Israel – Palestine - Cyprus - Kenya – Tanzania – Malawi – Zambia – Zimbabwe – Botswana – Namibia - South Africa

 

I traveled during summer 2023 to Israel – Palestine - Cyprus - Kenya – Tanzania – Malawi – Zambia – Zimbabwe – Botswana – Namibia - South Africa.  My trip highlights include (1) hiking up Table Mountain in Cape Town South Africa, (2) hiking Robberg Hiking Trail near Plettenberg Bay South Africa; (3) seeing animals in Etosha National Park in the vast 5000-sq meter Etosha Pan in Namibia; (4) taking safari cruise in Chobe National Park in Botswana to see elephants, hippos, crocodiles, and birds, (5) breaking via an Okavango Delta channel blocked by elephants to pass as a mokoro group as escorted by Botswana polers; (5) kayaking in Malawi Lake; (6) following a gunned guide walking in the South Luangwa Park in Zambia, (7) swimming in Nungwi beach then sunset cruise Zanzibar Tanzania; (8) safari drives in Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater in Tanzania; (9) safari drives in Maasai Mara, Kenya; (10) partaking Wine tasting festival at Nicosia, Cyprus; (11) relaxing in Tiberias on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee in north Israel; (12) Strolling via Jerusalem old city. See details at https://africajt.blogspot.com/

I was planning for East and South Africa, and then decided to pick up Israel that I was forced to drop in 2020 due to COVID.  I booked a 40-day overland truck camping tour from Nairobi, Kenya to Cape Town, South Africa. Basically, I used the overland truck for transport to save time and stay safe. This prepaid tour covered major excursions I was interested, such as Serengeti National Park, Zanzibar, Okavango Delta, etc.  The was the first time I took a long-term packaged tour, and I even bought a travel insurance as required by the tour operator. I usually just count on travel insurance of my credit cards.

In fact, I first put down the deposit with another operator for a 53-day tour, then found this 40-day tour and switched. I like that it included all meals (less hassle and no waste time shopping for lunches on my own) and has personal USP charging port & locker for my backpack in the overland truck, yet longer daily driving distance/hrs, and more likely to get a less experienced tour leader (based on Reddit and other reviews).  In terms of cost, they were about the same (after factor in excursions I am interested), but 40-day had more prepaid exclusions, so I did not need to bring much cash. 

In addition,the 40-day tour put accommodated travelers (sleeping on lodge beds) and campers (like me) on the same truck and camping lodges, so campers camped in garden/backyard settings (only sound/sights of bugs but no wild animal), yet with hot water showers, bars, pools, etc. No wild camping in the nature at all (comfortable yet defeated the Africa travel spirit, perhaps).  However, the accommodated travelers were older/mature, a plus. Third, the fewer truck days reduced travel insurance cost.

Before the big tour, I traveled solo in Israel – Palestine - Cyprus, and then took a 3-day Maasai Mara tour in Nairobi.  After the big tour, I traveled solo along the Garden Route in South Africa. Among these countries, I got e-visas for Kenya, Tanzania, and Malawi,  Zimbabwe visa on arrival. 

 

I traveled 94 countries solo, and you can browse my venture blogs:
   Fall 2011 Argentina/Chile/ Colombia/Ecuador/Peru http://southamericajt.blogspot.com/
   Fall 2012 Taiwan/China/Vietnam/Cambodia/Thailand/Nepal/India. http://asiajt.blogspot.com/  
   Fall 2013 Middle East (Greece/Turkey/Georgia/Armenia/Iran/Spain) http://jtmiddleeast.blogspot.com/
   Summer 2014 Cuba/Mexico/Guatemala/Honduras/Nicaragua/Costa Rica http://centralamericajt.blogspot.com/
   Spring 2015 to Taiwan, Indonesia, and the Philippines. http://jtseasia.blogspot.com/
   Summer 2015 cycling with a group across Virginia along the Transamerica trail in 10 days http://cyclex-us-jt.blogspot.com/
   Fall 2015 to UK, Poland, Czech Republic, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia, Montenegro, Netherlands. http://easteuropejt.blogspot.com/
   Summer 2016 to Italy, Vatican City State, Greece, Albania, Kosovo, Macedonia, Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia, and Germany. http://italyeasteuropejt.blogspot.com/ 
   Summer 2017 to Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Chinese Silk Road, Taiwan. https://jtsilkroadcentralasia.blogspot.com/

   Spring 2018 to New Zealand, Australia, Singapore, and Taiwan. https://nz-aujt.blogspot.com/ 

   Winter 2019 to Sri Lanka, South India, Laos, Myanmar, Malaysia, Brunei, Korea, and Taiwan. https://jtasiaiii.blogspot.com/

   Early Spring 2020 to Taiwan - Egypt – Jordan https://mediterraneanjt.blogspot.com/

   Fall 2021 to Portugal - Monaco - France - Luxembourg  -  Belgium - Netherlands - UK - Morocco  https://jtwesteurope.blogspot.com/

   Summer 2022 to Iceland – Norway – Sweden - Estonia - Finland - Latvia – Lithuania – Sicily – Naples – Taiwan https://jtnortheurope.blogspot.com/