Hi
A few of us are looking to go backpacking in East Africa this summer, We're into kayaking so we want to start at the Zambezi (Livingstone - Zambia) and finish at the Nile (Jinja - Uganda). Has anyone done such a route? How long would it take to do such a trip properly?
Thinking of going Livingstone-Lusaka-Chipata (Possibly with a visit to South Luangwa NP) - Up Lake Milawi, stopping at a few of the backpacker places along the way (Nkhata Bay and Livingstonia have been recommended), possibly trying to get a bit of diving in - into Tanzania taking the train to Dar-es-Salem (I'm told there's one that goes through a NP that's good for spotting game from?) - A few days in Zanzibar - After that not sure - possibly Arusha - Nirobi - Jinja. Apart from the obvious safari options which we probably wont be able to afford, anything else worth doing along that last stretch?
Would such a trip on aprox. $30 a day be possible in about 1.5 months? Also has anyone ever climbed Kilimanjaro? We wouldn't mind giving that a stab either, where's the best place to base yourself for something like that? And finally anything else that really is a must do somewhere along that trip?
Thanks!
Reply to this If you're not going to partake in the expensive safari options due to your budget, you should prioritize South Luangwa. It's cheaper than the Serengeti or Ngorogoro (not as good either, but still worth going). As for your itinerary, I wouldn't plan on spending much time in Lusaka or Dar. The essence of East Africa is in its small towns and rural areas. Probably best to pass through the cities, stock up on supplies, recharge your batteries and keep moving. 1 1/2 months seems good as long as you don't plan on staying put for extended periods of time. I would also suggest not diving in Lake Malawi unless you are doing a PADI course (I got my Open Water there for only $270) because there is very little to see in the lake. Dive in Zanzibar instead.
$30 per day seems doable, except maybe in Zanzibar. I climbed Kili and it was one of the best experiences of my life, but it's not cheap. Expect to spend well over $1,000 after park fees, tips for your guide and porter, gear rental, etc. You can base yourself in either Moshi or Arusha, and I recommend Moshi out of the two.
Must-do's? Kili of course. Definitely the Serengeti and Ngorogoro Crater. I went to game parks all throughout southern and eastern Africa and nowhere compared to those two places. They're not cheap, but you can do both of them for much less than the cost of Kili. Whatever you do, you're in for it. Africa is mind blowing.
Reply to this Hello,
We just finished 4 months in Tanzania. My blog, while started on TB, has been moved to
Bold Texthttp://elephantcloud.net.
Bold Text and has everything we did in Tanzania.
I agree Zanzibar was great for diving and cheap, but the relaxation up north in Kwenda was priceless (check out Kwenda Rocks bandas they are the cheapest up north). For 2 people sharing everything, our average was 60 a day, except on bigger expenses like Serengeti and Ngorogoro. But if you have time, organized those Safaris in Karato, we meet up with other backpackers, camped instead of staying at lodges and saved a lot of money. You can email me for more specifics 😊
Since we are traveling for a year, we choose to climb Mt. Meru (cheaper) and it was Awesome! We organized in Arusha..
I agree Moshi is a more relaxed scene to kick back, but Arusha has more going on.
You will have a great time!!!!!
Reply to this I'm following a route similar, or seeing a few of those countries, are there any hassles with Visas, can you just get them at the border or do you have to arrange them before you go? I travel on an Australian Passport.
Reply to this I am on an Australian passport and when travelling in 2008, was able to get visas at the border in Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya and Ethiopia. The exception is Rwanda, you need to apply for a visa permit online (use the Rwandan Embassy in Japan if I remember correctly) and they will give you an acceptance email, which you then hand in at the border to obtain your visa.
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