Cross through the semi-arid lands of the Maasai people to Arusha.
Enjoy a wildlife safari drive en route to the camp site in the central Serengeti. After breakfast, begin the 3-day and 2-night excursion to Serengeti National Park and the Ngorongoro Crater, two of Africa's premier wildlife areas.
Enjoy a wildlife safari drive in the Serengeti during the day, and finish the evening camping at the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater. Before leaving the Serengeti, enjoy one last morning safari drive to see the animal kingdom come to life in this incredible expanse of grassland savannah. Then return and break camp, and journey to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, famous for Africa's best wildlife viewing. The views from the Ngorongoro Crater rim are stunning, and there is an ever-present abundance of wildlife, due to the permanent water supply on the crater floor. Arrive at the campsite at the crater rim in the late afternoon.
Venture down to the crater floor, and take in a final safari experience viewing the high concentration of wildlife bound by the crater walls. Exit the crater late in the morning and travel back to Arusha.
Hit the road, and enjoy the varied landscapes on the way to the Indian Ocean coast. Leave Arusha early and be on the lookout for the majestic Mt Kilimanjaro, on the road towards Bagamoyo. This town, which was recently named a World Heritage Site, was one of the most important trading ports of the central east African coast in the late 19th century.
Drive to Dar es Salaam, then hop on a ferry to Zanzibar. Travel north to Nungwi Beach, and bliss out beachside on Zanzibar's northern coast. After arriving on Zanzibar, transfer to Nungwi Beach. Relax on the idyllic white-sand beaches, wander through the village of Nungwi or opt to go snorkelling or diving.
Take the day to enjoy paradise. Opt to go diving, snorkelling, take a sailing trip, or just sit back and relax.
Travel back to Stone Town for a final night on this enchanting island. Explore Stone Town, the heart of the island. It has an intriguing maze of narrow, cobbled lanes hemmed in by Arabic buildings. The best way to see Stone Town is, literally, to get lost. One can spend hours just wandering the alleys and squares, drinking potent coffee from pavement vendors, or buying sweetmeats from scores of tiny cafes. Look out for tinga-tinga paintings, antique shops, beautifully printed cloths (kangas and kikois worn by local people), little carved chests with copper inlays and spices – all beautiful presents or memories to take home.
Ferry to Dar es Salaam then continue to Baobab Valley. Catch the ferry back to Dar Es Salaam and continuing travelling west to the campsite in the Baobab Valley on the banks of the Ruaha River. The camp is on the edge of the Udzwungwa Mountains National Park.
Spend another day on the road, and journey south to Iringa. Visit a crafts centre that supports the local community.
Cross into Malawi and travel to beautiful Lake Malawi. Chitimba Beach has beautiful views of mountains in the background and Tanzania across the lake.
Travel to another beautiful beach area on Lake Malawi. Leave Chitimba in the morning and drive south along Lake Malawi to Kande Beach.
Enjoy a traditional dinner in a local home, and opt to explore by foot, go snorkelling, or take a village tour.
Cross the border into Zambia. Cross the border from Malawi to Zambia, then continue to the capital of the Eastern Province, Chipata. Previously known as Fort Jameson, Chipata is a popular refuelling station for overlanders heading to South Luangwa National Park.
Stop for lunch, and a visit of the craft workshop, at the G Adventures-supported Tribal Textiles Market & Courtyard Cafe. Opt for an afternoon, or night, wildlife safari drive in South Luangwa National Park.
Enjoy a free day to explore South Luangwa NP, a wildlife haven. Opt to go on a walking safari (seasonal), night drive, or visit a nearby local village.
Sit back and enjoy a day of driving, taking in the scenery. Set off early and arrive late in the afternoon. The long journey across rough and bumpy roads takes us to a private farm 29km (18 mi) outside the capital of Zambia. Marvel at the zebras, buffaloes, and the bok that roam the property, or relax by the pool or at the camp's bar.
Continue travelling across Zambia, cross the border into Zimbabwe and finish at the lovely town of Victoria Falls.
Spend the day exploring your beautiful surroundings. Opt to visit Victoria Falls, go whitewater rafting, or take a helicopter flight over the falls. The town of Victoria Falls is a great base to see both natural wonders and take part in some exciting activities. Get up close (and wet from the spray) while awing at the immense Victoria Falls, raft the whitewater of the mighty Zambezi, and for the more adventurous, bungee jump with Victoria Falls in view.
Today, new travellers may join you for the rest of your adventure. You are welcome to join them at a group meeting this evening, followed by an optional dinner.
