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Journey through East Africa and discover beautiful national parks teeming with a spectacular array of African wildlife. We take in the beautiful beaches of Zanzibar and the fun-filled overland campsites by Lake Malawi. You’ll trek to discover the rare Mountain Gorilla in its natural habitat, and have the chance to try your luck at adventure sports to die for! Discover what real adventure feels like on this awesome expedition.

Day 1 to 4
Livingstone

Day 1 is simply an arrival day with no pre-organised activities, so you will have free time to relax and see some of the sights. Livingstone is Zambia’s adrenaline capital and adventure playground, named after the famous Scottish explorer David Livingstone. The pretty colonial town is our base to visit Victoria Falls just 10 kilometres south, one of the seven natural wonders of the world. Twice as high as Niagara Falls and several times longer, Victoria Falls are a 1,700 metre-wide water sheet crashing 110 metres into the Zambezi River below. Known to the Mosi-oa-Tunya people as ‘the smoke that thunders’, the falls are so impressive that even the first European visitor David Livingstone himself wrote “it had never been seen before by European eyes; but scenes so lovely must have been gazed upon by angels in their flight”, before he named them in honour of his monarch, Queen Victoria. 

One of the most popular adventure activities  you can enjoy here is white water rafting on the lower Zambezi River, which has a series of 23 rapids all graded 3 to 5 depending on the time of year and the water level – please note that this is definitely not for the faint-hearted! Other popular activities include bungy jumping, river boarding, jet boating, canoeing or try sitting in the famous Devil's Armchair. You can also take a helicopter ride and admire the raging falls from above.

Please note: All of the activities on the river, including the Devil's Armchair, are subject to the level of the river and may not be available. The Zambezi rafting season is between the beginning of June and the end of January with the best months between August and November. The river usually closes around the end of January or beginning of February and does not reopen until towards the end May.

Day 5 to 8
Lusaka - South Luangwa National Park

We stop off at Lusaka, Zambia’s bustling capital and then continue on to world renowned wildlife haven South Luangwa National Park, one of the finest animal sanctuaries in the world, famous for its concentration and diversity of wildlife.  As you explore the 9050 km² park you may see large herds of elephants, abundant hippopotami and numerous crocodiles along the banks of the Luangwa River. Thornicraft's giraffe and Crawshay's zebra are both unique to the park. You may also see herds of wildebeest and some of the 14 species of antelope resident in the park, including impala, puku, waterbucks and bushbucks. Numerous lion prides roam savannah, while leopards are present but are shy of vehicles and difficult to spot. Other carnivores such as wild dogs, caracals and side striped jackals can be seen from time to time. You may also see baboons and vervet monkeys, although it is harder to find nocturnal species like the bushbaby and night ape. There are over 400 species of birds in the park, including 47 migratory species and 39 birds of prey.

Day 9 to 12
Lilongwe - Kande

Next we spend one night in Lilongwe, the capital of Malawi. In your free time you can go shopping at some of the many craft markets and souvenir shops or catch up on emails. Malawi’s people are renowned for their friendliness and the country is often referred to as ‘the warm heart of Africa’.

Lake Malawi comprises of almost one third of the country’s land mass. It is a fresh water lake, about 560 km long and 75 km wide at its widest point, with a total area of approximately 29,600 km². Kande Beach is one of the many beautiful beaches situated on the shores of Lake Malawi. There is a lively atmosphere here and with Kande Beach being one of the big overland havens, you will be in for a party or two! You have two full days to relax in the sun or go diving, snorkelling, swimming and horse riding. You can also visit nearby local villages and markets famous for their woodcarvings.

Day 13 to 15
Chitimba – Iringa

Heading away from Kande Beach, we drive up and over the Viphya Mountains, admiring beautiful views along the way. We have a couple of nights at a small but lively lakeside camp called Chitimba beach. Here you can choose to go on a range of fun optional excursions, such as abseiling and hiking in the mountains to the beautiful town of Livingstonia. We also include a guided visit to a local village where you can enjoy the friendly welcome of local people.

We then take to the open road once again and travelling north we leave Lake Malawi behind and enter Tanzania. Heading east towards the coast we pass through the large Sao Hill pine forests before settling in for the night near the town of Iringa. The next day we pass through Mikumi National Park, where it is possible to see elephant, giraffe, zebra and antelope from the roadside.

