The Cube

Index page for Kenya, Victoria Falls and Cape Town in 3 weeks

Day 1-3: Spending 3 days in Maasai Mara 

Day 4: Travelling to Lake Bogoria and attempt #1 to see flamingos

Day 5: Attempt #2 to see flamingos at Lake Bogoria and then safari at Lake Nakuru National Park

Day 6: Travelling to Amboseli National Park

Day 7: Amboseli National Park safari

Day 8: Travelling back to Nairobi

Day 9-11: 2 days in Lamu

Day 12: Flight to Victoria Falls and a sunset river cruise

Day 13: Crossing over to Livingstone by foot to visit the Zambia side of Victoria Falls

Day 14: Zimbabwe side of Victoria Falls 

Day 15: Afternoon flight out to Cape Town via Johannesburg

Day 16: Short walk to Bo-Kaap and aeriel cableway to the Table Mountain

Day 17: Chasing seals at Victoria & Alfred Waterfront Cape Town

Day 18: Cape Peninsula road trip

Day 19: Afternoon flight out via Johannesburg

There is a statue of David Livingstone at Viewpoint #1. At this same viewpoint, one can look down onto Devil's Cataract and towards the Main Falls.

Viewpoint #2 involves going down a few steps to chasm, the steps maybe a little wet and slippery. 

Viewpoints #3 to #5 gives a frontal view of Devil's Cataract.

Spot the humans

The last viewpoint, at viewpoint #16 one can see views of the Victoria Falls Railway Bridge. 

There were monkeys at the national park but these are less scary, compared to the ones in Zambia. 

This was the only tour activity we signed up for - Zambezi River Sunset Cruise. We went with the tour that the hostel offered, at USD 50 per person. We were picked up from the hostel and paid to the staff in the pick up van. There were probably about 20+ pax. On the boat, there were tables and a few chairs to each table. We were among the last ones to get on the boat and were seated with 3 other people. 2 were friends and another one was travelling by himself. 

The first animal we saw was an elephant. 

Then we saw some hippos' head on/off throughout the cruise, and crocodiles. 

Victoria Falls is a town in Western Zimbabwe and gateway to the waterfalls of the same name. We flew into Victoria Falls from Nairobi with a short transit in Addis Ababa. It was round 2 of running across the airport for me (first for sis) as the transit time was short, queue at security check was long and airport was large. The flight from Addis Ababa to Victoria Falls was comfortable though, plus we each had a row of 3 seats to ourselves. 

We didn't need a visa to enter Zimbabwe as well as Zambia so immigration was prompt. We flew into Victoria Falls instead of Livingstone simply because the flight tickets were more affordable. Thank you passport. 

Getting around 

We organised for airport transfer and someone was already waiting for us when we exited the gate. We got another transfer to the airport on leaving. The river cruise included pick up service from the hostel. Otherwise we walked, including across to Livingstone in Zambia. 

Victoria Falls town was an easy stroll from the hostel albeit hot but many information online has warned about walking at night because of roaming animals. Our visit to the town were during daytime across the days we were there. 

We exchanged some USD in Australia and brought along. Most places takes credit card. The only place that we had issue paying with credit card was an eatery in Zambia because there was no electricity and they couldn't use their credit card machine. 

We got an e-sim that covers countries in Africa but Zimbabwe is not in the list of service. Service was limited in Zambia as well. Hostel provided free wi-fi but connections were patchy at times. So we managed with what was available. Victoria Falls is not a big town anyway. 

Food
There is a supermarket within walking distance from the hostel where we got bread and biscuits for breakfast. We had dinners at the hostel's restaurant. Food filled the tummy but we couldn't be bothered checking out dinner venues and organised transport (read: lazy). When we went to Zambia, we packed breakfast from hostel as our lunch. We wanted to try Zimbabwean cuiside and had one lunch at the town, and brunch on the day we departed. 

So we had 1 breakfast takeaway as lunch and 3 dinners here. As mentioned above, the food filled the tummy but repeated 'visits' due to convenience. 

