A continent for the more adventurous traveller, but perhaps not as much as you’d think.
Africa is massive, but with the right guides and the right itinerary, it can be as safe, stable and welcoming as any other destination. You just need that local edge. We’ll get you out of your comfort zone and into the wild: pitching tents along the Zambezi River, paddling a mokoro through the Okavango Delta and tracking the Big 5 across the plains of the Masai Mara. With its wide open spaces, Africa is the perfect spot to slow down, take your time and travel more mindfully. This is one long trip you won’t forget in a hurry.
Three weeks in Africa
22 Days
From
4266
Spend three weeks exploring South Africa, Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe, from Cape...
27 Days
From
8440
Go deep in East Africa on this epic trip, including Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Zanzibar.
22 Days
From
4080
Embark on a 22 day Southern African odyssey through wildlife-rich game parks, idyllic...
22 Days
From
11994
Jump onboard an exhilarating journey from Cape Town to Victoria Falls through the...
22 Days
From
4165
Discover the unique and contrasting lands of Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia and South...
Tailor-Made trips
Take four or more on an exclusive trip and tailor your itinerary
24 Days
From
8830
Travel through Madagascar visiting national parks like Isalo, Anadsibe and Ranomafana...
21 Days
From
30300
Search for Gorillas in Uganda, uncover the history of Rwanda, explore the wild plains...
28 Days
From
6333
Discover East African wilderness and the animals that call it home on an adventure...
27 Days
From
7565
Explore the wilds of East Africa on a trip from Nairobi to the Serengeti, Usambara...
27 Days
From
8811
Spend 27 days exploring the wonders, wildlife and tribal cultures of East Africa to...
29 Days
From
6770
From Johannesburg to Botswana, Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Lake Malawi and...
One month in Africa
30 Days
From
6712
Take a month long southern African adventure from Cape Town into Namibia, Botswana and...
37 Days
From
9965
Travel the waterways of Botswana, the beaches of Zanzibar and the savannahs of the...
40 Days
From
7030
Explore Africa on an epic wildlife-rich adventure from Tanzania to South Africa while...
31 Days
From
37010
Set off on the adventure of a lifetime through Africa on a 31-day Premium journey,...
37 Days
From
49545
Set off on the adventure of a lifetime through Africa on a 37-day Premium journey,...
Tailor-Made trips
Take four or more on an exclusive trip and tailor your itinerary
Our longest trips in Africa
41 Days
From
8185
See Africa on this incredible overland adventure from South Africa to Tanzania. Soak up...
64 Days
From
18320
This epic journey with explores Southern Africa in detail including Botswana, Kenya,...
49 Days
From
11650
Experience the ultimate African adventure on this epic trip including Kenya, Botswana,...
42 Days
From
13635
Explore Kenya, Malawi, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe on this epic trip that included a...
63 Days
From
15470
Set out on a mighty African adventure through Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Malawi, Zimbabwe...
Tailor-Made trips
Take four or more on an exclusive trip and tailor your itinerary
48 Days
From
11970
Tour Africa's best from Kenya to Cape Town through Tanzania, Zanzibar, Malawi, Zimbabwe...
52 Days
From
16665
Experience the waterways of Botswana, the beaches of Zanzibar, the savannahs of the...
43 Days
From
11616
Take an epic trip through eastern Africa, via Victoria Falls, the Serengeti and...
Highlights of long tours in Africa
Mountain gorillas, Rwanda
Sadly, there are only two places left in the world where you can still see mountain gorillas in the wild. Rwanda’s Volcano National Park is one of them. Our expert guides will lead you through the jungle and you’ll have 40 minutes to an hour to watch these critically endangered creatures in their natural habitat. Trust us: David Attenborough has not prepared you for this.
The Garden Route, South Africa
Probably one of the Top 3 drives in the world, but a lot of people still haven’t heard of it. South Africa’s Garden Route stretches from Mossel Bay in the west to Plettenberg Bay in the east: about 190 miles of incredible coastal scenery and world-class wine (always a good combo). Sip a few vintages in Stellenbosch, learn about traditional Xhosa life and explore the Cango Cave system.
