Ultimate Trans Africa Expedition

A day-by-day breakdown of what to expect and where you'll be staying.

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Day 1 to 7, London to Chefchaouen

Start the Ultimate Trans Africa 'trip of a lifetime' with a flight to Gibraltar or Spain to meet the truck, before crossing into Morocco. Visit the Riff Mountains and the small town of Chefchaouen before trying out a hammam bath house to get you in the West African mood.

Day 8 to 14, Chefchaouen to Fez

The roman city of Volubilis awaits and we spend some time wandering this ancient town before heading off to Fez with its huge bazaar, dye pits and jam-packed alleys.

Day 15 to 21, Fez to Rabat

After the colour and bustle of Fez we travel to Rabat and spend a few days organising our visa's.

Day 22 to 28, Rabat to Essaouira

With our visa's organised we leave Rabat and travel up to the Todra Gorge, Sarhro Mountains and the Draa Valley to Marrakech. This town comes alive at night and we can check out the busy main square. We drive to the coast for a few days before crossing into Mauritania.

Day 29 to 35, Essaouira to Nouakchott

Civilisation is left behind as we head into the remote (and hot!) parts of Mauritania. Soft sand, digging out the truck, no shops, no roads and the complete desert environment put us to the test - are you tough enough?! We arrive in the tiny capital of Nouakchott and will have a short break.

Day 36 to 42, Nouakchott to Bamako

Heading inland we cross into Mali - one of the poorest countries on Earth. Terrible roads make for a nice slow drive through some villages and will give you a peek at the local culture and environment. Arriving in Bamako is a real culture shock after the last week or so. A cold beer, fresh fruit and vege from the markets, clubs, pubs and live music await.

Day 43 to 49, Bamako to Bandiagara

After restocking our supplies we travel alongside the Niger River through Mopti and Djenne before arriving at the remote Bandiagara Escarpment. Taking a hike out to one of the Dogon villages in the area is a fantastic experience!

Day 50 to 56, Bandiagara to Ougadougou

After a couple of days hiking through the cliffside villages of the Dogon our trip continues into Burkina Faso and we spend some time around its capital, Ougadougou.

Day 57 to 63, Ougadougou to Accra

Enjoy some of the best music in Africa before we leave Burkina Faso behind us and travel into Ghana. After some game driving through the Mole National Park we camp near Accra for a few days and relax on the beach.

Day 64 to 70, Accra to Ganvie

Travelling through Togo and Benin doesn't take long as they are on 80 kms wide! 'Thinking outside the box' has new meaning when you see the Ganvie village - built on stilts in the middle of Lake Nakoue.

Day 71 to 77, Ganvie to Limbe

Leaving the village on stilts we cross into Nigeria and re-enter city life hustle and bustle as we arrive in the capital Abuja. After stocking up we travel through mountains and jungle aiming for Cameroon and Mount Cameroon. Spend a few days camping on the beach or if you like take a trek up Mount Cameroon.

Day 78 to 84, Limbe to Yaounde

After a few days relaxing on a beach you might be up for some exercise! Take a hike up Mount Cameroon, visit a chimp orphanage or relax on the beach a bit longer.

Day 85 to 98, Yaounde to Pointe Noire

Heading inland now we stock up in Ambam and stop off in Libreville for some more visa's before heading south towards Congo. Rough roads make for slow going and digging the truck out of the mud is highly likely - yippee!

Day 99 to 105, Pointe Noire to Matadi

A bit of night life is on the cards in Pointe Noire and it boasts some fantastic African music and musicians. After crossing into Cabinda we enter the DRC and travel some interesting 'roads' (if you can call them that) as we continue south.

Day 106 to 112, Matadi to Luanda

We cross the Congo River and enter Angola heading for the capital of Luanda where we stock up on supplies for the next desert leg.

Day 113 to 119, Luanda to Namibe

Further south we go and can visit the Parque Nacional Da Quicama as we edge closer to the Nambian border and our last stop in Angola.

Day 120 to 126, Namibe to Lubango

Small villages and town dot our route and relics of two decades of civil war are plainly obvious in the wrecks of tanks and trucks along the roadside. We pass through Lubango and get as close to the border as we can.

