African Drums

Trip Highlights

From Kigale to Cape Town. This safari starts with the unique experience to trek to see the endangered Mountain Gorilla amidst the dense vegetation of Rwanda's Parc Nacional de Volcans. Travelling south you will see many more of Africa wildlife species in famous reserves such as the Serengeti, Ngoronogoro Crater, Okavango Delta and Etosha.

We visit Zanzibar Island's tropical beaches and can go scuba diving at Mnemba Atoll or snorkelling with dolphins in the clear warm waters of the Indian Ocean. We travel down the length of Lake Malawi, were we stop to visit a village for a evening meal and can go horse riding along the lakes edge. On to Livingstone, the adventure sport center on the Zambian side of the mighty Victoria Falls, known locally as Mosi Oa Tunya (the smoke that thunders) where white water rafting, bungee jumping, abseiling, gorge swing, flying fox, sky diving, lion walks or elephant rides are just a few of the options available.

Experience sand boarding or quad biking on Namibia's golden sand-dunes before we continue south to the winelands of the Cape and the majesty of Cape Town itself. In Cape Town you may choose to visit Robin Island where Nelson Mandela was jailed during the apartheid era, or go shark diving with the lagendary Great White's.

Price Details

Price

From: GBP800 per person (55 Days)

Price Includes

• Ngorongoro Crater & Mikumi National Park
• South Luangwa National Park (or alternative)
• Etosha and Namib Naukluft National Parks
• Fish River Canyon and Cape Seal Colony
• Visit to a Cheetah Sanctuary
• Visit a Maasai village
• Breakfast and Dinner whilst with the truck
• Fully Equipped Overland Vehicle and two crew
• Camping fees, tents and cooking gear
• All diesel, road tolls and taxes for the overland vehicle

Price Excludes

• Group Kitty/Local payment of US$944, Visas £38-£100 (Depending on your nationality), Optional extra activities, Airport Taxes and Transfers, Travel Insurance, Personal spending money, Vaccinations.

Itinerary

RWANDA
Days 1 - 3
Join us by lunchtime the first day at our meeting point in Kigale, the capital of Rwanda, for our Predeparture meeting. Airlines such as SAA, Air Brussels and Kenyan Airways fly in regularly to the busy orderly capital. Our first night we then arrange to eat out in Kigale, so you can get to know your fellow travellers. The following morning time is allocated to visit The Genocide memorial and museum. Opened in 2004, ten years after the Genocide, the memorial is a stark and sad reminder of man’s inhumanity to man.

Arriving in Ruhengeri we spend the afternoon visiting in a local orphanage and preschool, as well as in the traditional markets and preparing for our gorilla trek the next day. The gorilla parks are islands of wilderness in densely populated farmland. The mountain gorilla population has been reduced to 720 individuals, all living in the region we trek. Without the incentive of tourism it is hard to see this endangered species would still have a home. The land of a thousand hills as it is known is lush and beautiful but every acre is coveted for farming. Our trek can last all day or just a few hours. Once found you will get to spend up to an hour with these delightful primates, as they continue on with their days routine deep in the thickly forested Virungas.

We spend the evening in a local restaurant enjoying the beats of traditional Rwandan drumming and dancing to celebrate our day with the gorillas.

Optionals: Genocide museum and memorial, mountain gorilla trek in either Parc Nacional de Volcans (Rwanda) or Bwindi Impenetrable Forest (Uganda), golden monkeys trek, visit to Dian Fossey’s grave, orphanage and preschool visit.


TANZANIA
Days 4 - 9
Across the border to Tanzania, the once German colony formerly known as Tanganyika, we travel below Lake Victoria, through rural Tanzania, on our way to Arusha, the bustling “safari capital” of the country. Our journey takes us off the beaten track allowing us time to experience a little of true Africa, enjoy a game of local football and shopping in traditional stalls.

