Its great to read all of the comments about this fabulous tour, it is certainly one of my favourites and you're right, there is such a lot to do.

I'm not sure what you have booked in advance already, but I or your TM will go through the optionals with you, especially the safaris in Kruger as I know it can be quite confusing. We book the safaris there as we can explain the different options/variations you can do and also it may vary with the time of year/weather etc. As someone said it is sometimes possible to extend the included morning drive into a full day by adding the afternoon optional, and then also doing a full day on the 2nd day at Kruger.

Chobe is my personal favourite optional too and if you enjoy wildlife, I would definitely recommend this. Again it can be booked in resort and I or your TM will explain more once you are on tour. The comments on here with regard to the water over Vic Falls are correct, it is low water in October, however I love this too as you can the beautiful gorges and take the chance to visit Livingston Island, a fab excursion but only possible at low water.

I hope this helps a little! You have chosen a fantastic holiday and hopefully, if our dates are the same and I am on the Oct 16th tour we'll meet at Heathrow.

All the best

Lynne

I am on this holiday as well. Just to confuse you further, I have booked to go to Robben Island on Friday 19th at 9am. Easily booked on internet for about £20. Looking forward to meeting you, not long now

Alison

Alison how do you know at this stage we have a free morning on the 19th? I would like to come on this trip to Robben Island, with it just £20 as well is very good.

Lynne yes 16th Oct. So hopefully it is you on our tour. Do you know the itinerary yet so could tell us which ones clash? If not I look forward to meeting you and hearing about them, with the group when we are they.

Thank you all so much for your help and I'm sure they will help others in the future.

Will definitely be leaving a review afterwards:) 

Xx

Day 4 of our tour is free and I confirmed the date with Just You. I booked the morning trip so will still have time to wander around a bit in the afternoon. I googled Robben Island and followed the link to a SA ticket website. All very simple - which in my case was essential! I started another three here a while ago and Mandy and Carolyn are planning to go as well.

Alison

I dont have the final schedule as yet, but I see some have booked to go to Robben Island. If anyone is thinking of doing the Cape Town Township, this usually goes in the morning, so an afternoon slot to Robben Island would fit with that if you want to do both.

I will go through all of the optionals with you though, early in the tour and do my best to make sure everyone gets to do as much as they want. Payment for South Africa optionals needs to be made in local currency, SA Rand. For those doing the Zambia add on you can pay with sterling, credit card or US dollars, you also need $ for your Zambia visa.

Remember to take a fleece or jacket as the weather can be changeable in October and early safari mornings quite chilly.

I hope that helps and I look forward to seeing you all at Heathrow in a few weeks time.

Not long now!

Lynne

Oh fantastic! That's great news.

I think we have all booked the morning 9am slot and I've booked the Capetown township tour haha, oops! 

As you've done this tour a few times, do you know if there's anything we can bring for the locals? Like on my other JY tours, if we were going to a school / orphanage, village we would bring pens / pencils or colouring books etc. Do you know if anything like that would be helpful? 

Looking forward to seeing you soon ::)

Should be getting our final paperwork though soon.

Take care 

Chloe xx

You usually visit a school or similar on the township tour, so anything you want to take will always be welcome, such as books, pens, crayons etc, or 2nd hand reading books.

I see there is another post now on this tour and again confusion about the money. You will need rand cash for paying for all optionals in SA, you dont need to take it all with you, you can easily use ATMs and I will advise the best areas for this. For Zambia, you must have US$ for the entry visa, all excursions there can be paid in £ or on a credit card. For general shopping in Zambia they take rand, $ or sterling - as long as its money!

As for Robben Island, I would contact them and see if you can change your booking to 3pm on the same day. That way you can do the Township tour too.

I look forward to meeting you in at Heathrow.

Happy packing and dont forget a fleece!

Lynne