Great African Expedition - 57 days

57 days
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Our longest tour to Africa covers nine incredible countries, from Kenya to South Africa. Spot the Big Five in the Serengeti, search for gorillas in Uganda, canoe along the Okavango Delta in Botswana and slide down Namibia's Sossusvlei sand dunes. There's more wildlife spotting to be had in the Ngorongoro Crater, Etosha and Chobe national reserves, you can mar...
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Overview

Trip type
Operator does not provide
Lodging level
Basic - 2 star
Physical level
Moderate
Trip pace
Balanced schedule

Highlights

    • Kenya - spot incredible wildlife in the famous Masai Mara, Lake Nakuru and Lake Naivasha national parks
    • Uganda - visit Kampala, unwind on the peaceful shores of Lake Bunyoni and opt for a gorilla trek into the thick jungle, to spot a family of the rare great apes in the wild
    • Tanzania - spot the Big Five in the legendary Serengeti and the UNESCO-listed Ngorongoro Crater, and camp by the sea near Dar es Salaam
    • Zanzibar - sunbathe on pristine sandy beaches, explore historic Stone Town or join an optional visit to a local spice plantation
    • Malawi - pass through lush fruit plantations and spend three days exploring the shore of Lake Malawi, stopping often to explore various bays, inlets and local communities
    • Zambia - marvel at the Zambian side of Victoria Falls and head out on safari in the wildlife-rich South Luangwa National Park
    • Botswana: camp out in the wilderness of Chobe National Park and explore the verdant Okavango Delta aboard traditional mokoro canoes
    • Zimbabwe - gaze at the thundering Victoria Falls and spend two days enjoying optional activities, including bungee jumping, helicopter rides and rafting on the Zambezi
    • Namibia -see the colossal Fish River Canyon, spot wildlife in Etosha National Park, relax on the beaches of Swakopmund and climb the mighty sand dunes of the Namib Desert
    • South Africa - sample South African wine in the Cederberg Mountains and complete your incredible African journey to Cape Town

What's this trip about?

    Our longest tour to Africa covers nine incredible countries, from Kenya to South Africa. Spot the Big Five in the Serengeti, search for gorillas in Uganda, canoe along the Okavango Delta in Botswana and slide down Namibia's Sossusvlei sand dunes. There's more wildlife spotting to be had in the Ngorongoro Crater, Etosha and Chobe national reserves, you can marvel at Zimbabwe's Victoria Falls, relax by Lake Malawi and unwind on the sandy beaches of Zanzibar, all in 57 epic days.

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Details

Itinerary focusClassic Highlights
Group sizeGroup - max of 30 people
Age rangeNo age restrictions
Flights and transportAll internal ground transport included
Start CityNairobi
End CityCape Town

Travel Themes

  • Cultural
  • Nature & Wildlife
  • Local Immersion & Homestays
  • National Parks
  • Eco, Sustainable & Green Travel

Destinations

Min Group Size

  • Min Group Size: 30

Max Group Size

  • Max Group Size: 30

Trip includes

    • Arrival transfer from Nairobi Airport on day 1
    • 1st night dormitory accommodation at Kenya Comfort Hotel, 2 nights twin share accommodation in Swakopmund and 50 nights camping. Tents and sleeping mats provided
    • A fully equipped overland truck for transportation and game drives
    • Services of 3 person crew (leader, driver, cook)
    • All camping fees and appropriate equipment
    • 50 breakfasts, 44 lunches and 43 dinners
    • Mikumi National Park (transit only)
    • Park entry - Lake Naivasha NP and Victoria Falls NP. Park entry and game drive - Chobe NP, Etosha NP, South Luangwa NP, Lake Nakuru NP and Masai Mara, Ngorongoro NP, Serengeti NP
    • Sossusvlei transfer for Desert Walk
    • All road taxes and tolls
    • 3 night Zanzibar Excursion including ferry transfer, accommodation, Spice Tour and Dhow Sunset Cruise
    • 2 day/1 night Okavango Delta Excursion (camping)

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Itinerary

Travel Map

Day : 1 Nairobi

Welcome to Nairobi! We’ll be there to collect you at Nairobi Airport and transfer you to the Kenya Comfort Hotel. Tonight you will stay in shared dorms. There will be a pre departure meeting at 17.00.