Day 127 to 133, Lubango to Opuwo

Crossing the border we enter the Kaokoveld region of northern Namibia. Home of the rare Desert Elephant and the Himba tribes people and with a bit of luck we can pay a visit to both. Have the camera ready!

Day 134 to 140, Opuwo to Brandberg

Easier roads make short work of the drive to the Brandberg Mountain area through some stunning desert landscapes. Keep an eye out for the change in colours as we watch the gorgeous sunsets from our camp.

Day 141 to 147, Brandberg to Windhoek

Leaving the peaceful desert behind we roll into Windhoek for a taste of 'civilisation' and the local brew conveniently named after the capital itself. A couple of days allows time to explore the German influenced city and stock up on supplies, email home and do some laundry!

Day 148 to 154, Windhoek to Tsitsikamma National Park

After the hustle and noise of Windhoek we travel back into the peaceful desert environment as we enter Botswana and the world famous Kalahari. A quick trip across south east Botswana puts us into South Africa and on the way to the coast and the well known Garden Route region.

Day 155 to 161, Tsitsikamma National Park to Cape Town

The beautiful Garden Route boasts great beaches, whale watching (in season), Addo Elephant National Park, Little Karoo, Cango Caves and the beginning of the famous Cape Wineland region - amongst other things. Then a couple of days rest in Cape Town allows time to explore the gorgeous 'Mother City'.

Day 162 to 168, Cape Town to Sossusvlei (via Fish River Canyon)

A few days in the Mother City will pass quickly before we head off to the Cape Winelands and further north to the Orange River. Crossing into Namibia we stop at the glorious Fish River Canyon before arriving at the highest sand dunes in the world - Sossusvlei.

Day 169 to 175, Sossusvlei to Etosha National Park

Leaving the inland dunes we head to the coast and the highlights of Swakopmund and the Cape Cross Seal Colony before turning inland again. Spitzkoppe is our destination before reaching Brandberg Mountains, Cheetah Park and the fantastic Etosha National Park in northern Namibia.

Day 176 to 182, Etosha National Park to Chobe National Park

After a few amazing days in Etosha Game Driving and viewing the wildlife from the floodlit waterholes we turn east, cross into Botswana and head for the stunning Okavango Delta.We spend a few days being poled along these waterways in our hollowed out tree before we re-board the truck and drive up to Chobe National Park - famous for it's huge Elephant herds.

Day 183 to 189, Chobe National Park to Victoria Falls

We trade wildlife viewing for adrenaline pumping action as we cross into Zimbabwe and stop at the thundering Victoria Falls. With plenty to keep everyone busy the days will pass quickly so step out of the box and try everything at least once!

Day 190 to 196, Victoria Falls to Gweru

After all the adrenaline is spent we jump back on the truck and drive south and east across Zimbabwe stopping at Bulawayo, Matopos National Park and the Great Zimbabwe Ruins before reaching Gweru. The gorgeous Antelope Park awaits and you have the chance to get up close and personal with Lions and Elephants.

Day 197 to 203, Gweru to Lake Malawi

Leaving Antelope Park we make a short stop in the capital Harare before quickly crossing Mozambique via the Tete Corridor. The desert landscape gives way to lush forests and rivers as we meet Lake Malawi. We spend the next few days driving north along the west coast of the Lake stopping at different bays along the way.

Day 204 to 210, Lake Malawi to Zanzibar

Leaving Malawi we pass large tea plantations on our way to Tanzania. Look out for Giraffe and Elephant as we drive through Mukumi National Park on the way to Dar es Salaam - our base for a trip to the white sandy beaches of Zanzibar Island. Try out the water activities as well as the historic city tours this ancient island has on offer to truly grasp its diverse past.

Day 211 to 217, Zanzibar Island to Nairobi

Leaving the 'Spice Island' we skip through Dar es Salaam and hope to catch a glimpse of the majestic Mount Kilimanjaro on our way to Arusha - our base for the Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Crater. Meet the brightly coloured Masai people in their own village before we cross into Kenya and arrive at the capital, Nairobi.

