Departing Johannesburg you head towards the Lowveld and the renowned Kruger National Park. Your camp for the next 2 nights is 8km from Kruger Park's Numbi Gate. Spoilt by a swimming pool and good hot showers you spend the evening around the campfire anticipating your game drive the next day.

Today you explore the wonders of Kruger National Park. This is one of the most famous wildlife parks in the world. Covering an area of 21 497 sq km - 60km wide and over 350km long, this conservation area has been recorded to have more than 500 bird species, 114 reptile, 49 fish, 33 amphibians, 146 mammals and over 23 000 plant species. Today is spent in the Park on a full-day game drive to see how many of the species can be found. This evening there is the option of a night drive in the park.

After a quick stock replenishment, you leave the Lowveld, climbing up in altitude to the beautiful town of Graskop. It is from this gateway that you get to explore the beauties of Mpumulanga, known for some of the best landscape in South Africa. Your stops for the day include the ever striking Blyde River Canyon and God's Window. There is a chance to view the Canyon from the many viewpoints, which offer fantastic photographic opportunities. You then set up camp on lush green grass and enjoy the luxury of a spectacularly situated swimming pool. For those in a party mood, the small town of Graskop's nightlife is not to be missed.

A long, yet lovely day's drive as you head up North toward Zimbabwe, this is your chance to sit back, relax and enjoy the ever-changing scenery. Tonight is your last night in beautiful South Africa, in a town called Messina - said to be one of the hottest areas in South Africa. Years back this was a flourishing copper mining area, but when the mines closed down in the 1990s it receded into the near desolation of a ghost town. With the discovery of diamonds it has again once regained its former glory.

Leaving South Africa you enter Zimbabwe, a country of tradition, culture, soul and scenic beauty. You make your way to the town of Masivingo, which lies in the outskirts of the Great Zimbabwe Ruins. Great Zimbabwe was the greatest medieval city in sub-Sahara and provides evidence that this ancient African civilization was relatively advanced. The name Zimbabwe is derived from the Shona word meaning 'great stone houses'. The grand setting and history-steeped walls certainly qualify as one of the highlights of your trip. You will have the time to wander around this ancient wonderland before setting up camp for your 1st night in Zimbabwe.

Once you have finished exploring this historic area you continue your journey to Gweru, situated in the Zimbabwe Midlands. Here you stop over at the Antelope Park. It is said that you have not been to Zimbabwe until you have visited Victoria Falls and the Antelope Park. Here you have the opportunity to partake in an incredible experience unique to the Antelope Park - 'Walking with Lions'. In addition to the lions there is an abundance of other wildlife species in the park such as elephant, giraffe, zebra, wildebeest and over 150 bird species.

Today is spent at leisure with a variety of activities to enthrall you. From walking with lions, elephant riding, to trying your hand at fishing - the list is endless.

Bulawayo is the 2nd largest city in Zimbabwe and has a laid back atmosphere. It is noted for its exceptionally wide streets, originally designed to allow space for a full span ox wagon. The city is characterised by the many British colonial buildings, maintained by the Bulawayo City Council as heritage sites. There are a number of interesting places to visit in Bulawayo such as the Natural History Museum, the National Arts Gallery and the Mzilikazi Arts & Crafts Centre, providing work for over 70 people.

Today you take in Matobo National Park. The park is one of the last strongholds of both black & white rhino, the region is also renowned for its high concentration of leopards and black eagle. There are numerous caves and rock paintings which are evidence of the ancient San inhabitants of this area. Cecil Rhodes (after whom Rhodesia was named) is buried here at his own request, but there is some controversy over whether he will stay! You spend time game driving through the park, giving you an insight into the unique geological, ecological and historical environment.

Heading North you make your way to the mighty Victoria Falls, one of the natural wonders of the world. Victoria Falls is one of the most memorable sights on your African safari. There are numerous activities available all year round, such as flights which give you a panoramic view of the Falls, Batoka Gorge and the islands above the falls. Back on the ground, the Falls can be seen from the Victoria Falls Park with its many viewing points, or from the Zambian side. All offer fantastic photographic opportunities.

Bungee jumping enthusiasts can take the plunge from the Zambezi Bridge, which connects Zambia and Zimbabwe. The leap into the Batoka Gorge is certainly not for the fainthearted.

White water rafting in the Batoka Gorge is considered to be world class. Besides the excitement of the grade 5 rapids, there are "floats" where there is time to admire the scenic cliffs and occasional wildlife on the riverbanks.

