Epic African Adventure
27 days
From $ 5020
Duration27 days
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How’s your maths? 6 countries, 27 days, thousands of animals, countless African memories. Look no further – this is how to do Africa. Deep breath: there's lions and leopards while safariing the Serengeti, mingling with Maasai on wide open plains, heading down into the Ngorongoro Crater, rhino spotting in Botswana and tracking in Matobo Hills, canoe cruising the Okavango Delta, saying hi to local tribes, meeting elephants in Chobe and Hwange, getting misty at Vic Falls, counting to (Big) Five in Kruger, and then resting feet in Jo’burg. Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa, Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe are ready. Let’s go.

This tour is operated by

  • Duration: 27 days
    Service level: Basic
  • Starts in: Nairobi
    Physical Grading: Light
  • Ages: 18+
Epic African Adventure - Tour Map

Itinerary

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Day 1: Nairobi

Start place: Nairobi

Jambo! Welcome to Kenya. Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 6 pm. You can arrive at any time as there are no activities planned until this important meeting. Please ask the hotel reception where it will take place. If you can't arrange a flight that will arrive in time for this, consider arriving a day early so you are able to attend. If you are going to be late, please inform the hotel reception. We'll be collecting your insurance details and next of kin information at this meeting, so please ensure you have these to give to your leader. If you arrive early, why not check out the National Museum of Kenya, the Karen Blixen Museum or the highly recommended Bomas of Kenya where traditional homesteads of some Kenyan tribes are displayed at an outdoor village.
Day 2: Loita Hills Maasai Experience
Depart Nairobi, with a short stop in Narok for a spot of food shopping. Continue to Loita Hills (approximately 5–6 hours), then stop, chill out and get some lunch. Today's drive crosses the Great Rift Valley, Africa's huge great divide, takes you into the remote region of Loita Hills. This is the home of the traditional Maasai people. You will visit the Maasai, who are known for their dazzling red dress and elaborate jewellery, and gain an insight into the culture and ancient ways of this proud East African community. After setting up your tent, meet your Maasai hosts. A local elder will deliver a fascinating talk about the Maasai and what they're about. You'll be shown around a traditional Maasai home and see where the resident cattle are kept. Showers, upgrades and WiFi are not available at tonight's bush camp.
Meals: B, L, D
Day 3: Masai Mara National Reserve
Travel from Loita to Masai Mara (approximately 1–2 hours). The road is pretty dusty when it's dry, and could be slippery and soft when wet, so the going might be slow. The Masai Mara is one of the classic African experiences – wide open plains, postcard-perfect skies and some of the world's great wild animals. After setting up camp, sit down to some lunch. Then it's time to jump back on board the truck and go for a game drive through the wilderness of the Mara. You campground tonight is located outside of the national reserve and has flush toilets and showers. There is an option to upgrade, depending on availability. Wi-fi is not available here though.
Meals: B, L, D
Day 4: Masai Mara National Reserve
Adventure into the reserve for a full day's game drive. You'll explore this diverse environment and most likely see a lots of different wildlife. An optional balloon ride over the Mara at sunrise is well worth considering. If you have pre-booked this activity (see the 'Important Notes' section) you will be picked up before dawn and driven to the launch site for a safety briefing from your pilot. Then you will glide through the dawn, sometimes at tree height, which provides amazing photo opportunities. Sometimes you will ascend, getting an overview of the enormity of the plains and the early morning movements of the teeming herds. After landing, you'll be treated to a bush breakfast, then be returned to your campsite to meet up with your group.
Meals: B, L, D
Day 5: Lake Victoria
Travel towards the Kenya–Tanzania border and to the shores of Lake Victoria (approximately 7–8 hours). This is not only Africa's biggest lake – it's the largest tropical lake in the world. It shares its shores with Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. You'll arrive late afternoon, in time to chill out lakeside with a cold drink and watch the sunset. Make the most of the ATM and local market to stock up for your next three days of wilderness adventures. You will camp on the shores of the lake tonight, at one of its least visited campgrounds, on the outskirts of a small town called Musoma. Depending on availability, you might be able to upgrade to a room, but no wi-fi is available.
Meals: B, L, D
Day 6: Serengeti National Park
