Nairobi to Cape Town via Zimbabwe - Itinerary

We recommend you arrive in Nairobi the day before the trip departs. If you’re there with time to spare there are lots to see and do around the city. In Nairobi town is the National Museum and markets. Also Karen Blixen’s house, Langata Giraffe Centre, Sheldrick’s Elephant Orphanage and Nairobi National Park for the first glimpse of African wildlife. In the evening before leaving we have a pre departure meeting at the departure hotel to prep you for the trip.

WEEK 1: Nairobi, Kenya to Zanzibar, Tanzania

We head south from Nairobi, through the Masai plains and cross the border at Namanga into Tanzania; arriving in Arusha late in the day. The country we pass through is sparsely inhabited grassland savannah, inhabited by the Masai. Tonight, we stay in a lovely campsite in Meserani, 20 km to the west of Arusha. Visit the Reptile Rescue Park and Masai Cultural Museum by the campsite, and an art gallery selling the strongly coloured Tinga Tinga paintings.

100 km to the west, we visit the Serengeti National Park & Ngorongoro Crater. We meet our Tanzanian guides with their locally operated 4WD vehicles adapted for safari use. They allow excellent viewing through the opening roof hatches. The trip is camping, away for three days and two nights. One of these nights will be inside the park in the parks amidst the animals. If you choose not to visit the park you can wander the markets in Arusha town.

In our 4×4’s we cross the Rift Valley to Mtu wa Mbu (Mosquito River) and then up the Rift Valley Escarpment to spend the evening at a campsite. An early start to Ngorongoro Crater the largest unbroken caldera (collapsed volcano) in the world. Inside is open grassland and a lot of animals. After our game drive in the Crater, we head down the Crater rim and past the Cradle of Mankind, on our way to the Serengeti National Park. We cross the vast plains as we game drive through the southern and central areas in the park. Tonight we camp in the wild, with no fences between us and the animals, who live as they have for millennia.

In the morning, we head off for another game drive and explore the park. After our morning drive, we return via the Crater rim to our safari truck near Arusha. Then drinks at the bar, to talk about the big 5.

We head towards the coast past Moshi town the capital city of the Chugga people. Skirting the base of snowy Mount Kilimanjaro we camp on the way to Dar es Salaam. We arrive in Dar to our campsite on the beach of the Indian Ocean. If you decide not to go to Zanzibar, the campsite at the beach is an ideal place to have a few lazy days.

From Dar es Salaam we take the ferry to Zanzibar and the old stone capital of the Omani Sultanate. Sandy beaches, spice tours, snorkelling, diving and trips to other nearby islands. Zanzibar is a fascinating place to visit and to take it all in. Over a thousand years trade between Africa and Arabia has resulted in the blending of Arabs and Africans into a beautiful Swahili coastal culture with; wooden sailing dhows crossing the ocean, coconut plantations and fishing villages with mosques on the beaches. Nungwe beach resort on the north of the island has the most beautiful beaches.

You get your own meals while in Zanzibar, as people like to experience here on their own or in small groups and in accordance with their own budget. Our tour leader joins you and will arrange your activities, while meals can be taken from a wide selection of restaurants to suit any budget. There are also a wide variety of optional excursions.

Stone Town in Zanzibar Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the old slave market, the spice growing areas, Jozani Forest with Red Colobus Monkeys and in the evening the seafood cafes on the wharf side.

WEEK 2: Zanzibar to Malawi

Return by ferry to Dar es Salaam on the mainland for another on our beach campsite; late afternoon, or early evening.

We head south through Tanzania; our route takes us through Mikumi National Park where we may well see giraffe or elephant grazing beside the road. The road from Mikumi National Park to Malawi takes us through the southern highlands, passing Baobab Valley to Iringa.

Crossing the border into Malawi, we reach the shores of its huge lake. We spend the night at Chitimba Beach Camp. The campsites and small resorts along Lake Malawi offer sandy beaches, swimming and snorkelling, water-skiing, horse riding or walking in the surrounding countryside. Markets sell carved Malawi chairs, tables and wood carvings

Kande Beach. We head south through the hills and drop down to the lake and Kande Beach resort. Very relaxed and just the sort of beach place you need in Africa.

WEEK 3: Lake Malawi to Harare, Zimbabwe

Leaving the beach we go inland to spend the night in the capital Lilongwe through sparsely settled countryside with few people or villages for miles.

From Lilongwe we cross Mozambique for Zimbabwe and Harare. It’s got a well organised city centre, with markets throughout the city with craft markets, gardens and good nightlife in one of the many bars throughout the city.

WEEK 4: Harare, Zimbabwe to Bulawayo

From Harare we make our way to the Eastern and Chimanimani. Hike through the mountain wilderness area, and Bridal Veil Falls. Great Zimbabwe Ruins which was once the greatest medieval city in Sub Saharan Africa is form the name Zimbabwe is derived, it means stone houses.

We drive across Mashonaland to Gweru, to a horse and game ranch where you can go game viewing on horseback. Then into Matabeleland and Bulawayo.

WEEK 5: Bulawayo to Vic Falls

You can leave the truck for a day to venture into Matobo National Park with a local safari company. You can walk around the park to see the Black Rhino – and other game. Here is Cecil Rhodes’ grave at the worlds end view.

If it’s running, you can take the old overnight sleeper train from Bulawayo Victoria Falls.

