Botswana, Zambezi and Cape Town - Private Tour

The order of events and sightseeing may vary according to local conditions or for operational purposes. The schedules of the domestic airlines in country are subject to frequent changes. For this reason, we have indicated approximate times only. Your local guide will inform you of any schedule changes as they are informed of them. The driving times listed are point to point and do not include the duration of excursions or stops en route. Some road construction and/or weather conditions may lengthen the driving times. Our intention is to adhere to the day-to-day itinerary as printed; however, order of events and sightseeing may vary according to local conditions.

If booking more than 12 weeks before departure a deposit of £295.00pp will need to be paid at the time of booking with the full amount payable at 12 weeks prior to departure. The deposit applies to adults and children. If you are within 12 weeks of travel then the full balance of the holiday will be payable.

Your passport must have an ‘expiry date’ at least 6 months after the date you arrive and at least 3 blank pages.

South Africa visa requirements

British passport holders are not currently required to obtain a visa to travel to South Africa. This will be granted on arrival.

Botswana visa requirements

British passport holders are not currently required to obtain a visa to travel to Botswana.

Zimbabwe visa requirements

British passport holders are required to obtain a visa to travel to Zimbabwe. You can apply for an e-visa online prior to travel or you can purchase one upon arrival. If you wish to do online check in for your flight, you may be required to have your Visa details, so we suggest you then do the Visa prior to departure to avoid any issues when checking in. If purchasing a visa upon arrival, please ensure you have the correct amount of cash as change isn't always available. On this tour, you will require a double-entry visa for Zimbabwe (*subject to change).

We work closely with The Travel Visa Company who will be able to arrange your visa on your behalf. Please call them on 01270 250 590 and quote 'Mercury Holidays'. When calling the Travel Visa Company, they will advise you of any changes to the fees or the procedure, they will also advise you of all information they will require to apply for the visa. We recommend you check with your destinations' Tourist Board or Embassy before departure for the most up-to-date guidelines regarding these.

For clients travelling with children under the age of 18: Children travelling with both biological parents must travel with:

• Valid passport of travelling parent and child • Visa, if required • Birth certificate listing both parents (note: these must be the original documents or certified copies of the originals)

A child travelling with just one of the parents listed on his or her birth certificate must also present:

• Parental consent affidavit not older than 4 months or • Letter of special circumstances issued by the director-general of home affairs if a parent or parents are incapacitated or deceased, and no legal guardian has been appointed as yet.

For full details of requirements please visit the Department of Home Affairs website.

We strongly recommend that you and all members of your party are suitably insured as soon as you book your holiday. It is a condition of booking that you must have suitable travel insurance. It is important that you purchase travel insurance that suitably covers your participation in whatever activities you may undertake at the time that you make your booking. To assist you with this, we have arranged travel insurance in partnership with Holiday Extras, including up to a 20% discount, which is given to all Mercury Holidays customers. To arrange your insurance with Holiday Extras, please visit https://www.mercuryholidays.co.uk/info/insurance for more details. Please ensure you provide us with the name of your insurer, policy number and their 24 hour emergency contact number as soon as possible. Mercury Holidays will not be liable for any costs incurred by you due to your failure to take out suitable travel insurance from the date of booking.

It is your responsibility to check any health and vaccination requirements applicable to your booked arrangements. We can only provide general information about this. Health and hygiene facilities and disease risks vary from country to country. You should take health advice about your own needs as early as possible and in good time before your departure. Sources of information include; www.fco.gov.uk, http://travelhealthpro.org.uk/, www.hpa.org.uk, or your General Practitioner.

This tour is accessible to most people with an average level of fitness and normal mobility. It involves full days of sightseeing, early mornings, long days of driving, some days with lots of walking and includes some climbing of stairs and getting on and off coaches and boats. This tour is not suitable for anyone with walking difficulties.

The currency in South Africa is the South African Rand (ZAR). Credit cards are widely accepted and ATM’s are available in most town/cities.

The currency in Botswana is the Botswana Pula (BWP) but US Dollars are also accepted in most hotels/lodges and big shops. Credit cards are widely accepted and ATM’s are available in most cities.