Day 218 to 224, Nairobi

Depending on how we are going for time we may spend up to a week in Nairobi to organise visas and permits for the rest of our trip. With plenty to see and do there is more than enough to keep us busy.

Day 225 to 231, Nairobi to Kampala

We enter the Great Rift Valley as we leave Nairobi and travel to Lake Nakuru and Jinja. Test out some Nile River rafting before we move further west to Kampala and Lake Victoria.

Day 232 to 238, Kampala to Nairobi

Now we are entering Mountain Gorilla country! Further west on the borders of Uganda and Rwanda is where all Gorilla Treks take place and we have the chance to spend a short but worthwhile hour with them before retracing our steps past Lake Bunyoni, Lake Naivasha, Hells Gate National Park and Kampala. Crossing back into Kenya, a couple of days could be spent in Nairobi to allow time to obtain Egypt and Ethopia visas.

Day 239 to 245, Nairobi to Moyale

Remote northern Kenya appears in front of us as we negotiate Mount Kenya and Marsabit and travel through the East Africa Rift Valley. Absolute stunning scenery is all around and the photo opportunities are huge. Our last Kenyan camp, at Moyale, is right on the border of Kenya and Ethiopia.

Day 246 to 252, Moyale to Bahir Dar

Leaving the awful roads of northern Kenya behind us we cross into Ethiopia and aim for Lake Tana and Bahir Dar. The Blue Nile Gorge and Blue Nile Falls are an amazing sight and the islands of Lake Tana, with their 900 year old monasteries, are well worth the short boat trip to get there.

Day 253 to 259, Bahir Dar to Gondar

The poor quality roads and mountain passes give the truck a work out and slow down our drive times as we travel to and from Bahir Dar and Gondar. However the stunning and ancient historic sites we come across more than make up for the slow drive. Lalibela and the holy city of Axum boast 12th century churches carved straight out of the rock!

Day 260 to 266, Gondar to Aswan

After crossing into Sudan we start our desert drive through Khartoum and along the Nile toward Egypt. Be amazed at the friendly Sudanese hospitality as we wind slowly north. Egypt is not the only country with pyramids and we stop at Meroe to see them Sudan style! A hard desert adventure ends at Wadi Halfa on the shores of Lake Nasser and here we cross in to Egypt.

Day 267 to 273, Aswan to Luxor

After our relaxing ferry trip across Lake Nasser, Aswan is a interesting change of pace. We sort out some visa's and enjoy the local sites - such as famous Abu Simbel - before deciding if we want to sail the Nile in a traditional Felucca, passing Edfu and Kom Ombo on the way to Luxor.

Day 274 to 280, Luxor to Cairo

Luxor has plenty to offer and the ancient sites of the Valley of the Kings, Valley of the Queens, Luxor and Karnak Temples will keep you inspired and busy! The oasis's of the Western Desert await us before we continue to Cairo. The Pyramids of Giza, the Sphinx and the Egyptian Antiquities Museum are a must-see and a fitting end to our trip of a lifetime!

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Highlights included in your tour cost

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There are 118 optional activities available on this trip.

