Africa: wildlife, animals and travel

Hello,

I have never traveled to the Africa "of the animals". I would like to see animals and parks and experience the local culture. I am not particularly fond of extremely touristy places.

I am thinking of flying into Zambia and then leave from Maputo (other suggestions are certainly welcome). I will be there about 1 month in Aug/Sept.

I have a few questions:
1) how easy is to get around by public transport (I am not planning of renting a car). What are the other forms of transport?
2) my budget is not unlimited and I have no idea of the costs. I would definitely like to see animals in the wild (safari?). Would that be expensive? How much should I expect to pay?
3) should I take my tent/sleeping bag?
4) which places should I definitely see?
5) any suggestion is more than welcome.

Many thanks in advance,

Michele

The ultimate for a backpacker. Remote, adventurous, and packs alot in a few weeks. This keeps you active too. Not sitting in a 4x4 gameviewer all day. This isn't in the guidebooks. Few tourists on this trail.

Start in Vic Falls.
Chizarira Trails with Leon Varley. At the end, drop off at Mlibizi.
Or skip this safari and Bus to Mlibizi from VF.
Lake Kariba Ferry to Kariba.
Steve Pope Chitake Springs lion Encounter/backpacking safari.
Tie in with a canoe trip (camping & bushwalking too in the best part of the lower Zambezi) down the Zambezi River to Kanyembe, Zimbabwe, on the border of Mozambique. In Kanyembe, there is a place to camp and some lodges/fishing chalets. If you want to fish, this is where some of the best fishing in Africa for Tiger Fish. They have teeth too.
'Cross border' by boat to Luangwa Boma, Zambia(at the confluence of the Luangwa and Zambezi Rivers).

Local transfer up the road to Bridge Camp is one alternative. There are some guest houses in Luangwa Boma and a campsite.
Bus to Chipata. Overnite A few good options like Mama Rula's, Dean's, ....
Van or other to Mfuwe - Wildlife camp or Croc Camp seem to be the favorites currently. Wildlife camp has a bush camp for bushwalking, but both are visited by wildlife.
Fly out or try to hitch a ride with an overland truck to Lusaka.

That gets you Vic Falls. Mana Pools canoeing, camping & some bushwalks through the best wildlife viewing sections along the Zambezi- look where all the upmarket camps and lodges are located on both sides of the river. Steve Popes lion encounter, camping and bushwalking- A side note.... it is now $200 per nite for an international group just to reserve one nite at the camp, plus park fees. This is the most expensive campsite in Zimbabwe. Best to do it with a local safari operator. Mana Pools is remote. The plan gets you to South Luangwa, for bushwalking, gamedrives, and camping with wildlife. Avoids all the expensive intercamp flights that plague most safaris.

If you got a group together, it would be easy to put this together with a few additional twists.

1) how easy is to get around by public transport (I am not planning of renting a car). What are the other forms of transport?
Easier than you'd think

2) my budget is not unlimited and I have no idea of the costs. I would definitely like to see animals in the wild (safari?). Would that be expensive? How much should I expect to pay?
Depends on what you do, where you stay... but generally speaking people are surprised by how expensive AFrica is. And certainly doing a safari is not cheap.

3) should I take my tent/sleeping bag?
Not 100% essential but it will keep costs down for accomodation (plenty of camping options) so may be a good idea

4) which places should I definitely see?
Vic Falls obviously, South Luangua NP is one of my favourites for wildlife in all of Africa, If you chose to take the Zim route to Moz, though, S. Luangua is kind of out of the way and there other safari parks you can go to in Zim like Hwange and Mana Pools. If you go the Malawi route then defo spend a few days on the lake. Ilha de Moçambique is my favourite place in Moz Tofo's also great.

5) any suggestion is more than welcome.

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I had the most fun white water rafting in Zambia. Had never done it before and it was awesome!

Safaris are not cheap. If you're willing to camp, they become affordable (& then it's possibly to stay a big longer as well). We can highly recommend camping at Croc Valley. The SNLP was one of the highlights of our trip; we saw more variety of wildlife there than in Chobe or Hwange. Definitely take a tent (cuts costs down considerably), a light sleeping bag & airmat. Long distance busses in Zambia were comfortable (except for the road from Lukadzi to Chipata).