Savannah trek

EXIS can arrange an exciting Savannah Trek starting from Cape Town to see the wonderful nature reserves and cultural attractions in the region. This trek lasts 20 days and leads you through Namibia and Botswana to the Okavango Delta, then into Zimbabwe to visit the world-famous Victoria Falls. The trek departs from Cape Town several times each month.

This is not a luxurious tourist excursion, but a good, cheap and exciting way to travel. You will be spending nights in tents or hostels and be cooking over campfire. All the necessary equipment such as tents, mosquito nets, kitchen utensils, tables, chairs, and lamps are provided. It is expected that participants will assist with daily chores such as cleaning, cooking, set up tents etc. Camps will be set up at recognized camping sites with shower and sanitary facilities etc. are available.
The trekking car is a Mercedes Benz overland truck with radio, lockers, safe for small valuables, fridge and cooler boxes for drinks. There are minimum 4 and maximum 18 participants on the trek and at least 2 guides.

After arrival in Cape Town

The trek departs from Cape Town several times each month. Upon reservation, we will inform you about the exact departure dates from Cape Town and arrival in Victoria.
You can participate in a Savanna trek immediately after volunteering.

Of you want to participate immediately after arrival in Cape Town, you may just need one night at a hostel. We will inform you about a hostel, close to the departure point.

If you want to participate in the trek directly after arrival to Cape Town you can spend a night close to the treks departure point.

If you want to travel back to Johannesburg from Victoria in the trekking bus, the truck leaves the following day. You can spend the extra night at Vic Falls Adventure Lodge for around 280 Rand for a single room or 370 Rand for a double room. The fee for the transit to Johannesburg is 895 Rand (including camp, but no meals) and you are either dropped off at a hostel or at the airport.  

We recommend travelling with a Visa Card in order to ease changing from one currency to another.

Program price

The fee for this trek is 16.060 Rand, approx. 1678 Euro.

Included in the price

• 15 nights in 2 man dome tents mattress, camping equipment, camping fees and four nights in a double room in hotels or hostels.
• All trips with local guides and entry fees to national parks.
• Camping fees.
• Breakfast x 19, Lunch x 18, Dinner x 17. See details under the tour descriptions.
• Hand book.
• Green seats. In 2010 the trekking organisation introduced “green seats”, so all EXIS participants will travel carbon-neutral! The money from your green seat, R160 goes to planting Spekboom trees close to the Addo National Park.

Not included in the price

• 30 USD fee for visa stamps at the Zimbabwean border.
• Optional activities. Average prices starting from the indicated price are given of some of the activities.
• Some of the meals.
• Extra drinks, souvenirs.

You enrol by sending the enrolment form to info@exis.org. Upon reception of your enrolment form, we will send a confirmation and invoice.  Upon receipt of your deposit fee of 425 Euro, you will receive your voucher, handbook and detailed information. The rest of the fee has to be paid 8 weeks before departure. In case of enrolment less than 8 weeks before departure, the full amount is due.

In case of a cancellation, this deposit cannot be refunded.
In case of cancellation less then 30 days before departure, the entire fee will be lost.
For this reason we stress the importance of taking out cancellation insurance.

Enrolment form Savannah trek
Enrolment form please CLICK HERE.

First you must be aware what a Trek is - and what it involves. A dictionary definition says: “to journey by ox-wagon, to tramp and camp, dragging one’s equipment, to make a long hard journey usually on foot” in other words – not a luxury holiday!

It is a good, cheap and exciting way to travel, spending nights in small huts or under canvas and cooking over the campfire.

The organization in Cape Town ensures that all the utilitarian equipment such as tents, mosquito nets, kitchen utensils, tables, chairs, and lamps will be freely available. It is expected that those who are participating in the Trek will assist with the daily chores such as cleaning, preparing the food, erecting tents etc.

Under normal circumstances camp will be set up at recognized camping sites where facilities for taking a shower etc are available. In the “Trekking-Bus” there will be a refrigerator in which water and food bought on the journey may be stored. We recommend that those taking part in a trip of this nature should travel with a Visa Card in order to ease changing from one currency to another.

Before leaving Cape Town you will be invited to an orientation meeting. You will receive a comprehensive picture of what to expect on the Trek and meet your companions.

Luggage

As many volunteers have too much luggage for the trek, they will return by bus or plane from Johannesburg to Cape Town before heading home. You can have some days accommodation again in Cape Town if needed to fit dates.

Remember to bring along

• Valid Passport with six empty pages for various Visas and Stamps. We recommend that you take a photocopy of the important pages for security
• Warm clothes for the winter season (June - September)
• Blouses/shirts to protect you from the summer sushine and a sweater for the chilly nights
• Sun cream, insect spray and mosquito nets can be bought in Cape Town before departure
• Sunglasses
• A backpack or sports bag
• Sleeping bag.
• Boots or jogging shoes
• Flashlight
• Extra film and batteries for your camera
• Binoculars
• Malaria and diarrhoea tablets
• Plasters
• Pain killers
• Antiseptic balsam/cream
• Pocket money

Visa

All EU citizens can get entry visas at the border of the country they are entering. Tourists Visas are valid for three months.

Travel expenses

It is advisable to book/order the return journey to your home country on an open ticket or make sure that the date of the return flight can be changed as unforeseen obstacles such as bad weather etc., can cause delays.