Itinerary
- Day 1
Cape Town
Your trip kicks off in Cape Town where you'll visit a township on the Cape Flats to get a real sense of local life there. From there, you head north through farming areas growing wine and citrus, passing through working agricultural landscapes. This evening you have the chance to try some South African wines if that appeals to you.
Included Activities
- Cape Town Township Tour
Optional Activities
- Wine tasting
Landmarks/POIs Cape Flats - Day 2
Gariep Orange River
The landscape shifts to semi-desert terrain as you travel northbound. During spring, wildflowers blanket the countryside in bright colors. Your camp sits right on the Gariep Orange River on the Namibia side, where you can paddle a canoe on the water, relax at the bar with views, or spend the night stargazing under dark skies.
Optional Activities
- Canoe on the Gariep Orange River
- Stargazing at camp
Landmarks/POIs Gariep Orange River - Day 3
Fish River Canyon
It's a shorter drive today to Fish River Canyon, Africa's largest canyon. The landscape here rivals what you'd see at the Grand Canyon. Your camp near the canyon gives you time to walk the trails, photograph the views, or simply take in the canyon's scale and rock formations.
Optional Activities
- Explore canyon trails
- Photography
Landmarks/POIs Fish River Canyon - Day 4
Namib Naukluft National Park Gateway
You reach the gateway to Namib Naukluft National Park. Namibia has very low population density, and the park itself is home to some of the highest sand dunes on earth and sits in one of the world's oldest deserts. The landscape here is unlike most other places.
Landmarks/POIs Namib Naukluft National Park - Day 5
Sossusvlei and Sesriem Canyon
Starting before sunrise, you enter the park and hike up one of the massive dunes to catch the sun rising and watch how it changes the sand colors throughout the morning. Some dunes reach over 300 meters high, and the effort rewards you with incredible views. Later you do a nature walk to Dead Vlei, then pass through Sesriem Canyon and the small town of Solitaire on your way to a farm camp.
Included Activities
- Dune trekking at sunrise
- Sossusvlei Shuttle & Guided Walk
- Sesriem Canyon
Landmarks/POIs Dune 45 Dead Vlei Sesriem Canyon - Day 6
Swakopmund
This morning you cross into the tropics and head toward Namibia's coast. Swakopmund stays cool because of cold Atlantic currents flowing nearby and has strong German colonial architecture throughout. You'll spend two nights here in this lively coastal town with plenty of activities on offer.
Optional Activities
- Adventure activities in Swakopmund
Landmarks/POIs Swakopmund - Day 7
Swakopmund
Around Swakopmund, you can try quad biking, sand boarding, or skydiving among the dunes. Your tour team can walk through what's available so you make the most of your time. The café culture in town is worth checking out too, and there are spots serving good coffee and food.
Optional Activities
- Quad biking
- Sand boarding
- Skydiving
- Cafe culture exploration
Landmarks/POIs Swakopmund Dunes - Day 8
Damaraland
Heading inland into Damaraland, you'll see unusual rock formations and bushman paintings scattered through the area. This region looks particularly nice at sunrise and sunset when low light makes the rocks shift colors. Your camp is community-owned, so your visit helps support the local population directly.
Included Activities
- Spitzkoppe, Bushman Paintings
Landmarks/POIs Spitzkoppe - Day 9
Etosha National Park
Moving north, you enter Etosha National Park for your first real game viewing. The park centers on a large salt pan with waterholes managed seasonally to support wildlife and birds. You'll camp for two nights at a waterhole with floodlights, which means you can watch animals drink after dark when temperatures cool.
Included Activities
- Etosha NP, Game Drives
Landmarks/POIs Etosha National Park - Day 10
Etosha National Park
You spend the day exploring what Etosha has to offer. Game drives happen in an open Acacia vehicle so you can see over other cars and get good camera angles. Before heading back to camp, you'll stop at a floodlit waterhole for a sun-downer to end the day on a high note.
