You depart Nairobi and drive south, crossing the border into Tanzania at Namanga, and continue to Arusha. This is a pleasant town situated at the base of Mount Meru, and is the starting point for your optional excursion to the Ngorongoro Crater and/or the Serengeti.

You are taken in locally operated Land Rovers, which are specially adapted for safari use. Depending on which option you choose, you will be away from the Arusha campsite for either one or 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 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, probably the best-known wildlife sanctuary in the world.

After a full morning's game drive in the Serengeti you return to pack up camp and head back towards the Ngorongoro Crater. You travel up to rim of the crater and your campsite for the evening. We suggest you pack your winter woollies as it can get very cold during night.

For those taking the 1-night/2-day option, you are collected from Arusha in the afternoon and transferred to the town of Karatu for the evening. Tomorrow you join the rest of the group for your Ngorongoro game drive.

In the morning you descend into the Ngorongoro Crater. With its 600m-high walls and 20km diameter, it is one of the natural wonders of the world.

The views from the rim are spectacular, but the true size of this caldera is only appreciated from the floor itself. There is an abundance of wildlife and some say the crater floor offers the finest game viewing in Africa.

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 plain's 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.

You leave Arusha and head towards the warm waters of the Indian Ocean. Traveling through the town of Moshi, you cross the southern slopes of the highest mountain in Africa, Mount Kilimanjaro.

This gives you the opportunity to view the snowy summit (weather dependant) and definitely calls for a photo stop! Continuing south you pass the Usambara Mountains where you encounter vast sisal plantations, then continue your journey to Dar es Salaam.

Today is another long day's drive through beautiful lush scenery and palm trees. On arrival in Dar es Salaam, you set up camp for the nigh at a beach hotel/campsite that is situated to the north of the city.

Spend the evening relaxing and preparing for your departure to Zanzibar the next morning.

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

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

Zanzibar offers a wealth of experiences for the visitor. Today the quiet streets of the old 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 organized. Other options include a trip to the nearby Prison Island with its giant tortoises, and beautiful beaches.

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.

Leaving Zanzibar you take the ferry back to the mainland for an overnight stay in Dar es Salaam. There may be an opportunity to visit one of the craft markets offering an extensive range of exquisite ebony products (the price you pay depends on your bargaining skills), and where the 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.

Leaving Dar es Salaam you head for Iringa, passing through Mikumi National Park. It is possible to view a range of wildlife from the roadside, the animals totally oblivious to humans and their vehicles.

Tonight you camp at the Old Farmhouse, a beautiful rustic campsite in rural Tanzania. Try one of the signature Amarula Hot Chocolates, they're delicious!

The next morning you drive through the beautiful tea plantations of Tikuku before exiting Tanzania. You enter Malawi, the 'Warm Heart of Africa', through the border post of Songwe, and head to Chitimba Beach campsite for the night.

Spend the next 4 days travelling the full length of the western side of the lake, stopping at various bays and inlets. This is the time for rest and relaxation in this scenic and friendly country.

For the more energetic, Lake Malawi offers a variety of water sports from various beachside campsites. Alternatively you can wander along quieter shorelines where you can see the fishermen sorting their daily catch.

You cross the border into Zambia, heading to a beautiful little campsite just 10km from the Zambia/Malawi border, where you stop for the night.

The landlocked country of Zambia is quickly crossed, stopping at the capital city of Lusaka for one night. The campsite is home to some local wildlife, and has excellent facilities.

This morning you pack up camp early and travel south for Lake Kariba. You head to the western waters of the lake and your base camp for the next 2 nights.

Lake Kariba is one of the largest manmade lakes in the world and home to a wide variety of African game, birdlife and unique flora and fauna.

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

Today you cross the border into the town of Victoria Falls. 1,700 meters wide and around 100 meters high, the falls is sure to be one of the most memorable sights on your African safari.

You have a couple of days to experience not only the sights, but also the many activities available in this, the adrenaline capital of Africa, from bungee jumping and white-water rafting to scenic flights in a helicopter or microlight.

The following 2 days are at your leisure, allowing you to partake in the many activities available, or just relax around the pool at your campsite.

Following breakfast you depart Victoria Falls and cross the border into Botswana. After setting up camp for the night you can spend some time exploring the area and relaxing on the banks of the Chobe River.

In the afternoon you head off on a game drive in Chobe National Park. Chobe is one of Botswana's premier game parks, renowned for the large herds of elephant around the Chobe River.

Today you have an early morning start as you prepare for your morning game drive in the Chobe National Park. Later in the afternoon there is the option of a boat trip along the Chobe River.

Today you travel in a south-westerly direction to Maun, your base camp for the optional excursion into the Okavango Delta. Prepare yourself for a day on the road, stopping briefly for lunch on the roadside.

