The ultimate independent adventure through Southern Africa
Travel from coast to coast and through the heart of southern Africa on a 49-day overland journey with Lonely Planet and Intrepid. Begin in beautiful Cape Town and voyage through desert landscapes, rolling savannas and lush mountainscapes. Cruise lakes, delta waterways and feel the spray of massive waterfalls. Spend time getting to know locals in rural villages and enjoying the rhythms of buzzing cities. From game drives in national parks full of iconic animals to enjoying the simple pleasure of lying on a pristine beach, this grand journey is the perfect way to discover everything that makes this part of the world so special.
A powerful partnership
Lonely Planet and Intrepid Travel share the same philosophy: we help curious people explore the world.
With included wildlife viewing experiences like game drives, tracking walks and safaris, you are guaranteed to encounter a diverse array of Africa’s iconic wildlife.
Wake up before dawn and scramble to the top of a massive Sesriem dune for a dramatic sunrise view across a vast sea of undulating sand.
Glide down Botswana's Okavango Delta on a mokoro, with a local at the helm using a pole to guide your journey through the rich waterways.
Discover the largest ruins in sub-Saharan Africa – Great Zimbabwe. This World Heritage-listed site dates back to the 11th century.
Chill out on the white sands of Zanzibar’s northern beaches and spend a night exploring the ornate alleyways of Stone Town.
This is an overland trip. That means you’ll be travelling with a group in a purpose-built vehicle, visiting remote communities, setting up your own tent and occasionally roughing it in the bush with no facilities – but unrivalled access to the wilderness. For more info on this style of travel, see our Africa overland page: https://www.intrepidtravel.com/africa/overland
We use mokoros (small dugout canoes) to pass through the shallow waterways of the Okavango Delta to get to our campsite for the night.
At Usambara Mountains the group will do an easy hike to the beautiful Irente viewpoint.
Camp in the Serengeti National Park itself without fences between you and the animals. Your leader will brief you on the safety measures the group will need to take for the two nights spent in the park.
There are many optional activities on this trip. Please take this into consideration when budgeting.
The overland vehicle is large enough to seat up to 22 passengers and carries all the camping equipment needed for the duration of this trip.
As the early bird catches the worm, the early camper sights the animals. There will be many early starts either to make use of the better safari time or to beat the morning traffic on long travel days.
You may also want to check out our Africa Encompassed Northbound trip if you have more time to explore in Africa.
1. A single supplement is available on this trip. Please refer to your booking agent for further details. Please note, the single supplement does not apply for nights 7 to 9 in Swakopmund and 17 in the Okavango Delta.
2. An optional sunrise balloon ride in the Serengeti National Park is possible on this itinerary. As the balloon only holds 16 people, places are limited and we recommend you book in advance. Please inquire when booking your trip to secure a place for this optional activity.
3. This is a combination trip made up of three shorter tours. This means your local leader and the composition of your group may change in Victoria Falls and Stone Town as some group members leave and new ones join you.
4. The Zanzibar portion of your itinerary may have a few more passengers than 22 as we have a a couple of tous tht overlap in Zanzibar.
5. This trip finishes upon arrival at our finish point hotel in Nairobi on Day 49. Please do not book any flights until after 10 pm on this evening.
Want an in-depth insight into this trip? Essential Trip Information provides a detailed itinerary, visa info, how to get to your hotel, what's included - pretty much everything you need to know about this adventure and more.
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