Itinerary
- Days 1 - 10
Cape Town to Swakopmund
The journey continues north through the Western Cape and into the Cederburg Wilderness Area, then you'll cross the Orange River and enter Namibia. You'll stop at Fish River Canyon viewpoint and explore Namib-Naukluft Park where you can walk up Dune 45 at Sossusvlei. After that, you'll spend a couple of days in Swakopmund where you can either go for adventurous activities or relax at cafes, museums and galleries.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Fish River Canyon viewpoint
- Sossusvlei Sand Dunes
- Walk to Dune 45
- Spitzkoppe Rock formations
Optional Activities
- Wildlife cruises from Swakopmund
- Quad biking
- Dune sledding
- Deep sea fishing
- Horse riding
- Skydiving
Landmarks/POIs Fish River Canyon Namib-Naukluft Park Dune 45 Cederburg Wilderness Area - Days 11 - 25
Namibia to Angola
After crossing into Angola, you'll drive to Lubango to see Cristo Rei, a 30-meter Christ statue that looks out over the city. The route takes you north through scenic areas including Calandula Falls and Pedras Negras rock formations. Eventually you'll reach Luanda, Angola's capital, where new expedition members may join the group before heading to West Africa and Morocco.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Landmarks/POIs Cristo Rei Calandula Falls Pedras Negras - Days 26 - 40
Angola to Congo
From Luanda you're driving to the Democratic Republic of Congo and crossing the Congo River at Matadi to get to Muanda on the Atlantic coast. After that, head north to Pointe Noire in the Republic of Congo where you can visit beautiful beaches and European Quarter restaurants, or explore the busy Grand Marche market in the African Quarter. Then you'll go inland through villages toward Dolisie and the Gabon border, though be ready for rough conditions with muddy potholes that sometimes require group effort to get through.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Optional Activities
- Visit Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary (if in Freetown)
- Lowland gorilla viewing near Brazzaville (if applicable)
Landmarks/POIs Congo River Grand Marche - Days 41 - 69
Congo to Nigeria
You'll travel through Gabon's rainforests and visit national parks like Lope where you might spot drill monkeys, elephant and buffalo. Crossing into Cameroon, the jungle landscape continues as you pass through Ambam and reach Yaounde to restock supplies. Here you can visit museums, galleries and local bakeries, and depending on security you might go to Limbe at 6 Mile Beach with an optional Mount Cameroon hike. Then it's into Nigeria where the pace of life is noticeably faster, passing through a drill monkey and chimpanzee rehabilitation centre before bush camping along the way.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Optional Activities
- Lope National Park forest walk
- Lope National Park river safari
- Mount Cameroon hike from Limbe
- Drill Monkey and Chimpanzee rehabilitation centre visit
Landmarks/POIs Lope National Park Mount Cameroon Yaounde - Days 70 - 89
Nigeria to Ghana
After crossing into Benin, you'll visit Ganvie stilt village on Lake Nokoue by traditional canoe to see how villagers live. Head to Ouidah on the coast to visit the 'Door of No Return' memorial related to the slave trade. In Togo, voodoo is the primary religion and you can visit fetish markets or take optional canoe trips on Lake Togo to Togoville. You'll explore Lome's monuments, markets and museums before crossing into Ghana to see Wli Agumatsa Waterfalls, West Africa's highest. When you reach Accra some group members finish here and new ones join, and you'll have 3 days free to explore on your own.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Boat trip to Ganvie Stilt Village
- Kakum National Park canopy walk
Optional Activities
- Canoe trip on Lake Togo to Togoville
- Fetish market visit in Lome
- Explore Lome monuments, markets and museums
- Wli Agumatsa Waterfalls visit
Landmarks/POIs Ganvie Door of No Return Lake Togo Togoville - Days 90 - 115
Ghana to Sierra Leone
From Accra you'll drive north to Kumasi and explore Kejetia Market, one of West Africa's largest, plus the National Cultural Centre to learn about Ashanti culture. Heading back toward the coast, stop at Kakum National Park to walk the 30-meter canopy walkway. You'll learn about the slave trade at Elmina and Cape Coast castles before entering Cote d'Ivoire to see Grand-Bassam beaches and Abidjan on the Ebrie Lagoon with its markets, museums, galleries and Cathedrale St. Paul. Travel to Yamoussoukro to see the enormous Basilica of Our Lady of Peace, then continue into Liberia where Monrovia is a vibrant city rebuilding after civil war. Visit Kpatawee waterfalls and travel through jungle into Sierra Leone to reach Freetown with its palm-fringed beaches, touring the Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary where about 100 rescued chimps live.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Entry into Cape Coast Castle
