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Great Southern Gameparks, 25 days camping

Tour Price ZAR 15,900
Activity Package ZAR 4,750

Tour destinations

Zimbabwe: Hwange National Park - Victoria Falls National Park
Malawi: Lake Malawi National Park - Kande Beach
Tanzania: Dar es salaam - Zanzibar - Serengeti - Ngorongoro Excursion

Tour dossier:

Day 1
Botswana – Francistown

The tour begins in Johannesburg where we load up the truck before heading northeast towards the Zimbabwe border. It is a long and fairly uneventful drive to Francistown, Botswana’s second largest city and the site of Southern Africa’s first ‘gold-rush’ back in the late 1800’s. Nowadays Francistown is a modern African city and home to many jazz-clubs and casinos making for some excellent nightlife.

Meals: Lunch, Dinner

Day 2
Zimbabwe – Hwange National Park

It is just under 100km from Francistown to the Zimbabwe border and within hours we arrive in Hwange National Park and begin some spectacular game viewing from an open 4x4 vehicle. At around 14650 square kilometres the Hwange National Park is the largest in Zimbabwe and home to one of Africa’s largest Elephant populations as well as over 100 other mammalian species and 400 different birds.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 3
Hwange National Park and Victoria Falls National Park

In the early morning there we will enjoy another game drive in the Hwange NP. After lunch we drive north to Victoria Falls where we will visit the Victoria Falls National Park in order to experience this magnificent natural wonder. The local people wisely use the expression ‘the smoke that thunders’, or Musi-o-tunya, to describe the unforgettable waterfall in the Zambezi River. We will also visit a local adventure operator to book activities for the next day. In the evening there are many excellent restaurants to choose from.

Optional Activity: Dinner Out
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
 

Day 4
Victoria Falls

Today there is an entire day free to experience some of the exciting adventure activities that are possible from this tourism town. While the White Water Rafting is one of the most popular activities there are many others on offer such as: Walking with Lions, Elephant interactions, Gorge swing, microlighting and scenic Helicopter flights.

Meals: Breakfast

Day 5
Lusaka

Leaving behind the natural wonder of Victoria Falls we begin our expedition. After Livingstone we journey towards the bustling Zambian capital of Lusaka. You will notice the vegetation becoming sub-tropical and the roads a little rougher.

Meals: Lunch, Dinner

Day 6
Chipata

Today is a long drive through lush country, crossing rivers en-route to Chipata, the gateway to the South Luangwa NP. Zambia is truly African and an adjustment from the more Western ways of Southern Africa.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 7
South Luangwa National Park ( Days 7&8 )

Early in the morning we drive from Chipata to the border of the South Luangwa National Park where we spend the next two nights right on the banks of the Luangwa River. You can often see hippos and other animals from the camp bar. This afternoon we enjoy a sunset game drive in the South Luangwa NP.

Meals
: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 9
Lilongwe

Today we visit the Lilongwe Wildlife Centre, Malawi’s only sanctuary for rescued, orphaned and injured wild animals. The Centre is set in 180 hectares of beautiful woodland, Lilongwe’s only protected wilderness.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 10
Kande Beach (Day 10&11)

This morning we have the opportunity to participate in a 2 hour city tour, before we take a scenic drive to Kande beach. We will spend the next 2 days enjoying the many optional activities available, such as horse riding and different water sports. We will go on a guided village walk in order to meet the local people and learn more about Malawian life.

Optional Activities: 2 hour morning city tour in Lilongwe, Water Sports, Horse Riding, Craft Shopping etc.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 12
Lake Malawi - Chitimba

We travel further north and spend our last day in Malawi at Chitimba beach. For those who have had enough of the beach, there is a short hike to the Manchawe Falls.

Optional Activities: watersports, abseiling etc.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
 

Day 13
Tanzania – Iringa

Today we leave Malawi and enter Tanzania. We ascend out of the Great Rift Valley through some spectacular mountain passes, passing vast tea plantations in the highlands before arriving at our camp outside Iringa. This evening our dinner is in a local Masai Hut where we enjoy a traditional Tanzanian evening.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 14
Mikumi

We leave Iringa today and head north to the Mikumi National Park. Mikumi is home to lion, zebra, wildebeest, impala, buffalo and elephant and today we have the opportunity to enjoy an optional afternoon game drive through the park.

Optional Activities: Afternoon game drive in Mikumi NP
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 15
Dar es Salaam

Our journey today brings us out of the cool highland region to the humid Indian ocean coastal city of Dar es Salaam. Meaning ‘house of peace’ in Arabic, Dar es Salaam is the economic and trade capital of Tanzania, but inland Dodoma remains the official capital city.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 16
Zanzibar (Day 16,17&18)

A local ferry will take us from Dar es Salaam (where we leave the truck) to Stone Town, the capital of Zanzibar. We spend the first night exploring the historical and unique architecture. There are also spice and seafood markets to be explored. The following day we take a transfer to the northern part of the island where we will spend our time relaxing on the beach.

Optional Activities: Lunch & Dinner, Swimming with Dolphins, Scuba Diving, Snorkelling etc.
Meals: Breakfast x 3

Day 19
Lushoto

Today we leave Zanzibar and catch a ferry back to Dar es Salaam and return to our truck. We continue on to Lushoto, the major town and district centre, albeit small, in the Usambara Mountains, halfway between the coast and the parks. The popular pot plant Saintpaulia has its only wild occurrences in Tanzania, and particularly in the Usambara Mts .Here you will have the chance to hike in the surrounding area, or just relax.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 20
Karatu

Today we take a scenic drive via Arusha to the picturesque town of Karatu. The area’s cool climate, verdant hills, and pleasing views made it popular with settlers and farmers. Vast and extensive fields covers the slopes of the volcano and the lands around Karatu town. Karatu is also a stone’s throw away from the world famous Serengeti & Ngorongoro Conservation Area.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 21
Serengeti and Ngorongoro Excursion (Day 21, 22 & 23)

These 3 days are set aside for the optional 3-night excursion into the Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Crater. This area has one of the most densely inhabited large animal populations in Africa. The excursion is in open topped 4x4 safari vehicles in order to tackle the challenging side roads in the parks. For those not going to the parks, take this chance to absorb some of the fascinating local culture.

Optional Activities: Various Serengeti & Ngorongoro Excursion packages, Lake Manyara game drives, day hiking & village tours, volunteer at educational project and many more various day trips.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 24
Arusha

Today the group meets up again and we have the chance to exchange stories of the various adventures that we participated in over the past few days. In the afternoon we visit the local Masai Mara Museum and Snake Park in Arusha.

Optional Activities: camel ride to local Masaai village.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 25
Kenya – Nairobi

After crossing the border into Kenya we continue to travel towards Nairobi and the end of our journey. Usually we end the tour with a group meal out at one of Nairobi’s excellent restaurants.

Optional Activities: Dinner out
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
 

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