I'm booked on the South Africa, Whale watching and Zambia add on. This will be my 7th Just you holday.

Hope anyone can help me out, who have been to South Africa with JY before

So it's now 15 weeks before, we received our extra excursions pack which I'm soooo excited about. I've already been putting money aside for them as I know I wanted to do them. Because why not and while we are there, we may as well! 

There are 5 we can prebook which I know about, so that helps takes the pressure off.

So Cape Town township tour £36 

SA Knysna tour £41

Zambia Chobe game drive £140 +30$ Border tax

Livingstone museum £37

Zambia livingstone express £148

So all that is £402 to prebook 

THEN! they have added on evennnnnn more excursions lol

Which we can only book when there! so now need to think about extra extra cash.

SA morn game drive 4 hours £75

SA afternoon g drive 4 hours £75 

SA full day g drive 6 hours £80 (which doesn't make sence, when rest are £75 lol)

Bush walk £89

Zambia helicopter flight 15 mins £149 + $6 tax

Zambia helicopter flight 25 mins £282 + $6 tax

Livingstone island with lunch £133

Zambia Microlight flight over falls - 15 mins £140+ $6 tax

Zambia Microlight flight over falls - 30 mins £282 $6 tax ( God more tax!)

I WANT TO DO ALL OF THEM! 

So if I go all out crazy and stuff it, life is to short etc that and extra £1156 so now looking at over £1600 just on excursions!

That's before I even think about spending money ? on an already expensive holiday!

So they all sound amazingggggg but I'm not made of money and need to be realistic! haha. 

What do I do!

I'm telling myself that, while I'm there I've got to! Or when will I get chance to do it again? You can live off tins of soup to do these excursions. Life is to short and you might not be here tomorrow etc, 

So any advice??? 

Especially for the extra game drives, as we are prob doing safaris on days X, Y and Z any way. So is it really worth spending an extra £180 just on the South Africa morn, afternoon and full day game drive?

What do you think? Is there any that really stand out, that I MUST GO ON. CANT MUST THAT. Or any you went on and was a complete waste of time?

Gutted we have to pay so must in cash when we are there and there isn't a hot air ballon ride or cheetah encounter that I have read about a few times.

Any advice please would be amazing, sorry for the very longggg email. :S but I'm so confused!

Many thanks 

Chloe xx

I did this trip on March 2017 without the add-on. I did both the township tours and can particularly recommend the Kynsna tour which is managed by a charity which supports a number of vulnerable children. All profits support their work. I also did an additional half day safari but don't think it cost £75!

This is a great holiday which I am sure you will enjoy.

I am sure someone who has done the add-on will comment on the optional tours.

Hope this helps

Lesley

Wow lots to see and do, sorry I have not been on this tour, but I have been on many...

Are there any good reviews that you can cherry pick information of to guide you?

Have you researched things online to see if they all interest you? If they don’t ...don’t do them!

I have done game drives in Kenya, the one that cost £80 is 6 hours long the other 2 at £75 are 4 hrs so I would opt for the 6hr one at least, as you are getting 2 more hours for £5..

I do love a helo ride but seems a big price hike for another 10 Mins, that would depend on what you are actually seeing in that time frame. The same goes for the micro flight what do you see for the extra time in air.

Really look at what you get for value for money as things really do mount up. Also be aware the TM might source a few other excursions when your there.....

I am not sure I have helped you, I hope someone who has done this tour can confirm what there thoughts are and there for guide you more.

Cindy

I went on a lot of the excursions,  my comments are:-

Cape Town township tour - I found this really interesting,  experiencing life in the townships and the positivity of the people who live there.

Kynsna tour, because I had done the Cape Town township tour I didn't do this, but people who did enjoyed it.

Chobe game drive - this is an absolute must , the number of wildlife you see (particularly elephants!) is amazing.

Livingstone museum - no one on our trip did this.

Livingstone express - I found this a little disappointing,  the meal was good but the service wasnt very good and you didnt travel very far. You end up on the Zimbabwe border overlooking the Zambezi river.