If you choose, you can wake up early for a guided bike excursion around the town and marketplace of Musoma. It's a great opportunity to interact with the locals. Keep in mind you'll need to have your own helmet for this, because there probably won't be one available. Today you will travel from Lake Victoria to the gate of Serengeti National Park on a smooth road (approximately 3 hours) and enjoy a picnic lunch at the entrance to the park. Enter the Serengeti and take a game drive en route to your campsite. These plains – green after the rains, brown and burnt in the dry season – are home to thousands of hoofed animals and fierce predators, so see how many you can spot. Your campsite is right in the action, within the park itself, so listen out for the sounds of nocturnal animals as you drift off to sleep at night. There are no upgrades or wi-fi available here.
Meals: B, L, D
Day 7: Serengeti National Park
Start the day with a game drive at dawn. You will head out while the animals are at their most active, then head back to camp for brunch at around 11 am. After spending the warmer part of the day relaxing, as the animals do, depart again in the afternoon for another adventure through the wild. You'll return in time for dinner. There's the option of an early-morning balloon ride here too, so if you didn't take one in the Mara, now's your chance.
Meals: B, L, D
Day 8: Ngorongoro Crater
Enjoy a game drive on your way out of the park today. After lunch you will enter the Ngorongoro Conservation area. Next stop: the crater rim (approximately 3 hours). Your campsite overlooks jagged volcanoes and rolling grasslands thousands of feet below. Camping locations don't get much better than this! Your campsite has flush toilets and hot showers available, but no wi-fi or optional upgrades. It can get very cold on the crater rim, especially in winter (June to August) when temperatures drop below zero. Even in the summer months it can be surprisingly chilly at night, so don't forget your warm clothes.
Meals: B, L, D
Day 9: Mto Wa Mbu
A gigantic, perfectly intact volcanic crater, Ngorongoro is home to some 30,000 animals. Among these are endangered black rhinos, lions, leopards, elephants, impalas, zebras and hippos. The crater floor is great for game viewing all year round, and the photo-opportunities here are next level. This optional activity is highly recommended.
You'll then head to Mto Wa Mbu for a look around town and craft market before continuing to your campsite (approximately 5–6 hours). A small village community that's off the tourist trail, Mto Wa Mbu is an interesting snapshot of small-town African life.
Meals: B, L, D
Day 10: Nairobi
Set off nice and early this morning, around 7.30 am, heading for the border with Kenya and then on to Nairobi (approximately 7–8 hours). Once in Nairobi enjoy the comfort of a hotel and recharge for the next leg of your journey.
Meals: B, L
Day 11: Johannesburg
Today fly from Nairobi to Johannesburg and begin the South African leg of your adventure. You will need to book your own flight and make your own way to/from the airport. Touch down in Joburg (as the locals like to call it), South Africa and make your own way to the hotel. You’ve got the whole day free to explore the capital city (depending on when you get here of course) before you join up with your crew at a 6pm Welcome Meeting tonight (make sure you’ve got all your important docs and deets on you). Until the meeting, hit the streets of this city of remarkable contrasts. Perhaps head to the culturally rich areas of Newtown, Braamfontein or Maboneng, or head out to the Burma flea market for any last minute safari must-haves (t-shirts, hats, books). Grab a bite to eat while you're there. You'll find everything from Indian and Chinese to Turkish and South African food. The eye-opening Apartheid Museum is well worth your time.
Meals: B
Day 12: Khama Rhino Sanctuary
See ya South Africa – cross the border into Botswana and travel toward the Khama Rhino Sanctuary (approximately 8–10 hours). It sits on the Kalahari Desert, and is an old hunting area transformed into a into a conservation project. It now protects what’s left of Botswana's black and white rhino populations, but there are plenty of other beasties hanging around too – zebras, giraffes, leopards, ostriches and wildebeest, all of which chill out around many natural waterholes. Not only do you get to check out awesome animals here, but you’ll also be benefitting local communities and helping protect the white rhino. When the sun begins to set, hop in a jeep to see the rhinos at their most active. About 35 rhinos roam around this 400ha community-based reserve. Don't forget your binoculars, or you'll be getting them confused with big rocks. At your camp there will be the option to upgrade to a room for an additional cost (subject to availability).
Meals: B, D
Day 13: Maun
Get up real early, jump aboard the truck and head to Maun (approximately 7-8 hours). Catch up on your beauty sleep or kick off the most epic game of I Spy you've ever played. This journey also includes a free massage service (the road might get a little bumpy). In Maun there’s the chance stock up on any supplies you might need for the journey ahead – maybe hats, sunscreen and scarves (for the morning chill and the afternoon sun). Maun’s the gateway to one of the world's most renowned and complex ecosystems, the Okavango Delta. This is a one-of-a-kind kinda place – a 16,000 square kilometre maze of wetlands made up of meandering waterways, green islands, lush plains and loads of wildlife. You might see hippos, crocodiles, elephants and big cats. But honestly it's not really the animals that are the main attraction – it's the incredibly diverse ecosystem and atmospheric waterscapes. Tonight you'll stay on the outskirts of Maun at a simple campsite with shared facilities, wi-fi and optional upgrades.