Other optional activities around Victoria Falls include day trips into the Zambezi National Park, horse riding safaris, a visit to the Crocodile Ranch, Snake Park, golf at Elephant Hills Hotel, parachuting, the Falls Craft Village and the Sunset Cruise.

The next 2 days are at your own leisure to partake in activities or relax at the campsite swimming pool. You will also have some new group members joining you for the 2nd part of the tour.

This morning you pack up camp and depart Victoria Falls. Exiting Zimbabwe, you cross the Victoria Falls Bridge and the Zambezi River to enter into Zambia at the town of Livingstone. You head to the western waters of Lake Kariba, your base camp for the next 2 nights. The lake is one of the largest manmade lakes in the world, habitat to a wide variety of African game, birdlife and unique flora and fauna.

Here you have the option of taking a 2 night trip on the house boats on Lake Kariba. For those of you who do not want to partake in the house boats, there are many activities available at the campsite such as fishing, canoeing, hiking, exploring the local village or just relaxing on the tranquil banks of Lake Kariba. The campsite also has a swimming pool where you can enjoy soaking up the sun.

House Boat option 2-night/2-day: You board the house boats at approx 1pm and have lunch after you have settled yourself in. You depart the harbor at approx 2pm and sail out to the Maaze River for a beautiful sunset, and overnight on the house boats. Lake Kariba is famous for its spectacular sunsets.

The next day you can relax the entire day on the deck of the house boat and enjoy the onboard Jacuzzi. For those of you feeling a bit more active in the early morning, you can take a Fishing/Game Cruise on tender boats, or you have the option of doing a game walk on the island in the Maaze area. There is opportunity to see plains' game and many different species of birdlife. After lunch you head to Maaze Island where you tour the Crocodile Farm. Dinner is prepared on the boat while you sit back and enjoy your sundowners over the lake.

After everyone has reunited you bid goodbye to Lake Kariba and head North through southern Zambia to a camp just before the capital city of Lusaka. The campsite is home to some local wildlife and has beautiful facilities.

From Lusaka you cross the north-eastern side of Zambia, heading to a beautiful little campsite just 10km from the Zambia/Malawi border. Here you spend the night under the stars before heading into Malawi the following day.

Leaving Zambia you cross the border into Malawi, the 'Warm Heart of Africa'. You visit the capital Lilongwe, a small city distinctively divided into the old town and the new administrative centre. The newly democratic Malawi is a landlocked country with 20% of its total area being the beautiful Lake Malawi. The country's temperate climate allows for swimming in the clear blue fresh waters all the year round.

You travel the full length of western side of lake, stopping off at various bays and inlets for the next 4 days. This is the time for rest and relaxation. Lake Malawi offers a variety of water sports from various beachside campsites. Alternatively, you can wander along the quieter shorelines where you can see the fishermen sorting their daily catch. They still use traditional fishing tmethods, and you can appreciate their boating skills by trying to paddle in your own dug-out canoe.

Visit the nearby villages and schools, and dine in the local village, haggle for a bargain at the local markets, learn the game of bao with some locals or simply relax on the pristine white beaches.

You depart Malawi via Karonga and enter Tanzania through the border post of Songwe. You continue your journey through the Tanzanian countryside and take in the beauty of the Tukuyu tea plantations and banana plantations. Just before Iringa is the Old Farmhouse, a beautiful rustic campsite in rural Tanzania, where you spend the night. Try one of the signature Amarula hot chocolates!

The next morning you proceed to Dar es Salaam, passing through Mikumi National Park where it is possible to view a range of wildlife from the roadside, totally impervious to humans and their vehicles. On arrival in Dar es Salaam, you spend the night at a beach hotel/campsite that is situated to the North of the city, and prepare for your departure to Zanzibar the next morning.

A ferry from Dar es Salaam takes you to the "Spice Island", where you will spend 3 nights. Zanzibar is steeped in history and was one of the major starting points for most East African explorers in their quests for new lands.

Please note: We can organise accommodation for you whilst on Zanzibar, although from our experience our clients have preferred to explore the island on their own. Therefore, accommodation and food is for your own account whilst on Zanzibar.

History aside, Zanzibar offers a wealth of experiences for the visitor. Today the quiet streets of Stone Town still retain their Arabic influence, from the Medina-like shops to the palaces of the Sultans, who founded their vast empires on the spoils of the slave and ivory trade. The island is still famous for its spices, and tours around a spice plantation can be organised. Other options include a trip to the nearby Prison Island with its giant tortoises, and beautiful beaches. Or perhaps you would rather the opportunity to hire a motorbike and explore the more remote areas of the island.