Opt to visit Victoria Falls, go whitewater rafting, or take a helicopter flight over the falls. Victoria Falls is a great base to see both natural wonders and take part in some exciting activities. Get up close (and wet from the spray) to the awesome Victoria Falls, opt to raft the whitewater of the mighty Zambezi, or bungee jump (with Victoria Falls in sight).
Cross the border from Zimbabwe into Botswana. Opt to take a wildlife viewing boat cruise on the Chobe River or a wildlife safari drive in an open safari vehicle in Chobe National Park. You will stay over just outside of the park near the town of Kasane. This afternoon, take an optional wildlife safari drive in the park or an afternoon sunset boat cruise along the Chobe River - it's your best opportunity to view hippos, crocodiles, and many elephants wallowing in the water.
Opt to do a morning safari drive before travelling south to Gweta. Camp under ancient baobab trees. When the rain comes, it brings life to the pans, awakening the dormant fish and aquatic shrimps from the mud. The surrounding grasslands also teem with life and are home to many antelope, which attract a wide variety of predators.
Opt to catch a bird's-eye view of the delta on a scenic flight.
Enjoy a wildlife walk, a traditional mokoro (dugout canoe) excursion, and birding. After leaving some of our luggage in Maun, we begin our exciting excursion into the delta as we drive about 1-2 hrs (depending on which dock we go to) to the "dock". Here, we hop into a mokoro, a traditional dugout canoe, which will take us deep into the delta. After a couple hours in a mokoro, we arrive to our basic bush camp.
Visit the Kalahari Desert and meet the local San Bushmen. Enjoy an optional walk to learn survival skills from the locals. We continue through the western part of Botswana, the heart of the Kalahari, to Ghanzi. Get a glimpse of how the San adapted to the Kalahari Desert. Learn fascinating wilderness survival skills by local Bushmen on an optional Bushman walk.
Opt to explore the city centre of Windhoek after a long drive and a border crossing.
Visit the G Adventures supported Penduka Village Restaurant & Shop, just outside of Windhoek, to pick up a tasty packed lunch, then continue up to Etosha National Park. Enjoy a wildlife safari drive in the overland vehicle, then opt to take an open vehicle wildlife safari night drive.
Enjoy a full-day wildlife safari drive in Etosha National Park.
Morning wildlife safari drive in the overland vehicle. Travel to Damaraland through beautiful desert landscapes.
Visit the Damaraland Living Museum to learn more about the lost culture of the Damara people, then travel south and enjoy the granite peaks of Spitzkoppe. Explore on your own by foot, and be sure to check out the night sky??it's great for star-gazing!
Travel through the coastal region to the adrenaline capital of Swakopmund. We will spend two nights in Swakopmund, here you can explore this historical town or try some of the numerous activities available.
Fill free time with sandboarding, skydiving, or a living desert tour.
Arrive in the area in the afternoon where we will be camping on the edge of the Namib Desert. Opt to walk with a local expert who will explain the desert and its mysteries.
Explore the Sesriem Canyon, a small canyon typical of the area. Then continue on to the Sossusvlei Dunes and climb up breathtaking Dune 45. We will leave early morning towards Sossuvlei campsite, where the towering red sand dunes of Sossusvlei form the gateway into the Namib Desert. Here you will really feel as though you're in the middle of nowhere.
The afternoon is spent exploring the natural wonders of this bizarre environment. Visit Sossusvlei - a clay pan, enclosed by the world's largest sand dunes, up to 300m (984 ft) high. Here, opt to take a guided walk in the sands dunes, or enjoy some free time to explore on your own.
Enjoy the sunset at Fish River Canyon. Journey to Fish River Canyon, the largest canyon in Africa, and arguably the second largest in the world. Spend some time here taking in the majestic beauty of the canyon, watch as a spectacular sunset slips over the canyon's rim.
Head to the border and cross into South Africa. Camp at the scenic Orange River and opt to go canoeing. Set up camp on the banks of Orange River for the night. After, enjoy a late afternoon of swimming, relaxing, or possibly even canoeing on the river.
Travel past large plantations of rooibos tea and view dramatic Western Cape scenery. Head south through the Western Cape to the area of the Cederberg Mountains, where we spend the evening camping on a local farm. Explore the area, sip local wine, and sit back and enjoy the dramatic scenery.
Visit the G Adventures supported !Khwa ttu San Culture and Education Centre, before arriving in vibrant Cape Town. Enjoy beautiful views of Table Mountain, and opt for a final night out with the group. For our final travel day, journey to the cosmopolitan city of Cape Town.
Depart at any time. We highly recommend booking an extra night in Cape Town to explore all that this area has to offer.