Meals: B, D
Day 14: Okavango Delta
Make your way to the north-western part of the Okavango Delta, close to the Pan Handle. The drive is a not so whopping 300 kilometres and will take you about 6 hours. Now’s the time to find out everything about your fellow travellers – you’ll be old mates by the end of it. Leave the truck at some secure parking and take a 4x4 transfer for the last 12 kilometres. Your final destination for the next two nights sits on the edge of the Guma Lagoon area. Set up camp and relax on the edge of the lagoon for the rest of the afternoon, then fall asleep to the sounds of the African bush at night – is that noise a hippo or your mate snoring?
Meals: B, L, D
Day 15: Okavango Delta
Today you get to paddle the river. There's nothing more relaxing than feeling the African sun on your face as you lie back in a mokoro (a traditional dugout canoe), eyes closed while your expert poler propels you down the calm waters, through papyrus and reed beds to lily covered lagoons and islands. Watch out for elephant, lechwe, warthog, sitatunga and other plains game in the open. There are also heaps of birds around for all you twitchers out there. Stop at one of the islands for a picnic lunch before continuing on, returning back to camp in the late afternoon. Take a swim or ask you leader about taking a walk around the area.
Meals: B, L, D
Day 16: Caprivi Strip
This morning it’s back in the 4x4s and a drive back to the truck. Then you’ll make your way to the border to cross into Namibia. The drive is approximately 150km and will take about 4 hours, including the border crossing. You’ll drive through the Mahango Game Reserve on the Namibia side on the way to the camp for the night. The camp is on the banks of the Kovango river, within the Caprivi Game Park strip of Namibia. This strip of land is sandwiched between Botswana and Angola, and connects with Zambia and Zimbabwe at its end. In the afternoon you’ll head out on a guided excursion through the villages of the Hambukushu and Xwe Bushmen tribes, exploring local life up close. Look out for some Botswana Baskets – some say they’re the finest craft works in Africa!
Meals: B, D
Day 17: Kwando Camp
Today is another drive of approximately 300 kilometres and about 5 hours, before reaching your next camp on the banks of the Kwando River along the border with Botswana. After settling in you can either relax or jump on one of the optional activities available here, such as a late afternoon boat trip, or a game drive in Mudumu Game Park (look out for buffalo, elephants, loads of antelope species, and zebra). You could also take a village tour, chill with another mokoro ride, or join in on a fishing trip – the locals will give you the heads up on the best spot. Just have a chat with your leader and they’ll let you know what’s what.
Meals: B, D
Day 18: Chobe National Park
Zip over to the edge of the Chobe National Park, where you’ll spend the night. The drive takes you further through the Caprivi Strip and back into Botswana. Cruise into Chobe Park on the only stretch of tarred road, before reaching your camp. The drive is approximately 250 kilometres long and will take about 5 hours. Set up camp them head out on a late afternoon boat cruise on the Chobe River. The Chobe River has a huge range of wildlife, all packed into a tiny area, making it unlike anywhere else in the world. Here you’ll get up close and personal with hippos, buffalo, crocodiles and a mind-boggling array of water birds. But elephants are the big stars here, and don't they know it. Parading around in big groups, showing off their cute babies and tearing down enormous trees limb by limb.
Meals: B, D
Day 19: Victoria Falls
This morning there'll be time to join an optional game drive in the Chobe National Park. Then it’s onto Victoria Falls this afternoon (approximately 2–3 hours). You will cross the border into Zimbabwe and arrive in the early afternoon. This afternoon you’ve gotta make your way to Vic Falls itself. The entrance fee is a bit steep, but for the Kanye West – no, the Lady Gaga of waterfalls – it’s well worth it, so make sure you’re cashed up. The sound of 19 million cubic feet of water throwing itself over a mile-long edge every minute will be music to your ears. It looks pretty sweet too.
Your leader will take you to a local activity centre where a range of activities will be on offer. We have not risk assessed all activities and only those listed in our trip notes are recommended. If you are unsure please check with your leader. It is against company policy for leaders to facilitate the booking of any activities that have not been risk assessed or do not adhere to our company’s Responsible Travel policy and ethos. This includes organising transport to and from these activities in our vehicles.
Meals: B
Day 20: Victoria Falls