Included Activities
- Game drives in Etosha National Park
- Sun-downer at floodlit waterhole
Landmarks/POIs Etosha National Park - Day 11
Windhoek
Heading south toward Windhoek, Namibia's capital city. Like Swakopmund, German colonial influence shows up throughout the architecture here. You'll have time to explore some local nightspots and get a feel for the city.
Optional Activities
- Local night spots exploration
Landmarks/POIs Windhoek - Day 12
Kalahari Region
You travel east through the Kalahari region via Gobabis toward the Botswana border. This area looks barren but it's Bushman territory, and your camp sits in this region for the night. There's a chance to meet local people and learn about their ancient tribal culture through an eco-tourism setup that helps support their lifestyle.
Included Activities
- Kalahari Bushman Walk
Landmarks/POIs Kalahari - Day 13
Maun, Botswana
You cross into Botswana and arrive in Maun on the banks of the Thamalakane River. This busy tourist hub is the main entry point to the Okavango Delta. If timing works out, you might get to take a scenic flight over the delta this afternoon to see it from above.
Optional Activities
- Scenic flight over Okavango Delta
Landmarks/POIs Okavango Delta Thamalakane River - Day 14
Okavango Delta
A 4x4 takes you to meet local guides who'll accompany you in traditional mokoro dugout canoes. The Okavango Delta is where a river spreads into the Kalahari sands, creating channels and islands. You'll spend the afternoon paddling through the wilderness, watching for wildlife.
Included Activities
- Okavango Delta Wilderness Excursion, Mokoro/Walking Safari
Landmarks/POIs Okavango Delta - Day 15
Okavango Delta to Maun
After your night in the delta, you board your mokoro again and paddle back to camp in Maun. This afternoon you can arrange a flight over the delta's UNESCO heritage site or relax by the camp pool with a cool drink.
Optional Activities
- Flight over Okavango Delta
- Pool relaxation at camp
Landmarks/POIs Okavango Delta - Day 16
Nata
Your route heads between the Makgadikgadi and Nxai Pans toward Nata. Baobab trees dot the landscape along the way. Your camp here is unfenced, which means animals move freely between waterholes, so you should expect wildlife passing through or nearby during your stay.
Landmarks/POIs Makgadikgadi Pans Nxai Pans - Day 17
Chobe National Park
You head north to Kasane and the entrance to Chobe National Park. The park has elephants, buffalo, hippos, and lots of birdlife. The Chobe River marks the northern boundary. This afternoon you take a fish eagle cruise on the river for a different angle on seeing the animals.
Included Activities
- Chobe NP, Fish Eagle Boat Cruise
Landmarks/POIs Chobe National Park Chobe River - Day 18
Chobe National Park to Livingstone, Zambia
This morning you do a game drive through Chobe National Park in an open 4x4 with a specialized guide who can point out animals and explain the park. Afterward, you take a pontoon ferry across to Zambia and head to your camp positioned just upstream from Victoria Falls.
Included Activities
- Chobe NP Open Vehicle Game Drive with Resident Guide
Landmarks/POIs Chobe National Park Victoria Falls - Days 19 - 20
Livingstone
You have two free days in Livingstone, known as an adventure hub. Victoria Falls and the gorge paths around it are waiting to be explored. Activities available include flights over the falls, bungee jumps, and white water rafting. Your tour team can help arrange whatever interests you.
Included Activities
- Mosi Oa Tunya NP, Victoria Falls Visit
Optional Activities
- Flights over Victoria Falls
- Bungee jumping
- White water rafting
Landmarks/POIs Victoria Falls Mosi Oa Tunya National Park - Day 21
Lusaka
Back on the road heading toward the Indian Ocean, you drive through green Zambian countryside with small villages along the way. By evening you arrive in Lusaka, the capital city, for your night's accommodation.
Landmarks/POIs Lusaka - Day 22
Petauke
You drive through nice countryside with small villages scattered around, cross the Luangwa River, and reach your accommodation about 5 kilometers from Petauke where you'll spend the night.