Kruger game drive - you get a morning game drive included in the holiday and I decided to do the afternoon one as well and the full day drive the next day. Its was great we saw loads of wildlife. The downside is that they are very early starts and some of our group decided to take the opportunity to have a rest day in the hotel instead.

Bush walk - no one did this excursion.

Zambia helicopter flight - I did the longer version which was the same route as the short flight (flying over the falls) but then it descends into the gorge which was quite interesting! I think I would recommend the short flight !

Livingstone island - 2 people on our trip did this and they enjoyed it, the problem with it is that they went on the morning of our departure so a lot of people were put off.

Microlight flights - a few did this and they said it was fantastic  ( less hairy than the helicopter flight into the gorge!)

I hope this is useful, I'm  sure you will have a fabulous time, I know I did.

Eddie

So you’ve been reading through all those Africa excursions too ..!

I  am also on the ‘whale’ trip, although I won’t be doing the VF add on. My thinking was a couple of weeks doing the scenic/cultural/safari mix was ideal and something I’ve been very keen to do for 15 odd years now. VF looks fantastic, but I’m more inclined to do a separate Botswana/VF trip to concentrate more on the wildlife side (big for me).

As you mention there are a number of extra excursions to choose from and the cost certainly adds up if you do several (all?) of them.

There’s obviously a reason for it, but having to pay for most in cash, in Sterling, on arrival does seem rather strange.

For me Cape Town and Knysna tours can be paid in advance, although 3 Township tours (Soweto included) ..?

Our 2 ‘full’ days in Kruger include one morning game drive with any others taken up extra.

I’ll certainly be looking to do excursions morning and afternoon on both days, so 3 extras for me.

I do like the look of the full day drive option as well as the Bush Walk, but timings suggest doing both isn’t possible.

Something to think about ..

This will be my first JY holiday, although I did many trips (mainly to Grand Prix) with Page & Moy as they were then and they were all excellent, so I have high hopes and expectations.

Meanwhile I must try and stop wishing the summer way ..!

Good luck with the selection process Chloe. Some of those VF excursions look hard to resist ..

Here are my thoughts, having done SA and Zambia way back in 2011 - the itinerary has changed a bit since then but most of the excursions are the same.

Cape Town township tour - this wasn't offered then; other people's comments suggest it is worth doing.  If you are interested in the way many people live in Africa, then I think this would be worth doing. I did one in Namibia and it was very good.

Knysna township tour - I did this tour, first township tour I'd ever done and found it really interesting.  As the proceeds are ploughed back into the local community, I think it's a really good thing to do even if one of the locals wasn't very happy to see us!

Chobe - this is a must do, if you love wildlife.  A brilliant day in another country!  We had a river safari in the morning, an excellent lunch then a jeep safari.  We saw loads of hippo and elephants and birdlife.

Livingstone museum - a few in our group did it and found it mildly interesting!

Royal Livingstone Express - a brilliant experience on an "Orient Express" style train - beautifully fitted out with superb food and wines.  We didn't see much as we went through the national park, but for me it was well worth it.  All our group did it.

I did the game drives in Kruger and saw an amazing amount of wildlife, so again if you like nature or photography I'd definitely suggest you do all the game drives - you will see a different selection of wildlife on each.  The bush walk wasn't an option, although one lady organised a private walk with lions while in Zambia and absolutely loved it.

Helicopter and microlight over Victoria Falls - I opted for the longer chopper flight and loved it - we zoomed along the gorge, over the falls and through the national park.  I got great photos and it wasn't scary at all.  I was too afraid to do the microlight however, although my friend who hates flying managed to do it and loved it!  They will take a video of it for you but you can't take photos yourself during it (too risky!).

Finally, I think Livingstone Island was included when we did the tour, a boat trip along the Zambezi to the island, a walk to the edge of the Falls and a very good lunch.  Great, but not as memorable as the Zambezi sunset trip or the train for me at least.

Hope this helps - have a fantastic time and be sure to write a review when you get back!

Cheers,

Bob

I would not go to the Livingstone museum in Zambia it was hot and not very interesting and the guide went into long explanations.