Prices shown are approximate

• $60 Abseiling Table Mountain
• $8 Arba Minch Hot Springs
• $75 Arusha Camel Rides
• $25 Aswan High Dam
• TBA Bahir Dar Fishing
• $7 Cango Caves
• $10 Canoe to the Village on Stilts
• $8 Cape Coast Slave Fort
• $75 Cape Point Day Trip
• $12 Cape Town City Tour
• $50 Cape Town City Walking Tour
• $60 Cape Town Township Tour
• $75 Cape Winelands Wine Tour
• $35 Chobe National Park Game Drive
• $45 Chobe Sunset Boat Cruise
• $20 Crescent Island Wildlife Sanctuary
• $30 Dhow Fishing Trip - Zanzibar
• $10 Edfu Temple
• $10 Elsamere
• $18 Fasilidas Castle Tour
• $5 Fez Medina Guided Walk
• TBA Fishing on the Dam
• TBA Game Fishing
• $75 Game Ride by Horseback
• $600 Gorilla Trekking in the DRC
• $600 Gorilla Trekking in Uganda
• $250 Great White Shark Cage Diving
• $15 Great Zimbabwe Ruins
• $55 Guided Trek to the Dogon
• $110 Gweru Elephant Ride
• $30 Gweru Elephant Swim
• $3 Hammam Bath House
• $45 Hells Gate National Park
• $18 Historical Cape Town on Foot Tour
• $95 Jet Boating on the Zambezi
• $10 Jinja Guided Village Walk
• $70 Jinja Quad Bike Safari
• $60 Kande Beach Horse Riding
• $40 Kande Beach Scuba Diving
• TBA Kande Beach Water Sports Equipment
• $10 Karen Blixen Museum
• $12 Karnak Temple
• $8 Kitchener Island Botanic Gardens
• $4 Knysna Forest
• $15 Knysna Lagoon Boat Cruise
• $20 Lake Chamo Scenic Boat Cruise
• $15 Lake Malawi Snorkelling Trip
• $110 Lake Malawi Water Skiing
• TBA Lake Nakuru National Park
• $20 Lake Tana Scenic Boat Cruise
• $5 Lalibela Coffee Ceremony
• $15 Lalibela Rock Churches
• $20 Langata Giraffe Centre Visit
• $65 Learn to Surf - Cape Town
• $10 Luxor Temple
• $10 Malawi Village Walk & Meal
• $70 Moped Hire - Zanzibar
• $54 Mt Cameroon Climb
• $65 Nairobi National Park
• $60 Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary
• TBA Ngorongoro Crater Excursion
• $30 Nile Felucca Excursion
• $8 Nubian Village Dinner
• $30 Nungwe Snorkel Trip
• $150 Okavango Delta Mokoro Excursion
• $80 Okavango Delta Scenic Flight
• $12 Omo River Scenic Boat Cruise
• $30 Orange River Canoeing
• $15 Oudtshoorn Ostrich Farm Visit
• $370 PADI Dive Course - Zanzibar
• $60 Paragliding
• $10 Philae Temple
• $40 Prison Island Excursion
• $20 Prison Island Snorkelling Trip
• $30 Robben Island
• TBA Scuba Dive - Cape Town
• $450 Serengeti National Park Excursion
• $10 Sheldrick Wildlife Trust Rhino Sanctuary
• $20 Simien Mountains Mountain Biking
• $5 Simien Mountains Mule Ride
• $25 Softpower Community Project
• $35 Sossusvlei Guided Walk
• $230 Sossusvlei Scenic Flight
• $35 Stone Town City Tour
• $25 Stone Town Spice Tour
• $85 Swakopmund Quadbiking
• $45 Swakopmund Sandboarding
• $320 Swakopmund Sky Diving
• $70 Swakopmund Township Tour
• $110 Swimming with Dolphins
• $15 Table Mountain Cable Car
• TBA Table Mountain Guided Bike Ride
• $150 Tandem Paragliding from Lions Head
• $6 Temple of Queen Hatshepsut
• $45 Tsitsikamma Forest Quad Biking
• $50 Tsitsikamma Treetop Canopy Tour
• $60 Two Oceans Aquarium Shark Diving
• $140 Victoria Falls Adrenaline Day
• $105 Victoria Falls Bungee Jump
• $110 Victoria Falls Elephant Ride
• $120 Victoria Falls Flight of Angels
• $115 Victoria Falls Helicopter Flight
• $70 Victoria Falls Horse Rides
• $120 Victoria Falls Microlight Flight
• $20 Victoria Falls National Park
• $115 Victoria Falls Rhino Walk
• $75 Victoria Falls Scenic Flight
• $8 Volubillis Roman Ruins
• $55 Walk with the Lions - Gweru
• $115 Walk with the Lions - Victoria Falls
• $75 Whale Watching - Hermanus
• $125 White Water Rafting on the Nile
• $110 White Water Rafting on the Zambezi River
• $65 Zambezi Gorge Swing
• $140 Zambezi River Rafting & Boarding Combo
• $50 Zambezi River Sunset Dinner Cruise
• TBA Zanzibar Scuba Diving
• TBA Zimbabwe Walking Safaris