Entering the Serengeti National Park we are confronted by miles upon miles of sweeping plains, across the 14,000 square kilometre park. Home to lion, leopard and cheetah as well as the famous vast herds of wildebeest, gazelle, antelope and zebra on which they prey, we now have our chance for our first true game safari. Ngorongoro Crater, the world's largest extinct volcano, is a park that also never disappoints. Travelling in customised land cruisers with a local guide we can find rhino, hippo, lion, elephant, hyena, buffalo, zebra, impala, wildebeest, cheetah, monkey, ostrich and flamingo. Across the two parks we then enjoy back to back game viewing camping for two evenings in the wild. A balloon safari can also be arranged during your time in the Serengeti.

Traditional Maasai tribesmen can also be found living throughout the region. They continue to dye their hair with ochre and live on a diet of milk and blood obtained from their cattle. We can arrange a visit to a traditional Boma (village) whilst here. Returning from the parks we have time to stop over at the Cultural Heritage Shop to browse for traditional curios- spears, beads and carvings, as well as for the now famous local jewel, Tanzanite. Time at Arusha also allows for a group barbecue, and the entertainment of traditional dancers before heading to Dar es Salaam and the Tanzanian coast.

Optionals: Game drives in the Serengeti National Park, camel safari.


TANZANIA (including 4 nights allotted for Zanzibar Island)
Days 10 – 16
As we head south wide panoramic vistas sweep before us. Kilimanjaro often can be seen. Arriving in the bustling city of Dar Es Salaam on the Indian Ocean Coast we relax with a seafood bbq, listening to the waters lapping nearby and the wind in the coconut palms.

Up early the following morning we are on the ferry to Zanzibar Island, the magical Unguja.

Zanzibar has a charm you won’t forget. It’s a magical place where we can stop for a few days after our travels. At sunset relax with a fruit cocktail at traditional Africa House, and enjoy the fun of the night market at Forodhani Gardens for your evening meal. Wander the maze of narrow, winding streets, coral brick houses, and enjoy shopping in the bazaars. A spice tour is arranged to introduce you to some of the island’s fascinating history. Swim with the turtles at Nungwi or snorkel off Prison Island or at Mnemba Atoll amongst corals and tropical fish, where we sometimes also see dolphin. Trek through Jozani Forest to view rare red colobos monkeys.

Staying in beach cottages by the coast we can relax in this true barefoot paradise to enjoy crystal clear warm turquoise waters lapping aganst the sandy white beaches, fun beach bars, bbqs of fresh seafood by the shore line, accompanied by the beat of bongo drums, and a game or two of beach volley ball. The Scuba Do dive centre can also assist with all your diving needs if you enjoy scuba diving.

Leaving the island we head back through the traffic of Dar to overnight.

Optional excursion: Free time to travel over to Zanzibar island. Talk with us as to the special arrangements we can make for your accommodation and other arrangements on the Island staying in beach cottages and in the exotic capital, historic Stone Town, with a spice tour.

Other options to budget for include snorkelling excursions to Prison Island, famous for its giant tortoise as well as Mnemba Atoll, dolphin boat trips, Jozani Forest hike to see the red colobus monkeys, scuba diving.

TANZANIA - MALAWI
Days 17 – 22
We now transiting west Tanzania through Mikumi National Park where we often see giraffe and gazelle by the road side. We pass through Baobab Valley enroute to our camp at The Farmhouse where we enjoy a traditional meal and the best chocolate brownies ever!

Heading south we reach Lake Malawi where we make regular stops at the popular bays and enjoy a friendly welcome when visiting in local villages. A traditional village meal can be arranged and time with a traditional healer. Fish with the locals, get out the football to play with the kids, visit in the nearby school, and as well enjoy a wide variety of water sports, including canoeing, water skiing and scuba diving, in the lake. A day’s hike with a local guide into Livingstone Plateau reveals the beauty of the countryside, and bare back horse riding in the lake is always popular.

