• > How Strenuous are these Trips?
• > Group Participants and Tour Leader
• > Private Tours and Custom Dates
• > Local Transportation
• > Accommodations
• > Meals
• > Climate
• > Travel Documents
• > Flights
• > Airline Tickets
• > Money
• > Health
• > Luggage & Clothing
• > Resources
• > Communication

How Strenuous are these Trips?

We attract travelers of all ages. Our trips are very active and involve quite a bit of walking and nature exploration. We rarely use the bus or van once we have reached a city or location but rather explore on foot and take the local forms of transportation. There are often challenging hikes and always physical activities for the most energetic travelers, but also more relaxing choices for other participants. On some trips, we may stay a night or two in authentic local lodgings, which can seem quite primitive.

Group Participants and Tour Leader

INTERNATIONAL GROUPS (Traveling with a Dutch Group): On this tour you will join an International Group. Most of the participants are Dutch with a maximum of four travelers from the U.S. and Canada. These tours are very popular with many of our Djoser regulars but can be challenging for other travelers.  Please consider the descriptions below before booking a trip with an international group.

The Dutch travelers tend to be very social and accepting. They are experienced and lively travelers. Dutch travelers of all ages are likely to take hearty hikes, rent a bicycle to explore, and will take full advantage of the Djoser style of travel taking many opportunities for independent explorations.

The tour leader (from the Netherlands) addresses the group first in Dutch and then in English, however the information flow tilts a bit more heavily towards Dutch. While the guide will willingly share information about the region, these are NOT lecture tours. You will receive the important information. The groups are larger and you cannot expect as much attention from the guide as you would get on a North American trip.

Almost everyone from the Netherlands has a superb command of English. It is inevitable that the participants will lapse into Dutch from time to time at meals and on the bus, until they get to know you. The guide will help to integrate you, but you will enjoy this trip most if you are the type of person who can is comfortable initiating conversations yourself. If you have a travel partner, it will be easier to find your way into the conversations or at least to have a buffer during times when the group is chatting in Dutch. It can be more difficult for singles.

These trips are best suited for the most independent-minded, experienced, North American travelers. Before booking, you must be at ease with the concept of being in the minority. We do not recommend the international groups for inexperienced travelers, those who seek a lecture tour, travelers who need lots of one-one-one attention from the guide, or single travelers who may be more introverted. For those who love the added international experience and enjoy a high degree of activity and independence, we think you will love “going Dutch”.  

GROUPS: Active travelers of all ages; singles, couples, friends, and families. Minimum group size of 8. Usually 15 to 20. Mostly Dutch travelers with a maximum 4 North Americans.  

GUIDES: Our Dutch tour leader is knowledgeable about the area and will willingly share their information. The guides will handle logistics for travel and lodgings but he/she is not a lecturer.The tour leader delivers information in Dutch first and then in English. The guide organizes many meals and activities and accompanies many of them, but not all. Your guide will accommodate the Djoser philosphy of independence and will recommend safe activities and restaurants for your free time and explorations. You can generally expect a free day if you are spending a second day in a city. We also have experienced land agents stationed in each country who work with the tour leader and who can assist in case of an emergency.

 

Private Tours and Custom Dates

Please call us for more information.

Local Transportation

In South Africa we travel with a privately hired, comfortable bus. If it is a small group, we will take a van. This way we can stop where and when we want. The roads in South Africa are fine. On major traveling days we can spend long hours in the bus, although the interesting stops might make the overall travel day a little longer but worthwhile. The scenery changes dramatically almost every hour! We will take an internal flight from Johannesburg to Kruger National Park. Use the following link to view slides of the transportation we use:

http://www.djoserusa.com/transportation

Accommodations

We make use of different types of accommodations in South Africa like the locally preferred chalets and apartments. These chalets, also called “rondavels”, are small round houses, which are detached or attached. They are set up apartment style with separate sleeping rooms but the living room and bathroom are shared. Often they have a small kitchen where you can prepare coffee and tea or even a meal. The “rondavels”, some located inside the parks, have nice terraces and often have their own “braai” (barbecue). In Cape Town we sleep in comfortable hotels. In Kruger Park, we spend the night in chalets. Use the following link to view some of our lodgings: http://www.djoserusa.com/hotels

