Welcome to Africa!!!!!

 

Africa is a continent with much diversity throughout its countries.  The first thing many people often think of Africa when they talk about Africa is the array of African animals.  These incredible and magnificent animals are unique and splendid in their own right. Witnessing any of the Big 5 will truly remain embedded for years to come.  We not only hope to see the Big 5, but also the Little 5.  The Big 5 are the Rhino, Elephant, Lion, Leopard, and the Cape Buffalo.  The Little 5 include the Lion Ant, the Leopard Tortoise, the Buffalo Weaver, the Elephant Shrew, and the Rhinoceros Beetle.  Not leaving the possibility of sightings to only one country, we will be exploring 8 countries on our journey (South Africa, Namibia, Losotho, Eswatini, Mozambique, Botswana, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.)  Each country has its own character and history, which we will discover as we meet some of the natives along the way.

Aug 15/16- We will depart from MSP on our way to Johannesburg, South Africa.  Since the flight is rather long and we lose hours heading east we lose a day along the way.  We will arrive in our destination in time to relax and get accustomed to our new time zone. Sleep well in Johannesburg, South Africa!

Aug 17- Today we will be picked up by our transportation to transport us to Lesedi Village.   This is where we will spend our overnight.  At Lesedi Village we will visit five traditional villages including Xhosa, Zulu, Pedi, Basotho and Ndebele. We will be able to listen to the traditional music being played and the fascinating stories told by the people of Lesedi. Enjoy a local South African tribal get-together and experience some traditional dancing.  After the traditional dance we head to the Nyama Choma restaurant. Nyama Choma stands for Great African Feast. And that’s exactly what you will experience! There is an extensive choice of African dishes, including crocodile and ostrich. The restaurant is divided into three different theme areas: North Africa, East Africa and South Africa. 

Aug 18-After a restful night at the village, we will return to Johannesburg and catch a flight to Windhoek, Namibia for the next few days.    We will start our adventure in this country with a 3 hour tour of the city.  It is particularly interesting to see how the people of less wealth live in the township areas.  We will stay in the Chameleon huts to be set up for our early morning departure in the morning.

Aug 19- This morning we will be picked up from our hotel to travel to Etosha National Park.  Mid-afternoon will be our arrival time at the park.  We will begin a game drive this afternoon while we head to our lodging for the night within the park at Halali.  There is a floodlight watering hole near the hotel to view while dining tonight.

Aug 20- An early morning game drive will have us searching for the predators of the park returning from their evening hunts.  After lunch back at Halali, we will do another game drive on our way to our overnight at Etosha Village.

Aug 21-Today will be a longer drive in rural Namibia.  The drive will take us through to the desert area of Damaraland where we have the chance to meet the Herero, Damara and Himba people. These stops offer the perfect opportunity to support the local people at their small markets, as well as get to know them in their local environment. After a roadside lunch, we continue our journey through the coast where we make a stop at the Zeila Shipwreck before arriving into Swakopmund.

Aug 22- A leisurely breakfast allows us the option to join one of the many optional activities available here such as: quad biking, sand boarding, scenic flight over the shipwrecks just to name a few. For those interested in birds our driver will be happy to take us to Walvis Bay to see the flamingos in the Walvis Bay lagoon which is a protected RAMSAR Site for birds.  This side trip will take us to Dune 7 to get a view of the coastline from the top. Our next stop will be at the Okahandja Mbangura Woodcarvers Craft.   Here you need to make use of your bargaining skills if you want to purchase some handmade souvenirs.  We will end up back in Windhoek for our overnight.

Aug 23-We will pack our bags for the last time in Namibia and head to Cape Town, South Africa.  You will have about half a day to explore this city.  Some say that Cape Town is the most beautiful city in the world.  The towering mountain in the background is the symbol of this city.  One of the favorite places to visit is the V and A Waterfront.  This is a shopping area, eating area, and often a place where free concerts are offered.  Other places of interest in this city include: the Castle of Good Hope, built by the Dutch East India Co in 1666, the City Hall, Grand Parade, St George’s Cathedral, the Company Gardens, and the Malay Quarter.  If weather permits, you may take a cable car to the top of Table Mountain.  On a clear day you will be able to see Robben Island where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned. You will also have an opportunity to take a 45 min tour about diamond mining and explanation of diamond clarity and color.

Aug 24-This is one of my favorite days…the Cape Peninsula tour.  We will get a good view of the landscape including mountains, coves, and beaches.  We will stop at Hout Bay, a fishing village, and then continue on to the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve. This 17,300 acre reserve is home to rheboks, cape mountain zebras, bonteboks, eland, and many baboons, which are often seen along the roadway.  The native plant life forms one of only six floral kingdoms in the world.  We continue on along the coast after lunch with a stop at Boulders Beach, home of many penguin colonies.  Our last stop will be the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens for a short walking tour.

