Cape town to Vic falls and back, all in 2 weeks?

Thinking of going to South Africa for 2 weeks in September or possibly October depending on averages temperatures in Oct. Anyway, I'm planning on a 2 week trip. I'd like to fly into cape town, spend a few days there before heading up the coast toward Victoria Falls. I'd like to stop and check out any sights that might be worth seeing along the way. Not sure what there is to see on the drive. I'd also like to spend a few days going on a tour of an animal reserve. Then I'd like to make my way through Botswana to Namibia and then back down to Cape Town.

Just looking at a map, I'm thinking this is an unrealistic trip in 2 weeks. I'm guessing I'll be too rushed and won't get to really enjoy myself.

Am I right? If I am, what would be a good trip to plan? Could I make my way from Cape Town to victoria falls and back in 2 weeks (skipping Botswana and Namibia) while still giving myself plenty of time to enjoy the sights and attractions? Our rental car rates reasonable in South Africa and am I allowed to take them out of the country?

Few days in Cape Town, some stops on the way, few days for a safari, few days for the road, few days to going back, ...
If you have two weeks of ten days each, why not otherwise it's not very realistic.
It will better to move around SA by car and fly to Livingstone or Vic Falls depending the price and the timing.

Michel

Too much for me in that timeframe.

With 2 weeks you could have some time in CT,then fly to Livingstone and see Vic Falls,and finish in Kruger for the wildlife part...with a few flights that is just about doable in 14 nights!

You would need an open-jaw ticket (say....into CT and out of Joburg,or vice-versa....flying into Livingstone from other continents is usually not cheap).Where are you coming from?

I'm coming from Canada.

What does a flight from CT to Livingstone usually cost? Are the airlines that operate these routes safe? I'd like to go to Zimbabwe (mana pools) for a walking safari as well as possibly going to Kruger for a driving safari.

CT to Livingstone is cheapest via Joburg,,depends on time of year (and when you book) but maybe US$200-250 one-way.

totally too much for 14 days. with 14 days and assuming that cape town, the vic falls and a safari are a must, you could:
- fly from canada to cape town and spend a few days (at least 4, the more the better) in and around cape town
- as you are travelling in the "whale season", you could rent a car and drive to hermanus for an overnight or two
- than fly to krüger and go on a safari in krüger. look at an other post for information on the possibilities in krüger www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/forums/africa/south-africa/kruger-recommendations
- fly to vic falls (via joburg) / or if you self drive in krüger, maybe drive to joburg and return the car there, and then fly to vic falls
- fly back home (via joburg)

if you want to include a walking safari, visiting both krüger and another place for a walking safari would be too much imho. i would then not go to krüger, but to a place instead where you can go on game-drives and on walking safari. i havent been to mana pools, so cant comment on that. i have been to south luangwa national park and love it. if you go to a park in zambia or zimbabwe, i would also choose the same country for your visit to the victoria falls, so that you dont need to get a visa for both zam and zim.

It takes time to reach Mana Pools from Victoria Falls.
And you need to coming back.
Most of people who are going there for canoeing safari.
You can make a walking one also in Hwange. Hwange is more easy to join and takes less time.
Moving around Africa is not like in Canada/USA, you need time.
Try to have a realistic program otherwise it will be frustrating.

Michel

These are some things I'd like to do. I haven't looked into whether September is a good time of year to do them or not.

-White water rafting
-Bungee Jumping
-Shark cage diving
-Walking safari as well as possibly camp for 1-2 nights out in the bush
-Driving safari

Those are things I really want to do, although I may not get to do them all for whatever reason. Now I haven't really started much research yet, but I'm sure I'll find plenty of other things to do.

you have 2 weeks and plenty of ideas of what to do and where to go. and totally too much for 2 weeks. in post 1 you think about going to nambia and botswana (and plenty of other places), in post 2 about mana pools in zimbabwe, and in post 3 about some activities that you didnt mention before. so, in each post, new ideas, new destinations, new activities. you could probably go on for a long time like that :-). as there is plenty to see and do in southern africa. if have spent about 10 months there (in different trips) and still have only seen small parts of it. i suggest you do some research first and then come back with more specific questions. single out the destinations or things you really want to to/see and start planning around that.

looking at the activities you mention in your last post, why not stick to south africa ?
fly to cape town, spend a few days there, rent a car and drive the garden route to port elizabeth. on the way, stop in gans baai for shark cage diving and go bungee jumping in tsikikamma np (and go for a hike there to enjoy the beautiful nature). fly to krüger, safari options as per earlier mentionned post, and walking safaris with 2-3 night in the bush as per www.sanparks.org/parks/kruger/tourism/activities/wilderness/about.php. i'm not sure about river rafting, but think you can do that somewhere on the panorama route btw krüger and joburg.

The first post was a rough idea I had at first but have now realized it's impossible. Then I mentioned another itinerary, only to be told it's unrealistic as well. I didn't realize it would take so long to travel through Africa. My latest post is things I absolutely want to do, not necessarily places I want to go. Instead of focusing on where to go, I'm going to plan out things I want to do and see, and then start seeing if I can do all of them on a 2 week trip and the best places to do those thing.

I'm just now starting to look into a trip to Africa, so I have a lot more research and planning to do. My first post may have had some dumb questions in it, but now I know what to expect.

I'd agree with nathalie...all those things you want to do,you can do in SA itself...that will save you a mountain of money in travel costs,and a lot of time too (Southern Africa is BIG ;-)

SA is very well set up for 'adventure' activities....shark cage diving,great bungee,loads of safari options.

I've never rafted there,but it certainly exists..the Blyde River (in the Drakensburg) is pretty famous for rafting.