Africa is a destination that captures the imagination of travelers like no other. Once considered the “Dark Continent” it remains mysterious and alluring in the travel imagination. Imprint’s Southern Africa includes the best the lower continent has to offer and the most diverse 12 days that can be had on a tour as each stop is a distinctive and discreet travel ecosystem.

Victoria Falls is one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the world and a mecca for adventure activities. Chobe NP in neighboring Botswana boasts the classic safari experience. And finally Cape Town, with iconic Table Mountain, the classic Cape Point excursion, and some of the best wine production anywhere. And for those who choose to extend to Namibia, we’ll experience another entirely new travel experience as we explore the desert state. 

· Victoria Falls: One of the seven natural wonders of the world, the largest sheet of falling water on the globe. Mosi-oa-Tunya – “the smoke that thunders”.

· Chobe Safari: Elephant, lion, giraffe, hippo, baboons, and zebra in abundance. And, with luck, a leopard or two.

· Sunset Cruises: Both the Zambezi River above the falls and the Chobe River at sunset. An open bar on the Zambezi and the best up close and personal’ game viewing in Africa on the Chobe.

· Cape Point: A stunning coastal drive that concludes with the Cape of Good Hope and the Cape Point lighthouse. Plus Boulders Beach with its adorable penguin colony.

· Wine Country: South Africa’s prolific wine production region is located just outside Cape Town. Dutch colonial towns and dramatic mountain backdrops highlight a day with 2 wine tastings.

Visas: Participants are required to obtain their own visitor visas, at their own expense. 

Q: How do I obtain visas for the tour?

A: Tourist visas for US citizens are issued upon arrival in each country. Each country requires at least 1 blank passport page. Namibia - free; South Africa - free (SA requires two consecutive blank passport pages); Botswana - free; Zimbabwe $30 (Note - If you are considering going to the Zambia side of the falls during or after the tour, you should get a KAZA visa, good for Zimbabwe and Zambia ($50).

Registration and Deposit

Q: What should I expect after registering and paying the deposit for the tour?

A: You will receive a confirmation email welcoming you to the tour. This email will include a link to a Manage Booking page where you can view all your trip details, your deposit receipt, payment schedule, and information for purchasing travel insurance through Travelex. Imprint Tours STRONGLY recommends purchasing trip insurance.

Flight Information

Q: Are flights included?

A: International Flights to/from the tour are NOT included. Internal tour flights are included.

Q: What airport do I use to join/depart the tour?

A: The tour starts in Cape Town, South Africa (CPT) on Sept 16 (late afternoon) and ends in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe (VFA) on Sept 27 (after breakfast). If opting for the optional pre-tour Namibia extension starting on Sept 10, you should fly into Windhoek, Namibia (WDH).

Q: What if I want to visit the Zambia side of the falls after the tour.

A: Obtain a KAZA visa upon arrival in Zimbabwe and book a return flight from Livingstone, Zambia (LVI).

Q: Should I arrive early for the tour?

A: When you arrive is entirely up to you. Most Imprint travelers arrive 1 day early.

Q: Can I skip breakfast on the final day and depart early that morning?

A: Yes, you are not obliged to partake of the final breakfast, nor will you miss any tour activities.

Q: Does Imprint provide or arrange airport transfers?

A: No, airport transfers to join or depart the tour are the traveler's responsibility to arrange. Basic information will be included in the 8-Week Letter. 

Q: Does Imprint provide advice about airlines, routing, or booking?

A: No, Imprint does not provide these services.

Q: When can I book my flights?

A: We advise not booking flights before the EPD deadline of Jan 16, 2025. If you want to book earlier, please inquire about the status of the tour.

Q: Do I need to check the tour status after Jan 16?

A: No, if you have not received a cancellation notice from Imprint by Jan 16, you may assume the tour is a go.

Early Pay Discount (EPD)

Q: How do I take advantage of the Early Pay Discount (EPD)

A: To receive the $300 EPD, you must register for the EPD price and pay in full by the designated date. You will receive a notice of final payment due one week prior. Please refer to our Terms and Conditions regarding EPD as cancellation incurs a penalty.