Day : 2-3 Masai Mara

Nairobi - Masai Mara. Heading west from Nairobi on day 2, we reach possibly Kenya’s most famous natural attraction - the Masai Mara National Reserve. The Kenyan section of the wildly beautiful Serengeti Plains teems with wildlife. The highlight of the Mara is no doubt...

Day : 4-5 Eldoret & Kampala

Masai Mara - Eldoret - Kampala (Uganda). Leaving the Masai Mara early on day 4, we head out of Masai Land and pass through the scenic tea plantations of Kericho before descending the Rift Valley Plateau, on our way to Eldoret - where we spend the night. The following morning, we cross the border into Uganda where we overnight in the capital city, Kampala.

Day : 6-9 Lake Bunyoni & Gorilla Trekking

Kampala - Lake Bunyoni. From Kampala we drive to Lake Bunyoni, the deepest Crater Lake in Africa and home to a large and varied number of beautiful birds, which is the base from which the optional Gorilla trek takes place. Dependant on where trekking permits are avail...

Day : 10-11 Kampala & Jinja

Lake Bunyoni - Kampala - Jinja. After marvelling at the experience of our gorilla encounters and enjoying the peaceful Lake Bunyoni, we begin our drive back to Kampala. We cross the Equator for the second time and stop for the classic “one foot in each hemisphere” ph...

Day : 12-13 Lake Nakuru

Jinja - Nakuru (Kenya). Departing early, we head back to Kenya and spend the night outside Nakuru at a lovely campsite on a local farm. Nakuru is Kenya’s 4th largest town and capital of the Rift Valley Province and lies adjacent to the small but wildlife rich Lake Na...

Day : 14-15 Lake Naivasha

Nakuru - Naivasha - Nairobi. Leaving Nakuru we drive to Lake Naivasha, home to a multitude of bird life, the most magnificent being the African Fish Eagle with his regal cry. At 1880 m, this is the highest of the Rift Valley lakes. We spend the day enjoying optional...

Day : 16-19 Serengeti National Park

Nairobi - Arusha (Tanzania). Leaving Nairobi, we cross the border into Tanzania. Arusha is the starting point for our 3 day excursion to Ngorongoro Crater and the Serengeti. The following morning we have some free time to visit the Meserani reptile park, Masai Cultura...

Day : 20-21 Dar es Salaam

Arusha - Pangani - Dar es Salaam. We return to Arusha before continuing on towards Dar es Salaam. On the way we drive through the town of Moshi situated at the magnificent Mount Kilimanjaro – Africa’s highest mountain. We may even catch a glimpse of this magical mount...

Day : 22-24 Zanzibar

Dar es Salaam - Zanzibar. A ferry from Dar Es Salaam takes us to ‘Spice Island’, where we spend the next three nights. Zanzibar is steeped in history and offers a wealth of experiences. Wander the streets of Stone Town, take an excursion around a spice plantation or simply laze on one of the pristine white sandy beaches, the choice is yours!

Day : 25-26 Mikumi

Zanzibar - Mikumi - Iringa. Leaving Zanzibar in the morning, we return to the mainland and head west to Mikumi for an overnight stop. The next day we continue our journey west. Our destination today is Iringa where we spend the night in a beautiful rustic campsite famous for its Amarula Hot Chocolates and its steamy showers!

Day : 27-29 Lake Malawi

Iringa - Lake Malawi (Malawi). Winding our way through the beauty of the Tukuyu tea and banana plantations, we travel into Malawi, a landlocked country with 20% of its total area made up of beautiful Lake Malawi. We travel the length of the western side of the lake, s...

Day : 30-31 South Luangwa National Park

Lake Malawi - South Luangwa (Zambia). We head away from Lake Malawi, and stop off to stock up on supplies before crossing into Zambia. From here we head south-west via the Great East Road to our campsite near South Luangwa National Park. This breath taking park is...

Day : 32-33 Livingstone

South Luangwa - Lusaka Area - Livingstone. Today we depart this amazing National Park and make our way down south. As we drive, we pass through a few of the villages and towns of Zambia along the way. Prosperous during the copper boom in the 60s, Zambia was able to bu...

Day : 34 Chobe National Park

Livingstone - Chobe (Botswana). We leave Zambia and cross the border into Botswana at the Kazangula Ferry. Once we’ve completed the border formalities, we continue to the town of Kasane, situated on the banks of the Chobe River. The Chobe River forms a border between ...