We walked into the tourist information center to ask where the post office is located and casually asked what were their recommendation for Zimbabwean food in town. We were told of Zulu Bistro Bar or Mama Africa Eating House. We initially decided on Mama Africa, purely by name but we were not able to locate the shop. We were hungry and it was too hot to continue walking so we ducked inside Zulu Bistro Bar. 

When we ordered this traditional fermented alcohol drink, the waitstaff was a little worried that we won't like the taste. She even pour a shot for us to taste before confirming this order. It tasted like fermented drink, a little sweeter comparatively towards the end which I find nicer. 

We chose Inkulu ele dobi or chicken stew with a mild spicy peanut butter sauce for one of our mains, the other Mpongo or goat curry. We initially wanted to err on the safe side and ordered 1 plain rice for both as we saw this big dollop of something at another patron's plate that we learned was sadza. 

Sadza is made of white corn though looked like mashed potato. It is made by mixed white corn flour with water and cooked till a thick and smooth consistency. We didn't think we can finish it. We were told that sadza is Zimbabwe's staple food and we were convinced in trying after we were told we can order half portion. Obviously, neither rice nor sadza were half portion as you can see below. 

Greedy eyes means we also ordered dessert in the form of fluffy dough balls served with umnyl (bird plum) berry sauce and baobab frozen yoghurt. Frozen yoghurt melted very quickly in Victoria Falls' heat but very tasty. We wished there were more frozen yoghurt and even looked baobab yoghurt in the supermarket after that. Unfortunately the ones in the supermarket came in super big tub (I think it was 2 liters) and we have no access to a fridge and would not be able to finish it in one seating. 

We wanted a more substantial breakfast/brunch that would tie us till around dinner time due to flight time. Also, away from hostel food. Haha. 

Iced coffee was a need in the hot weather, as was the smoothie bowl with berry smoothie, homemade granola, coconut flakes and fresh fruits. We also needed more veggies for greens quota so the veggie breakfast of 2 eggs, grilled haloumi, grilled tomato, spinach, mushrooms, potato rosti, toast and marmalade was our choice. Food was good, they had free wifi but likewise Zulu - shaded but no aircon. 

This was my first trip to Africa and the main reason was safari, of course. We wanted to catch the Great Migration but spoiler alert - we missed it even though we were 'in season'. That was also the reason why we made our first stop Maasai Mara National Reserve and went clockwise from there. Most people planned their trip counter clockwise. I think the reason why most people left Maasai Mara the last because well, save the best for last. It was evident to us that the rest of the national parks paled compared to Maasai Mara. 

The trip was prior to Air Asia's new route from KL to Nairobi so the best flights (timing versus cost) for us involved 2 transits, in Singapore and Mumbai. I travelled with my sister this round and we met up in Changi Airport at our first transit despite my first flight was delayed for an hour resulting in me running across Changi Airport but made it on flight. After another transit in Mumbai, we landed in Nairobi with my luggage left in Changi due to the delay. 

We took a flight out of Kenya to Victoria Falls and spent a few days there on both side of the falls before our last leg in Cape Town before heading home. 

I travelled on Malaysian passport and it was visa free for Zambia, Zimbabwe and South Africa. On the beginning of trip planning, Malaysian passport holders were also exempted from visa to travel to Kenya. That said, Kenya recently implemented ETA for all travellers with some exceptions which you can check the official website. ETA to Kenya needs to be applied prior to the travel. 

Kenya is considered endemic for yellow fever so you may be required to show proof of vaccination when entering non endemic yellow fever countries. We were asked to show our proof of vaccination on arrival in Australia. I took this vaccination prior to my trip to Peru in 2018. The other preventative medicine we took was the malaria tablets. 

After reading about self-driving in Kenya, we decided to err on the caution side and organised for a driver/guide. Unfortunately he was very bad so will not recommend. We were on our own in Lamu and the brief tme in Nairobi. We walked everywhere in Victoria Falls, even across the border to Zambia. We organised for a transport to and fro airport. Mode of transport in Cape Town was walking, uber rides and a last minute private tour because we were not organised enough.