A Champagne Itinerary on a Miller Lite® Budget
/By Shelley Murasko
Traveling the world is a privilege that many of us dream of. Whether it's exploring the stunning landscapes of New Zealand, indulging in the rich culture of France, or embarking on an adventure in Africa, the allure of cross-border travel is undeniable. However, the question remains: How can you make it a cost-effective experience?
In my recent trip to Africa with my family and a group of friends, we were fortunate to discover a way to travel on a budget without compromising the experience. Our friend Charles, who had traveled in Africa previously, invited us to join him on a safari-like tour of the continent. He described it as a "Champagne Itinerary on a Miller Lite Budget®." Intrigued by the idea of exploring Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe with knowledgeable friends, we decided to embark on this unexpected adventure.
To put things into perspective, the average cost of an official safari is around $4,000 per person, excluding airfare. When you factor in airfare, the total cost of a trip can easily reach $6,000 per person for a trip to a far-off destination in a developed country. However, with our travel group, we managed to bring the cost down to $3,000 per person. While this may still sound expensive, it's a significant savings compared to the average cost of international travel.
So, how did we achieve this? We employed five main tactics that helped us keep our costs in check. These tactics included leveraging geographic arbitrage, booking flights early and searching broadly, opting for RV accommodations at top resorts, and embracing a do-it-yourself safari approach instead of booking expensive activities. Additionally, we sought out free or low-cost opportunities to enhance our experience.
In the following sections, I'll dive into each of these tactics in detail, sharing the specific strategies we used to make our African adventure both affordable and unforgettable. So, if you're eager to explore the world without breaking the bank, keep reading to discover how you can tame international travel costs.
Saving Money Via Geographic Arbitrage
When it comes to international travel, one of the best ways to save money is by taking advantage of geographic arbitrage, aka geo-arbitrage. This financial strategy entails spending most of your time in countries where the exchange rate is most favorable to your currency. In Africa, for example, the strong U.S. dollar can go a long way.
To give you an idea of the savings, let's compare the average cost per person for a sit-down restaurant meal in San Diego, California, with some popular African destinations.
In San Diego, you can expect to pay around $32 per person per meal. However, in Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe, costs are significantly lower at about $8 per person.
During our trip, we spent most of our time in Namibia, which allowed us to keep our food costs low. Despite eating out for most breakfasts and dinners, we were able to save money thanks to the favorable exchange rate.
Geo-arbitrage doesn't just apply to food costs, though. We also benefited when booking accommodations. For instance, after 10 nights of sleeping in the RV, we reserved a poolside cottage at a four-star hotel in Sossusvlei, Namibia, a destination known for its towering sand dunes. The cost? Just $300 per night. In the U.S., a similar luxury cabana would easily cost double that amount.
Booking Flights Early and Searching Broadly
Another key strategy for controlling international travel costs is to book flights early and search for the best deals. We learned this lesson when planning our trip for early June. By booking in January, we were able to secure a fantastic deal of $1,200 per person for our flights from Los Angeles, California, to Johannesburg, South Africa.
Searching broadly also played a crucial role in finding affordable flights. We used websites like Skiplagged to explore different options and compare prices. While we ultimately chose not to book through Skiplagged, it proved to be a valuable tool for uncovering great deals.
In addition to our major flights from the U.S. to Africa, we searched for intracontinental flights in January. Our plan was to fly between the South African cities of Johannesburg and Cape Town as well as Windhoek, Namibia, to optimize our travel time. These additional flights added $400 per person to our trip. By booking early and searching broadly, however, we were able to find reasonable prices.
The Ultimate Glamping Experience: RVs at Top Resorts
Imagine staying in RVs at the most luxurious campgrounds, right next to top resorts in the region. That's exactly what we did throughout our trip in Africa. We rented RVs from Bobo Campers, a reputable outfit in Namibia. Thanks to the favorable currency conversion rate, the average rental charge per night for an RV was affordable at $125 per night.
In addition to RV fees, we paid for campsites, which averaged around $20 per night. We also required plenty of gas, which totaled around $200 per week.
When we added up our total lodging and gas costs, we were amazed at the savings compared to a comparable trip with hotel stays. In fact, we saved a grand total of $2,250 by opting for RVs and putting in the extra work of operating them. But the cost efficiency wasn't the only benefit.
The RVs proved to be incredibly useful for viewing the watering holes where animals gathered. We simply backed our RV convoy into these spots, turned on our radio communications, opened a cold beverage and relaxed in style.
Do-It-Yourself Safari vs. Booked Activities
When it comes to travel, I've found there's nothing quite like the freedom of exploring at your own pace. During our trip to Africa, we decided to forgo most of the typical "game drives" and take matters into our own hands. Not only did this give us the flexibility to create our own schedule, but it also turned out to be a cost-effective choice.
