The Big Overlander

Nairobi - Masai Mara. We depart the Kenyan capital this morning and travel overland across the dramatic Great Rift Valley. Arriving at our camp on the edge of the Masai Mara Reserve, we will have time for an afternoon game drive in search of wildlife. In the Masai Mara we will use specialized safari vehicles instead of our overland truck, for a better game-viewing experience.

Please note: The pre-departure meeting is held at 18:00 on the evening prior to departure. The tour departs at 08:00 on Day 1 so please arrive in Nairobi the day before your tour. Refer to the Joining Instructions in the Trip Notes for more information. We can book accommodation and transfers on request.

Today we continue exploring the Masai Mara with morning and afternoon game drives. Forming part of the Serengeti ecosystem and adjacent to Tanzania's Serengeti National Park, the Masai Mara is perhaps Africa's most iconic wild place. Home to the Great Migration, it is possible to see millions of wildebeest, antelope, and zebra crossing the plains throughout the year, tracked all the way by the lions, leopards, and cheetahs which feed on them. Crocodiles wait for an easy meal as the herds cross the Mara River, and scavengers such as hyenas clear up the remains of any kills. With plenty of included game drives, you'll have a great chance at spotting many of these species, as well as elephants, buffalo, giraffe and more.

Masai Mara - Nairobi. Departing the Mara we return to Nairobi for our last night in Kenya. We recommend heading into the city to enjoy a meal at the famed Carnivore restaurant!

Nairobi - Arusha (Tanzania). Say goodbye to Kenya as we board our overland truck and cross into neighbouring Tanzania. Our destination is the country's safari capital of Arusha, located near the Serengeti and in the shadow of Mount Meru. We'll browse the local markets before arriving at our camp for the night. There may also be time to visit a Maasai village.

Arusha - Serengeti National Park. Once again, we transfer to smaller, specialized safari vehicles for our excursion into the Serengeti National Park. Much larger than the Masai Mara, the Serengeti National Park is home to all of the Big Five (lion, leopard, elephant, rhino, buffalo) and is sure to yield incredible wildlife experiences. Driving around the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater (we'll be back here later in the tour!), we game drive to our unfenced bush campsite, for a night spent camping and listening to the sounds of the African wild.

Serengeti National Park - Ngorongoro Crater - Arusha. Day 6 sees us game-driving back out of the Serengeti and into the nearby Ngorongoro Conservation Area. This UNESCO-listed site is dominated by the Ngorongoro Crater, Africa's largest caldera. It is also home to some of the highest densities of wildlife on the entire continent. Descending to the crater floor, we'll enjoy incredible views of the surrounding walls, as well as searching for wildlife. We spend the night camping on the rim of the crater.

On day 7 we enjoy a final game drive in the crater, returning to the camp for lunch. It's then time to pack up as we return to Arusha.

Arusha - Bagamoyo. After a week of safari, it's time for some downtime! We head first to the port city of Bagamoyo, which is located on the Indian Ocean coast. It's a long drive, but we will be afforded views of snow-capped Mount Kilimanjaro if the weather is clear. Our campsite for the night is near the beach, and you are more than welcome to head out to explore.

Bagamoyo - Dar es Salaam. We continue our journey down the Tanzanian coast to Dar es Salaam, the country's most important port. It's a relatively short drive of just 2 - 3 hours, and there should be time for you to head into the city independently. There is a wealth of Arab architecture to admire, as well as a selection of vibrant markets, great beaches, and bars. Tonight we are camping on the beach before our trip to Zanzibar tomorrow.

Dar es Salaam - Zanzibar. On the morning of day 10 we board the ferry to Zanzibar, a tropical, semi-autonomous island off the coast of the Tanzanian mainland. Our overland truck will remain in Dar es Salaam.

Our time in Zanzibar is not structured, and there is plenty of time for you to unwind on the beach with a good book or embark on optional excursions such as a spice tour, snorkelling, scuba diving or enjoying a relaxing massage. See the Trip Notes for details.

As a general rule, we will spend one day in the old part of Zanzibar City, known as Stone Town. Then we will head to the northern beaches for two further days of sun, sea and sand. In Zanzibar we will stay in standard hotels, instead of camping.

Zanzibar - Dar es Salaam. There's time for a final swim this morning before we check out after breakfast and catch the ferry back to the mainland. We're camping by the coast again tonight, and you'll be able to head back into Dar if you choose.

Dar es Salaam - Mikumi National Park. Climb aboard our overland truck once more as we make our way back inland, heading for the Malawian border. Today we are driving through Mikumi National Park, and will stop if we see any exotic wildlife, such as a forest elephant, or herd of giraffes. Our campsite tonight is on the edge of the reserve, and you can opt for an extra game drive if you haven't had your safari fill yet! We'll also enjoy drinks at the local bar before an evening around the campfire.