- Entry into Yamoussoukro's Notre-Dame de la Paix
- Guided walk and entry to Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary
Optional Activities
- Kakum National Park 30-meter canopy walkway
- Kpatawee waterfalls trip from Monrovia
- Tiwai Island Wildlife Sanctuary visit
- Tiwai Island guided walks
- Tiwai Island scenic canoe river trip
Landmarks/POIs Kejetia Market Kakum National Park Elmina Castle Cape Coast Castle Cathedrale St. Paul Basilica of Our Lady of Peace Kpatawee waterfalls Tiwai Island Wildlife Sanctuary Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary - Days 116 - 131
Sierra Leone to Senegal
Crossing into Guinea, you'll explore the highlands of Fouta Djallon with steep hills and waterfalls. Travel to Guinea Bissau, a small and poor country where people are welcoming to foreign visitors. You might stop at Parque Nacional de Cantanhez for rainforest trekking to look for chimpanzees and other wildlife if road conditions allow. Bush camping happens along the way through towns and villages before reaching the Senegal border. In Senegal you'll enjoy beautiful beaches before moving to The Gambia, which sits surrounded by Senegal except for its coastline. Explore Banjul on an island in the Gambia River mouth with optional boat trips upriver, the bustling Albert Market, and colonial buildings in the old town.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Optional Activities
- Parque Nacional de Cantanhez rainforest trek for chimpanzees
Landmarks/POIs Fouta Djallon Parque Nacional de Cantanhez Albert Market - Days 132 - 145
Senegal to Mauritania
You're leaving The Gambia and heading back into Senegal, traveling north into the Sahel region. Depending on how the trip is progressing, you might visit Dakar or take a trip to Lac Rose (Lake Retba) known for its pink color. Reach St. Louis, the former capital, with its old town on an island accessed by the Faidherbe Bridge designed by Gustave Eiffel. Base yourself at Langue de Barbarie National Park where you can relax on beaches, go fishing or do bird watching by dugout canoe. Cross into Mauritania at either Diama by driving along the piste through Diawling National Park or at the busy Rosso border. From there reach Nouackchott then drive inland into the desert toward Atar, an oasis town where you can explore the surrounding Adrar Plateau by 4x4 vehicle.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Optional Activities
- Visit Dakar
- Lac Rose (Lake Retba) trip
- 2-hour piroguer trip from St. Louis
- Adrar Plateau 4x4 exploration from Atar
Landmarks/POIs Lac Rose Saint-Louis Faidherbe Bridge Langue de Barbarie National Park Diawling National Park Adrar Plateau - Days 146 - 163
Mauritania to Morocco to Fes
Leaving Mauritania and heading west toward the coast, you'll enter Western Sahara where desert camping awaits with no facilities but incredible starry skies. Drive north past Agadir to reach Essaouira on the Atlantic coast, great for surfing with a UNESCO-designated old town. Continue to iconic Marrakech where you'll have a few days to explore the medina and the famous Djemaa-el-Fna square with its stallholders and entertainers, or relax on rooftop cafes with mint tea. Head north through Casablanca and Rabat to Chefchaouen in the Rif Mountains, camping at a spot overlooking this 'blue' city with its blue-washed walls and 15th-century Kasbah. Visit Roman ruins at Volubilis before reaching Fes for the expedition finale.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner (Farewell dinner)
Included Activities
- Guided tour of Volubilis
- Guided tour of Fes
Optional Activities
- Windsurfing in Essaouira - 2 hours
- Horse riding in Essaouira
- Hammam - Moroccan Bath House
- Dinner and Moroccan Entertainment in Fes
Landmarks/POIs Essaouira Djemaa-el-Fna Marrakech Chefchaouen Kasbah of Chefchaouen Volubilis - Day 164
Fes
Your trip wraps up here in Fes following breakfast. You'll want to build in some extra time after arriving to walk around the city and get a real feel for it, plus account for any delays that might happen during travel. The medina has a lot to see if you give yourself a few days to wander through it properly.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Guided tour of Fes
Optional Activities
- Dinner and Moroccan Entertainment in Fes (US$26)
Landmarks/POIs Fes