Aug 25- This morning we will fly to Durban.  We will arrive in the afternoon to enjoy the surroundings.

Aug 26–The tour departs from Durban heading northward along the coast to northern KwaZulu-Natal. The first stop is Hluhluwe Imfolozi Game Reserve in the heart of Zululand where you will experience a game drive in search of diverse wildlife in the flourishing savannah.  Established in 1895 this is the oldest park in South Africa and encompasses over 98 000 hectares of beautiful African landscape.  The Hluhluwe Imfolozi Reserve is noted for its White Rhino conservation.  Next stop is the town of St Lucia and the estuary inside the iSimangaliso Wetlands Park. There you will board a river boat for a 2 hours guided tour of the estuary.  The iSimangaliso Wetlands Park was declared South Africa’s first Natural World Heritage Site in 1999. Previously known as the Greater St. Lucia Wetland Park, the UNESCO site dates back over 120 years. Established in 1895 the reserve is considered South Africa’s third largest park with its’ unique ecosystem spanning over 280km of near pristine coastline and 328 000 hectares of magnificent scenery. The protected area is home to one of the largest population of hippopotami in SA as well as an estimated 1000 crocodiles.

Aug 27- Today we will leave south Africa behind us for a day trip to the Kingdom of Lesotho.   The Sani Pass Lesotho 4×4 tour leaves from Durban and stops at the capital of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg to visit Mahatma Gandhi’s statue and continue on to the Drakensberg Mountains and up to the Sani Pass in Lesotho. The Sani Pass is a 33km gravel road that straddles the sheer cliffs of the Drakensberg escarpment in a series of tight Zig Zag curves.  At the top of Sani Pass, at a height of 9900 feet is the “Highest Pub in Africa” where you will be given time to enjoy a warm pub meal. Your tour guide will take you to a local’s home near the pub to introduce you to a Basotho people in a local village. There you will see how the Basotho people of Lesotho live. Thereafter you will make your way down Sani’s Pass and back into South Africa and head back to Durban.

Aug 28- We will fly from Durban to Johannesburg this morning.  This afternoon we will venture into the city for a brief overview of this interesting city.

Aug 29- This morning we will join a small group for the next four days.  We will head to our next country, Eswatini, formerly Swaziland.  This independent kingdom lies entirely in the borders of South Africa and is known for its scenery and vibrant indigenous culture.  Our first stop will be at Ngwenya Glass Factory.  The children of the area collect glass from the roadsides and other locations to have it recycled into beautiful glass items.  You can watch talented glass blowers create a range of enchanting African animals, birds, and fish, as well as tableware and then have an opportunity to purchase some of the products.  We will then continue on to Mbabane, the capital of Eswatini for a brief overview.  Our last stop for the day will be at the village of Matenga for a short cultural show by the local people.

Aug 30-Today’s shopping opportunity will be at a candle factory.  The various shapes and smells of these candles make them special.  After exploring all they have to offer here, we will continue on to our next country, Mozambique and its capital of Maputo.

Aug 31- Today we will give you a little break to choose your own activities.  Some of the options include taking a city tour, going to the beach (that is very popular), or spending time at a local market.

Sept 1- This morning we will return to South Africa by crossing the border at the Crocodile Bridge and entering Kruger National Park.  Larger than the state of Connecticut, the park offers some of the best game and wildlife viewing opportunities in the world and early morning is an optimal time of the day.  You cannot surpass the thrill of viewing lions, elephants, giraffes and zebras in their natural habitat and perhaps only 10 feet away from you.  A bonus would be to see wild dogs, cheetahs, and leopards.  We will stop at a rest camp within the park for lunch and then continue on back to Johannesburg for our overnight.

Sept 2- this morning we will fly to thundering Victoria Falls.  The falls is about a mile wide and 350 feet high (twice as high as Niagara Falls).  We may run into herds of buffalo and elephants on their way to the Zambezi River.  The Falls, one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World, is on the border of Zambia and Zimbabawe (2 more countries).  We will be walking through the rainforest to the cataracts, see Livingstone’s statue, and many varieties of birds and plants. 

Sept 3- This morning we will head to Kasane, Botswana, home of the famous Chobe National Park and the last of the countries that we will be visiting. The drive to the border is interesting as is the actual crossing of the border.  This afternoon we should have time for a game drive on a boat cruising down the river for animal viewing at sunset.

Sept 4-After breakfast we will do a vehicle game drive.  At lunch time we will return to the lodge for a short rest time.  This afternoon we will do another game drive for animal viewing as time allows.

