Prices for -  African Trans Continental  Expeditions

Cairo to Cape Town

Cairo to Nairobi or Cape Town 8 or 16 Weeks - (Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia, South Africa)

The words 'Cairo to Cape Town' conjure up images of an expedition through the heart of Africa, crossing deserts, rivers, mountains and overcoming the various challenges this continent can throw at you. As with any travel to remote parts of Africa you must sometimes expect a high degree of hardship: bouncing around on poor rocky un-tarred roads and even crossing a desert where there is no road, or sometimes having to bush camp for the night with no prospect of even a cold shower to wash away the dust. However, countries such as Sudan and Ethiopia are particularly rewarding for the traveller who likes to go places that have seen very few other tourists and meet local people who are keen to meet you and whose hospitality can be very humbling.

Please note that because of the unpredictable nature of this expedition it is not always possible to follow the itinerary exactly as set out below.


Weeks 1 & 2 - Our first day is spent in Cairo visiting the great Pyramids and Sphinx at Giza with our Egyptologist guide. The following morning we drive out of Cairo and head for the Western Desert leaving both modern and ancient civilizations behind us for a few days. Described as the 'desert of deserts' this vast world of desolation and beauty covers 2.8 million square kms. We visit 3 isolated oases, Bahariyya, Farafra and Dhakla where u can roll down sand dunes, hire a desert guide and some camels and head out to explore this sand sea and walk through the winding lanes of mud houses at the Citadel of Mut. We end our first week at the city of Luxor where the Valley of Kings and Queens and Karnak and Luxor Temples will keep us busy exploring for a few days more.  A half day drive further south brings us to Aswan. Here you will notice the first of many cultural changes on this trip. The darker Nubian people in Aswan lead a more relaxed and less hectic pace of life than their Egyptian countrymen. We base ourselves here for the next 4 or 5 days in which time you can organise a 2 or 3 day felucca sail cruise to Edfu and Kom Ombo and also visit Abu Simbel. From Aswan we take the ferry across Lake Nasser to the port of Wadi Halfa in Northern Sudan.The ferry takes about a day and a night and is a supremely relaxing way to travel and a great opportunity to mix and chat to local Sudanese people.

Weeks 3 & 4 - From Wadi Halfa we rejoin our expedition vehicle for our drive across the Nubian Desert. We spend much of this journey hugging the banks of the Nile, passing through sleepy Nubian villages where we can rest in tea rooms or potter around the local souqs.  Khartoum is our next stop and it has a fantastic setting on the confluence of the Blue and White Nile. Our stay here is on the banks of the Nile at the quirky but interesting Blue Nile Sailing Club. It's office is housed in one of General Kitcheners old Gunboats, a relic from the British military campaign against the Mahdi over a century ago. For such a large city, Khartoum feels quite laid back. In our few days here you can visit the Hamed al Nil Tomb and witness the dancing dervishes who perform every Friday as well as the daily camel market or take a boat trip on the Nile. You can also visit the ancient Pyramids at Meroe and the temples at Naqa. From Khartoum we drive south-east through the towns of Wadi Medina and Gedaref on our way to Ethiopia. We spend about 5 days at the town of Gondar from where it is possible to organise visits to some of Ethiopia's most famous sites, including the holy city of Axum and the rock-hewn churches at Lalibela. These date from the 12th Century and have been kept alive by generations of dedicated priests who guard their precious religious and artistic artifacts.

Week 5 & 6 - Many of the roads we travel on in Ethiopia are very poor dirt or gravel roads and often in mountainous areas so travel is slow. Our route to Addis Ababa takes us via Lake Tana and the spectacular Blue Nile Gorge and Blue Nile Falls. From Bahar Dar you can organise boat trips to some of the small islands which have Monasteries dating back up to 900 years and which are still looked after by monks who live from subsistence farming. From Addis Ababa we head south towards Kenya.  The north of Kenya is very remote with nomadic tribespeople like the Rendille in Marsabit and the Samburu who still wear very distinctive and often elaborate dress. We pass through Marsabit National Park and then visit Samburu National Park which has some unique wildlife like reticulated giraffe and Grevy's Zebra, as well as leopard, elephant, cheetah and crocodile. Next we drive via Archers Post and Isiolo to Nanyuki which is in the foothills of Mt Kenya and then continue via Eldoret into Uganda.