Mikumi National Park - Iringa. Today's drive takes us through the spectacular Southern Highlands of Tanzania. We'll be staying at a local family-run farm around 50km from Iringa. The farm has been managed by the Ghaui family for more than 70 years and produces organic crops and meat for the local community and Dar es Salaam. It's a well-known camping spot on the way to Malawi.

Iringa - Chitimba Beach, Lake Malawi (Malawi). Departing Tanzania, we cross into our third country, Malawi. Dominated by Lake Malawi, this body of water covers around 20% of the country and is crucial for the livelihoods of the Malawian people. It is here that we are heading. We spend the first two nights at Chitimba Beach, with free time to visit the local markets, play beach games or simply watch the local fishermen paddle their traditional Bwato canoes on the lake.

There is an optional 11km hike on day 17 to visit Manchewe Falls. You'll enjoy amazing views of this waterfall and a relaxing dip in a natural bath.

Chitimba Beach, Lake Malawi - Mzuzu - Kande Beach, Lake Malawi. Lake Malawi is too much of a highlight for us to only visit one location along its never-ending shore! Our next destination is Kande Beach, which we reach by driving around 240km through rubber plantations, stopping to reload our supplies in the town of Mzuzu.

The rest of today and all of day 19 are at leisure. Optional activities include horse riding, a visit to a Malawian village, and freshwater scuba diving. Lake Malawi is home to several fish species found nowhere else in the world!

Kande Beach, Lake Malawi - Chipata (Zambia). Today sees us heading toward the Zambian border. After the customs formalities, we head to our campsite in the border town of Chipata, the main landmark of which is a colourful welcome arch. There is also a large Indian community in Chipata, and a number of architecturally impressive mosques.

Chipata - Lusaka. It's an early start today as we have a long drive to the Zambian capital, Lusaka. The scenery en route is stunning though: we'll take the Great Eastern Road, passing through lush countryside and crossing the rushing Luangwa River. Our campsite is at a tranquil farm outside Lusaka, which is Southern Africa's fastest-growing city.

Lusaka - Livingstone. On day 22 we drive south to Livingstone. Named after famed explorer David Livingstone, this is the Zambian base for exploring Victoria Falls, one of the African continent's finest natural wonders. There is an included visit to the falls, which are also known as Mosi oa Tunya - the ‘Smoke that Thunders’.

The next three days are kept completely free for you to do as little or as much as you like. Livingstone is an adrenalin junkie's paradise, with all manner of optional activities available. You could go bungee jumping, canoeing or rafting on the Zambezi River, take a scenic flight over the falls, or enjoy a fishing trip. Or you can sit by the pool and relax! See the Trip Notes for more details.

Please note: Some travellers may be finishing their tour in Livingstone, and others may be joining for the Southern African section of our journey.

Livingstone - Chobe National Park (Botswana). Say goodbye to Zambia as we cross into Botswana today and make the short journey to Kasane, gateway to Chobe National Park. Botswana's premier game reserve is home to all of the Big Five as well as abundant bird life, including the rare African Fish Eagle. This afternoon we enjoy a cruise on the Chobe River, hoping to see elephants, hippos, and crocodiles on the river banks.

Chobe National Park - Nata. This morning we enjoy an open vehicle game drive in Chobe National Park, where we hope to spot not only elephants that are so prolific in the park, but also lion and different antelope species.

Bidding farewell to Chobe, we travel south into the Nata region of Botswana. We're likely to spot species such as buffalo as we drive through this sparsely populated region. Our campsite tonight is unfenced, meaning local wildlife is free to wander through camp - our groups often enjoy some of their best wildlife experiences here.

Nata - Maun. Today sees us travelling to Maun, our base for exploring the famed Okavango Delta. If time allows, there is the opportunity for you to take a scenic flight over the delta - if we haven't got time today then this opportunity will be offered on day 30 instead.

Maun - Okavango Delta - Maun. On day 29 we enjoy our overnight excursion in specialized safari vehicles into the Okavango Delta. The delta is a natural wetland spread out over more than 1.6 million hectares, home to an incredible diversity of life. Reaching the mokoro polers station, we transfer to these traditional canoes and paddle along the waterways of the delta to our campsite, which is located in the delta itself.

Day 30 sees us enjoying another mokoro ride back out of the delta before returning to Maun, where there is time for the optional scenic flight if we didn't have time for this on day 28.