We also visit traditional markets, such as at Nkhata Bay the local craftsmen being famous for their artifacts including traditional Malawi chairs and wooden giraffes. The truck is designed to carry all our purchases until we reach a suitable postal point later in Malawi or Zambia. If the group decides to have an “Absolute Bad Taste Party”, the Malawi markets often at Mzuzu are the place to look for the perfect outfit. A pig spit by the lake is a great way to finish off our time by the lake. When road conditions permit we also spend time to camp in the wilds at Vwaza or Luwawa before reaching Lilongwe.

Optionals: Water sports, horse riding in the Lake, Livingstonia hike, school visit..


ZAMBIA
Days 23 – 30
From Malawi we travel via Lilongwe into Zambia. Travelling over rugged bush roads, season pending, we reach our camp at South Luangwa National Park to enjoy a poike and a much needed “cool off” in the pool. Game drives here allows us to enjoy the famous elephant herds as well as the many other animals that are attracted by the Luangwa River and its oxbow lakes. At the end of the day enjoy nature at its best relaxing with a sundowner on the deck overlooking the river, or on an evening game-drive witness the nocturnal activities of some of Africa’s more elusive and secretive animals such as leopard and the inquisitive genet.

After two nights in the Park we continue south west to Lusaka, the capital city of Zambia. We stock up with supplies and get to the bank.

Arriving at Lake Kariba we now spend a couple of nights on a houseboat for some luxury away from our overland truck, a break from sleeping in tents and camp cooking. The boats have bedrooms and a kitchen as well as a bar and splash-pool. A chef is provided as well. Cruising the lake by day, elephants and antelope can be seen by the water’s edge and hippo and crocodile in the Lake. The boat also has its own motorised dinghy that can take us out fishing or for game rides, and guided walks can be arranged on one of the islands in the lake.

At night the kapenta fishing boats’ lights twinkle across the lake. We usually have a “bad taste” party on one of the evenings, and perhaps a beach bonfire. The houseboats are a great time to enjoy nature at its best.

Optionals: Evening game drives in Luangwa (season pending), houseboat cruise including guided game walks.

ZAMBIA
Days 31 – 33
Our next stop is the world famous Mosi-O-Tunya “The Smoke that Thunders” . . . . . the Victoria Falls. There is an immense amount to do here from gorge swinging to micro lighting and bungee jumping, from white water rafting to canoe trips, rhino trekking, horse riding, or riding on an African elephant. The sunset cruise on the Zambezi is another highlight, as is the famous “walking with lions”. Take your time while you are here to wander in the National Park to view the Falls, one of the wonders of the natural world. The Falls are made up of 5 separate falls stretching over a 1688 metre width and plummeting 100 meters into the gorge, the Falls producing the largest sheet of falling water in the world. The spray typically rises to a height of over 400 metres (1,300 ft), and sometimes even twice as high, and is visible from up to 50 km (30 miles) away. At full moon, a "moonbow" can be seen in the spray instead of the usual daylight rainbow.

Optionals: Lion walks, elephant rides, rhino treks, bungee jump, gorge swing, abseil, flying fox, tandem sky dive, white water rafting, "flight of the angels", breakfast drift canoe, sunset cruise, interactive drumming and many other activities based around the Victoria Falls.

BOTSWANA
Days 34 – 38
Travelling into Botswana, we reach Chobe National Park for our next experience in one of Africa’s famous game parks, the Chobe being another great river of southern Africa that flows into the Zambezi. An evening sunset cruise usually allows us to see a good number of elephant bathing and drinking in the river, whilst hippo and crocodile can be seen lying in the shallows. Giant monitor lizards patrol the banks, and fish eagle swoop over head. The park boasts up to 35.000 elephant but also has a great variety of other game - lion, cheetah, zebra, buffalo and numerous antelope species including roan and sable antelope.

The following day we travel past the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans on our way to Maun.