Day 16 to 22
Dar es Salaam & Zanzibar Island

We now head to the big, noisy, bustling port of Dar es Salaam on the Indian Ocean. Dar es Salaam is our gateway to the exotic island of Zanzibar where we will spend several days exploring Zanzibar. Known as the ‘Spice Island', Zanzibar is famous for spices and produce, and supposedly boasts the sweetest pineapple in the world! In the nineteenth century it was one of the most important trading centres in the Indian Ocean region. We travel to the island by fast ferry which takes around 2.5 to 3.5 hours depending on what boat we catch, and will spend our days here in Stone Town and also at some of the islands beaches on the Northern or eastern side of the island.

Stone Town is an old city and the cultural heart of Zanzibar; little has changed here over the last 200 years. It boasts a labyrinth of walled streets, winding alleys, bustling mosques and grand Arab architecture. You can spend many idle hours simply wandering the streets, shopping at the bazaars and admiring the intriguing elephant-proof doors. Or sit and watch the sun set over a cold beer and a sumptuous seafood feast. If food is your thing, make sure you also check out the brilliant night market which serves traditional local fare. Females should note that Stone Town has a high Muslim population so remember to cover up and bring appropriate clothing.

To the north and east of Zanzibar Island lie the island's beautiful, isolated beaches with sparkling blue ocean and golden sand fringed with palm trees. There are plenty of options for you at the beaches: relax and take it easy, indulge with a massage, go diving, snorkelling or swimming with dolphins. After around four days in this paradise, we will depart in the morning and head back to Dar es Salaam for one more night.

Day 23 to 27
Arusha / Ngorongoro Crater / Serengeti National Park

Leaving Dar es Salaam behind we travel north stopping for a night at the base of the Usumbara Mountains before making our way to two of the most famous sights in Africa: the Ngorongoro Crater and the Serengeti National Park.

Arusha is a busy, bustling town with email, coffee shops, banks and many other modern amenities, and will be our base for several days. During your stay you will have the option to visit the famous Ngorongoro crater and/or the Serengeti National Park. Both excursions are with local operators in 4WD vehicles.

The Ngorongoro Volcano, before it exploded and collapsed 2 millions years ago, was one of the world's tallest mountains. Today, the crater is one of the most stunning natural wonders in the world, and is approximately 610m deep with an enclosed area of about 260km2. There is a soda lake with flamingos as well as open plains and forest areas. Because the sides of the crater are very steep, the area has become a natural enclosure for a wide variety of wildlife which can be seen in their natural habitats. You’ll have the opportunity to get very close to the game here for photos as there are few places for them to hide.

You can choose to do the two day crater only trip with one night camping and then enjoy a couple of free days back in Arusha or go on the three day two night Serengeti and crater trip where you will spend two nights camping, one of which is spent inside the Serengeti National Park, one of the most famous in Africa. Surrounded by the sights and sounds of wild, rugged Africa, you might spot teeming herds of wildebeest, antelopes, zebra, buffalo and big cats such as lion and cheetah. If you are lucky enough to be in the park around the time of the largest mammal migration in the world, that of the Serengeti wildebeest, you’ll see the 1.5 million-strong herd migrating to follow the African rainy season - a truly unbelievable, magical sight.

Day 28 to 29
Nairobi

Leaving Arusha, we cross the border to Kenya and head to Nairobi, the capital of Kenya and the gateway to East Arica. You have a free day here to enjoy the busy city life that Nairobi has to offer. Just on the outskirts of the city you have the chance to visit Daphine Sheldriks elephant orphanage as well as a giraffe centre. The Nairobi museum is also worth a look as well.

Day 30 to 31
Lake Nakuru National Park

In the morning we depart for Nakuru which lends its name to both the lake and the national park that surrounds it. Driving across the top of the Great Rift Valley we admire the spectacular views along the way before dropping down into the valley itself. The Great Rift Valley stretches around 5000km from Lebanon to Mozambique but this is the best place along its entire length to view it.
We arrive in the afternoon with time for you to explore the town and visit the local craft market.
 
The following morning you can take a full day game drive in minivans to view more wildlife than your memory card can handle, including leopards, lions, zebra, buffalo and rhino. Here, black rhinos are used in a breeding program which aims to increase the population of this semi-endangered species.

Day 32 to 33
Eldoret - Kampala

After leaving Nakuru we cross the Equator into the Northern Hemisphere, where we stop for the evening in Eldoret before making our way to Uganda.

Kampala is Uganda's bustling capital city, boasting plenty of markets as well as some lively restaurants and bars. We spend an evening here with free time to get a feel for city life, visit the market, try some typical Ugandan cuisine and catch up on emails.