I did this trip in September2016 I personally would do all the game drives as you see different things on each drive. I did the bush walk so missed out on one optional game drive. This was the first ever bush walk offered and even though we did not see a lot of wildlife apart from hippos, it was very interesting as you were learning new things and there was always the anticipation that some wild animal will cross your path. We had two rangers with rifles with us! We did not have Livingstone Island on offer but I would definitely have gone if it was on offer. I did the 30 minute microlight flight and it was amazing. I personally thought 15 minute flight was too short. Chobe National Park is a must - you will see so many elephants. You do the jeep safari in the morning and river safari in the afternoon though they can change the order. I usually tend to do all the optional excursions because I know that I may never get a chance to go back. We also had optional afternoon tea at the Mount Nelson Hotel and those of us who went thought it was very good. I thought it was even better than Claridges. I missed Cape Town township tour as it clashed with the afternoon tea. Those of us who did the Livingstone Express enjoyed the experience. It is one in a lifetime experience so, again, if I were you I would do this optional excursion. It is a chance to get all dolled up! We had really nice service as well as food. When the train stops at the Zimbabwe border you have an opportunity to climb up at the front of the train and have a photo taken. I am glad I got a chance to go on the Livingstone Express. Chloe, I managed to squeeze the Cheetah encounter on the day we were flying back. I booked it through the reception - you have to pay in US$. You had to be up very early but it was worth every $. Make sure you take some dollars with you if you want to purchase the video recording. I did not take any, but a nice English gentleman lent me $40 and I paid him back when we returned to the hotel. You have time to have breakfast and a quick shower before you depart. Some of us also did the elephant encounter in Knysna. We went in a taxi. The taxi driver waited for us. Writing all this brings back amazing memories of the trip. If you do the microlight, again you can buy a memory stick of the photos. You are not allowed to take anything at all with you, not even a camera, for safety reasons. The cost was $20 in 2016 so not sure what it will be when you go. You are in for a treat. Have a wonderful time. Same goes for all those travelling on the same trip as you.

Regards

Jaya

 One trip definitely not to bother with is the museum in Livingstone - it is very tired.  I had a particular interest as my cousin and his family had been based in Livingstone in the 1970s and I was very disappointed with it.

I don't like heights so didn't do the flying options but everyone who did rated them highly - if it helps - you can only do one option because of time constraints.

I thoroughly enjoyed both the afternoon tea and the Livingstone express, but again if you want to limit your choices, both of these experiences you could do in the UK, albeit with different scenery.

I did the Cape Town township, which was interesting, but not the Knysna one.

On the safari options, remember wild life is wild, and with the vast size of Kruger, you may not see anything if you only do the included drive. We did all the optionals and still didn't see much, probably because the two days we were there it was very cold. We did however on one of the extra drives have an amazing encounter with a leopard, but we saw no other cats.

The Chobe trip was another matter - if you only do one trip, this is the one to do.  You are pretty much guaranteed to see elephants - lots of them and in all sizes - and also hippos as the river is full of them.  It's also quite an interesting day crossing the border on a little ferry, although if the road bridge is now open that bit of the trip may have changed. We also saw our only lions the day we were here.

One useful tip - if you think you will need to do some washing, there is a launderette of the old fashioned variety, where they iron the stuff, opposite the hotel in Knysna.  Laundry prices not hotel ones!  

The cheetah experience (also the same place as you can walk with lions) was not through JY, we arranged it ourselves.  I've never seen a cheetah in the flesh before and the opportunity to get up close and personal with them was too much to turn down for me. 

Hope this might help you with your choices - have a great time. I'm off to Namibia in August and luckily there are less dilemmas in the form of extras on this trip!

I would add that for Kruger, if you are an animal lover, opt for the whole day game drives where you can- should give you the opportunity to be in the jeep that takes you further into the park- your local guide will sort that out with the group

I did the 25 min helicopter flight in Zambia- it was simply breathtaking - remember the falls are lower at this time of year, means less dramatic in terms of water flow ( some of our group were disappointed with that) but more opportunity to go deep into the falls in a helicopter and less tourists/ other air traffic. I was in a helicopter of only 3 and it was a real thrill ride( and I’m scared of heights!)... the helicopter company gives you the opportunity to buy a video of the tour ( sent via e mail when you get home)- it’s about 40 USD- my view is this isn’t really worth it- my camera gave me a better film!. Of our group, those that did the helicopter flight all did the 25 min duration option.