Pre-Departure Information

Q: What should I do to prepare for the tour?

A: About 8 weeks before departure, you'll receive a detailed email with a packing list, sightseeing suggestions, and other important information. Meanwhile, ensure your passport is valid for at least 6 months from the tour end date and has two clean pages for visa stamps.

Pre- and Post-Tour Hotels

Q: Since Imprint is unable to assist with pre- and post-tour hotel bookings, how do I book pre-tour and post-tour hotel nights in our tour hotels?

A: For pre-tour nights, Onomo Waterfront Hotel. For post-tour nights, Rainbow Hotel. Bookings are under Imprint Tours, standard rooms. Final hotel bookings with roster names will be made about 60 days prior to the tour start.

Tour Hotels

Q: If I need a complete list of tour hotels, where do I find that?

A: On the Southern Africa Tour ITINERARY page on the Imprint website. 

Important Reminders

Q: Are there any critical things I need to keep in mind?

A:

• Print and keep the confirmation letter for reference.

• If your passport will expire between now and 6 months beyond your intended departure from Africa, it is your sole responsibility to update your registration information in We Travel. You can use the link in your confirmation email to return to your account to make edits. Imprint Tours is not responsible for reminding you to update your information nor for any problems with booking delays or mistakes due to incorrect passport data.

• Add reid@imprinttours.com to your email address book.

• Download & activate Whatsapp for essential on-tour communications.

• Check your bank’s policy on international ATM withdrawal or Credit Card fees.

Health and Safety

Q: What health precautions should I take?

A: Visit the CDC website or your local travel medicine clinic for suggested inoculations for South Africa, Botswana, & Zimbabwe (Namibia for extension). We cannot advise on inoculations due to liability concerns.

This tour involves moderate physical activity, including climbing in and out of safari vehicles. Participants should be in good health and capable of handling such activities.

Tour Member Expectations

Q: What mindset should I have for the tour?

A: Be flexible, independent, and personally responsible. Expect challenges and surprises, especially in less-developed areas. Positive, flexible attitudes contribute to a better group experience.

Travel Insurance

Q: Why is travel insurance important?

A: Travel insurance protects your investment against unforeseen events like flight delays, baggage loss, or sudden illness. We recommend Travelex.

Travel Insurance

In case you haven’t read our Terms and Conditions carefully, we would like to repeat the

importance of purchasing trip insurance. We have partnered with Travelex, a leader in the travel insurance industry. We have chosen Travelex for their very high rating, their record and

reliability of processing claims, and their excellent customer service. Travelex is proud to offer

you a variety of travel protection plans to fit your travel needs. We understand your plans can

change quickly and unforeseen events could impact your travel plans. We feel it’s important to consider purchasing a travel protection plan to help protect you and your travel investment.

Travel protection plans help provide coverage for:

- Trip Cancellation

- Trip Interruption

- Emergency Medical Expenses

- Emergency Evacuation/Repatriation of Remains

- Travel Delay

- Baggage & Personal Effects

- Baggage Delay and more

TRAVEL ASSISTANCE SERVICES*: With a Travelex Travel Protection Plan, emergency assistance and travel services are just a phone call away from virtually anywhere in the world.

For more information on the recommended plans or to enroll, CLICK HERE or contact Travelex

Insurance Services at 800-228-9792 and reference location number 06-0252.

Please Note:

Travelex Insurance Services plans are only available to U.S. Residents. To be eligible for a

waiver of the pre-existing medical condition exclusion, the Ultimate protection plan must be

purchased within 21 days from the time you make your initial trip deposit. However, plans can

be purchased any time up until the day prior to departure.

*Travel Assistance Services are provided by the designated provider as listed in the policy. The product descriptions provided here are only brief summaries and may be changed without notice. The full coverage terms and details, including limitations and exclusions, are contained in the insurance policy. Travelex Insurance Services, Inc. CA Agency License #0D10209. Insurance coverages underwritten by individual member companies of Zurich in North America, including Zurich American Insurance Company (NAIC #16535, state of domicile: New York), 1299 Zurich Way, Schaumburg, IL 60196. Certain coverages not available in all states.