In the evening take an optional sunset cruise down the Zambezi to get to know your new fellow travellers. Before that, enjoy a day of free time to take up one of many optional activities. There are many ways to take in the thundering sight and sound of the falls. This staggering curtain of water is about a mile wide, falling 108 metres into a narrow gorge below. In the wet season, the spray rises high and the falls become a torrent; in the dry season, the lack of spray gives way to a nice view of the little islets in the river below.
Meals: B
Day 21: Hwange National Park
Leave Vic Falls behind and head to Hwange National Park (approximately 5 hours, depending on traffic) via the Victoria Falls Wildlife Trust, one of The Intrepid Foundation projects. Here you can learn about the rescue and rehabilitation of wildlife, human-wildlife conflict and their role in anti-poaching. There may also be a chance to meet any rescued or orphaned wildlife currently in their care.
Then explore the stunning wildlife arena of Hwange in an open 4X4 vehicle. This National Park became the royal hunting grounds of the Ndebele warrior-king Mzilikazi in the early 19th century and was set aside as a national park in 1929. Today Hwange boasts a massive selection of wildlife, with over 100 species of mammals and nearly 400 bird species. But it's the elephants this place is famous for – here you'll find one of the largest elephant populations in Africa. At tonight's camp there is wi-fi as well as optional accommodation upgrades (subject to availability).
Meals: B, D
Day 22: Matobos National Park / Bulawayo
Make tracks for Matobos with a short detour through Bulawayo, checking out its cool colonial buildings, before heading to your camp for the next two nights. Home to a large population of black and white rhinoceros that can be tracked on foot, Matobo National Park is also the site of the grave of Cecil John Rhodes, the founder of Rhodesia and the De Beers diamond company. The Matobos area has great spiritual and cultural significance to the local people and there are many sites within the park where important ceremonies still take place. Your campground tonight has shared facilities, wi-fi access and optional upgrades.
Meals: B, D
Day 23: Matobo Hills
Today's optional activity will be something to write home about. Head to Matobo Hills and spend the morning tracking rhinos and other game animals with the help of your guide. Along the way learn about the flora in the area. After a cold lunch head to another region of the park to find old bushman paintings, see rock formations and learn some history of the area. Then it's off to nearby African villages to meet some of the local community. 
Meals: B, L, D
Day 24: Mapungubwe National Park
Get up nice and early for a day of travel. You'll cross a very busy border post, the only direct border crossing between Zimbabwe and South Africa. The drive is about 400 km long (approximately 6–8 hours). Your destination today is the Mapungubwe National Park in South Africa. This park is set hard against the northern border of South Africa, joining Zimbabwe and Bostwana. See the open, expansive savannah landscape where the Limpopo and Shashe rivers meet. Maybe sip a sundowner by the river, or visit Mpungubwe Hill and Interpretation Centre to learn about an interesting 13th-century civilisation that flourished here.
Meals: B, D
Day 25: Kruger National Park
After breakfast, set off for Kruger National Park, a world-famous national park known for the Big Five game of Africa – lion, elephant, buffalo, leopard and rhino. On top of that, it's home to some 336 kinds of trees, 49 fish species and over 500 species of bird. See how many of these you can spot on a game drive (in the group's own vehicle). Continue from your safari to your overnight camp, where there's the option of a further game drive – this time after dark.
Meals: B, D
Day 26: Kruger National Park
Wake up early for a light breakfast of coffee and rusks before embarking on a full-day game drive in the truck. Today is another full day in Kruger Park – you'll spend the day in the group vehicle, heading down to the central part of the park, for a last overnight stop. Stop at some of the designated picnic spots for a bite to eat en route to camp. Depending on the season, you might catch a saddle-billed stork with its colourful red beak, or maybe a blue waxbill. In the afternoon when it's warm, take some time out to chill out. This evening again there will be an optional night drive with the park guide.
Meals: B, D
Day 27: Johannesburg
Venture out for one last safari adventure this morning. Continue back to Johannesburg (approximately 9–10 hours). En route you will stop at the stunning Blyde River Canyon and see the Three Rondavels, that awesome trio of rock pinnacles perched above the canyon. This trip finishes on arrival in Johannesburg at the finishing point hotel.
Meals: B

Inclusions

Included

  • Loita Hills - Maasai Village Visit
  • Masai Mara National Reserve - Overland Vehicle Game drive
  • Serengeti National Park - Overland Vehicle Game Drive
  • Khama Rhino Sanctuary - 4x4 Game drive
  • Okavango Delta - Mokoro Safari & Nature Walk
  • Ngepi - Village visit
  • Hwange National Park - Game drive
  • Mapungubwe National Park - Entrance Fee
  • Kruger National Park - Overland Vehicle Game drive

  • Transport

    Overland Vehicle, 4x4, Mokoro

  • Accommodation

    Camping (with basic facilities) (4 nights), Camping (with facilities) (19 nights), Hotel (3 nights)

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