopmund is also the adventure activity capital of Namibia. Day free to explore the town or try dune boarding (own expense).
Day 9 Damaraland
- Chalet BLD
Namibia is a land of great contrasts and Damaraland demonstrates this with stark plains, dry river beds and ancient valleys leading to rocky outcrops and the soaring peaks of the Brandberg Massif Mountains. On our way north we will visit the Cape Cross seal colony where thousands of Cape fur seals come ashore to rest and have their pups.
Day 10 - 11 Etosha National Park
- Guest lodge BLD
Once a vast lake fed by the Kunene River, the pan that is Etosha NP dried up thousands of years ago when the river waters chose a new course. Etosha is big game country. We take game drives around the huge pan to find the elephants, herds of antelope and lions around the waterholes. We stay at a lodge on the outskirts of the national park.
Day 12 Windhoek
- Guest house BL-
This pretty town, beautifully situated in a valley, combines the architecture of a modern city with numerous buildings in the style of the German colonial era. The charm of the city of Windhoek lies in its harmonious blend of African and European cultures and the friendliness of its people. We visit the cosmopolitan capital and enjoy a restaurant meal (own expense).
Day 13 Kalahari
- Chalet BLD
Crossing into Botswana we overnight in huts in the heart of the Kalahari. We take a walk with the local Bushmen to learn fascinating bush skills.
Day 14 - 15 Okavango Delta
- Lodge BLD
The Okavango Delta is the only inland delta in the world: the annual flood of fresh water, spreads over 15000sq km of the Kalahari sand in a maze of lagoons and channels. We journey to the western floodplains of the Okavango Delta to our lodge overlooking a permanent lagoon, where we enjoy a game walk, a mokoro excursion and the amazing birdlife in this pristine wilderness area.
Day 16 Maun
- Lodge BL-
Making our way around the Okavango we head to Maun where we have an evening meal at a local restaurant (own expense).
Day 17 Makgadikgadi Pans
- Tented lodge or chalet BL-
The shimmering saltpans of Makgadikgadi are the size of Switzerland and most of the time appear as a glaring, white, endless plain. When the rain comes a dramatic change takes place as the pans come to life with frantically feeding water birds and great herds of zebra, wildebeest and springbok.
Day 18 -19 Chobe National Park
- Tented lodge BL-
Chobe National Park is famous for large herds of elephant and buffalo. We explore the national park on a morning game drive and spend the rest of the day on the river, enjoying lunch on our cruise boat with spectacular wildlife viewing.
Day 20 - 21 Zimbabwe / Victoria Falls
- Chalet Bx2--
Chobe National Park is famous for large herds of elephant and buffalo. We explore the national park on a morning game drive and spend the rest of the day on the river, enjoying lunch on our cruise boat with spectacular wildlife viewing.
Day 13 Kalahari
- - B - -
Magnificent Victoria Falls is one of the seven natural wonders of the world. David Livingstone ‘discovered’ the falls in 1885 and named them after his Queen. The scene he encountered was a mile-wide (1.6 km) sheer basalt fault line over which the mighty Zambezi tumbled to a depth of 100m, creating a cloud of spray. Tour ends at 08:00am at the hotel.
Error loading tour departures. Please try again later.
Rodney & Jewel (Australia)
- Sep 25
We finished our Cape Town to Vic Falls trip on 30 September. Our guides were Wayne and Obby. They were fantastic! Our entire trip was made so memorable because of their support. They completed each other so well. We would recommend Sunway to others because of our time with them
Helen
- Aug 25
Our Cape to Victoria Falls trip was fantastic! Interesting itinerary, fabulous guides and happy co-travellers.
Sandra (Australia)
- Jun 25
Can I congratulate Sunways on creating and delivering the most exceptional experience for first comers to Southern Africa. Because of the care and support you provided to ensure I was well prepared, and then the consistently remarkable care, support, information and fun that Shandile and Farai gave us so patiently, I have had an adventure of a lifetime. Those two gentlemen dealt carefully and professionally no matter what issue arose – large or small. They demonstrated the depth of their experience in managing a ‘random’ group of participants, each with our foibles and challenges. And every step of the way they kept us informed and involved. Their calm, good humoured approach to even the most challenging situation was the glue that kept everything running so smoothly. The accommodation in every case, surprised and delighted. The activities similarly. I will certainly be recommending Sunways to all friends and family. Hopefully I might also be able to return and enjoy others of tour offerings.
