Now's the time to explore Africa on your terms with this tour that's affordable for young travellers. Keen to check off eight countries as "been there" and journey across nearly half of the African continent? Well, give us 40 days and we'll take you on this epic overland adventure. Marvel at the world's highest sand dunes, float through the Okavango in a dugout "mokoro" canoe, and meet the San People in the blazing Kalahari Desert. You'll soak up vibrant colours, culture, and scenery from the southern tip of Africa up to Kenya. Take the road less travelled and come away with jaw-dropping photos and a deeper understanding of this incredible corner of the globe.
See the "big five" from 4x4 safari vehicles, experience cosmopolitan Cape Town, cruise through the Okavango Delta in traditional canoes, view the mighty Victoria Falls, Relax on the shores of Lake Malawi, Witness breathtaking dunes in the Namib Desert, Spot wildlife on the Chobe River
Participation camping (28 nts), permanent tented camp (1 nt), full-service camping (2 nts), simple hotels (3 nts, single or twin-share), basic bush camping (2 nts), guesthouses (2 nts, multi-share with 3 people), hostel (1 nt, multi-share with 3-4 people).
2 CEOs (Chief Experience Officers) throughout as head guide/cook and driver, certified safari guides/drivers, local guide, camp crew.
Max 22, avg 20.
Your Local Living Moment: Kande Beach Local Dinner, Kande Beach. Entrance to Fish River Canyon, Sossusvlei Dunes, and Spitzkoppe. Entrances and wildlife safari drives in Etosha and Serengeti National Parks and in Ngorongoro Crater. Waterberg Plateau visit. Okavango Delta overnight bush camping excursion. Guided tour of spice plantation (Zanzibar). 3-day Zanzibar excursion. All transport between destinations and to/from included activities.
Serengeti
Serengeti
Today, the Serengeti National Park helps protect the greatest and most varied collection of terrestrial wildlife on earth, and one of the last great migratory systems still intact. The Serengeti is the jewel in the crown of Tanzania's protected areas and has come to symbolize paradise. The region encompasses Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Maswa Game Reserve, the Loliondo, Grumeti and Ikorongo Controlled Areas and Maasai Mara National Reserve in Kenya. Two World Heritage Sites and two Biosphere Reserves have been established within the region. It's unique ecosystem has inspired writers and filmakers as well as numerous photographers and scientists. The essential features of climate, vegetation and fauna have barely changed in the past million years. Some patterns of life, death, adaptation and migration are as old as the hills themselves.
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Destination Guide
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Bagamoyo
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Stone Town
Stone Town
Stone Town is located in the charming island of Zanzibar, just off the coast of Tanzania,Africa. The city is the most popular and important in the island, its capital. When visiting Stone Town you will find some of the most prominent historical and artistic influences in eastern Africa. Enjoy a day wandering through the town and enjoy speaking to some of the friendliest people in Zanzibar. There are plenty of resorts and spas in the area for travelers who need some down time.Stone Town was announced a historical UNESCO World Heritage site.
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Destination Guide
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Chitimba
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Kande Beach
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Chipata
Chipata
Formerly called Fort Jameson, Chipata is the capital of the Eastern Province of Zambia and is a popular pit stop before heading to Malawi. This commercial urban district is filled with outdoor markets, and boasts of a 4-star hotel, a golf course, and a mosque
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Kasane
Kasane
The location for the second proposal and remarriage of Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton in 1975, Kasane has attracted a variety of international publicity due to public figures' affinity for the wilderness of the area. The environment has brought both former US President Bill Clinton and first lady Hilary Clinton, as well as Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands to appreciate the environment and wildlife of this town in Botswana. Kasane contains many parks and reserves, including a Snake Park and Crocodile Farm, hot springs, and several forest reserves where animals roam freely, including hippos and elephants.
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Gweta
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Dekar
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Waterberg Plateau Park
Waterberg Plateau Park
In north-central Namibia, this park is home to a variety of native and imported animals, including the kudu, warthog, leopard, cheetah, giraffe, white rhino, Cape buffalo, eland and many rare birds (Bradfield's hornbill, Cape vulture). Avoid the park December-February, during the Southern Hemisphere's summer. Camping facilities are available, and it offers great opportunities for walking in the vicinity of large mammals. 145 mi/230 km north of Windhoek.
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Destination Guide
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Spitzkoppe
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Namib Desert
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Orange River (Gariep River)
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Cederberg Mountains
Cederberg Mountains
The Cederberg mountains and nature reserve are located near Clanwilliam, approximately 300 km north of Cape Town, South Africa. The mountains are noted for dramatic rock formations and San rock art.