It is from here we organise our mokoro safari in the Okavango Delta, a wonderland of lush waterways where staying, amidst unspoilt wilderness, we can gain a sense of the remoteness and beauty of the African bush. With a total change of pace we can enjoy the soothing sensation of meandering silently through the maze of waterways in traditional canoes, take guided game walks and camp for one or two nights listening to the sounds of the bush. Here we may spot buffalo, hippo, crocodile, antelope, giraffe, elephant and lion as well as much bird life such as kingfishers, ducks, marabou storks, sacred and glossy ibis, herons and egrets. A cruise at sunset in this beautiful environment is something always to be remembered. The polers sing to us at night traditional African songs. Game drives in the completely wild and unspoilt Moremi Reserve can also be organised as well as flights over the Delta.

Optionals: Chobe National Park game drives and game cruise, Okavango Delta mokoro safari, flights over the Delta.

NAMIBIA
Days 39 – 48
Leaving Maun we head to the border of the mysterious “nothingness land” – Namibia – to drive through to the Hoba meteorite, the world's largest and then onto Etosha National Park. The local Owambo people call it "the place of dry water." The Pan's blinding white surface covers an area the size of Switzerland and in summer violent squalls transform it into a vast shallow lake, providing a breeding ground for thousands of flamingo. A vast array of animals exists around the Pan, including elephant, lion, gemsbok, zebra, black rhino, giraffe, cheetah and leopard. We camp within the park and take early morning and late afternoon game drives until the park gates close. At night we can sit at the floodlit water holes sipping hot chocolate, to be rewarded as well with some fabulous game viewing as animals arrive to drink. The campsites also have pools which bring welcome relief to the heat in this barren region.

Leaving Etosha we visit a Cheetah Park where we can get up close and personal with tame cheetah as well as view wild cats that come in for feeding. Breaking camp the following morning we stop over with a local traditional Himba tribe before heading on to Twyfelfontein or Spitzkoppe to view bushmen engravings and to camp under the African stars. Stretch your legs exploring in the wilds of Namibia. The scenery is spectacular and this is a great chance to stretch your legs.

Arriving in Swakopmund, Namibia’s second biggest town, we reach another adventure capital. For the adrenalin junkie there's quad biking, sand-boarding, tandem skydiving, go carting, desert flights and hot air ballooning. Horse riding is also available and open sea fishing. Dolphin cruises are popular and a tour in the local township.

A popular seaside resort, full of German colonial architecture, Swakopmund allows us another place to relax after our time in the wild. We book into a lodge to allow another welcome rest from camping, and enjoy a meal at one of the local restaurants washed down by a cold German beer.

Optionals: Evening game drives in Etosha, tandem sky diving, sandboarding, quadbiking, township tour, open sea fishing.

NAMIBIA – SOUTH AFRICA
Days 49 – 55
The Namib Desert beckons, a desert wonderland offering thousand foot sand dunes to explore. Here we take a fascinating guided walk with a local guide at Sesriem, the gate way to the famous Sossusvlei, then hike for an evening walk as the sunsets on Dune 45.

Fish River Canyon, reputedly the second largest in the world is a breathtaking sight and the sunsets over the canyon gorgeous. From here we stop in at Ai-Ais Hot Springs, with its weird lunar landscape, to relax in thermal pools before enjoying some time by the Orange River to laze around in canoes on the frontier with South Africa.

Through the wine areas of Cape Province, we arrive into historic Stellenbosch for a two night stay to enjoy some wine tasting. Then into Ashanti Lodge, Cape Town, and our journey’s end, enjoying a final meal out in Long Street. The Travel Shop at Ashanti can assist you with all you may now wish to do - including the Garden Route, white shark diving, winery visits, the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve, excellent surfing and so much more. We have our last meal together against the extraordinary backdrop of the 1,000 metre high Table Mountain.

Optionals: . Guided walks on the dunes, canoeing, wine tour

Other Info