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Tour ItineraryThere is a local payment of GBP£210 payable to the driver on day 1.
Days 1 – 4 Victoria Falls
Here the Zambezi River plunges 100 metres down a mile wide chasm, creating one of the most incredible natural wonders of the world. The local name for the Falls is ‘Mosi-oa-Tunya’ which means ‘the smoke that thunders’ and you’ll soon find out why. When the river is in full flow, the falling water causes a huge roar and sends a cloud of spray up to 500 metres into the air
We stay near Livingstone beside the Zambezi, above Victoria Falls, for a few days as there is so much to see and do. Adventure activities abound – you can bungee jump, white water raft, take a Microlite flight above the falls, sky-dive and go game viewing on horse back. More sedate excursions include canoeing, light aircraft or helicopter flights over the Falls, and the sunset cruise on the Zambezi. Of course, the Victoria Falls themselves are the main attraction and you can walk through the rain forest along the cliff opposite for an excellent view.
Days 5 – 8
We catch the ferry at Kazungula and cross the border into Botswana. We visit Chobe National Park and travel along the wetland wildlife, birds in particular and you are also likely to come across hippos or elephants taking a drink from the shore. You can go on a walking safari to look for giraffe, buffalo and rare antelope such as the sessebe. This overnight stay is a great wilderness experience.
Days 9 –11
Leaving the edge of the Kalahari Desert to Maun. A small town on the edge of the Okavango Delta, Maun is also the starting point for the mokoro trip. A mokoro is a traditional dugout canoe and your transport into the Delta. As you glide through the waterways, you will see a fantastic array of lush Delta behind we enter Namibia and take the dirt road to Rundu on the Kavango River. Rundu-Mayana Lodge has plenty to keep us occupied for a couple of days - bar, pool table, tennis court, swimming pool. From here you can also organise a canoe trip on the river, a village walk and see some of Namibia’s leading dancers.
Days 12 – 13
Next stop is Etosha Pan National Park. Thousands of years ago this vast saltpan was a lake, until the Kunene river changed its course and deprived the lake of its water source. Now the pan and surrounding bush support large numbers and a wide range of wildlife. We spend a couple of day’s game viewing from the truck during the day and spend the evenings around the floodlit water holes at the park’s campsites. These water holes provide an excellent opportunity to observe animals that are hard to find during the day, particularly rhino and also smaller animals such as the genet. Elephant, lion, giraffe, zebra, oryx, ostrich, springbok, jackals, hyenas and meercats are also likely to be seen at Etosha.
From wild animals to tame ones, we spend a night at the Cheetah Farm where you can scratch the big cats behind the ears before watching them tuck in to their evening meal.
Namibia is a land of wide open spaces and we pass few inhabited areas as we drive towards the Atlantic Ocean and the Skeleton Coast. This area derives its name from the numerous ships and men that met their end on the treacherous coastline.
Days – 14 – 15
On our way to Swakopmund, we stop at Cape Cross where the first European explorer landed in the 15th century. It is now more famous for the Seal Reserve, a breeding ground for thousands of cape fur seals. They occupy the beaches almost as far as the eye can see and you can watch them suckling their young, resting in the sun and fighting with their neighbours.
Days 16 – 17
Swakopmund is an old German colonial seaside resort with plenty of things to do for the energetic and plenty of beerkellers for those after a more relaxing time. Horse riding or sand boarding on the dunes, deep sea fishing in the Atlantic or scenic flights over the coastline - these are just a few of the activities on offer.
Day 18
Heading inland, we journey to the Namib Desert, famous for its 300 metre high sand dunes, the highest in the world. It can be hard work climbing to the top but the view is worth all the effort as the dunes stretch before you into the distance and change colour in the setting sun.
Days 19 – 20
After an overnight stay in the desert we drive south to Fish River Canyon, at 85km long and 400m deep it’s second in size only to the Grand Canyon. You can trek down to the bottom of the canyon and, from the viewpoints at the top, watch the setting or rising of the sun. There are hot springs in the south at Ai Ais (seasonal). Our last stop in Namibia is the Orange River, which forms the border with South Africa. You can spend an afternoon canoeing here.
Days 21 – 23
Crossing the river we arrive in South Africa and follow the Atlantic coast south through the sparsely populated areas of the Western Cape. We drive through mountain valleys and stony semi-desert before arriving in Stellenbosch, the centre of one of the Cape’s many wine routes. A wine tour with plenty of tasting makes for a great day out.
Day 24
Finally we arrive at our journey’s end. Cape Town is a beautiful city, nestling at the foot of Table Mountain and you’ll find plenty of café’s, pubs, clubs, markets and sights to see. You can climb the mountain or take the cable car to the top for some wonderful views of the city and the Cape Peninsula. Nearby are several beaches where you may find yourself whalewatching from the shore or sharing your towel with a jackass penguin.
We arrive in Cape Town on the last day of the tour. We take you to a hostel where you can book a dorm or a room, or you can arrange your own accommodation at one of the many other hostels or hotels. There are several operators who run excursions to the surrounding area and further afield to the Garden Route and beyond. There is an international airport as well as flight, train and bus connections to other South African cities.
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