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Kenya to Zimbabwe - 25 Days
We meet at the hotel at 8 am on the first day. We recommend you arrive in
Nairobi at least the day before, however if you're there with a few days to
spare there's lots to see and do around the city. In town is the National
Museum, there are markets in and around Nairobi or you can visit Karen Blixen's
house, Langata Giraffe Centre or even Nairobi National Park for a first glimpse
of African wildlife.
DAYS 1-3 Leaving Nairobi we cross the Athi River Plains and the border to
Tanzania and see Mount Kilimanjaro rising above the horizon in the distance. We
spend the night near Arusha, which is nestled at the foot of Mount Meru. From
here you can hire Land Rovers with a guide to take you to the Serengeti National
Park and the Ngorongoro Crater. The crater is a collapsed, extinct volcano,
thousands of years old and now supporting a wide range of animals. It's an
excellent place for your first game drive as being a relatively small area it
has a high concentration of animals.
This area is the home of the Masaai and we will certainly come across tribesmen
and women selling their distinctive beaded jewellery or inviting you to take
photographs, for a small fee.
DAY 4 A day's drive from Arusha brings us to Dar es Salaam on the Indian
Ocean coast.
DAY 5 Over the centuries trade between Africa and Arabia has resulted in
the blending of Arabs and Africans into a beautiful Swahili (coastal) culture
with wooden sailing dhows crossing the ocean, coconut plantations and fishing
villages with mosques on the beaches.
DAYS 6-10 From Dar es Salaam you can take the ferry to Zanzibar Island.
Here is the old stone Capital of the Omani Sultanate, sandy beaches, spice
tours, snorkelling, diving and trips to other nearby islands. Zanzibar is a
fascinating place to visit and you can stay for 3 or 4 days to take it all in.
DAYS 11-12 South through Tanzania, our route takes us through Mikumi
National Park where we may well see giraffe or elephant grazing along the
roadside.
DAYS 13-18 Crossing the border into Malawi, we soon reach the shores of
its huge lake. The campsites and small resorts along Lake Malawi offer sandy
beaches, swimming and snorkelling, water-skiing or walking in the surrounding
countryside. You will also find markets selling beautifully carved Malawi
chairs, tables and other souvenirs.
In Blantyre the capital of Malawi we get visas for the next leg. We enter
Mozambique and spend a the day driving through the bush, passing villages, mud
huts and small children who wave at us as they tend their herds of cows and
goats.
DAYS 19-24 In Zimbabwe we visit the modern capital Harare, then on to
Gweru and the Antelope Park. Here is the only place in the world you can walk
with lion cubs, also you can swim with elephants and play polo cross. In
Bulawayo town there is Rhodes Matopos National Park, here you can walk near wild
white rhino, see bushman rock paintings and see the fantastic view Rhodes grave,
the founder of modern Zimbabwe.
DAY 25 Victoria Falls where 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.
YOU SHOULD ALLOW YOURSELF A COUPLE OF EXTRA DAYS AT THE FALLS AT THE END OF
THE TRIP.
We stay in Victoria Falls Town in Zimbabwe above the Falls and 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 opposite them for an excellent view.
We would advise you to make any onward travel arrangements for at least the day
after the tour ends. Subject to availability, you can join our connecting tours
to Johannesburg and Cape Town.
Prices
for - African
Overland Truck Adventures
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