Day : 35 Victoria Falls

Chobe - Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe). After our night in the bush, we head out early to continue our search for wildlife, before packing up the camp and heading back to Kasane. Crossing the border into Zimbabwe, a short drive takes us to the nearby Victoria Falls. Named ...

Day : 36-37 Victoria Falls

The next 2 days are spent relaxing or participating in a myriad of optional excursions. Optional excursions include horseback safaris, a visit to the crocodile ranch, boat cruises and golf at The Elephant Hills Resort. Adrenalin junkies can bungee from the Victoria Fa...

Day : 38-39 Kasane

Victoria Falls - Kasane. Leaving Vic Falls on this morning we cross back into Botswana and back to the town of Kasane, situated on the banks of the Chobe River. The remainder of the afternoon and following day are at leisure to explore the town or perghaps enjoy a cruise down the the Chobe River, or soak up the sun at the pool.

Day : 40 Maun

Kasane - Maun. Heading out early, we cross the western end of the Chobe National Park area along the main route in a south-westerly direction to the southern reaches of the Okavango Delta and our destination, Maun. Maun is the starting point for travel into the Delta.

Day : 41-42 Okavango Delta

Maun - Okavango Delta - Maun. On day 41 we take the included overnight excursion into the Delta. After an early rise, we pack our expedition vehicle and from Maun we drive north for a couple of hours to reach the mokoro poler’s station. The Delta region is studded w...

Day : 43-44 Windhoek

Maun - Ghanzi - Windhoek (Namibia). On day 43 we head towards the small village of Ghanzi which will be our last night in Botswana. Ghanzi is home to the San / Bushman and you can learn more about them by partaking in the Bushman experience offered by the campsite. ...

Day : 45 Etosha National Park

Windhoek - Etosha. From Windhoek, we head to Etosha National Park, Namibia’s premier nature and wildlife reserve. Situated around the Etosha Pan with a large variety of animal and bird life, the extensive network of gravel roads affords us the opportunity of accessin...

Day : 46-47 Etosha National Park

On day 46 we make our way 150 km across the park, keeping a look out for the many different mammals, reptiles, birds and insects in the various regions. After a full day of game viewing, we exit the park through Anderson gate and head to our campsite just 10kms away. ...

Day : 48 Brandberg

Etosha National Park area - Brandberg. Today we head down south to the area of the Brandberg. All depending on the time of arrival we will have the opportunity to explore the area.

Day : 49-50 Swakopmund

Brandberg - Swakopmund. Our next stop is Swakopmund, via Spitzkoppe. Founded by the Germans in 1892, their colonial influence is still evident today. Swakopmund has a selection of excellent coffee shops, restaurants & bars as well as many arts and crafts shops se...

Day : 51-52 Sesriem

Swakopmund - Sesriem. Continuing our journey, we enter the Namib-Naukluft Park in one of the oldest deserts in the world. We base ourselves at Sesriem, a great place to experience the Namib and its many moods. A short distance away is Sossusvlei, surrounded by a drama...

Day : 53 Fish River Canyon

Sesriem - Fish River Canyon. Heading out early, we see the sunrise over this beautiful area before we leave the serenity of the dunes to head south to the Fish River Canyon. At 161 km long, 27 km wide and about 550 m deep, it’s the second largest canyon in the world. ...

Day : 54 Orange River

Fish River Canyon - Gariep River (South Africa). This morning we continue south, where, after a short drive, we reach the Gariep River - the natural land border between Namibia and South Africa. We camp at a beautiful campsite on the South African bank of the river. T...

Day : 55 Cederberg

Gariep River - Cederberg. This morning we travel south through the Richtersveld and the mining town of Springbok, before reaching the region known as Namaqualand, well known for its prolific display of Namaqua wildflowers that occur each spring. We spend tonight in a ...

Day : 56 Cape Town

Cederberg - Cape Town. We leave the scenic Cederberg area and travel south towards Cape Town. We travel through the rich fruit growing area of Citrusdal before crossing the Piketberg Pass to the Cape’s wine growing regions. Our first sighting of the Mother’s City Table Mountain across Table Bay means we’ve reached our final destination.

