Coast to Coast - Overland Trip

Accommodation

Camping based trip

Kitty Notes

2 meals per day (on average), all accommodation & transport and some activities - contact us for full details.

Itineraries (Nairobi - Johannesburg)

Our Kenya to South Africa trip begins! We depart Nairobi early morning to begin our Africa overland travel experience and immediately find ourselves in hot savannah grasslands, with thorn trees and acacia providing the only shade. We usually see zebra and giraffe as we head south and cross the border to Tanzania. From the town of Arusha we use a local Tanzania travel safari company to guide us through Ngorongoro Crater and Serengeti National Parks. On the crater floor you can spend the day viewing the abundant wildlife including Elephant, Lion, Cheetah, White Rhino, Buffalo, Hippo, Antelope, Crocodile and Pink Flamingos. From here you can choose to go into the Serengeti where vast herds of Wildebeest roam the plains. For those who decide to view Ngorongoro only, there is a free day to visit a local Maasai Village to learn about there culture and way of life.

It\'s a one-day drive to Dar Es Salaam, a must-see on this Tanzania travel leg. We pass through a number of small towns and villages along the way and, if we are lucky, we may see the towering peak of Mt Kilimanjaro. We camp for about 4 nights in a campsite on a beautiful Indian Ocean beach. From here most people take the ferry out to Zanzibar for the full four days and venture into the narrow bustling streets of StoneTown and its exotic spice markets, old slave forts and dungeons. There is also time to indulge yourself on Zanzibar\'s famous white beaches before returning to Dar Es Salaam.

After meeting the Zanzibar ferry, the next leg of our Kenya to South Africa trip begins. We continue our Africa overland travel through the interesting and often mountainous hinterland for which the country is renowned. In the afternoon, after negotiating some appalling roads and \'in God We Trust\' drivers we pass through the peaceful Mikumi National Park. We usually see here Elephant, Giraffe, Zebra and Antelope from the roadside. Passing rivers and small waterfalls, our Tanziania travel leg ends as we enter Malawi, dominated by its huge fresh water lake.

We spend 2 days at a small laid back camp site on the edge of the lake. We follow the lake shore south and spend a further 2 or 3 nights on one of the campsites equipped for water sports. Here you can windsurf, scuba dive, etc. If you are inclined to just relax during your Africa overland travel experience, there is no better place than the shores of Lake Malawi. Here you have the opportunity to go off for a couple of days and stay in one of the many nearby villages, or visit a school or one of the craft markets where artisans produce some interesting wooden furniture and carvings. From here we continue our Kenya to South Africa trip on to Lilongwe in the south of the country where we stop for two nights. Here we organise our Mozambique visas and possibly visit the local wildlife centre - providing much needed security and shelter for some of Malawi\'s orphaned and injured wildlife !

From Lilongwe we cross into Mozambique and head for Zimbabwe. We follow the infamous \'Tete Corridor\' which was well known in the days of Mozambque\'s long running civil war as the \'Gun Run\'. Thankfully these days things are a lot different! We enter Zimbabwe and travel to Gweru.

In Gweru we camp at a privately run horse and game ranch where you can go game viewing on elephant and horseback or perhaps on a walking safari with young lion cubs! From here we drive across Mashonalandto the Great Zimbabwe Ruins. Once the greatest medieval city in Sub Saharan Africa and where the name \'Zimbabwe\' is derived, literally meaning \'house of stone\'. Next we enter Matabeleland and the town of Bulawayo.

Here you have the option of leaving the truck for a day and a night and using a local safari company to venture into Motobo National Park, where on foot, escorted by an armed ranger, you should see the elusive Black Rhino amongst hordes of other game. There is also the opportunity to visit Cecil Rhodes grave and Ancient Rock Paintings before catching an old style sleeper train (if available) to rejoin the truck at one of the adventure playgrounds of the world - Victoria Falls.