Meals

A typical day begins at breakfast with the tour leader and other group participants where the possibilities for the day are discussed. The group will share many meals together and nice, reasonably priced establishements. However, since meals are not included in the price, in most places, you can join the guide or group for a meal, or go off on your own. The tour leader can make suggestions. Many South African dishes find their origin in India or Malaysia. On every menu, however, you will find lots of typical African specialties like bobotie, milliepap and biltong. Bobotie is delicious minced meat mixed with yellow rice and coconut. Biltong are strips of dried meat taken from a great variety of animals (buffalo, ostrich) and eaten mainly as a snack. Grilled meat is also very popular and served in large portions. A popular way to prepare meals for a South African is a “braai,” or barbecue. During our stay in chalets in Kruger Park a barbecue is always close at hand to "do it yourself," however, a restaurant is also never far away. Vegetarians will find a reasonable range of choices. Fruit is available in abundance due to the mild climate. Breakfast usually means a choice of bacon, eggs and bread rolls with jam and cheese and the traditional oatmeal. South Africans usually prefer millie-porridge or “rusks,” which is best described as a lump of muesli, which is to be dipped in coffee or tea. The local beers are tasty and very affordable and their wines are world-reknowned. Near your hotel, you can usually find a traditional buffet where you can sample many local specialties.

Climate

South Africa is an ideal country for year-round traveling. Because it is situated in the Southern Hemisphere, the seasons are opposite to the States’; July is the coldest month and January the warmest. The climate is moderate; winters are mild and the summers can be quite hot. At night the temperature on the coast will not drop substantially. A bit more inland and in mountainous regions, you can experience very cool temperatures. The summer is comfortably warm with clear blue skies and temperatures between 77° and 84° Fahrenheit. There is no distinguishable monsoon period but every area has its own wet season. Because Zambia stretches over a high plateau averaging 3,000 ft. above sea level, it is not as hot as you would expect. May to October resembles a Mediterranean summer with warm, sunny days and cool, clear nights.

Check the weather for your destination: Check temperature and rainfall for specific cities on your trip, during your month of travel at www.worldweather.org

Travel Documents

United States and Canadian citizens visiting South Africa do not need a visa, however, your passport must be valid for at least six months after departure from South Africa. Prior to departure, you should check with the South African Embassy or Consulate to insure that documentation requirements have not changed. For non-US or Canadian citizens, please check with the appropriate consulates for visa requirements.

In the event you would like to use a passport expediting service, we recommend “It’s Easy”. For download forms and requirements please visit: www.itseasypassport.com. You will need to know the entry and departure dates which we provide for you on an itinerary. You will also need to list a contact name in each country, which you will find in the literature we send you when you book a trip. It’s Easy honors a 10% discount for Djoser customers. The discount is applied to the service fees but not to the government fees.  For a higher fee they can process your passport in a few days.

It’s Easy  (Passport & Visa Service)

Satellite Airline Terminal

125 Park Avenue

New York, NY 10017

Phone - (212) 286-8500,

Fax (212)-490-3224

Website   http://www.itseasypassport.com

E-mail      mail@itseasypassport.com

Flights

Below you will find the usual flight times with Virgin Atlantic Airlines. These flight times are subject to change.  It is recommended that you book your domestic Add-on (connecting) flights through Djoser in association with the international flight. To avoid penalities for flight changes, do not book your own domestic add-on (connecting flight) without first receiving a printed copy of your flight record from Djoser confirming your actual departure and return flight times.

Depart NY	Return to NY
10:50 PM	12:10 PM
Depart LAX	Return to LAX
8:50 PM	3:10 PM

Usual flight times – subject to change

The Virgin Atlantic flights are routed through London. As you can see the costs of our trips are listed for trips from New York or Los Angeles. We can provide flights from other cities within the United States at competitive prices. These “Add-on” cities and prices can be found on our website (www.djoserusa.com) within the destination section. The costs of these add-ons are added to the base price from either New York or Los Angeles. The flight routing will not necesssarily go through that city, but the list price will serve as a baseline for your total cost.