Lawrence & Sylvaine
- Jan 25
We did the Cape Town to Victoria Falls tour at the end of October, and everything was perfect. A big thank you to sfiso and sfiso, our two guides. You couldn’t make up the same first name. A good cook and a good driver, always available and helpful to make this trip magnificent. I highly recommend Sunway Safaris.
Alanna & Kaitlyn (Australia)
- Oct 24
We have just completed the Cape Town to Victoria Falls tour with Sunway Safaris and had the most incredible time! The tour was absolutely amazing and everything we were hoping it would be!
All the locations are amazing and the variety of places from coast to dessert to rivers is just stunning! The wildlife is also incredible and we were lucky enough to see the Big 5 on our tour.
The accommodation were all extremely comfortable with some truly beautiful lodges! Yes there were some long, hot days in the truck but it was always so worth it when you got to the next destination and there are even chances for wildlife spotting while driving.
Lastly our trip wouldn’t have been what it was without the incredibly hardworking guides Jonas and Fundi! I cannot even begin to describe how hard they worked to ensure we were always happy and comfortable! The were so much fun and so knowledge about all things Southern Africa! They were also incredible cooks and our whole group finished the tour requesting them to write a cookbook.
Thank you so much Jonas, Fundi and the team at Sunway!
Helga (Germany)
- Jul 24
I did the safari from Cape Town to Victoria Falls. It was absolutely wonderful. Our guides, Maji and Stephen, did a very good job. The tour was super well organized, from the pickup at the airport in Cape Town to the drop-off at the airport in Victoria Falls. I would do a safari with Sunways every time. Thanks to Maji and Stephen!
Lucia (Germany)
- 6 Jun 23
Dear Sunways Team, I filled in the feedback form but I wanted to emphasize again how much of a good time I had during my trip and pay a special tribute to our guides Lloyd & Marcus. Both of them created a wonderful experience for the group and I can‘t thank them enough for making this such a special trip. We didn‘t always have the easiest group dynamic but both of them always treated everyone with equal importance throughout. You could tell that this job is a passion to them, they never got tired of sharing their extensive knowledge about wildlife, flora & fauna, culture etc, they always made sure to answer every last question and on top of that, both of them were always available for a good laugh and were able to connect to each and everyone of our group. I got far more than I expected, learned a lot and am leaving Africa with beautiful memories. This trip for sure made me want to come back and I can‘t wait for my next Safari! I‘d highly recommend this type of traveling to explore this wonderful region and again, many thanks to Lloyd and Marcus for making this as awesome as it was! I‘ll see you soon. Have a nice day and warm regards / Lucia
Christer (Sweden)
- 3 Nov 21
Anja (Germany)
- May 19
Thanks for a wonderful holiday. I just came back from this great tour and I would like to thank Sfiso and Meike for their great contribution to this special adventure. We got so much great Information from the two of them. I also want to mention the cooking – always very good and different – especially the wraped chicken was quite something. Sharp sharp.
Lilian & Elisabeth (Switzerland)
- Nov 18
Hello Sunway Safaris Team. Time has passed since Ms. Gutjahr and I are back from our Cape To Vic Falls tour with your company. We would like to compliment your company. This trip was exactly what we wanted, it was just AWESOME. The 2 guides knowledge, patience, organization, German translation, cooking and the friendliness that made our trip even more memorable. A huge compliment to our German speaking tour guide / cook Stefanie (Swiss). The other guide Phumi, was also very good and had a lot of knowledge. Everything has always worked out wonderfully, the two are to recommend further, they are a Dream, BRAVO!