For some Mosi oa Tunya - \'The Smoke That Thunders\' is the highlight of their Africa overland travel trip. When you arrive it is a surprise to discover the enormity of Victoria Falls. One mile wide and hurling over 5 million cubic metres of water a minute into the Zambezi Gorge this is the setting for the most awesome grade 5 white water rafting in the world. There is something here for everyone from the more sedate canoe trips, Flight Of Angels or Sunset Cruises to one of the highest commercial Bungee Jumps in the world! After your adrenaline has been spent we head into Botswana.

Although only a short drive away, once in Botswana you will easily notice quite a contrast in the terrain and vegetation from what we have seen so far in this Kenya to South Africa trip. The arid Kalahari with it\'s expansive freedom, night sky ablaze with shooting stars and the warm glow of our campfire make it an unforgettable camping experience. We spend the first night in Chobe National Park famous for its hordes of elephants as well as an abundance of other wildlife. There is the opportunity to take a cruise on the Chobe River - a less intrusive way to view the amazing wildlife in this park.

We then organise our 2 day trip into the Okavango Delta (optional). You have the chance to go on a Mokoro (dug out canoe) and explore the extensive waterways of this unique desert wetland. You will also have the opportunity to take several game walks in this huge oasis. Elephant, crocodile and hippo are nearly always seen. The Okavango Delta is the worlds largest inland water way and its serenity and quietness seems to have a calming effect on those that experience it.

Heading west we travel on to Namibia and continue north-west toward Etosha National Park, recognised as one of the worlds greatest wildlife viewing areas. We game watch by night at one of the floodlit watering holes, hoping to see some of the wide variety of wildlife that inhabits this amazing park. From Etosha we visit a local Cheetah park before continuing on to the Brandenberg Mountains in Demaraland and the Skeleton Coast. We then visit either the stunning Spitzkoppe Rock formations or the world famous Cape Cross Seal Colony and the sight of thousands of these mammals as well as their accompanying pungent odour is remembered by all! For the next three days we are based in Swakopmund. From here there are a variety of activities and excursions. You can spend a day deep sea fishing for shark and other game fish or head out to the desert and try quad biking and dune sledding. You can also go horse riding or take a flight over the desert and it\'s dramatic coastline. In Swakopmund itself you can walk along miles of deserted beaches, visit the museum or relax in a café.

A one day drive takes us to the Namib-Naukluft Park, a vast expanse of desert which contains some of the highest sand dunes in the world. At Sossusvlei we stop and explore the area and the dunes. Continuing South we enter the semi desert, and wide open countryside of cattle ranching, until we arrive at one of Africa\'s most sensational natural features, Fish River Canyon. We camp next to this massive gorge, where you can soak up the sun and fabulous scenery.

Days 50 - 54 A couple of hours drive away we cross the Orange River, a rich source of diamonds, and into South Africa. We travel south through the Cederburg Wilderness area to Stellenbosch visiting one of the historical Cape Wineries before arriving at the vibrant, cosmopolitan city of Cape Town. Here, we stay at a comfortable backpacker\'s lodge.

Those on the 54 Day trip finish here in Cape Town

Days 55 - 58 There is plenty to here in Cape Town and we spend three days here to experience some of them. From taking a cable car up Table Mountain to abseiling down it, shark diving (in cages), a day trip to Robben Island, Whale watching, winery tours, great shopping and nightlife plus a whole lot more!!

We then head for the most southern tip of Africa at Cape Agulhas. Here the warm Indian Ocean and the cooler Atlantic Ocean meet, and from August to November Southern Right and Humpback Whales maybe spotted along the coast. From Cape Agulhas we travel inland and camp for the first night close to the picturesque town of Swellendam, one of South Africa\'s oldest settlements with tree lines streets and white washed Cape Dutch homesteads.

Then its through the Outeniqua Mountains to the Little Karoo. We visit the Cango Caves recognised as amongst the worlds finest network of Calcite caves. We also visit an Ostrich farm to learn more about the worlds largest bird. 97% of the worlds population of Ostrichs lives in the Karoo and here we will have the opportunity to ride one!