Maun - Gobabis (Namibia). Boarding our overland truck, we travel to the Namibian border via Ghanzi, skirting the edge of the barren Kalahari Desert. Having crossed the border, we reach our campsite, and there is an included bush walk with the local San Bushmen, during which we can learn about the way of life for this ancient tribe and discover how they work with, rather than against nature - something we can all learn from! Please note this activity may take place on day 32 instead, depending on our arrival time.

Gobabis - Windhoek. Today we arrive in Namibia's charming capital. Windhoek is a tiny capital by global standards, with a population of just 470,000 people. It has lots of German architecture, a reminder of Namibia's early colonial past. Our camp is located on the edge of the city, and it is easy to head in to grab a bite to eat and have a wander around if you wish. We recommend a drink at Joe's Beerhouse, perhaps the most famous restaurant in Namibia. Please note that some group members may be starting their tour in Windhoek.

Windhoek - Etosha National Park. The next two days will be spent exploring Namibia's iconic Etosha National Park. This 20,000 square kilometre reserve is dominated by a salt pan, which floods seasonally but is also home to a select few watering holes all year round. Wildlife is easy to spot as the animals tend to gather around these scarce water sources.

We spend two nights in the park, and our itinerary is flexible depending on the conditions and the location of wildlife. We'll generally enjoy a short game drive on day 33 before spending our first night at a camp with a floodlit watering hole. Here you may be lucky enough to spot elephants, giraffe, hyenas and even lions.

Day 34 is spent on a full day's game drive across the park, stopping whenever we see anything of interest. We will either return to our first campsite, or perhaps a different one, depending on your tour leader's decision.

Etosha National Park - Spitzkoppe. Leaving Etosha, we head into the Damaraland region and our destination - Spitzkoppe. At this mountain peak, you can see incredibly well-preserved bushmen paintings and spectacular rock formations reaching 1800 metres above sea level. As the sun moves across the sky, the rocks change colour, a sight that is particularly beautiful at sunrise and sunset. We'll be staying at a campsite at the base of the mountain, so you can enjoy this sunset with a refreshing drink.

Spitzkoppe - Swakopmund. On day 36 we drive to Swakopmund, a German colonial town located on Namibia's famous Skeleton Coast. We'll be staying in simple dormitory accommodation in Swakopmund, rather than camping.

The rest of day 36 and the following day are free for you to explore Swakopmund as you see fit. Wander around the town and indulge in the relaxed cafe culture and German colonial architecture. There are also lots of optional activities available including quad-biking, sand boarding, skydiving, and dolphin-watching cruises. See the Trip Notes for further details.

Swakopmund - Namib-Naukluft National Park. Heading south, we journey through Namib-Naukluft National Park, which protects large swathes of the Namib Desert. We'll stop for a photo at the Tropic of Capricorn before arriving at our desert campsite in the Khomas region.

This morning we head back into Namib-Naukluft National Park, arriving at the desert's most famous landmark - Dune 45. This towering sand dune is more than 300 metres high - you are welcome to try to climb the dune if you are up to it!

Journeying deeper into the park, we arrive at Deadvlei, a white clay pan surrounded by the rolling golden dunes and home to eerie petrified trees. You'll want to remember your camera as the area changes colour with the movement of the sun across the sky. En route to our camp for the night, we also make a stop at Sesriem Canyon.

Namib-Naukluft National Park - Fish River Canyon. If you thought Sesriem Canyon was impressive, you're in for a treat today! It's a long drive south through desert scenery to reach Fish River Canyon, second only in size to the Grand Canyon in the USA. More than 500 metres deep and scarring the land for 160km, it's a jaw-dropping sight to behold. We'll stop at a couple of viewpoints and visit the canyon's famously sharp bend, known as 'Hell's Corner'.

Fish River Canyon - Orange River. Travelling south we reach the Orange River, also known as the Gariep. For much of its length, the Orange River marks the border between Namibia and South Africa. Our campsite is located on the Namibian side, and there is an optional canoe safari for those who want to see some of the surrounding scenery.

Orange River - Cederberg (South Africa). Crossing the border this morning we enter the seventh and final country of our adventure: South Africa. Driving south through the Namaqualand region, we will be treated to the sight of beautiful wildflowers if travelling in spring (August - September). Arriving at our riverside campsite, there is optional wine tasting for those who wish to try some of the Cederberg region's fine wines.

Cederberg - Cape Town. Today we complete our six-week journey to Cape Town, South Africa's 'Mother City', where our tour comes to an end.

Home to Table Mountain, the V&A Waterfront, and some of the world's most spectacular scenery, we strongly recommend booking post-tour accommodation to further explore this iconic city. We can arrange this accommodation for you.