Sept 5- The time in Africa has come to an end and we must pack our bags for the last flight.   As you fly home with memories in your heads, try to get a little shuteye to help endure the long flight.

More for Le$$ Tours Value

with everything included below.  Make WISE comparisons with similar tour offers.  We have included more than other companies at a lower cost.  This is a higher priced tour, but much more reasonable than many companies that offer far less activities and fewer countries visited.

Included: Roundtrip airfare from MSP (currently not included in price)

      * 21 nights at personally selected hotels

       * Transportation for the entire tour (domestic flights, safari jeeps, and other driving experiences)

       *11 game drives

       *29 meals (21 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 5 dinners)

               Plus any additional meals provided on flights

        *All admissions and tour fees, including 4 major National Parks  in 8 different African countries

        *Personal tour guide to accompany you from start to finish

 

More for Le$$ Tours Sights and Activities

We offer more activities and sights on our trips than any other company at no additional cost.  Some of the major sights include:

*Lesedi Cultural Village with an overnight stay in the village

*City Tour of Windhoek        *Etosha National Park

*Swakopmund                      *Okaukuejo Area

* Skeleton Coast                   *Boulder Beach (penguins)

*Cape of Good Hope             *Hluhluwe Game Reserve

*St Lucia Estuary                   *Lesotho Highest Peak

*Soweto Township Visit       *Mandella Home

*Ngwenya Glass Factory       *Matenga Cultural Show

*Eswatini Candle Factory      *Maputo City Tour

*Kruger National Park          *Victoria Falls

*Livingstone Statue               *Vulture Experience

*Chobe National Park           *And many other activities to fill your days

The cost of the tour is $ 5950 with all flights (except the USA to Africa flight, which is pending at this time and will be added to the cost when booked) or $5950 without flight if you want to book your own flight with frequent miles.   Single supplement will be $750. We are still shopping for our international flight as they have increased so much in the past two years and we want to make a good decision for your bottom line.  Currently these flights are running $1600-1900, which I feel we can do better than by waiting.

More for Le$$ Tours Terms and Conditions
To maintain our lower level of overhead, please read and agree
to the following conditions for our tours.  Our goal is to provide
you with more sights, better accommodations, and the best tour
available at less cost to you.

Prices
Prices shown are per person, double occupancy, stated in
US Dollars.  Single supplements are specified.

Deposits of $2000 per person are due upon reservation.  
Please send check to address on payment page or pay by credit
card.  Payments made by credit card will be charged 2%
convenience fee to cover our cost for that.

Additional payment of $2000 due Feb 1, 2024 and Final payment will be due on June 1, 2024.

Deposit and payments indicate that you have read and
consent to the provisions contained within the terms and
conditions section.

Cancellation Policy

Cancellation in writing prior to Jan 1, 2024, will
receive payment refund less non-refundable portion of
deposit of $1000.  From Jan 1 to May 1, 2024, initial deposit
will be withheld plus cost of flights purchased. After May 1,
entire cost will be non-refundable.

Air fares will become an additional portion of non-refundable
funds once they have been purchased.  These airfares had been purchased prior to Covid and we have vouchers for the flights.

If the minimum required number of participants is not met for
any given tour, all money will be refunded to all registered participants.

Travel Insurance

We strongly recommend that you purchase travel insurance with
cancellation coverage to protect yourself in case you need to cancel.  We recommend Travel Guard Insurance, as they have competitive rates.  Since I am a registered insurance agent, I would be able to assist you with that purchase if desired.

The tour does not include:

*Meals during the trip except as noted
* Visa costs that are required for the countries visited
* Luggage fees on flights
* additional costs for unexpected situations, such as weather concerns        that delay our trip.
*Personal expenditures, such as room service, tour manager, or
driver gratuities.

Special Requests
Additional days may be added at registration time.  If there are
special medical or dietary requests, please inform us of the specifics at the time of registration to allow us time to try to accommodate
for these requests.

Smoking Policy
We operate with a no smoking policy on the tour bus and
at the sites for the comfort of everyone on the tour.

Liability Issues
Neither we nor any other vendor or person connected with
this tour shall be liable to the participant directly or indirectly
for any accident, damage, delay, or injury caused to the
participant, including, but not limited to, acts of war,
malfunctions of equipment, strikes, theft, weather,
quarantines, or change of itinerary.  If additional costs are
incurred due to any unforeseen reason, such as hotels, meals,
and transportation, these costs will be the participant’s responsibility.

Send payment to:        More for Le$$ Tours
                                    44147 460^th Ave

                                    Perham, MN 56573
                                   

For more information call (507) 456-6611 or see
www.moreforlesstours.com         OR
diana@moreforlesstours.com

 

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Find enclosed $2000 deposit per person.  This deposit indicates
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stated in the brochure.