We then spend two days winding our way along South Africa\'s famous Garden Route and there is a wealth of things to see and do. We travel through the popular resort of Knysna, located on a tranquil lagoon. We visit the Tsitsikamma Forest, where you will be able to hike along the coast and view the crashing waves at the mouth of the scenic Storms River, and maybe spot dolphins and whales in the ocean. Optional excursions in this region include mountain biking, black water tubing, and the mother of all bungee jumps at Bloakrans Bridge - the biggest jump in the world at 216 metres.

From the Garden Route we continue along the coast and stop at South Africa\'s surfing mecca, Jeffrey\'s Bay, home to the international surfing championships and world renowned supertubes. In the afternoon we reach Addo Elephant National Park which has recently been extended to include part of the coast and is now home to the BIG 7 - lion, rhino, elephant, leopard, buffalo, whale and shark! On our game drive we hope to spot some of the many elephant that the park is famous for, which are the most southerly population in Africa.
We then drive to the beautiful and remote Wildcoast, an area of rolling grasslands stretching from East London to KwaZulu Natal. Once a former black homeland during the days of Apartheid, the inhabitants are mainly Xhosa people who herd their goats and cattle across the endless pastureland and live in rural settlements of brightly painted kraals. Previously neglected by tourism, it is isolated and wild with great coastal scenery and swathes of long empty beaches. We enjoy 2 nights next to the Indian Ocean, and lazily explore the shell strewn beaches, lagoons and forests.

From the Wild Coast we have a day\'s drive north and out of South Africa into the mountain kingdom of Lesotho. Often referred to as \'the kingdom in the sky\'. The scenery here is tremendous and the mountain air crisp and fresh and we will see Lesotho\'s horsemen dressed in their blankets and gumboots trotting around the hillsides. We spend two nights at Malealea Lodge, Lesotho\'s most famous countryside retreat tucked up high in the mountains. Here there are isolated waterfalls, cool rock pools ideal for swimming, and peaceful hikes in the surrounding hills. This is also a great place to try pony trekking, even if you have never been on a horse before, the best way to enjoy the scenery is from a sure footed Lesotho pony.

Today we drive through the lowlands of Lesotho and visit Thabo Bosiu with a local guide (time & weather permitting). This mountain stonghold was the home of Chief Moshoeshoe, the founder of the Basotho nation. We continue through Lesotho\'s tiny capital Maseru, and re-enter South Africa near Fouriesburg. We spend the night camping in the Golden Gate National Park on the edge of the Drakensburg Mountains. This is an area of massive sandstone rock formations and the park gets its name from the golden rocks that are illuminated to their best at sunset.

Continuing into KwaZulu Natal we enter the Drakensburg Mountains where we spend the next couple of days exploring the Royal Natal National Park, a dramatic region of the Drakensburg beneath the famous Amphitheatre - a massive wall of rock with over 4kms of sheer cliff face. Here you will have the opportunity to climb to the Tugela Falls, a hike that includes an ascent by chain ladder, to view the Tugela River as it plunges over the edge of the amphitheatre wall dropping some 800 metres below. The Drakensburg Mountains are known by the Zulu as the \'barrier of spears, and are today a UNESCO world heritage sight for their outstanding natural beauty.

We arrive in Johannesburg in the afternoon and spend our final night in a backpackers lodge. Jo\'burg was built on the gold rush, and has grown into one of the wealthiest cities in the world. There is plenty to do and see in Jo\'burg. A \'must do\' activity is a tour of Soweto, where in this sprawling township, modern African culture is at its most vibrant and intense and you can visit one of the local shabeens (pubs), talk to local families and drop into the former home of Nelson Mandela. You can also visit the powerful apartheid museum, take a tour down a 700ft goldmine at Gold Reef City or visit South African breweries.

There is also the option to take a 3 day safari into the Kruger National Park , it covers about 24,000 sq km, larger than some countries, with a huge variety of bird, mammal, reptile and amphibian species as well as the BIG 5 - leopard, lion, elephant, buffalo and rhino. We explore on game drives during the day and camp at the park\'s rest camps where there is the opportunity to join an optional night game drive with the Kruger\'s rangers with a spot light to view the shyer nocturnal creatures. If you are lucky you may spot leopard! Most meals, all accomodation, transport and entrance fees are included in the price.