Ultimate Africa

[shooker]

Hey There,

I am about to book the ultimate africa trip and am curious about a couple of things.

1) Best time of year to go. I have looked up rainfall average temp, yada yada, but want to know the best time of year for African travel in these regions with everything taken into consideration. IE. Wildlife, Ease of Travel etc.

2) I like to really get to know the culture when I travel, will this tour be too rushed to get the ultimate African experience or am I going to be blown away (which I truely hope to be)

3) I am a 24 year old male, planning on travelling alone and my favorite part of backpacking Europe was the friends I met along the way. I am open to conversing with and befriending all age groups but I know that sometimes it is easier with people around the same age. Anyways on point, what is the average age group of the travellers on this trip? I don't think this will persuade me one way or another as I am a very social person and like to make all kinds of friendships, it's just a curiousity thing.

Finally Pros/Cons of this trip by anyone who has had the privilege of going on this trip and any travel advise you might have for me.

I am really pumped about my next adventure and hopefully it is this one as it looks to have everything I want and more.

[shooker]

One more thing, how much should I budget for optional activities?

[ExplorerWannaBe]

I don't think there IS an average age group. It varies from tour group to tour group. Bear in mind this trip is a combination of several other G Adventures trips/segments so you will have people joining and separating from the trip at various points. On my segments going from Nairobi to Jo'burg (I didn't have time for the full Ultimate trip), we had about half a dozen 22 year olds, a few under 20, a dozen or so that were in their late 20s, about a dozen in their 30s and a few of us were over 40.

I think you'll be blown away. Of course you could spend 20 times as much time and still have more to discover about Africa but the tours give you a great cross-section of Africa and her natural wonders and cultures.

Whether you keep the friends you make on this trip depends on how well you and they stay in contact but you'll have ample opportunity to meet and make those future friends. I love Gappers in general; they generally have the same spirit of discovery and adventure that I hope to have.

As far as optional activities go, I think I spent about $200-250 in Zanzibar on tours, scuba diving, etc.; $400 in Livingston on the elephant ride, lion cub walk, rhino walk, and helicopter ride; $100 in Botswana for the Delta airplane flight; $200 in Botswana and SA for optional safaris. Can't remember what else I did at the moment but add money for drinks, room upgrades, dinners out, etc.

[nikimarcotte]

i departed aug 23, 2011 from nairobi...there was only one other lady who was doing the entire 54 day trip...half the group changed when we got back to nairobi, then half the group changed again in Zanzibar, Livingstone, and Windhoek..seemed to be slightly older mid twenties to sixties the first half of the trip, the crowd got younger at zanzibar and then at livingstone it mixed up again...but most of the people were in mid-twenties to mid-thirties overall..with a nice sprinkling of older and younger, that changed as we went. everybody was friendly, which makes the long drives go faster.

the weather was wet and chilly due to high elevation in kenya and uganda...had to set up tents in the rain and take them down wet a few times, but once we headed south, seemed that the weather just got nicer the further we went, barely needed my sleeping bag by the end. also managed to see all the possible wildlife, so that was good enough time of year for me. was low water season at victoria fall, so not so impressive, but then i have heard that at high water levels you can't see much for the mist, so guess it depends on what you care to see.

[shooker]

Thanks guys appreciate the imput. I was actually curious as to how many people could manage to get 54 uninterupted days off, kind of makes sense that other groups join in. Oh an explorer thanks for the budget advise, I will plan accordingly as I want to do this one right

[bekbek]

Hi shooker, I've just booked for the Ultimate Africa trip (Cape Town to Nairobi) from 11 May to 3 July. If it helps, I'm 27 and am also travelling alone. I've budgeted $2500-$3000 for extra activities and spending. That's hopefully being very generous, but I figure it's best to over budget! I'm keen to hear what you decide to do!
Bek

[shooker]

Hey there Bekbek,

Im planning booking this month (once my funds are in) for the June 28th departure date Cape Town to Nairobi. I figured something alone those lines will be my budget as well, it is a once in a lifetime trip might as well go big haha.

Hopefully your trip goes amazing Bek! Thanks for the reply.