Victoria Falls – the Zambezi River plunges 100 metres down a mile wide chasm, creating one of the most incredible natural wonders of the world. The local name for the falls is ‘Mosi- oa-Tunya’ – ‘the smoke that thunders’.

We stay beside Victoria Falls in Victoria Falls town; there is lots to see and do. Adventure activities abound – you can bungee jump, white water rafting, and go game-viewing on horseback or walking with lions. More sedate excursions include canoeing, light aircraft or helicopter flights over the Falls and the sunset cruise on the Zambezi. Though the Falls themselves are the main attraction, you can walk in the rainforest along the cliff opposite for an excellent view.

Optional Activities – Bungee jump from the Victoria Falls Bridge, abseil down the Gorge. Fly over the Falls. Whitewater raft down the Zambezi. You can float serenely down the river deep below the cliff topped gorge.

WEEK 6: Bulawayo to Vic Falls & Okavango Delta, Botswana

In the midmorning we leave Zimbabwe for Botswana and Kasane, where we have a chance to explore the town of Kasane. Wander around town for the day or have a break on the banks of the Chobe River. In Chobe National Park you can take an overnight game drive; a wild experience – excellent game viewing is a must.

Back in camp, you can have a break, after all the adventure. You can take an optional boat cruise on the Chobe River, or spend your time by the pool.

We travel along the edge of the Kalahari Desert to Maun a small town on the edge of the Okavango Delta, the starting point for the Delta trip.

A Mokoro is a traditional dugout canoe and your transport into the Delta. As you glide through the waterways, you will see a fantastic array of wetland wildlife, birds in particular, and you will come across hippos in the water and elephants drinking on the shore. You can go on a walking safari to look for giraffe, buffalo and rare antelope – the overnight stay is a great wilderness experience.
Optional Activity: Overnight Delta excursion

Up early and it’s off walking with the guide, a unique chance to see game on foot; elephants, herds of grazing zebra and pods of hippos. Try learning how to pole your mokoro, or try to catch a catfish; the guides make it look so easy. A last swim in the clear delta water before heading back to the truck and campsite for a shower and cold drinks. Time permitting you can take a scenic flight over the Delta from Maun.

Week 7: Maun, Botswana to Cheetah Park, Namibia

From the lush Delta, we pass through the arid Namibian landscape to our evening’s bush camp. Heading north to Etosha Pan National Park. Thousands of years ago this vast saltpan was a lake, till Kunene River changed course and deprived the lake of water. The pan and surrounding bush support large numbers and a wide range of wildlife. We view the game from the truck and spend the evenings by the floodlit water holes at the park’s campsites. These waterholes provide an excellent opportunity to see animals that are hard to find during the day, particularly rhino and also smaller animals such as the genet. Elephant, lion, giraffe, zebra, oryx, ostrich, springbok, jackals, hyenas and meercats are also likely to be seen.

We leave Etosha and head to a cheetah rescue park and get up close to these amazing and endangered creatures. The animals here are rescued from the wild where they are in conflict with herders and farmers.

Brandberg Mountain or Fire Mountain; a massive mountain outcrop rising above the gravel plains, uninhabited and isolated with the tallest mountain in Namibia.

WEEK 8: Brandberg Mountain to Fish River Canyon

Namibia is a land of wide open spaces and we pass few inhabited areas as we drive towards Spitzkoppe; a group of granite peaks Swakopmund is an old German colonial seaside resort with plenty to do for the energetic and German beer halls for those after a more relaxing time. Horse-riding, quad biking or sand boarding on the dunes, deep sea fishing in the Atlantic, jump out of a plane or take a scenic flight over the coastline are just a few of the things you can do here.
Included Activity: Spitzkoppe
Optional Activities: Skydiving, quad biking, sand boarding, scenic desert flights, dolphin cruises, fishing trips, golf, horse riding etc.

Leaving Swakopmund, we head south to the industrial port Walvis Bay, before turning inland and toward the desert. Continuing our journey, we enter the Namib-Naukluft Park in one of the oldest deserts in the world. We base ourselves at Sesriem, a great place to experience the Namib and its many moods.

Namib-Naukluft National Park, Dune 45 & Sossusvlei. An early start into Namib-Naukluft National Park, we take a morning roaming around the sands. We take some time to summit the famous Dune 45. We then take a desert shuttle a further 5 kms into the desert where you can take a walk to Sossusvlei; a river which ends is a salt and clay pan, surrounded by high red dunes.
Included Activity: Visit to Sossusvlei & Dune 45

After overnighting in the desert we drive south to Fish River Canyon; 160 km long and half a kilometre deep; second in length only to the Grand Canyon. You can trek along the rim and look into the canyon from the various viewpoints.
Included Activity: Visit to Fish River Canyon

Fish River Canyon to Cape Town, South Africa 

We cross to South Africa over the Orange River. Take a canoe trip down the river or relax by the pool enjoying the spectacular view.
Optional Activity: Canoe the Orange River

We drive through mountain valleys and stony semi-desert following the farmland south through the sparsely populated areas of the Western Cape. Cederberg growing area of the centre of one of the Cape’s many wine routes.
Optional Activity: Wine tasting

Continuing south through to the fruit growing area of Citrusdal; we cross the mountains to Cape Town – a beautiful city, plenty of cafes, pubs, clubs and markets. Tonight’s accommodation is in dormitories in one of Cape Town’s hostels.

This morning is the end of our tour. While in Cape Town; go and climb Table Mountain or take the cable car to the top for views of the city and visit Robben Island