Joanna Eagle (UK)
- Feb 18
My husband and I have just returned from our Southern Africa trip which we booked through KE Adventure here in the UK. I wanted to write to tell you how pleased we were with the trip and how happy we were with our excellent guides Brian Zunza and Norman Zivengwa. We found both guides to be very good company ,knowledgeable, efficient, safety conscious and good cooks into the mix. The trip ran very smoothly and they were consistently considerate whilst at all times being professional and conscious of the time considerations of a long journey and the need for planning ahead. With it being a small group with willing participants in our fellow clients, everything ran as smoothly as possible. The vehicle which we all got to call ‘the red elephant’ was well up to the task and was maintained well, and driven very well indeed. Although the air conditioning was not working, although the guides tried to get it fixed, this did not matter in the conditions we had. The accommodation was always of a satisfactory to often very good standard and I never felt uncomfortable or worried about hygiene. My husband and I were very well throughout the trip. The only aspect of the trip which we commented on between ourselves was that we would normally have been more physically active on holiday, but recognise that with the long distances to cover most days the time in the vehicle was inevitable. So thank you for a successful time in Southern Africa, and for providing excellent guides. If you need to contact us about anything, this email address is the best way.
Steffi (Germany)
- Oct 17
I’m just back home from the Cape Town to Vic Falls-Tour. For me it was the fourth time visiting Africa and I had an absolutely amazing time! We saw so many different landscapes, had so exciting adventures, the itinary is very versatile and the accomodations were mostly very good. I will never forget our 2 days and nights in the Okavango Delta, it was an Once-in-a-lifetime-experience. Our Guides Phumi and Tanaka were great, especially Phumi is so knowledgeable about everything and very professional and helpful. He made this tour something very special. My next tour with Sunway Safaris is already in my mind. Thank you very much for this amazing time!
Rob (Australia)
- Aug 17
The Cape to Vic Grand Explorer CVa21 was really good and got us to all the good sight seeing spots through Namibia, Botswana to Zimbabwe. The Sunway staff helped us all move through boarder crossings easily and quickly. You do need a reasonable level of fitness to enjoy this tour to the fullest. Good unaided mobility up down steps and over uneven ground is required. A number of early starts, 6am breakfast, etc are needed to keep on schedule and to get to the best spots at the best times. There are a couple of walks into canyons and at least one four to five hour walk. Normally you would have the same guides for the whole 21 days. We actually had a stand in for a few days as our driver got ill. Fortunately Sunway solved the problem within just a couple of hours and we had minimal disruption. Jacque, Edwin and Iton, and were the Sunway staff. (Iton was the stand in driver) Jacque was the main driver, a very good driver, he was very focused on safety for everyone and for the vehicle. Jacque was early 20s and a typical young person but with a good sense of organizing and keeping to a schedule. Jacque was a self taught cook, and took creating interesting meals seriously. Edwin was a great cook, could easily hold his own in a classy restaurant, he created a great series of meals from vegetarian to BBQs. These meals were certainly better than we expected, considering they were produced out of the back of our bus. Iton was a great all rounder, with a brilliant knowledge of the cultures, flora and fauna. All in all, the staff were easy to get along with, friendly, professional, and very focused in providing a great tour. The truck is a Hino with a purpose built back. It is built rugged, which is a good thing as many of the roads are as bad as Australian Outback roads. With tough suspension the ride is not the same as a luxury coach, and the seats are a little narrow to allow for the space available. Consequently after a long day, sometimes 500Km + you end up with a sore bum, but we could go places where the big coaches could not and would probably fall apart. Visibility from all seats was good, and even though I am big, I never felt cramped or unduly uncomfortable. I think they are a good compromise for the job they have to do. Everyone used seatbelts and I felt the vehicle was built well enough to be relatively safe in the event of an accident.This trip has a bit of everything, it is well priced, very good value for money, I think Sunway has a culture within its staff to do their best to ensure their customers have a great experience. It is a little tougher than some people may expect, if they have been used to coach tours and motels in Australia and the US, but this is Africa and you really need to be in the wild and up early if you want the best opportunities for light and animals. Of course there are places it could be made more comfortable and improved but would certainly result in more costs. We will recommend to others.
