Trans Africa - Overland Trip

Accommodation

Camping based trip

Kitty Notes

The Local Payment is part of your overall trip price and is used for various costs that cannot be pre-paid from the UK. These include camping fees, transport and some meals. Please contact us for full details

Itineraries (UK - Nairobi)

Our journey begins with a flight from London to Gibraltar where our Oasis expedition vehicle meets us. From here we cross by ferry to Ceuta on the North African Coast. In Morocco we visit Chechaouen in the Riff Mountains, the Roman City of Volubillis and the ancient fortress cities of Fez and Rabat. Next we head to Todra Gorge, massive red cliffs rising a thousand feet on each side of a sandy river. After a night in a traditional inn, we cross the Sarhro Mountains and follow the Draa Valley past hundreds of scattered kasbahs until we reach Marrakech. The main square here comes alive at night with food stalls, story-tellers and snake charmers. We now trek south following the rugged Atlantic coastline towards Mauritania and the Sahara Desert.

Mauritania reveals the remoteness and unrelenting heat of the desert. We have now left civilization behind and we drive off-road for hundreds of miles, occasionally having to dig the truck out of very soft sand and lay sand ladders. We pass through the Parc d\'Arguin, renowned for its bird and sea-life and from Nouakchott we head inland towards Mali. As we get into the Sahel, scrublands, scattered villages, goats, cattle and hardy chickens are part of the road scenery. Bamako, Mali\'s capital, is a welcome change with its lively bars, cold beers and fresh fruit and vegetable markets.

Following the Niger river we visit the old mud built towns of Mopti and Djenne. On the remote Bandiagara Escarpment we hike out to visit the Dogon Villages which are situated along the cliffs. One of the most fascinating areas of Africa, the Dogon were some of the few tribes who resisted the spread of Islam when its missionaries and forces swept across North and West Africa a thousand years ago. They still maintain most of their traditional religious beliefs. Passing through the friendly country of Burkina Faso we will have time to enjoy some of the best music in West Africa. Ghana brings another change in people and culture and we spend a night in Mole National Park, famous for its elephants. We camp near the capital, Accra, for a few days and relax on its palm-fringed coastline.

Travelling through Togo and Benin doesn\'t take long as they are only 50 miles wide. You can visit a voodoo fetish market in Togo and Ganvie village, built on bamboo stilts on Lake Nakoue in Benin. Next we enter Nigeria, Africa\'s most populous country with well over 100 million people. Continuing through mountains and lush jungle we reach Cameroun where you can climb Mount Cameroun or just relax on the beach.

Leaving the Cameroon coast we travel inland and south on rugged roads before taking the ferry across the Ntem River into Gabon, a country that consists mostly of Tropical Rainforest. We visit the capital city Libreville to visit some of the laid back local beaches and try some of the many restaurants that serve African cuisine. The next town we come to is Lambarene. Situated on an island in the middle of the Ogooue River, Lambarene’s claim to fame is it’s hospital built in 1913 by the Nobel Peace Prize laureate Albert Schweitzer. From here we continue south toward Congo.

One of the main highlights for most people who visit Congo is the friendliness of the people. Ponte Noire’s beaches are a great place to relax and meet local people and while in Ponte Noire we also visit the Jane Goodall Chimpanzee Sanctuary. From here it is only 40 kms south to the border of Cabinda. This is a small oil rich province of Angola, only 150 kms wide, whose recent history has been largely influenced by western oil companies.

From Cabinda we drive into the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The roads here will probably be the worst we will encounter on the whole trip. However, amazing sites such as the 10 km wide mouth of the Congo river as it enters the sea, and charming towns with names like Banana and Songololo make this an interesting and unique experience. We will only be in DRC for a few days before entering Angola proper. Still recovering from over two decades of civil war, Angola is one of the poorest countries in Africa. We travel slowly south to Luanda the capital, passing through many small towns and villages. We also visit Parque Nacional Da Quicama, old Portuguese Forts, waterfalls, deserted beaches and lots of friendly people. After the southern town of Lubango we head to the Namibian border.

Crossing into Namibia we pass through Ondangwa, one of the main suppliers of beer and supplies to Northern Namibia – hopefully there will be enough left for us!!!! Heading west into the Kaokoveld, we enter one of Africa’s lesser visited areas. We may be fortunate enough to see one of 30 remaining desert elephants who have adapted to the harsh arid conditions of this area in search of the underground water reserves. The Kaokoveld is also home to the Himba people – a tribe of nomadic pastoralists who to this day have shunned the advances of the modern world to keep with their tradition of leading nomadic lifestyles. We hope to visit a local Himba village to allow us a greater understanding into one of Africa’s most visually unique people. From here we head south east into Botswana and cross the centre of the Kalahari Desert, home of the San Bushmen where we will spot various buck and wild ostrich as well as enjoy camping out in the freedom of the vast desert.