Weeks 7 & 8 - Kampala (the capital) has had a turbulent past, but these days is a friendly and safe city. We have a free day to spend in local cafes and nightspots and get to know the local people, there is also the opportunity to spend the day visiting a local Chimpanzee Sanctuary and rehabilitation centre on one of the islands on Lake Victoria. The following day we have a long drive as we head west through swamps, patches of forest and fertile green countryside. We also stop at the spot where our route crosses the equator.  At 2000 metres, Kabale is Uganda's highest town and it is from here that we visit either Bwindi or Mgahinga National Parks. Both are situated in the Virunga Range of volcanic mountains and the rainforests on these mountain slopes are home to several families of Mountain Gorillas. We usually spend 2 or 3 days at the base camp so allowing everyone in our group enough time to complete their trek to the gorillas. During this time there is the opportunity to visit nearby villages, climb an extinct volcano or go to Lake Bunyoni where you can call in at the friendly local school or hire mountain bikes or canoes.
Please Note: - If we are unable to view the gorillas in Uganda we will visit them in Rwanda.  We then return to Kampala and camp near Jinja. Here, on the edge of Lake Victoria, the Nile begins its 6700km journey to the sea. We spend the next few days at Bujagali Falls, just downstream from the source of the Nile. This is a spectacular area, and with one kilometre of raging water below Bujagali Falls, a superb place to go whitewater rafting. We can also organise quad biking or a visit to a local school.  Re-entering Kenya we travel through hills covered in tea plantations. A further half-day drive brings us to Lake Naivasha. We camp near the lakeshore where Hippos sometimes feed at night! We also pay a visit to Elsamere - the former home of Joy Adamson - of Born Free Fame. We also go on a game drive at Lake Nakuru National Park home to almost one million pink flamingos amongst a horde of other game including rhino, lion, giraffe and leopard.  Our break in Nairobi will give you a chance to laze by a hotel pool, drink an ice-cold beer and catch up with world news & events with English language newspapers or visit a Giraffe sanctuary or Elephant orphange.

Weeks 9 & 10 We depart Nairobi early morning and immediately find ourselves in hot savannah grasslands, with thorn trees and acacia providing the only shade. We usually see zebra and giraffe as we head south and cross the border to Tanzania. From the town of Arusha we use a local Tanzania travel safari company to guide us through Ngorongoro Crater and Serengeti National Parks. On the crater floor you can spend the day viewing the abundant wildlife including Elephant, Lion, Cheetah, White Rhino, Buffalo, Hippo, Antelope, Crocodile and Pink Flamingos. From here you can choose to go into the Serengeti where vast herds of Wildebeest roam the plains. For those who decide to view Ngorongoro only, there is a free day in Arusha to visit a local Masai Village.  It's a one-day drive to Dar Es Salaam. We pass through a number of small towns and villages along the way and, if we are lucky, we may see the towering peak of Mt Kilimanjaro.  We camp for about 4 nights in a campsite on a beautiful Indian Ocean beach. From here most people take the ferry out to Zanzibar for the full four days and venture into the narrow bustling streets of StoneTown and its exotic spice markets, old slave forts and dungeons. There is also time to indulge yourself on Zanzibar's famous white beaches before returning to Dar Es Salaam.  After meeting the Zanzibar ferry, we travel through the interesting and often mountainous hinterland for which the country is renowned. In the afternoon, after negotiating some appalling roads and 'in God We Trust' drivers we pass through the peaceful Mikumi National Park. We usually see here Elephant, Giraffe, Zebra and Antelope from the roadside. Passing rivers and small waterfalls, our Tanziania travel leg ends as we enter Malawi, dominated by its huge fresh water lake.