The time difference is +6 hours from the East Coast and +9 hours form the West Coast.

Airline Tickets

You will receive your tickets or E-tickets 10-12 days prior to your departure date.

In case the airline uses E-tickets you will receive two documents:

·          A document that shows the E-ticket number & flight itinerary (sent by email).

The first document listed is needed to check in at the Automated kiosks. If you check in at the

E-ticket desk you don’t need any of the provided documents, you can simply show your passport and you’re good to go. Both the automated kiosk and the e-ticket desk insure a much faster check in than at the regular check in desks. It is important to hold on to your e-ticket receipt, as you might need it to claim your mileage credits (if the airline awards mileage for this particular flight).

Money

The unit of currency in South Africa is the Rand (R), which is divided into 100 cents. The import and export of local currency is limited to R500. In addition it is very handy to bring a small amount of cash dollars in small bills. You may check www.exchangerate.com for the current exchange rates. In many places you can use your credit card or bankcard at ATM’s for cash advances. The nationwide Standard Bank is part of the worldwide Cirrus network. Of course in most large restaurants, souvenir shops, and hotels, major credit cards are accepted such as MasterCard and Visa. Keep at least some of your exchange receipts, as you will need to show them when you reconvert your rands when you leave. As you read in our materials the tour cost does not include meals and personal expenses. For meals, drinks, entry fees, souvenirs, and such you should budget approximately $250 per week. Of course this is an average and depends on your own spending patterns. This amount also includes the entry fees of the national parks (Kruger is included in the trip costs for the longer trips). It is always sensible to bring a little extra money in case of unexpected expenses, such as for purchasing special souvenirs or for medical expenses In Zambia, food is inexpensive and a meal can range from $3 to $8 per person. All major credit cards are accepted by most of the establishments catering to tourists. There are some Barclays Bank ATMs, compatible with Visa cards, but you shouldn't rely on your credit card to procure cash. A tip of around 10% of the fare is normal for taxi drivers.

Health

There are few health problems in this region. Vaccinations are not mandatory but are suggested. The most up-to-date information on vaccinations and other health precautions may be obtained from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s hotline for international travelers at telephone 1-877-FYI-TRIP (1-877-394-8747); fax 1-888-CDC-FAXX(1-888-232-3299), or by visiting the CDC Internet home page at http://www.cdc.gov/. Inform your doctor of the region you will visit and time of year.

·          DTP: two shots with a one month interval which is good for ten years

·          Typhoid

·           Malaria tablets recommended

Luggage & Clothing

The best luggage is a soft bag. If you bring a suitcase, please don’t bring anything larger than a mid-size bag or a maximum of 30 pounds. This will make transporting your luggage easier. You will be expected to carry your own bags. Space in the luggage compartment in the bus is limited. Regarding clothing, in the summer months, December to February, we advise you to bring airy, cotton clothing with a sweater and a light jacket for evenings. In the South Africa winter months, the temperatures can vary substantially per region. In higher altitudes, especially at nighttime, it can get pretty cold. Therefore, bring along warm clothing. On the coast, it stays mild even in the wintertime. It rains infrequently throughout the entire year. A raincoat is recommended. During the trip there are possibilities for some substantial walking tours on the program so bring along a pair of sturdy shoes with good traction. It is very handy to carry a small pack for day trips and walking tours.

Resources

It is extremely useful to pick up a good travel guidebook. We highly recommend Lonely Planet. You will find a wealth of practical information regarding money issues, maps, local customs, history, activities, and much more. There are always great travel journals, historical and political books at your local bookstore as well. The internet is also invaluable for researching and finding great photos. Be sure to check out this trip’s Slide Show (see link above) to get a good feeling for the trip, lodgings and modes of travel.

Communication

With all the modern communications these days, you are very reachable throughout the world. We will also provide a list of phone numbers for the accomodations you will be staying in as well as Djoser’s emergency contact numbers while you are away. In most places you will find Internet cafés where, for a fee, you can send and receive emails. Mobile phone access is possible based on your phone instrument and provider.