Marie
- Mar 17
From the bottom of my heart I wanna say thank you so much!! Thank you for the amazing time I had with you. It was you two that made this trip so special one I will always remember. (I will never forget the Nutella pancakes in the dunes!!) Everyone else that gets you guys can feel honoured, because it’s not a job for you but a passion. Thank you again, i will never forget part of my world trip
Amrat & Kay
- Mar 17
Tour Leaders Extraordinaire!! Thank you so much for a wonderful experience means so much at our age. Your passion and dedication to go the extra mile to enhance each experience made the whole adventure extra special and so much more informative and enjoyable. Thank you, thank you
Michelle (Australia)
- 7 Jan 17
Dear Sunway I wanted to take this opportunity to say how impressed I was by our tour guide Zandre on my Cape to Vic Falls 21day tour. I have been traveling extensively since I turned 18 and I’m now 50. I rate most guides as good, few are very good and occasionally you meet one that is exceptional. I feel even with his young age Zandre falls in to the exceptional
Christel & Susan (Germany)
- 16 Aug 16
We toured 4 African countries with two excellent guides Johan and Stephanie, who understood to make their enthusiasm of African Life swop over to us. Theý engaged themselves ambitiously for every little detail to please our Questions meeting our demands the best. Thus we enjoyed the African wildlife. we got the feeling they lip read our wishes and made us feel that that tour was especially and individually planned for us. We recommend these 2 ‘guides’ to friend to our friends when choosing sunway-safaris. Best wishes for the future of these outstanding guides.
Family Kainer (Austria)
- 14 Mar 16
We recently travelled from Cape Town to Vic Falls with your company. It was a unique experience that was very well organized and well managed by your staff. Our guides Annika & Kalunga were simply unique. They formed an excellent team with enormous knowledge about the country, nature and animals. Annika is an excellent cook and for us it was not the last journey with your company.
Richard Smout
- 16 Dec 15
As expected. This was a lovely tour, lots of travel and early starts. Generally excellent from Sunway.
Ruth Turner
- 11 Nov 15
Really good, exciting trip. Guides were knowledgable, friendly and good cooks.
Paul Mahony
- 11 Nov 15
These countries are not easy or cheap and the tour was good and value for money. The guides did an excellent job cooking and it was an excellent itinerary.
Robyn & Bill Hickey
- 3 Nov 15
A trip to Africa for most is probably just a dream and maybe one taken with a degree of trepidation . But this trip certainly allayed any concerns. We have done a fair bit of travelling in the last number of years and must say this one was one out of the box. Our guide Chris Z was amazing. He made everyone feel at home, he was interested in all his passengers and did everything to make our trip memorable. His offsider, Matthew, who is learning the game, was also great to travel with. The places we visited, the things we saw, the variety offered and of course the animals we saw – difficult to explain how fantastic these were. It’s hard to imagine camping out in the Okavango Delta and having the campsite surrounded by elephants- but it happened and it was all very exciting! The places we stayed in varied in quality, depending where we were, but overall were great – all were clean and friendly and some very flash! Food was good, especially the ‘home cooked’ meals. We were lucky, we had a great group of people who all got on well and who were all willing to dig in, get involved, help out and enjoy the experiences offered! A trip is what you make it. There was a lot of distance covered but that is necessary to get anywhere ! Our trip took us from Capetown, to Namibia, Botswana and finally Victoria Falls. A wonderful trip which we will never forget. We would recommend Sunway Safaris any time! Well done.
Maureen & Douglas Sykes
- 19 Oct 15
We have recently returned from a wonderful 21 day Sunway Safari from Cape Town to Victoria Falls, August 2015. It was the most amazing adventure we have had in our travels around the world.
We were on the accommodated tour and the accommodation was always clean and comfortable and in some amazing scenic spots. Although the first night was at the Sweet Lemon Guest House and we were separated from our group as they were in another guest house, we would have preferred to be together in one location for our first night.
Our guide Chris Z was an expert guide, driver and cook. The food was so delicious and healthy and we all joined in with the preparation of the meals. We would even rate the food better than some of the restaurant meals we had. Chris was such fun to be with and his planning was amazing, he gave us a timetable each day but we did not feel rushed at all. He was so knowledgeable and answered all our never ending questions about the country, animals etc. We were so fortunate to see so many animals and birds and loved watching the animals in Etosha and Chobe National Parks and even saw a large number of animals while driving on the roads.
The highlight of our trip would be the elephants coming close to our camp at the Okavango Delta. The most memorable occasion was all the polers singing Beautiful Africa on our return from the Delta. Chris always engaged the locals and we had all the polers in the area singing for us. It was just unbelievable. Chris always ensured that our needs were met even going out of his way to arrange an airport transfer at the best price. Matthew our trainee guide was very knowledgeable on the regions we visited, animals and birds. We were always putting questions to him. He was fun to be with and had some great jokes. He loved his country and enjoyed telling us about and his experiences. Overall, the Sunway Safari was one of our best travel experiences ever.