Day 34 to 35
Queen Elizabeth II National Park

In the morning we travel to the famous Queen Elizabeth II National Park, often referred to as the ‘QE2'. Established in 1954, and situated at the base of the Rwenzori Mountains, this park suffered badly during the years of the Ugandan/Tanzanian war and much of the wildlife there was shot. Today, however, the wildlife has recovered and the Kazinga Channel, which joins Lake Edward and Lake George, is famous for having the world's largest concentration of hippos.that are easily viewed from a boat on the channel. You have the option of spending a full day in the park both game driving and taking the not to be missed boat cruise on the Kazinga channel.

Day 36 to 39
Musanze (formerly Rhuengeri)

Please note: this part of the itinerary may change - if it is not possible to see the gorillas in Rwanda, we will endeavour to see them in Uganda instead, but this will depend upon permit availability and may incur additional costs. See your separate gorilla trekking notes for more information.

Over the next three days we base ourselves in Musanze (formerly Rhuengeri) for the Gorilla Trek and travel into the mountains to trek for the rare Mountain Gorillas. These gorillas are found in the Virunga Mountains, a range of volcanic mountains and rainforest which covers parts of Uganda, Congo and Rwanda. On the Rwandan side, there are currently five groups of habituated Mountain Gorillas ranging in number from 7 - 37 individuals. We start our trekking from Kinigi into their mountainous habitat with our guides, who will track their spoor and last movements to find them. The trek can be demanding at times and the weather can be very changeable, but the experience of seeing these magnificent animals in the wild is worth every bit.

It is possible that you may be lucky enough to come within arm’s length of these beautiful creatures if they approach you, but you are required to maintain a distance of 5 metres from the animals at all times. Your time with the gorillas is restricted to around 45 - 60 minutes, to safeguard the families from too much human contact.

Day 40 to 41
Kigali & Lake Bunyoni

Kigali, the capital of Rwanda, is a short drive from Rhuengeri and we will stop here to visit the Genocide Museum (optional) to learn about the horrific 1994 genocide in which an estimated one million Rwandans died, with twice that number fleeing into exile. From Kigali we head to picturesque Lake Bunyoni.

Day 41 to 44
Kampala - Jinja

We retrace our steps to Kampala for one night and then we make our way to Jinja, where the source of the White Nile can be found nearby.

Jinja is Uganda's extreme sports hub, so it's time to get into some adrenaline-fuelled optional activities like white water rafting on the longest river in the world, quad biking to local villages along riverbanks, and bungee jumping (44m)! You will also have the option to visit an orphanage or do some community work with Soft Power, a local charity committed to improving the educational facilities with Uganda. Your tour leader will be able to give you more information about this.

Day 45 to 47
Eldoret - Lake Naivasha

In the morning we leave Jinja and spend one night at Eldoret on our way to Lake Naivasha. From here you can enjoy a boat cruise on the lake trying to spot some of the resident hippo or take a half day trip to the green Crater Lake for a guided bush walk. From our campsite you will be able to hear and maybe spot the hippo wallowing in the water near by and enjoy the many different species of birdlife found around the lakeshore.

You will also have plenty of free time to explore the near by Hell's Gate National Park which is home to a profusion of game and birdlife. Being mindful of the buffalo you can enter this park on foot and is an ideal place for mountain biking. You might want to visit Elsemere the former home of the late Joy Adamson who became famous for her relationship with the lioness Elsa in the film Born Free. At Elsemere you can look around the house and have a cup of tea in the garden watching the delightful Colobus monkeys.

Day 48 to 50
Masai Mara National Park - Nairobi

Today we leave Lake Navaisha and have the option to take an overnight excursion led by local guides to visit the famous Masaii Mara National Park, meeting up with the truck back in Nairobi the following day.

Choose to visit Masai Mara and you’ll spend the afternoon on an exciting game drive, glimpsing many of Africa’s famous wild beasts. The Masai Mara National Park is one of the best game parks in Africa, with large herds of gazelle, giraffe and antelope; these animals attract carnivores such as lion, cheetah, hyena and even the elusive leopard - so the wildlife viewing here is definitely plentiful! Make sure your memory cards are empty and your batteries are charged! You’ll camp overnight in the park surrounded by the sounds of the African wildlife before heading back to Nairobi the following day.

Once you have returned to the bright, busy capital, you might choose to have your final group meal at the famous African Buffet restaurant “Carnivors”, where game meat is served from Masai spears until you can eat no more and raise your flag in surrender!

Our tour concludes in Nairobi on day 50.