Landmarks/POIs Luangwa River - Day 23
South Luangwa National Park
Leaving paved roads behind, you journey to South Luangwa National Park. This park changes depending on the season, making it interesting to visit at different times. After you arrive and set up camp, you can relax by the pool or join an optional village visit or walking safari into the park.
Optional Activities
- Village excursion
- Walking safari in the park
Landmarks/POIs South Luangwa National Park - Day 24
Chipata
Your local ranger takes you out on a morning game drive in an open vehicle to look for wildlife. South Luangwa is home to three types of animals found nowhere else: Thornicroft's giraffe, Cookson's wildebeest, and Crawshay's zebra. After the drive, you head to Chipata for the night.
Included Activities
- South Luangwa NP, Open Vehicle Game Drive with Resident Guide
Landmarks/POIs South Luangwa National Park - Day 25
Kande Beach, Malawi
You cross from Zambia into Malawi, heading north of Lilongwe. Locals wave and smile as you pass through the 'Warm Heart of Africa.' By day's end you reach a beach camp on Lake Malawi's shore, a body of water that takes up most of the country.
Landmarks/POIs Lake Malawi - Day 26
Kande Beach
Kande Beach on the central lake is an ideal spot to kick back and relax in the cool water. Optional activities are there if you want them: wandering the local village, snorkeling, or renting a pedalo. It's really up to what you feel like doing.
Optional Activities
- Local village exploration
- Snorkeling
- Pedalo hire
Landmarks/POIs Kande Beach - Day 27
Chitimba Beach
You drive north along Lake Malawi's shore through rubber plantations and reach Mzuzu, the regional capital. A quick stop lets you pick up supplies and browse the colorful markets. Then you head back toward the lake shore to Chitimba Beach, sitting at the base of the Livingstone Plateau, for the night.
Optional Activities
- Market exploration in Mzuzu
Landmarks/POIs Livingstone Plateau - Day 28
Southern Highlands, Tanzania
Crossing into southern Tanzania, you leave Lake Malawi's sandy beaches behind. The route climbs through tea plantations on hillsides with wide views over the countryside. Your camp is on an organic working farm in the Southern Highlands with a bar for those cool evenings.
Landmarks/POIs Southern Highlands - Day 29
Mikumi National Park
You continue east to Mikumi National Park and set up camp at a locally run lodge just outside the gates. This afternoon is free time. You can swim and relax by the pool or join an optional afternoon game drive into the park. Tanzania's 4th largest park has elephants, buffalo, lions, leopards, and over 400 bird species.
Optional Activities
- Afternoon game drive in Mikumi National Park
Landmarks/POIs Mikumi National Park - Day 30
Dar es Salaam
Traveling east to Dar es Salaam on the Indian Ocean coast, your route passes through Mikumi National Park where you might see elephants and giraffes by the road. After dealing with city traffic, you reach your camp for the night on a palm-lined beach with waves audible from your tent.
Landmarks/POIs Dar es Salaam - Day 31
Stone Town, Zanzibar
Pack a few days' worth of gear and catch the fast ferry this morning across to Zanzibar's Stone Town port. You'll spend your first night on this spice island. Wander the narrow alleyways and bazaars, find bargains, or grab fresh food at one of the markets.
Included Activities
- Zanzibar, Return Ferry & Accommodation
Optional Activities
- Market exploration
- Bazaar browsing
Landmarks/POIs Stone Town - Days 32 - 34
Northern Zanzibar Beaches
Working your way up the island, you can take a historic tour learning about the slave and spice trade that shaped this place. Then you have three nights relaxing on northern beaches with the option to chill out at beach bars or explore by foot or traditional dhow out to sea.
Optional Activities
- Historic slave and spice tour
- Beach bar relaxation
- Local area exploration on foot
- Traditional dhow sailing
Landmarks/POIs Zanzibar - Day 35
Return to Dar es Salaam
As your Zanzibar time winds down, you have moments to think back on the kilometers covered and everything you've seen. You take the fast ferry back to the mainland from Stone Town, and once you arrive in Dar es Salaam, your tour officially ends.
Landmarks/POIs Stone Town Dar es Salaam