The Zimbabwean dollar is no longer valid currency, with all transactions are currently conducted in US dollars ($). We recommend having cash before you travel as credit card machines and ATM’s are available but unreliable.

We recommend that you exchange your currency before you leave the UK. Some local banks will not change money back into Pound Sterling, so do not exchange too much. It is advisable to carry smaller note denominations as some outlets and vendors may not accept the larger notes.

As normal practice you may be asked for your credit card details on check-in at the hotel in order to cover any extras incurred during your stay. If you do not have a credit card, you may be asked for a cash deposit. MasterCard and Visa are widely accepted in hotels as well as American Express.

You will need to take money with you to cover any personal purchases such as souvenirs, laundry and extra drinks and snacks. Approximately £200-£400 per person should be sufficient for the duration of your tour. Please bear in mind that there will be several shopping opportunities throughout your tour.

Tipping

It is customary to tip both your driver and guide. We would recommend tipping your guide and driver approximately £6 per person per day in total and £6 (150ZAR) per person per day for the ranger. It is customary to tip your guides/rangers/drivers at the end of your time with them. Tipping for restaurants (recommended 10%) and the porters at your hotels will be at your discretion and done on-site. Tips are accepted in the local currency, US dollars, Euros and British pounds for the guides/rangers/drivers however for waiters, porters etc, please tip in local currency.

This is an escorted tour, meaning the you will have the services of an English speaking guide during each excursion ensuring that you have first-hand knowledge at all times. In Botswana you may also have a local guide during your activities but your tour guide will be on hand to assist.

Your accommodation is selected for convenience, location or character, and can range from business hotels to leisure hotels or lodges. Hotel accommodation is generally rated as local three to four-star standard, but please note there is no international classification system for hotels, and differences in facilities and quality do exist compared to what you might expect in the UK. Scheduled power outages, commonly referred to as load shedding, can be a common occurrence in South Africa. While most hotels and lodges are equipped to mitigate the effects of load shedding, ensuring that your comfort and convenience are maintained to the best of our ability, it's important to acknowledge that not all establishments may be fully functional during these times. As a result, you may experience temporary disruptions to certain amenities such as air-conditioning, television services, the operation of electric kettles, etc. The hotels/lodges and your guide however, will do their utmost to minimize any impact on your stay. Rest assured that all accommodation used by Mercury Holidays is regularly inspected by our staff and partners to ensure that standards meet your needs

Western and international food will be served however some establishments will serve traditional meals giving you a chance to experience local flavours. Vegetarian and Vegan options available, please request prior to departure. Please contact Customer Experience for questions about other dietary requirements or allergy information.

It is not recommended to drink the tap water, even in developed countries water may contain unfamiliar elements that can cause upset stomachs. In less developed countries water is not filtered in the same way. Bottled water will be available at shops and hotels/lodges.

On your arrival you will be met by a representative from our local agent, African Eagle, holding a sign displaying: “Mercury Holidays”. The Mercury Holidays/African Eagle representative will show you to your transfer vehicle. Your national guide will be on hand 24 hours a day should you have any queries.

If you need to contact your representative during your stay the details are:

African Eagle: 72 Bevan Road, Rivonia Johannesburg, South Africa Telephone Number 0027 82 325 0201 E-mail duty@ae.co.za

Emergency contact information: Please find below the emergency contact details for African Eagle: 24 hour: 0027 82 325 0201 or 00278 1039 2847

• Insect repellent
• High factor sun cream and a hat with a big brim for sunny days
• Comfortable walking shoes such as trainers
• Sunglasses
• Towel, swimsuit and plastic bags
• Ruck sack or light bag per person
• Personal toiletries
• Light rain coat
• Binoculars
• Personal drinks bottle
• A plug adaptor - the voltage in Botswana is 230V and South Africa is 220V. You will need a three pin TYPE M plug adapter in South Africa and Botswana
• Personal first aid kit containing travel pills, rehydration powder, plasters, stomach settlers, antiseptic creams, aspirin etc