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Ngorongoro
Ngorongoro
An ancient hole in northern Tanzania, Ngorongoro Crater is one of Africa's best wildlife-viewing spots since it acts like a natural cage; the crater's depth makes for a difficult escape for some animals, but most have no need to leave, finding plenty of resources inside. For the traveler, it means not only awesome wildlife viewing, but incredible views from accommodations on the crater's rim. Descend to the crater floor in a four-wheel drive; and once there just cruise around slowly and take in the scene — on any given day see lion, rhino, elephant, buffalo, wildebeest, Thomson's gazelle, zebra, and reedbuck. The small soda lake inside the crater is also the seasonal home of thousands of flamingos.
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Destination Guide
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Arusha
Arusha
Arusha is the safari capital of East Africa, a bustling, vibrant town with the streets filled with 4X4 game viewing vehicles criss-crossing the potholed roads. Maasai warriors in full regalia stroll the streets, mingling with tourists in crisp khaki, fresh off the plane from Europe or the United States.
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Destination Guide
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Zanzibar
Zanzibar
For many centuries, traders from Europe, India, the Orient and Arabia were lured to these shores. It was from here explorer David Livingstone set off on his last expedition into the heart of the continent. Today, as you walk along the winding streets of the old Stone Town, lined with whitewashed coral rag houses, you can see reminders of this rich history all around you. Visit the Palace museum, former residence of the Omani Sultans, and the cathedral that now stands on the site of the notorious slave market.
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Destination Guide
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Dar es Salaam
Dar es Salaam
Dar es Salaam in east Tanzania is located on an arm of the Indian Ocean. It is the country's largest city and former capital, chief seaport, and principal commercial, manufacturing, and educational centre. Rail links extend inland to Arusha in the north, to Lakes Tanganyika and Victoria, and to Zambia. Dar es Salaam's exports include coffee, sisal, cotton, and copper (from landlocked Zambia). Places of interest include Kariakoo market, the Botanical Gardens, National Central Library and the National Museum of Tanzania which has notable collections dealing with east African ethnography, archaeology, and history.
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Destination Guide
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Iringa
Iringa
This town in Tanzania overlooks the Ruaha River and borders the dry belt of central Tanzania. However the cool breeze of the Southern Highlands seeds its already abundant agriculture. With its beautiful scenery and game parks, Iringa is the perfect destination for travelers who are looking for both wild and tame.
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South Luangwa National Park
South Luangwa National Park
One of the greatest wildlife sanctuaries lies in South Luangwa National Park with all year round access to open game viewing, walking safaris, and night game drives. This park was founded in 1938 and became a wildlife sanctuary in 1972. 60 different species of mammal species and 400 different species of birds roam freely in the vast desert. Exotic vegetation and wildflowers adds discovery to this sanctuary.
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Destination Guide
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Lusaka
Lusaka
The main reason to visit Lusaka is to change planes or begin a trip to Livingstone or one of the game parks. The capital and largest city, Lusaka is not particularly attractive and has few sights to see: Plan to spend no more than a day there. The central city is compact. Built for colonial administrators in the 1940s, today it is woefully inadequate to serve its present population. (Services and facilities can't keep up with demand—there are occasional water and electricity shortages—and unemployment and crime rates are increasing.) Spend your time in Lusaka at Lumburma Market and the outdoor Cultural Center, where about a dozen artisans carve wooden souvenirs and sell them. If time permits, see the National Assembly building, drive through the university area, visit the Anglican cathedral (patterned after the one in Coventry, England), the State House and the Munda Wanga Botanic and Zoological Gardens (plants, birds and a few wild animals). 220 mi/350 km northeast of Livingstone.
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Destination Guide
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Victoria Falls
Victoria Falls
The town of Victoria Falls is a pleasant place, created for visitors. There are hiking routes and rental bicycles. There are also trinket shops, selling everything from cheap T-shirts to antique African musical instruments. Carvings of masks and animals are a tradition around the area (as is the bargaining required to purchase them for a reasonable price). The Victoria Falls Hotel, a short walk from the falls, still operates in full colonial splendor and should be seen even by those not staying there. Visit Crocodile Ranch and Craft Village - a fascinating glimpse into Zimbabwean culture. Visit Livingstone, just across the border in Zambia— more than just a tourist town and more character than Victoria Falls. Another appealing side trip is to Chobe National Park, in neighboring Botswana. Chobe is one of the finest game parks in the world.