Abu Simbel, Egypt
Put yourself in Swiss explorer Jean-Louis Burckhardt’s shoes. It’s 1813 and you’re trekking the sands near the Egyptian border with old Nubia; suddenly, you turn a corner and – bam! Four colossal statues staring out over the desert. Today, Abu Simbel is one of Egypt’s premier attractions. You could go overland to get there, but it’s way more fun to float down the Nile in a traditional Egyptian felucca. Come with us and we’ll show you.
FAQs
Intrepid was founded on the premise of long travel when our two owners – Darrell and Manch – set off across Africa with a bunch of friends and no plans to come home anytime soon. It didn't take them long to discover that when you stay a little longer in a destination, you can make the most of every mile and really immerse yourself in the heart and soul of a place and its people.
With borders reopening around the world, Intrepid is celebrating by curating a new range of ‘long’ trips. These epic adventures span over three weeks, a smorgasbord of cities, regions and countries and encapsulate the essence of Intrepid travel.
Long travel means a true break from your day-to-day, with time to properly wind down and disconnect. It gives you the chance to really get to know each destination better. Not just see a place, but really live it. You can slow things down. Dig a little deeper. Not just see the highlights but find those places and meet those people you might not have otherwise. Time to lose yourself on a real adventure.
And by skipping internal flights for public transport (think epic train trips across multiple countries), you'll find yourself with journeys that become trip highlights, and come with the added bonus of helping reduce your carbon footprint. Taking a long trip is easier than you think when you let us take care of all the planning and research, so find your next big adventure below.
Trading in your "real" life and routines to travel the world is one part exciting, one part scary, and two parts liberating. And while dreaming of what your next couple of months will hold is almost as good as actually going, the planning process can be trickier than cracking the fictitious Da Vinci Code. Let us help you. Here are our pro tips on how to make long trips a breeze.
- It's always a good idea to set and stick to a budget. Converting dollars to pesos, rupees, euros, riel, and a dozen other currencies makes it tricky to keep track of the dinero you've actually spent. We recommend setting budgets per country visited and keeping track of those pesky expenses.
- Choose your must-sees and you're nice-to-see's. Once you've mapped out the musts that you absolutely have to visit (as in, you refuse to go home until you do), you can start to connect the dots and find a logical and affordable travel route.
- Expect plans to change. Travel rarely goes 100% to plan, so expect and welcome the unexpected. Sometimes, the best experiences are the ones you never planned on having.
Long travel is all in the planning. But strangely, it’s the opposite of what you think. Months on the road and you’re probably thinking ‘Dear God, I’ll need a suitcase just for the underwear!’ But really, when it comes to long vacations, less is more. Watch our ultimate packing guide on the right-hand link, or check out the tips below.
- Pack for one week at a time. You only ever need enough clothes to last you a week. Depending on where you are, by that time you’ll either a) have found a Laundromat, or b) be so far off the beaten track that no one will care if you smell. Either way, you save on trunk space.
- Roll, don’t fold. It’s counterintuitive, but you’ll actually fit more in if you roll your clothes, rather than folding them. Make sure to use up all available space too – that means squashing socks and underwear into empty shoes.
- Wear clothes that go together. Since you’re packing smarter, not harder, pick clothes you know will already match. A few t-shirts that go with your jeans, and a neutral pair of shorts that goes with anything. Shoes for all climates (or at least as many climates as possible) and a pair of flip-flops. That’s all you need.
- Pack for the climate. Long travel means you might pass through different climactic zones. And that means layers are your friend. Lightweight, breathable fleece or woollen layers will block out the cold but not take up too much space in your pack. Leave the three different jackets at home. One waterproof option should do it.
- Invest in a good suitcase, and stick to it. With long travel, you have to think ahead. You’ll be tempted to buy souvenirs and things everywhere you go, but if you don’t want to make your chiropractor rich, be ruthless. Don’t accumulate stuff as you go. And invest in a good quality, lightweight suitcase and a lock.
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