Cape Town, South Africa
We will gather for our traditional "get acquainted" meeting and then have dinner together.

Cape Excursion
This is an awe-inspiring day-long tour to the towering headland known as Cape Point. The drive south highlights the 12 Apostles peaks, historic and picturesque coastal villages, and photogenic beaches. At the Good Hope Nature Reserve we’ll enjoy rich fynbos vegetation, bird life, endemic antelope and zebra, the historic lighthouse, and the Cape of Good Hope itself. For lunch we travel on to Simon’s Town with its charming Victorian architecture. Then a visit to the penguin colony at beautiful Boulders Beach.

Winelands
A delightful drive takes us into the heart of the Cape winelands, through superb mountain ranges, vineyards, and Cape Dutch homesteads. After crossing scenic Helshoogte Pass our first stop of the morning is a local wine estate. An informative cellar tour and wine tasting gives us personalized insight into the finer points of wine-making. We'll take time out for lunch in Stellenbosch. Take a stroll down the canal-lined avenues in the shade of giant oaks and past beautifully preserved historic buildings or enjoy the coffee shops, galleries, antique shops, and wine bars that line the sidewalks. This university town exudes an air of quiet intellectualism and wine-making history. With the great numbers of wine estates on offer we are truly spoiled for choices when we enjoy our second wine tasting in the afternoon. After our return to Cape Town, your evening is free.

Free day
Imprint will assist with free time transportation arrangements and bookings. Two obvious options are Robben Island and Table Mountain. Located in Cape Town’s Table Bay, Robben Island is the infamous Apartheid era prison. The most famous inmate, of course, was Nelson Mandela. Visitors are escorted through the complex by former inmates – a fascinating cultural connection experience. The rotating Table Mountain Aerial Cablecar sweeps visitors to the top of Table Mountain with views over Table Bay, Cape Town center, Robben Island to the north, and the Atlantic seaboard to the west and south. At the end of the day we'll gather for our final dinner together.
[Note:  Imprint Tours’ operational values are to include all major sights on our tours. However, Robben Island does not offer any group discounts, meaning we are unable to add value by including it. The Table Mountain excursion is weather dependent and cannot be guaranteed. Therefore, we have elected to make these excursions optional.]

Sunset cruise

A morning flight transports us to Kasane, Botswana. After settling into our safari camp we will enjoy a sunset cruise on the Chobe River where we can watch elephants, hippos, crocodiles, and myriad birds without having to reach for our binoculars. You’ll be near enough for close-up photographs, not to mention the chance of a spectacular African Sunset. Kwalape Safari Lodge offers the perfect base to discover the wonders of Chobe NP. The main restaurant and bar are nestled into the surrounding bush with a pool-side bar, ideal for sun downers and sharing the day’s experiences.

AM & PM game drives; Q&A

Today will begin and end with Chobe game drives. The park is over 4000 square miles of wilderness area watered by the Chobe & Savuti Rivers – big game magnets. This includes lion and some of the highest concentration of elephants in Africa, an estimated population of around 25,000. In addition, we’re likely to see zebra, giraffe, warthog, and numerous antelope including Sable, Roan, Oribi, Reedbuck, Lechwe, and the colorful Chobe Bushbuck. Bird watching opportunities in Chobe are ample and include some 350 species. Another Chobe highlight, exclusive to Imprint, is an informal Q&A session with our host, Milton K., director of the lodge. Among other topics, he will share what life is like in today’s Botswana, why Botswana is so different from the surrounding countries, why its people are so confident, how his marriage was arranged, and how he got his nickname!  

AM & PM game drives; local entertainment 

More game drives highlight the day's plans - early morning and late afternoon. But today’s unique activity is a wonderful music and dance performance from a local dance troupe. At Imprint, we have arranged local music and dance performances in many countries – this is by all measures the most energetic, the most authentic, the most fun, and the most engaging performance we have ever offered.