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Destination Guide
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Okavango Delta
Okavango Delta
The Okavango delta is one of the world’s largest inland water systems. It's headwaters start in Angola’s western highlands, with numerous tributaries joining to form the Cubango river, which then flows through Namibia (called the Kavango) and finally enters Botswana, where it is then called the Okavango. It is a unique ecosystem with large populations of African mammals, birds, and other animals and is one of the last totally unspoiled areas in Africa. This destination is perfect for camping, picture taking, walking safaris, and mokoro (canoe) excursions.
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Destination Guide
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Maun
Maun
The town of Maun is an eclectic mix of modern buildings and native huts. There are shopping malls, banks, restaurants, a few hotels and some happening bars. Maun is the tourism capital of Botswana and the administrative centre of Ngamiland. It is also the headquarters of numerous safari and air-charter operations.
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Destination Guide
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Windhoek
Windhoek
Windhoek, Namibia's capital, is located centrally in Namibia with a Bavarian atmosphere. Being in the highlands of Namibia at an elevation of 1660 meters, the city enjoys clean air and healthy climate. The city contains a diverse group of people from various African and European nations.
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Destination Guide
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Etosha National Park
Etosha National Park
Located about 250 mi/400 km north of Windhoek, Etosha Park is Namibia's best-known tourist attraction and one of the most interesting game reserves in the world because of its unusual terrain. Etosha is a combination of dried lake (salt pan) in the north and grasslands, dense brush and open plains in the south. Etosha means “great white place,” so named because 25% of the country is covered by a huge salt basin that was an inland lake 12 million years ago. The sun glints off the 6,500-sq-mi/16,835-sq-km salt pan—a dry, flat, shallow, silvery-white depression—providing an eerie backdrop for wild animals moving through the shimmering haze. Dust in the air adds to the mystery: Everything is slightly indistinct, and since mirages are common, we occasionally found ourselves questioning what we'd really seen. It's widely regarded to be a photographer's paradise, especially during the dry winter months, when wildlife congregates around the artificial waterholes that line the pan, allowing for excellent close-up sightings. Etosha is home to around 100 large mammal species, among them the elephant, giraffe, zebra, leopard, cheetah, lion, kudu, spotted hyena and black-backed jackal. It is the only reserve where you are likely to see the range-restricted black-faced impala (distinguished from the normal impala by the black blaze on its face) and is also an important stronghold for black rhino. A checklist of 340 bird species found in Etosha includes local specialties such as white-tailed shrike, and an impressive selection of raptors and ground birds such as bustards. The prime watering holes are on the southern side of the park, but they're only full after the rainy season (December-March). The Kuvelai River, which feeds Etosha, either floods or dries up completely, vanishing into the sand. The park is open year-round, but the best time to visit, for both climate and the best photos, is August and September. There are three camping/self-catering rest camps with facilities inside the park (Halali, Namutoni and Okaukuejo) and several private lodges just outside. Okaukuejo has a floodlit water hole for nocturnal viewing.
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Destination Guide
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Swakopmund
Swakopmund
Swakopmund is a city located in the western coast of Namibia. The town is the fourth largest in Nambia, with a population of 44,725 inhabitants. There are so many activities and tours available to those looking to visit the city, there are attractions ranging from skydiving, desert safari tours to sandboarding and even hot air balloon adventures. There are plenty of accommodations around town and you will find a wide range of restaurants serving one of a kind cuisine.
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Destination Guide
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Fish River Canyon
Fish River Canyon
This breathtaking park in southern Namibia near the border with South Africa boasts a 100-mi-/160-km-long canyon (17 mi/27 km across at its widest point) reminiscent of the Grand Canyon in the U.S. Most budget travelers stay at the Al-Ais resort (pleasant hot springs), which is closed October-March because of the heat, but there are also many private midrange and upscale lodges in the area. Camping is available in nearby Hobas, and there are accommodations in Keetmanshoop, a two-hour drive north. A four-day hiking trail is open May-August for groups of at least three people, but trips must be booked in advance. You can experience the splendid view over the canyon any time of year, but walking to the base is explicitly forbidden unless you are signed up for the full hike. Spend two nights to be sure of a full day's look at the park. 360 mi/580 km south of Windhoek.
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Destination Guide
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Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is southern Africa's most beautiful, most romantic and most-visited city. Few urban centers anywhere can match its setting along the Cape Peninsula spine, which slides like the mighty tail of the continent into the Atlantic Ocean. By far the most striking - and famous - of its sights is Table Mountain, frequently mantled by clouds, and rearing up from the middle of the city to provide a constantly changing vista to the suburbs below. Table Mountain is the city's solid core which divides the city into distinct zones with public gardens, wilderness, forests, hiking routes, vineyards and desirable residential areas trailing down it's lower slopes.
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Destination Guide
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