Africa was a big trip for us; we were celebrating the conclusion of Chris’ MBA program. Our trip was three weeks in length and we spread that over five countries. The plan was to join a Botswanan safari for the first portion and then drive through South Africa to Mozambique where we hoped to relax on the beach and do some diving.
We traveled through five countries in Southern Africa
( lightly shaded blue areas):
- Zambia
- Botswana
- South Africa
- Swaziland
- Mozambique
Our route was as follows:
Stage 1: The Orange Route (And the first leg of the Yellow Route)
Fly from Seattle to London, Heathrow (9 hours flight time). Spend the day in London.
Fly from London to Johannesburg, South Africa (again, roughly 9 hours of flight time).
Fly from Johannesburg to Livingstone, Zambia (2.5 hours perhaps? I can't rightly recall).
Stage 2: (Yellow. Livingstone)
Arrival in Zambia. Hooray! Spent three days in Livingstone, living on an island in the middle of the Zambezi River, touring villages and viewing Victoria Falls.
Stage 3: (More Yellow. Safari in Botswana)
Hooked up with our fellow safari-goers and headed into remote Botswana. Spent 10 days trying not to be eaten by lions. Visited three camps, including one is Botswana's famous Okavango Delta, the largest freshwater delta in the world. Ended the tour in Maun (Botswana) and flew back to Johannesburg, South Africa.
Stage 4: (Purple Route. Mozambique)
Rented a car and drove 650 km through South Africa and Swaziland to a resort at the very tip of Mozambique. Spent six days relaxing on the beach and horseback riding. Drove back to Joburg with just enough time to..
Stage 5: (Orange)
Hop onto a plane to London and then, eventually, home.