Day : 57 Cape Town

This morning we exchange addresses and part ways, having just experienced a trip of a lifetime! There are a wide range of activities available in Cape Town and the surrounding areas, including day trips, short tours and longer tours travelling up the picturesque coast of South Africa. We suggest you extend your stay by a few days to participate in some of the exciting activities available here.

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Dates & Availability

Price From $3,335
Price per day$59
Last Updated: 6/14/2022

Departure dates are guaranteed with a minimum of 4 persons. Prices are per person when there are 2 people sharing a tent. Solo travellers will be matched up and share a tent with another solo traveller of the same gender.

Check Current Availability, prices, specials with On The Go Tours.

The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.

Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.

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On The Go Tours Reviews & Ratings

4.7/5  Excellent
Excellent
1,522
Great
402
Average
25
Disappointing
11
Terrible
34
S

Stephen Leggett

Apr 2019

Provided byOn The Go Tours

Excellent valued tour for people who have the time and prepared to rough it a bit to have a great experience

Guides were very knowledgeable and terrific to learn from. Cook and driver also had many tour years of knowledge. We were the oldest (63yrs) but still had a fun time...

W

Walburg Ruane

Aug 2018

Provided byOn The Go Tours

What an awesome holiday, the crew (Godfrey, Duncan & Alouis) were 5 star, incredibly professional, caring and very entertaining

There was no doubt the group were in very capable hands throughout. I think they deserve a raise. Highly recommend this crew & tour company. Best wishes guys. Wa...

K

Ken Parker

Jul 2018

Provided byOn The Go Tours

I was one of 6 people that travelled 57 days on the Great African Expedition from Nairobi, Kenya to Capetown, South Africa

What an absolutely fantastic trip, from day 1 to the end. We saw the "big 5" multiple times and met some lovely people along the way. I've got nothing but high prais...

N

Natalie Howes

Feb 2018

Provided byOn The Go Tours

Excellent tour with great guides, truck drivers, and cooks

Would highly recommend travelling Africa via On The Go overland tours. E...

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Logistics

What's excluded

    • Gorilla Permit, Transaction fee and ground transfer fee to Gorilla trekking meeting point: Please note that Gorillas often move across the border, between the national parks in Rwanda and Uganda, therefore itineraries often change at short notice in order to track the Gorillas in whichever National Park they have migrated to. For this reason the cost of the Gorilla Permit and relevant transfers varies, as do the applicable visa costs, dependent upon which country we need to travel into. Permits are subject to availability and need to be booked in advance.
    • International flights and visas
    • Tipping - an entirely personal gesture
    • Sleeping bag - please bring your own
    • Optional activities
    • Entrance Fees: Gorilla Permit & transaction fee approx USD$805pp has to be pre booked, aprox USD$200 transfer costs payable locally
    • Local payment - 2022 - $2800pp, 2023 - $2950pp paid in USD

Accommodation

Camping
Travel Insurance
We strongly recommend purchasing travel insurance alongside your travel package to safeguard against unforeseen circumstances such as medical expenses, trip cancellations, and other contingencies. It offers you peace of mind and ensures you are prepared for unexpected events that may occur before or during your journey
Visa requirements
Visa requirements vary depending on your country of origin and your country of destination. It is your responsibility to familiarize yourself with the relevant requirements. For a handy tool that can help you quickly find the requirements, please visit this link .
Age Requirements
No age restrictions
18 and over.Overland Age Policy:To travel on one of our overland family departure safaris children need to be a minimum age of 6 for Southern Africa safaris (Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia, South Africa) and a minimum of 8 years old for East Africa safaris (Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Malawi, Zambia). If a safari includes both East and Southern Africa then the minimum age will be 8 years old. Please note that they will be travelling with the normal group. These are not separate family tours. For family dates look for the icon next to the tour date online. IMPORTANT: South Africa and Botswana regulations aimed at fighting child trafficking:'All parents travelling with children into or out of SA and/or Botswana may be asked to show the child’s unabridged (full) birth certificate, and where only one parent is accompanying, parental or legal consent for the child to travel (eg an affidavit from the other parent, a court order or – if applicable – a death certificate). You should travel with these documents in case you’re asked to provide them. There are other requirements for children travelling unaccompanied or with adults who are not their parents.' Tell pax to contact the South African High Commission, South African Department of Home Affairs and/or the Botswana High Commission for further information.
Additional Information
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Trip ID
onthegotours-GAS

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