Zanzibar is a seafood lover's paradise. Numerous restaurants offer a great variety of the freshest catch from the ocean - giant lobsters being a popular specialty. Alternatively, joining the locals for dinner in the waterfront market is an experience not to be missed. The market stalls offer an unusual selection of fast food, African style at a very reasonable cost.

Leaving Zanzibar you take the ferry back to the mainland for an overnight in Dar es Salaam. There may be an opportunity to visit one of the craft markets offering an extensive range of exquisite ebony products (prices depend on your bargaining skills!), and goods are made on-site. It is possible to observe the carvers at work and understand the skill which has gone into making even the simplest trinket.

From Dar es Salaam you travel through the countryside, with its vast sisal plantations to Arusha. On the way you pass the Pare and Usambara Mountain ranges before driving through the town of Moshi, the base for Mt. Kilimanjaro climbing expeditions. Weather permitting, you may catch a glimpse of this magical mountain's snowy summit - a photo opportunity not to be missed.

Arusha is a pleasant town situated at the base of Mount Meru and is the starting point for the optional excursions to Ngorongoro Crater and Serengeti. You conduct these excursions in locally operated 4x4 vehicles, which are adapted for safari use. Depending on which option you choose, you will be away from the Arusha campsite for 1-2 nights.

If you take up the 2-night/3-day option, you will depart Arusha in the morning with your vehicles and guides. The drive to the Serengeti National Park takes you through the Masai town of Mtu Wa Mbu (Mosquito River) and up into the Ngorongoro Reserve for a glimpse of the Ngorongoro Crater before descending down onto the plains of the Serengeti. The abundance of plains game in this area is truly astounding. The afternoon will be spent game viewing before setting up camp in the midst of the national park.

After a full morning's game drive in the Serengeti you will return to pack up camp and head back towards the Ngorongoro. En route you will have the option of visiting Olduvai Gorge, known as the cradle of civilisation, or a Masai village to learn a little more about these unique and intriguing people. From here you travel up to Ngorongoro crater's edge to your campsite for the evening. We suggest you pack your winter woollies as it can get very cold on the rim of the crater during the night.

For those taking the 1-night/2-day option you will be collected from Arusha in the afternoon and transferred to the town of Karatu for the evening.

A natural wonder, with its 600m walls and 20km diameter, the crater offers spectacular views from the rim. The true size of this caldera is only appreciated from the floor itself, and the abundance of its animal inhabitants becomes apparent. It is home to nearly every species of African animal and offers a chance to view an incredible concentration of East African mammals, such as elephant, rhino, buffalo, hippo, lion, and plains' game. After spending the full morning in the crater, you will return to the campsite near Arusha for another night. Both optional excursions will follow the same schedule today.

After a leisurely morning start and the chance to explore the snake exhibits at your campsite in Arusha, you will take some time in Arusha for your last Tanzanian stop. Explore the craft markets in town or stop at the bakery for a local coffee. Lunch will be just outside town as you head the last 120km North to the Tanzania/Kenya border town of Namanga. After completing border formalities you will camp at Namanga on the Kenyan side of the border.

This morning you travel the final 180km North to the capital city, Nairobi, arriving in the morning. On arrival in Nairobi, the truck will proceed to the Boulevard Hotel to allow passengers to disembark there, and will then drive to your campsite to overnight.

You will depart from the Boulevard Hotel and leave the hustle and bustle of Nairobi and climb the escarpment to your 1st viewpoint stop, overlooking the Great African Rift Valley. Descending into the Rift valley you enter Masai land, where these habitual pastoralists are seen quite regularly on the side of the road tending their cattle. You will arrive at your campsite - Acacia Camp - early evening in time to enjoy sunset on the Masai Mara.

Game drives through the Mara find you looking for the infamous Big 5 as well as giving you the opportunity to see this 'Garden of Eden' in a state nature intended it to be: huge plains, rolling hills and an abundance of game matched nowhere else on earth: elephant, lion, cheetah, giraffe, zebra, waterbuck - just to name a few of the animals that inhabit this wonderland. Sitting around a campfire and watching the sunset is the perfect way to finish a day's game viewing in the Mara.

Departing the Masai Mara early you will pass through the 3rd largest town in Kenya, Nakuru, where you will stop for the night to re-supply and shop.