You see, a standard safari can set you back roughly $180 to $500 per person per day.1 While we did opt for a Chobe River cruise ($20 per person) and a Brandenburg White Lady Lodge elephant tour ($75 per person), I can confidently say that choosing our own watering holes in Etosha National Park was just as rewarding. By simply driving our RV to the designated spots and patiently waiting, we witnessed a plethora of wildlife, including giraffes, elephants, zebras, wildebeests, impala, and over 100 other species.
The best part about going off the beaten path was the ability to customize each day according to our energy levels and interests. If we felt like adding a game drive or a river tour, we could easily do so. It was all about embracing the freedom to explore Africa on our own terms.
Seeking Out Free Opportunities
While traveling always comes with a price tag, some of the most memorable experiences are the ones that don't cost a fortune. During our trip, we discovered a treasure trove of free or almost free activities that brought us immense joy. Here are just a few examples:
· Watching breathtaking sunrises and sunsets while the animals put on a show
· Taking a refreshing dip in the swimming pools available at most resorts
· Immersing ourselves in "living" museums, where we had the chance to meet indigenous people living in the bush
· Gathering around campfires under the starry African sky each night
· Engaging in impromptu soccer matches whenever we stumbled upon a greenspace
· Embarking on invigorating hikes through sand dunes, especially at sunrise
From the moment we arrived, I was captivated by the incredible wildlife views and the peaceful coexistence of various animal species. Each had its own unique strengths and weaknesses.
Giraffes, known for their timidity, displayed remarkable diplomacy, grace, and speed. As herbivores, they posed no competition to the other animals. Zebras, reminiscent of Africa's wild horses, were feisty and emitted an interesting barking noise when irritated.
And then there were the elephants, with their imposing size and unwieldy tusks, marching through the landscape. We even witnessed elephant tusk marks on the side of a vehicle, a testament to their power and potential danger when feeling threatened.
While there were minor disputes among the animals, such as impalas headbutting near a watering hole, the various species seemed to coexist mostly in harmony.
However, the ultimate animal sighting was a pride of lions—two males and a female—stealthily stalking a group of wildebeests grazing on the range. It was awe-inspiring to witness their strategic approach through the tall grass. Surprisingly, the male lions decided to prioritize a nap while the female lion remained focused on the potential dinner opportunity presented by the wildebeests. It seems that across continents and species, it’s often the females who take charge of securing a meal.
One of my most cherished moments in nature occurred at the Hakusembe River Lodge near Rundu, Namibia. I woke up before sunrise to witness the day awakening over the Kavango River valley. The colors of the morning light painted a breathtaking scene. Sneaking into the breakfast area, I indulged in soft and sweet lemon poppyseed muffins while mingling with other early risers. It was a fleeting moment in time, but one that allowed me to create a beautiful memory of a once-in-a-lifetime experience with people I care about.
Throughout the trip, we embraced a different way of living. Inspired by author John Steinbeck in the book Travels with Charley, we learned a clever trick for doing laundry while in transit. First, we threw our dirty clothes into a lidded bucket with soap in the back of our RV. Then, as we drove to our next stop, we let the notoriously bumpy African roads agitate and clean them. Upon reaching our destination, we then hung the laundry on a line or tree branch overnight, knowing that the arid African climate would dry our clothes perfectly overnight.
Additionally, we took turns driving on the left side of the road. This would typically be challenging but proved to be a fun experience in a region with minimal traffic. Our trip leader, Charles, kept us connected through walkie-talkie radios, allowing for informative narratives and shared music, including the iconic theme from Indiana Jones and the beloved song "Africa" by Toto. Along the way, we occasionally passed children and offered small gifts, such as toy airplanes and soccer balls, which never failed to elicit screams of delight.
What truly made the trip unforgettable were the warm smiles of the African people. Despite having so little, they seemed genuinely happy in their simple way of life. Whether it was witnessing friends gathering to share music and a campfire on a Friday evening or observing children marching to school with pride in their uniforms and book bags, the people of Africa embraced their opportunities with joy.
Even employees in restaurants, hotels, and grocery stores seemed to genuinely enjoy their work and consider themselves fortunate. At one point during our trip, I asked a chef at Chobe Lodge why her omelets were so much better than the ones at home in the U.S., and she simply replied, "I make them with happiness."
At the end of the day, the true value of a trip lies in the lasting memories we create and the beautiful moments we get to experience. Africa certainly lived up to its reputation, exceeding my expectations and leaving me with a profound understanding of what this incredible continent is all about.
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Source:
10 Day African Safari. (n.d.) MisterSafari.com. Retrieved August 10, 2023, from https://mistersafari.com/blog/10-day-african-safari.