Zambezi Sunset Cruise; Dinner

A morning's drive will take bring us to Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. After settling into our comfortable accommodations we’ll enjoy a sundowner cruise on the Zambezi River. The Zambezi sunset cruise is a traveler’s institution: animals coming to the river for their evening drink (and an open bar for us!), beautiful scenery, hippos lounging alongside, the thundering sounds of the falls approaching, and an amazing African sunset.

Victoria Falls Victoria Falls National Park; Township Visit

Spectacular Victoria Falls, one of the world’s seven natural wonders, is our goal this morning. “So lovely it must have been gazed upon by angels in their flight” said David Livingstone of the spectacular Mosi-oa-Tunya - ‘The smoke that thunders’. The mighty Zambezi River is divided into a series of braided channels that descend in many separate falls. Together, the Falls are over a mile across and boast the largest curtain of water in the world – over 130 million gallons of water per minute go over the falls and drop more than 300 feet to the roiling gorge below. We’ll be here when photography is at its best. Later this morning we visit Chinotimba Township. The word Chinotimba describes the roar of the water from the Falls in the local Nambya language. We will be hosted in a local family residence for light lunch and a Q&A session. The rest of the day is yours to enjoy as you choose.

Free day

Today is a free day. Victoria Falls offers many excursions, wildlife viewing, and adventure activities. Options include:  walking or night safaris; white water rafting, a large variety of adventure sports activities, and much more. Your tour manager will assist with bookings.

Rhino Safari; Flight of Angels

An early morning start takes us to a private game preserve where black rhinos reside. The viewing success rate exceeds 90% so we should see the elusive animals. And of course, we will see other wildlife as well. We’ll be back at our hotel before lunch. Our afternoon activity is the spectacular “Flight of Angels” helicopter ride over the falls. This is the only way to view the entire breadth and majesty of the falls. This activity has been so popular in the past we’ve decided to include it on the tour.

Tour Over

Tour over after breakfast. Imprint will assist with airport transfer arrangements. 

Windhoek

We'll gather in our comfy guesthouse for our "get acquainted" meeting, followed by dinner together.

Sossusvlei

This day will be spent driving the edge of the Namib Naukluft National Park on our way south to Sossusvlei. The Namib-Naukluft Desert is an ancient land with an ageless spirit. It is home to some of the rarest plant and animal species in the world. The animals of this harsh landscape include the Oryx, springbok, Hartmann’s Mountain Zebra, leopards, and cheetahs.

Sossusvlei; Sesreim Canyon

Today is our desert activity day. An early start will allow us to enjoy the early golden light that electrifies the reddish sands of Sossusvlei’s magnificent dunes. Our destination is Dead Vlei with its stunning, picturesque black petrified trees, backed by the golden dunes and blue desert skies. We’ll finish off our morning with an easy hike through Sesriem Canyon, carved millions of years ago by the Tsauchab River. This is an absolutely spectacular photographic day – the clear highlight of the extension. In the afternoon we can arrange an optional scenic flight.

Fish River Canyon

Another long transportation day takes us further south to Fish River Canyon, the largest canyon in Africa and second largest in the world. Hopefully there will be time for a quick, easy hike along the canyon rim upon arrival and possibly another African sunset with the magnificent views from the canyon rim. 

Orange River

A morning's drive is before us today as we make our way to the Orange River which serves as the Namibian-South African border. After lunch we’ll indulge in a leisurely paddle as we travel by canoe on the Orange River. In the evening we can relax in our lovely riverside bungalows or have a sunset drink by the hotel pool as the river meanders by below. 

Cederberg Wilderness

A final long day on the road brings us to Clanwilliam, gateway to the Cederberg Mountains.  We’ll have time to visit the nearby Wilderness Area to do some easy hiking, see the ancient San Rock Art, and photograph the famously picturesque rock formations. Leopards are known to have been seen in this area as well.  

Cape Town

A moderate driving day ends our extension and delivers us to Cape Town to begin the Southern Africa tour. A brief stop as we approach the city allows a photo op of Table Mountain across the Bay. You'll have time to relax in our Cape Town hotel before we join the rest of the group for the main tour.