Weeks 11 & 12 We spend 2 days at a small laid back camp site on the edge of the lake. We follow the lake shore south and spend a further 2 or 3 nights on one of the campsites equipped for water sports. Here you can windsurf, scuba dive, etc. If you are inclined to just relax during your Africa overland travel experience, there is no better place than the shores of Lake Malawi. Here you have the opportunity to go off for a couple of days and stay in one of the many nearby villages, or visit a school or one of the craft markets where artisans produce some interesting wooden furniture and carvings. From here we continue onto Blantyre in the south of the country where we stop for two nights. Here we organise our Mozambique visas and possibly visit the local brewery!  From Blantyre we cross into Mozambique and head for Zimbabwe. We follow the infamous 'Tete Corridor' which was well known in the days of Mozambque's long running civil war as the 'Gun Run'. Thankfully these days things are a lot different! We enter Zimbabwe and travel to Harare, the capital, for a couple of days.  From Harare we head south to Gweru and a privately run horse and game ranch where you can go game viewing on elephant and horseback or perhaps on a walking safari with young lion cubs!
From Gweru we travel to the Great Zimbabwe Ruins which was once the greatest medieval city in Sub Saharan Africa and where the name 'Zimbabwe' is derived, literally meaning 'house of stone'. Next we enter Matabeleland and the town of Bulawayo.  Here you have the option of leaving the truck for a day and a night and using a local safari company to venture into Motobo National Park, where on foot, escorted by an armed ranger, you should see the elusive Black Rhino amongst hordes of other game. There is also the opportunity to visit Cecil Rhodes grave and Worlds End view point before catching an old colonial style sleeper train to rejoin the truck at one of the adventure playgrounds of the world - Victoria Falls.

Weeks 13 & 14 For some Mosi oa Tunya - 'The Smoke That Thunders' is the highlight of their Africa overland travel trip. When you arrive it is a surprise to discover the enormity of Victoria Falls. One mile wide and hurling over 5 million cubic metres of water a minute into the Zambezi Gorge this is the setting for the most awesome grade 5 white water rafting in the world. There is something here for everyone from the more sedate canoe trips, Flight Of Angels or Sunset Cruises to one of the highest commercial Bungee Jumps in the world! After your adrenaline has been spent we head into Botswana.  Although only a short drive away, once in Botswana you will easily notice quite a contrast in the terrain and vegetation from what we have seen so far in this Kenya to South Africa trip. The arid Kalahari with it's expansive freedom, night sky ablaze with shooting stars and the warm glow of our campfire make it an unforgettable camping experience. We spend the first night in Chobe National Park famous for its hordes of elephants as well as an abundance of other wildlife. There is the opportunity to take a cruise on the Chobe River - a less intrusive way to view the amazing wildlife in this park.  We then organise our 2 day trip into the Okavango Delta (optional). You have the chance to go on a Mokoro (dug out canoe) and explore the extensive waterways of this unique desert wetland. You will also have the opportunity to take several game walks in this huge oasis. Elephant, crocodile and hippo are nearly always seen. The Okavango Delta is the worlds largest inland water way and its serenity and quietness seems to have a calming effect on those that experience it.

Weeks 15 & 16 Heading west we travel on to Namibia and continue north-west toward Etosha National Park, recognised as one of the worlds greatest wildlife viewing areas. We game watch by night at one of the floodlit watering holes, hoping to see some of the wide variety of wildlife that inhabits this amazing park.  From Etosha we visit a local Cheetah park before continuing on to the Brandenberg Mountains in Demaraland and the Skeleton Coast. We visit the world famous Cape Cross Seal Colony and the sight of thousands of these mammals as well as their accompanying pungent odour is remembered by all! For the next three days we are based in Swakopmund. From here there are a variety of activities and excursions. You can spend a day deep sea fishing for shark and other game fish or head out to the desert and try quad biking and dune sledding. You can also go horse riding or take a flight over the desert and it's dramatic coastline. In Swakopmund itself you can walk along miles of deserted beaches, visit the museum or relax in a café.  A one day drive takes us to the Namib-Naukluft Park, a vast expanse of desert which contains some of the highest sand dunes in the world. At Sossusvlei we stop and explore the area and the dunes. Continuing South we enter the semi desert, and wide open countryside of cattle ranching, until we arrive at one of Africa's most sensational natural features, Fish River Canyon. We camp next to this massive gorge for two days, where you can hike and soak up the sun and fabulous scenery. A couple of hours drive away we cross the Orange River, a rich source of diamonds, and into South Africa. We travel south through the Cederburg Wilderness area to Stellenbosch visiting one of the historical Cape Wineries before arriving at our final destination, the vibrant, cosmopolitan city of Cape Town. Here, we stay at a comfortable backpacker's lodge.

Important: Before you travel please check your Tour Voucher and Arrival Information for the latest joining instructions. This will be sent to you upon receipt of final payment.

All itineraries are subject to change without prior notice.

 Prices for -  African Trans Continental  Expeditions