Tour highlights: Depart from Cape Town, Namaqualand, Fish River Canyon, Bushman Community, Naukluft National Park, Sossusvlei dunes, Swakopmund, Himba Tribes, Ethosa National Park, Windhoek, Bushman Tribe, Caprivi National Park - Namibia, Chobe National Park - Botswana, Vic Falls - Zimbabwe.
Day 1-7
Start in cosmopolitan Cape Town, one of the world's most picturesque cities, overlooked by Table Mountain and bordered by the Atlantic Ocean. We visit one of Cape Town’s Townships on a cultural tour before travelling north to Citrusdal, and the desert lands of Namaqualand en route to the Gariep (Orange) River, which marks the border with Namibia.
The first stop in Namibia is one of the natural wonders of Africa - the Fish River Canyon. At some 500m deep and 160km long, this is the world’s 2nd largest canyon (after the Grand Canyon). Further north, travel into the desert at the Namib-Naukluft National Park, the world’s oldest desert and location of the world’s highest sand dunes (up to 300m) at Sossusvlei. Climb a dune at dawn for a dramatic view of sunrise across the vast sea of sand. Sandwiched between the desert and the ocean is Swakopmund, a delightful coastal resort and a wonderful place to relax. Various optional activities are available here, - quad biking, sand boarding, scenic flights - and the opportunity of an enjoyable night out in one of the excellent restaurants!
Day 8-15
Further up the eerie Atlantic Coast, is the Cape Cross Seal Colony, home to some 80,000 seals. Further inland we pass through the spectacular rock formations of Damaraland to the Cheetah Park to learn a little of these graceful cats. Etosha National Park - a vast reserve of over 20,000 sq km, surrounds a central salt 'pan' and features some 114 mammal and 340 bird species. After morning and afternoon game drives, camp for two nights next to floodlit waterholes, which adds to game viewing.
From Etosha, we travel south to Windhoek Namibia’s capital city, reminiscent of the German colonial era. Enjoy shopping, a restaurant and a pint of ale! From Windhoek we travel east to Botswana, and skirting the northern reaches of the Kalahari Desert via Ghanzi, where we take a bushman walk, to Maun, the gateway of the Okavango Delta. The Okavango is a natural wetland spreading over 1,600,000ha - an enchanted and delicate ecosystem of giant lily pads, labyrinthine channels and swaying grasses. Venture out into the Delta itself to explore on foot and by Mokoro (dugout canoe) the oxbow lakes and floodplains. We bush camp on river islands with nothing but the night sounds of the African bush - an unforgettable wilderness experience!
Day 16-19
Leaving the Okavango, turn north towards the northern corner of Botswana skirting the Makgadikgadi Pans en route. Chobe National Park is home to some of the largest populations of elephant in Africa as well as lion and abundant birdlife. Head out for an early morning game drive and in the late afternoon leave for the delightful 'fish-eagle' cruise (optional) in search of elephant and hippo at the water’s edge. From Chobe, cross into Zambia and drive the short distance to Livingstone, our base to explore the Victoria Falls area.
We camp on the banks of the Zambezi and enjoy a sunset cruise (optional) on the quiet upper stretches of the river. There are numerous activities in the area, centred around the Victoria Falls and Zambezi River - white water rafting, bungy jumping, abseiling, gorge swinging, scenic flights, canoeing, elephant-back safaris and horseback riding (to name a few). Naturally viewing the Falls themselves is a highlight of any African adventure. We are also lucky enough to visit a local village during our time here.
Day 20-25
From Livingstone we travel back into Botswana and briefly revisit Chobe National Park. We continue quickly south via Nata and Francistown, to South Africa and the famed Greater Kruger Area. Largely flat bushveld and savanna, Kruger has a huge variety of wildlife and this is the perfect terrain to view some of Africa’s Big 5 as well as giraffe, hippo, and antelope. We normally visit a cultural village and may have the opportunity to take a night game drive for another view of the park. From Kruger we head via the Mpumalanga region to Johannesburg, South Africa's largest and most vibrant city, where our tour ends.
25 Day Desert Tracker