Our first stop in South Africa is the diamond town of Kimberly where you have the opportunity to take a trip almost 1km down an operating modern Diamond Mine. Further south we visit Addo National Park, home to the big five. We continue heading towards the Outeniqua Mountains to the Little Karoo. We visit an Ostrich farm to learn more about the world’s largest bird, as well as have the opportunity to ride one! We spend the following couple of days winding our way along South Africa’s famous Garden Route. Optional excursions in this region include mountain biking, ziplining and the mother of all bungee jumps at Bloakrans Bridge - the biggest in the world at 216 metres. The Southern most tip of Africa is at Cape Agulhas from where it is a short drive to the vibrant city of Cape Town. There is plenty to do in and around Cape Town, from climbing Table Mountain to abseiling down it, shark diving, great shopping and nightlife, tours to Robben Island, the list goes on!

Those on the 23 week expedition to Cape Town finish here.

Heading north back into Namibia, we reach one of Africa\'s most sensational natural features, Fish River Canyon, where you can hike along the canyon rim. The Namib-Naukluft Park is a vast expanse of desert containing some of the highest sand dunes in the world. Our next stop is the adrenaline fuelled atmosphere of Swakopmund where you can go quad biking, dune sledding, deep sea fishing, sky diving, horse riding or a desert flight. We also visit the world famous Cape Cross Seal Colony at Skeleton Coast, a local cheetah park and Etosha National Park. Etosha is recognised as one of the world\'s greatest wildlife viewing areas and here we can also game watch by night at one of the floodlit watering holes. We then begin our journey inland towards the edges of the Kalahari in Botswana and on to the Okavango Delta. From here you will have the chance to experience an over flight – one of the best ways to spot herds of wildlife which otherwise may seem elusive in the vast extensive waterways of this unique desert wetland.

Our next stop is the Chobe National Park where it is possible to take a cruise on the Chobe River - a less intrusive way to view wildlife, particularly the hordes of elephants. Leaving behind the arid landscapes of Botswana we arrive in one of the adventure playgrounds of the world - Victoria Falls. There is something here for everyone, from grade 5 white water rafting and canoe trips, the Flight of Angels or a Sunset Cruise, or even daring the world’s 2nd highest commercial Bungee Jump, plus jet boating, gorge swings, abseiling and a whole lot more!
Near Bulawayo is Matopos National Park, where you have the opportunity to see the elusive Black Rhino. We arrive in Gweru and stay at a privately run horse and game ranch, where you can go game viewing on elephant and horseback or go walking with lion cubs - always a big highlight! From Gweru we then travel to the Great Zimbabwe Ruins, once the greatest medieval city in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Crossing Mozambique, we enter Malawi, where we follow the shores of Lake Malawi. We spend several days at small laid back campsites on the edge of the lake where most people choose to relax on the sandy beaches or try their hand at snorkelling or windsurfing.
Passing rivers & lush mountains we enter Tanzania’s hinterland where we pass through the peaceful national park of Mikumi. From Dar es Salaam most people take the ferry out to Zanzibar for four days and venture into the narrow bustling streets of Stone Town and its exotic spice markets, old slave forts and dungeons. There is also time to relax on Zanzibar\'s famous white beaches, try scuba diving & snorkelling or swim with dolphins! Further north we reach Arusha where we use a local safari company to guide us through the massive extinct volcano which is Ngorongoro Crater. On the crater floor you can spend the day viewing wildlife including Elephant, Lion, Cheetah, White Rhino, Hippo, Antelope, Crocodile and Pink Flamingos. You can also choose to go into the Serengeti where vast herds of Wildebeest roam the plains. From here we travel to the Virunga Mountains in Rwanda, home of the Mountain Gorillas and where you can trek to see these amazing creatures (if we are unable to do the gorilla trek in Rwanda, we will do so in Uganda).

We journey to Uganda and Kampala, the capital where we have a free day to spend in local cafes and nightspots. There is also the opportunity to spend the day visiting a local Chimpanzee Sanctuary on one of the islands on Lake Victoria. Next we camp near Jinja, the source of the Nile. This is a spectacular area, and with one kilometre of raging water below Bujagali Falls, a superb place to go whitewater rafting. On entering Kenya, our first stop is Lake Naivasha and we camp near the lakeshore where Hippos sometimes feed at night! Here you can walk to Elsamere, the house of Joy Adamson of Elsa the Lion and Born Free fame or cycle through Hells Gate National Park. Travelling through hills covered in tea plantations, we arrive at Lake Nakuru National Park, home to almost a million Pink flamingos. It is then only a short drive to Nairobi and journeys end for those on our 33 week expedition.

Those on the 40 week expedition continue to Cairo