The Delta is a huge expanse of water, which after travelling down from the Angolan highlands, spreads out to form the largest inland delta in the world.

Studded with exotic islands, the Okavango is renowned for its incredible variety of birdlife, as well as many other animals unique to Southern Africa.

If you choose to take the optional 3-day/2-night excursion into the Delta, you travel approx 1-2 hours north to the mokoro polers station.

From there you hire mokoros, the local dug-out canoes, which are poled by local guides through the winding waterways. Your knowledgeable guides select a place to set up camp for the night.

An afternoon game walk allows you to experience more the delta wilderness and its diverse ecosystems.

Today you have the opportunity to partake in a number of delta activities including game walks, mokoro cruises, swimming and even a chance to try your hand at poling a dug-out yourself!

There is a final opportunity for a morning game walk before packing up camp and setting off back to Maun.

You arrive back in the early afternoon you have the chance to complete your picture of the Okavango Delta by taking an optional spectacular sunset flight over the delta region.

Departing Maun you head in a south westerly direction along the Kavango River and cross over into the northern region of Namibia, known as the Caprivi Strip.

You stock up on your supplies in Rundu before reaching your "home" for the night. The fantastic campsite is located right on the banks of the Kavango River, complete with open air facilities and the occasional hippo grazing peacefully on the lawn.

You arrive at Etosha National Park in the late afternoon. Etosha is Namibia's premiere nature reserve, covering over 20 000 square kms with an impressive variety of animal and bird species.

The park is situated around Etosha Pan, and has an extensive network of gravel roads that enable you to get to remote areas. A feature of this park is the floodlit waterholes at both Namutoni and Okakuejo.

Your evenings can be spent sitting on the specially constructed viewing benches watching the game as it comes in to drink.

Another full day of game drives as you make your way across 150 km of the park from east to west.

Tonight you have another opportunity to spend at leisure around the fantastic floodlit waterholes.

A short drive takes you to Cheetah Park, a private farm where you will learn about the conservation of the cheetah population in Namibia.

You also have the chance to meet the resident cheetahs living on the property - a photo opportunity not to be missed!

A day's drive takes you to Spitzkoppe, the 1,728m high rock formation which is one of Namibia's most recognized landmarks.

You can go for walks in this stunning landscape, explore between the bizarre rock formations or view the bushman paintings. Your night is spent camping under a star-filled sky.

Today you follow the Atlantic Coast south to the Cape Cross Seal Colony. Of the 23 breeding colonies of Cape Fur Seals along the coast of South Africa and Namibia, Cape Cross is the largest.

You can see seals througout the year, although their numbers fluctuate from 80 000 to around 200 000 during the breeding season.

It was here that the Portuguese navigator, Diego Cao, erected a stone cross in 1846, becoming the first European to set foot on the coast of Namibia. You arrive in Swakopmund later the afternoon.

The town of Swakopmund, founded in 1892 during German rule, still maintains its distinct colonial character. Swakopmund has several excellent restaurants, bars and coffee shops, as well as galleries to explore and many arts and crafts shops selling Namibian rural art.

There are beautiful beaches to walk along or you can visit the interesting museum or aquarium.

Optional excursions include fishing trips, quad biking, sand boarding, sky diving, desert flights, water sports, golf and 4x4 hire. Accommodation is in dormitories. Upgrades are available.

Leaving Swakopmund you head south and drive past Walvis Bay along the Atlantic Ocean en route to Sesriem. A

short distance away is Sossusvlei, surrounded by a dramatic sea of sand dunes reputed to be the highest in the world. Magnificent views of the desert can be enjoyed from the top of the dunes, some over 300m high. The afternoon is spent exploring this amazing area.

An optional and strongly recommended excursion is exploring the are on foot with a highly specialised local guide. At night you watch the sunset from the top of Dune 45 - a truly memorable experience.

Departing the Namib-Naukluft Park area, you drive south and choose your camp for the night - no matter where you camp in this remote area you'll be able to enjoy the peace and quiet of the desert.

Today you drive to Hobas campsite and the Fish River Canyon. 161 km long and up to 27 km wide, the Fish River is the 2nd largest canyon in the world, although it is reputed to be the most spectacular.

A road running near the eastern edge gives you access to several viewing points with magnificent vistas across the rift.

From here, it is a short drive south to the Orange River, the natural land border between South Africa and Namibia. You have the option of a half-day canoe trip on this beautiful river.

Enjoy the scenic and relaxing ride as you watch the banks of the river slide by and have the chance to do a bit of bird watching.

Today is a long day's drive through the wine-growing regions of Namaqualand and Ceres, as you make your way to the picturesque city of Cape Town, better known as the "Mother City".

Your tour ends this morning. Please note that if you wish to partake in the many activities offered in and around Cape Town, we highly recommend that you spend a few extra days in this exciting and beautiful city.