I loved Chobe- a highlight of the trip and something I’ll never forget

The Livingstone express was a lovely evening and for me a surprise birthday celebration! - the train staff and others in my group organised a surprise birthday cake and choir for me! - I only booked this at the last minute when I was there because all of the others in the group had booked it-(except the tour manager who didn’t join us) but it was enjoyable, if expensive

I didn’t do the optional township tours in SA , but for me the included Soweto township tour was excellent and I would have liked this to be a bit longer, and perhaps extended to include a visit to Mandela’s house ( now a museum)

Jane mentioned laundry- for me I tend to always get my laundry done in hotels when I can, and I got some stuff done done in Knysna, Kruger and again in Zambia- I find it a positive way to support the local economy, means also carrying less clobber, and it’s cheap, and in all cases a really efficient service- plus gives a bit of free time! -just personal taste that!

It is a busy tour - personally on tours of that sort of pace I always try to get myself a bit of downtime when I can- that means not opting for every optional tour where I think I won’t mind too much missing one! ( I think Jaya mentioned something along those lines in an earlier excellent review of this trip also)

Have a fantastic time! I am off to Switzerland next week and then Tibet for the Roof of the world tour in September- this travel lark is addictive isn’t it!

WOW! I didn't expect so many fantastic answers, I did enjoy reading though all your advice and have taken notes. It's a shame a few of them clash.

Yes I've heard from a lot of people the prices have gone up a lot ::( I have now booked the pre-bookable excursions,apart from the museum. It sounds boring and a waste of money like you say. The livingstone express and Chobe had to be done. :D

I have managed to swap some money around and work out a savings plan to take the pressure off a bit so I'm a little happier now, with less stress. I will definitely be looking at booking the full day game drives and poss a morn one. The bush walk I will double check the price when there. I did some research on the Microlight flight and WOWWWWW I'm definitely doing that! 

I will take into account extra dollars for things like the videos and pics.

The cheetah encounter and lion walk sounds amazing! I do hope the hotel still does this and we can arrange separately.

Yes I know JY tours are always full on, which is great in some ways but a bit of down time sat by the pool does sound nice ::D just couldn't do it for 2 weeks haha.

Jaya I did enjoy reading your very informative review. Thank you x

I have passed on your advice to someone else I know is on the holiday. As it makes it all a little clearer.

Thank you all for taking the time, to help me out :D

Chloe xx

I went in October 2016 and it was one of my favourite holidays! For me, Chobe was the must do excursion and it truly was a fabulous day. Even just getting to the Botswana border was an experience! We saw so much wildlife including lots of lion cubs. Game drives in Kruger were good but I didn't do all of the optional ones as needed a bit of down time after such a busy itinerary.

6 of us did the Microlight trip on our last morning and it was honestly the best experience ever (my profile pic was taken then) It was magical to be able to float above Victoria Falls and then to spend time following some of the wildlife.

I also did the Livingstone Express and our group were a bit disappointed tbh. Service was a little lacklustre and the food wasn't that great either. I thought it was over priced.

I recommend that you try to go to Robben Island when you are in Cape Town. This wasn't included on our schedule but some people had pre-booked to go in their free time. I couldn't get tickets as I left it too late and was really sorry to miss it.

Have an amazing trip, say hello to the penguins for me at Boulders Beach and come back and tell us all about it when you're home.

J

I am so glad you wrote about the many excursions, as my email with the final payment, didn't come through properly and I was wondering where you were getting all your information from.

I too am going on the whale watching tour with the Victoria Falls add on.

I agree there is so much choice and I want to do most of them, especially the bush walk. I don't feel I would ever get an opportunity like that again.