Today, you cross the border into Uganda and travel via the lakeside town of Jinja (the Source of the Nile) before reaching Kampala, Uganda's capital, for an overnight stay. Uganda is a small country of striking physical beauty. Its landscapes vary from the fertile green areas around the northern shores of Lake Victoria to the snow-covered Ruwenzori Mountains in the West and the semi-desert parts of the North facing the border of Sudan.

The political instability that haunted Uganda over a period of years has had the positive effect of leaving the country free from the commercialism so common in other parts of Africa. The current administration under President Museveni has devoted considerable effort and funds to regaining Uganda's former glory as one of Africa's most prosperous and, from a tourist's point of view, one of the most appealing and interesting countries to visit.

After an early morning departure from Kampala you drive further West into the depths of Uganda and arrive at your base in Kisoro.

From Kisoro, depending on the availability of gorilla permits, and where the gorillas are located, you will view them in either the Magahinga or Bwindi National Parks in Uganda, the Virunga National Park in the DRC or at Ruhengeri in Rwanda.

Due to the nature of the gorillas and their habits, viewing cannot be guaranteed. The gorillas themselves tend to move around the locality quite a distance and the trek can be quite arduous. The cost to trek the gorillas differs from park to park and can range from US$275 to US$375, per 1hr viewing. There is usually an additional park entry fee of approx US$15. Occasionally, there is also a cost for the local transport to take you to and from the starting point to trek the gorillas. This cost is normally US$10 to US$15 per person. Please note that we are not in control of the price of gorilla permits, and therefore cannot be held responsible for any increases in fees levied by the relevant authorities. National parks usually allow clients who fail to see the gorillas, a 2nd chance to re-trek the next day if time and availability allows, or they may refund your trekking fee. This is purely at their discretion, and the respective park authorities say that you are paying to trek the gorillas, not view them. Fortunately, we have a very high success rate of getting in and actually seeing these magnificent animals.

Please note: This is an optional excursion, and visas to the DRC and Rwanda can be obtained at the border.

A short drive through arguably some of the most picturesque scenery in Africa brings you to Lake Bunyoni. Lake Bunyoni is the deepest crater lake in Africa, and is home to a large number of bird and fish species, as well as otters.

Today you have the whole day at leisure to enjoy the beauty of Lake Bunyoni. There is the option to swim, visit the local villages or just sit back, relax and enjoy the tranquil surrounds. A well deserved rest day!

After enjoying the peaceful surrounds of Lake Bunyoni, you drive to Kampala for another overnight stay, and perhaps the chance to sample the nightlife. Today you will cross the equator for the 2nd time, and there will be ample opportunity for photos at the Equator crossing.

Today you have the option to either white water raft the Nile or visit Ngamba Chimpanzee Sanctuary. If you're feeling adventurous, you will be collected from Kampala and transferred to Jinja where you will experience some of the best white water rafting in Africa. Otherwise, you will have the morning at leisure or the option to take a full day excursion to visit Ngamba Chimp Sanctuary before your departure to Jinja.

Your overnight camp is right on the edge of the Nile River where there is an abundance of resident birdlife and some truly amazing photo opportunities from right outside your tent.

Today will be a full day driving back towards Kenya, you will cross the border before lunch and stop for supplies en route. Tonight you will overnight again in Nakuru.

Today you move onto Lake Nakuru National Park, famous for the thousands of flamingos that inhabit the lake's edge. The numbers vary depending on the level of the lake, and are more numerous when the water level is low. The park has also been established as a sanctuary for black & white rhino, which are frequently seen in the park, along with buffalo, giraffe, waterbuck, various antelope, leopard and the occasional hippo. After entering the park in the morning you will spend the rest of the day game driving.

Moving further East, you drive to Lake Naivasha where you make camp in peaceful surroundings beside the lake. The highest of the Rift Valley lakes, Naivasha lies at about 1880m. Again the lake is home to a multitude of birdlife, but pride of place must go to the African Fish Eagle. The afternoon is spent at leisure here and you have the opportunity (time permitting) to enjoy some optional excursions, such as a boat ride to the Crescent Island Game Sanctuary, Hell's Gate National Park or Elsamere, the retirement home of Joy Adamson ("Born Free").

After breakfast, you leave Naivasha and return to Nairobi, arriving in the early afternoon. The truck will stop at the Boulevard Hotel for those staying there, and then continue to your campsite to finish the trip.