We highly recommend Sunway Safaris to anyone who is organising a safari in Southern Africa.
Clemens Braun
- 14 Oct 15
This was better than expected for the valuable price.
Andrew Thompson
- 14 Oct 15
Small group (12) is ideal and this is the second trip with professional Sunway guides who make the experience so enjoyable.
Valerie Dempsey
- 14 Oct 15
This is my second Sunwy tour and once again I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Rodney Stevens
- 23 Sep 15
One of the best tours I have done and I have done a lot of these types of tours.
Robin Hickey
- 5 Aug 15
This tour was amazing. I thoroughly enjoyed all countries & learning about their cultures & attractions. This tour was made even better with Christopher as our leader. He is so knowledgeable, enthusiastic, positive, helpful & supportive. An amazing tour guide.
Kate Wallace
- 22 Jul 15
It was a great trip. The Sossusvlei dunes were definitely a highlight for me. Grace is a real credit to Sunway Safaris. She worked tirelessly to ensure we all got the most out of the trip.
Sue Molloy
- 04 Mar 15
We thoroughly enjoyed our holiday due to the excellent program of our holiday and the great guides who took us.
Lynn & Allan Callcut
- 30 Oct 13
A very enjoyable trip small group tour in a very comfortable and suited to purpose truck, with great tour guides and a good itinerary.
Sigrid Pach (Germany)
- 27 Jun 12
It was one of my best holidays for some time. It is breathtaking to observe wild animals like elephants, giraffes,zebras, lions… in the Etosha National Park and/or the Namibian Dessert. A helicopter flight over the Victoria Falls is unforgettable as well. Simply the best holiday I have ever been on.
Alan & Sheryll Roberts
- 22 Sep 11
Firstly, both Alan and I would like to let you know that our safari was probably one of the most memorable experiences we have ever had.
We have now been home for a week and have had time to ponder and digest all that we saw/did/heard and felt over that 21 days. We have both agreed that our safari was all that it promised to be on reading the detailed itinerary, and more besides.
From day 1 at the Sweet Orange Guest House in Cape Town when we received our briefing from Maxwell (our Guide) until the final day at Livingstone in Zambia, we were treated to a well organised and efficient safari. Maxwell Muswere is a Guide to remember. His passion for Africa and what he has to offer to tourists, is obvious from the moment you meet him. His infinite knowledge of both the land and its people, is beyond description. He is sensitive to the culture of the varying areas we visited and conveyed that to the group exceptionally well, which made for much more relaxed interaction with the local people throughout our safari. Nothing was too much trouble for Maxwell and he was always flexible and accommodating to everyone’s needs and requests.
Maxwell was ably assisted by Phumuzile (Phume to us ‘cos we couldn’t pronounce it as well as Maxwell) who has absorbed much of Maxwell’s passion for Africa and its people. He worked tirelessly alongside Maxwell in what were sometimes trying conditions and I never saw him short of a smile. We marvelled at the breakfast/lunch/dinners that they produced out of nowhere. If there was a highlight for me, it was the Okavango Delta, where we lived at such a basic level and yet sat under the stars, enjoyed an amazing meal and were entertained by the local Polers who were so gracious about looking after us and treated us with absolute respect. For us it seemed to encompass all that we had in mind when we chose the Cape to Victoria Falls safari.
It was regrettable that one member of the group did not share the enthusiasm and enjoyment of the rest of us. From day 1 she appeared to have negative feelings about the tour in that ‘it was not what she had thought it was’. There was not a day went by that she did not have some comment or demand that left us feeling uncomfortable and, at times, angry. There was an unfortunate incident at a Group Dinner in Windhoek which was handled very professionally by both Maxwell and Phume – as always they remained calm and unruffled by the event. All in all, their handling of a very difficult person was outstanding. It was our impression that nothing would please her.
It says volumes however, that in spite of this one misfit, this tour group co-existed really well and we are now in contact with each other and re-living all that we experienced together. Kay and Carl Hunt wanted their names included in this email as they will not be home in Australia for another three weeks or so and did want you to know that they concurred with the comments re our ‘difficult person’. They will be in touch personally after their return to Australia.