I have heard that you have to have a yellow fever injection and get the certificate if you are going to Zambia (otherwise that wont let you back in to South Africa) not sure if this is correct or not?

I am sure we will all have a great time, and personally, I cant wait!

Mandy

This holiday sounds AMAZING.

Vickie, please tell me the plans are this holiday will be available in 2020! (already decided on 2019 holidays).

Chris

Yep, this holiday will be available for 2020 too! 🙂

Thanks,

Vickie

Hi Chris,

Yep, this holiday will be available for 2020 too! 🙂

Thanks,

Vickie

Result! 

Thanks Vickie

Chris

Hi Chloe

I am so glad you wrote about the many excursions, as my email with the final payment, didn't come through properly and I was wondering where you were getting all your information from.

I too am going on the whale watching tour with the Victoria Falls add on.

I agree there is so much choice and I want to do most of them, especially the bush walk. I don't feel I would ever get an opportunity like that again.

I have heard that you have to have a yellow fever injection and get the certificate if you are going to Zambia (otherwise that wont let you back in to South Africa) not sure if this is correct or not?

I am sure we will all have a great time, and personally, I cant wait!

Mandy

Hi Mandy

I did this trip last year - it is excellent - particularly the Zambia add-on.  You currently do not need yellow fever for this trip as none of the countries you visit have yellow fever - this includes South Africa, Zambia and Botswana (if you do the Chobe trip - which you must do!! It was a highlight for all our group).

Have a great time.

Jane

Mandy, there is no need for Yellow Fever Vaccination even if you visit Zambia from South Africa. Things changed a few years ago.

Regards

Jaya

Hi everyone 

I'm booked on the South Africa, Whale watching and Zambia add on. This will be my 7th Just you holday.

Hope anyone can help me out, who have been to South Africa with JY before

So it's now 15 weeks before, we received our extra excursions pack which I'm soooo excited about. I've already been putting money aside for them as I know I wanted to do them. Because why not and while we are there, we may as well! 

There are 5 we can prebook which I know about, so that helps takes the pressure off.

So Cape Town township tour £36 

SA Knysna tour £41

Zambia Chobe game drive £140 +30$ Border tax

Livingstone museum £37

Zambia livingstone express £148

So all that is £402 to prebook 

THEN! they have added on evennnnnn more excursions lol

Which we can only book when there! so now need to think about extra extra cash.

SA morn game drive 4 hours £75

SA afternoon g drive 4 hours £75 

SA full day g drive 6 hours £80 (which doesn't make sence, when rest are £75 lol)

Bush walk £89

Zambia helicopter flight 15 mins £149 + $6 tax

Zambia helicopter flight 25 mins £282 + $6 tax

Livingstone island with lunch £133

Zambia Microlight flight over falls - 15 mins £140+ $6 tax

Zambia Microlight flight over falls - 30 mins £282 $6 tax ( God more tax!)

I WANT TO DO ALL OF THEM! 

So if I go all out crazy and stuff it, life is to short etc that and extra £1156 so now looking at over £1600 just on excursions!

That's before I even think about spending money ? on an already expensive holiday!

So they all sound amazingggggg but I'm not made of money and need to be realistic! haha. 

What do I do!

I'm telling myself that, while I'm there I've got to! Or when will I get chance to do it again? You can live off tins of soup to do these excursions. Life is to short and you might not be here tomorrow etc, 

So any advice??? 

Especially for the extra game drives, as we are prob doing safaris on days X, Y and Z any way. So is it really worth spending an extra £180 just on the South Africa morn, afternoon and full day game drive?

What do you think? Is there any that really stand out, that I MUST GO ON. CANT MUST THAT. Or any you went on and was a complete waste of time?

Gutted we have to pay so must in cash when we are there and there isn't a hot air ballon ride or cheetah encounter that I have read about a few times.

Any advice please would be amazing, sorry for the very longggg email. :S but I'm so confused!

Many thanks 

Chloe xx

Hi Chloe

I'm on this tour with Victoria Falls add on as well, like you I'm trying to figure out what optionals to do, but I think I'm going to have to do most of them.

See you in October

Tim