Sunway Safaris should be proud of their Safaris and all they offer and they should also be proud of their tour guides, Maxwell Muswere and Phumuzile Ncube who inspired and embedded in us a love of this land called Africa, its people and its natural beauty.
Once again, thank you for an amazing experience. We would recommend Sunway Safaris to anyone contemplating a trip such as we have just done. You delivered everything described in your tour information, and more.
Jenni & Josh Olausen (New Zealand)
- 22 Sep 11
My son Josh and I have just returned from the above safari and in addition to the appraisal form we returned we want to thank you all at Sunway for a brilliantly organised dream holiday.
The whole experience for me ( I was a little hesitant ) has been life changing and is one that I will repeat with your company in another part of Africa next year. Josh also is looking at returning and would do so with a younger group next time although he loved almost all our “new family. “
The delicious food , the knowledge gained , our shared involvement in the day to day stuff, discussions and laughs around the fire, the bond between 11 of us will remain deep within Josh and I forever.
We are sure you are aware that you have two exceptional guides in Maxwell and Phumzile. Josh and I felt so fortunate to experience Africa with them as our guides. Maxwell has the ability to make everyone feel included at all times and to encourage where there was hesitation. Many many times he was in situations that were very stressful however at all times he acted with total professionalism. He went out of his way to fit into the schedule things requested by clients which almost seemed impossible. Both he and Phumzile have beautiful warm personalities and great senses of humour.
Steve Craig & Beverley Sandoy
- 20 Aug 11
We are writing to you because we had the best holiday of our life. Steve and I travel a lot, and have never had the service that we received from Shandle and Evans.
We gained weight with Shandle amazing cooking. We have wonderful memories of these boys, sitting around the camp fire laughing, telling stories, and of cause eating.
We have told all our friends back in New Zealand, and we think we have sold you a few trips. Only problem is Steve and I want to come back again. We never got sick of the animals. We also think you should make a TV program with Shandle cooking his way around Africa.
New Zealanders are very big on the outdoor life,and it wasn’t until they saw our photos that they realized how amazing your outdoor life is. In fact its better than ours. Your tents leave ours for dead.
We also wanted to comment at the fact that Evans has only been with your company for a short while.
We would never have guessed. We would have though he has been with you for 10 years. These two boys worked extremely well together, and we were very lucky, because they made our trip memorable.
Our dream is to come back to Arica soon, with more friends, and maybe head further north of Arica. in the red truck (which we loved) We want Shandl and Evens for our drivers.!! Hope this will be possible with plenty of notice.
Svenja Lais (Germany)
- 23 Jun 11
first of all I want to thank you for three unforgettable weeks travelling with your company through the southern parts of Africa.
I travelled alone and did the accomodated tour from Cape Town to the Victoria Falls (01.-21.06.2011) and I really enjoyed every single day. The tour was very eventful. We visited many beautiful places, saw amazing sceneries and I got new impressions of Africa and was able to experience four different countries.
The itinerary was well planned even if sometimes there were a lot of kilometers to drive. But when arriving at the destination I always knew because of the new and beautiful things I saw, that it was worth to do the trip. I’m for example still impressed of Sossusvleis red dunes with its different colours depending on the sunlight or of the water masses of the Victoria Falls – I can hardly describe the feelings I had; it was just great! Besides the two days in the Okavango Delta in Botswana were unique and I really enjoyed exploring the Delta and its beauty and silence on a makoro. The wild camping, seeing hippos in the water, walking through the bush and observing wild animals very close were an adventure I don’t want to miss.
But the journey wouldn’t have been so fantastic without our two tour guides Maxwell and Fred. A special thank-you to both of them for doing an excellent job. All the time they were obliging, helpful, reliable and of course very kind. Maxwell as well Fred constantly tried to satisfy every one of the group and they reacted flexible to any suggestions from their guests; for example concerning the day plannings.They gave us a lot of interesting information about animals, the four countries we travelled through, their people and culture. The meals they cooked for us were good and varied and I always got my ‘vegetarian pot‘.
All in all I’m very glad that I did this journey with your company. It was a great and unforgettable tour and I couldn’t have wished better guides with such a big knowledge than Maxwell and Fred.
THANK YOU for organizing and offering such a super journey!
If you would like to have your comments on your trip with Sunway posted on the website, please email your review to marketing@sunway-safaris.com and we will load it.
