Vic Falls to Kenya

Mhoro! Welcome to Zimbabwe. Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 4 pm this afternoon in Victoria Falls – a town in western Zimbabwe and the gateway to the massive waterfall of the same name. If you arrive early, you might take a helicopter flight over the Falls, stroll through the town centre, or check out the restaurant and brewery scene. After your meeting, get to know your fellow travellers over dinner at a local restaurant.

Today is a free day for you to choose your own adventure! Maybe spend the day exploring the magnificent Victoria Falls. This thundering curtain of water is 1.5 km wide, falling 108 m into a narrow gorge below. In the wet season, the spray created can rise an incredible 400 m, and the falls become a raging torrent. In the dry season, the view of the falls is unobstructed by spray, and you can see little islets in the river below. Be sure to ask your local leader for their tips and advice on what to do in Victoria Falls.

This morning, travel to Lusaka. Today is a bit of a long travel day, so it’s the perfect chance to get stuck into a good book or catch up on your favourite podcasts. After crossing the border from Zimbabwe into Zambia, continue to your campsite on a private farm surrounded by the natural bushland, just outside of the city. When you arrive, set up camp, settle in, and spend some time exploring the camp, stretching your legs as you try to spot impala, giraffes, or even zebras wandering through!

After breakfast, you’ll travel to Lower Zambezi National Park – located on the Zimbabwean border and famous for its spectacular Zambezi River valley and abundant wildlife, including fish eagles, buffalo, and elephants. Tonight, you’ll camp in the wildlife-rich Chiawa area, surrounded by native bush with animals roaming freely through the camp.

Set off on a full-day safari through one of Zambia’s best wildlife viewing areas – Lower Zambezi National Park. This park is set along a wide floodplain of the Zambezi River, dotted with acacias and towering trees, and framed by a dramatic slope to the north, covered in thick miombo woodland. Across the river you'll see Zimbabwe’s Mana Pools National Park - the two parks forming one of Africa’s most amazing wilderness areas. Keep your eyes peeled for elephants, leopards, lions, cheetahs and birds along the way.

Wake up early and begin your journey to Petauke – a town in the Eastern Province of Zambia. Along the way, watch the ever-changing scenery shift from open plains to rural villages and bustling roadside markets, offering a glimpse into daily Zambian life. Tonight, enjoy a well-earned rest at your camp, under the African night sky.

After breakfast, travel to a workshop in South Luangwa where local craftswomen transform snare wire, recovered from poaching traps, into jewellery inspired by the African bush. When you arrive, the women will show you around their purpose-built workshop, then try your hand at coiling or hammering the wire yourself! After, continue your journey through the heartland to South Luangwa National Park. When you arrive, maybe set out on a game walk or river trip to see South Luangwa’s beautiful scenery as the sun slowly sets – just ask your local leader for more details!

After breakfast, you’ll spot iconic African wildlife, including elephants, buffalo, leopards, Thornicroft’s giraffes and lions, on a 4WD safari with a local guide. Learn about the region’s diverse landscapes and animals, then make tracks to your next camp near Chipata for the night.

Cross the border into Malawi and continue straight to your camp on the shores of Lake Malawi. The country is dominated by its lake, which covers almost a fifth of the country and provides a livelihood for many local people. Fishermen, fish traders, and canoe and net makers all ply their trade on the water. Your campsite sits right on the shore so you can relax on the beach after todays drive.

Enjoy a free day to soak up the lake’s sandy shores. Maybe take a refreshing dip in the lake, explore the surrounding area by bike, or join a guided snorkelling trip. Lake Malawi’s high alkalinity has created an abundance of brightly coloured fish and relatively few plants, resulting in a tropical, ocean-like snorkelling experience within a landlocked freshwater lake. Tonight, maybe find a local restaurant for dinner – your local leader will have the best recommendations!

Drive to your camp in Chitimba, which lies along the coast of Lake Malawi and has lovely beaches, friendly locals and a laidback atmosphere. When you arrive, perhaps take a stroll and acquaint yourself with this different part of the lake. Enjoy the scenery of banana palms, papaya trees and the Livingstonia and Nyika mountains looming nearby.

This morning you can take an optional walk in the nearby village, an opportunity to meet some local Malawians-easily some of the friendliest people in Africa. Enjoy a free afternoon chilling out on the lake’s sandy shores, time to soak up your idyllic surroundings you can take a dip in the lake or try out cycling to the hilly villages. Perhaps cool off with an optional snorkelling trip with a local guide. Lake Malawi's high alkalinity has resulted in an abundance of brightly coloured fish and relatively low levels of plants. What you end up with is a tropical ocean-like snorkelling experience within a landlocked freshwater lake.

Today you'll drive to the edge of Mikumi National Park. Situated at the foot of the thickly wooded Uluguru Mountains, Mikumi is Tanzania's fourth largest national park. When you arrive, the rest of the day is free to explore at your own pace. Tonight, join your fellow travellers for dinner.

Journey off-the-beaten-track today as you explore Mikumi National Park – a landscape of baobab-studded plains and open savannahs. Mikumi is the fourth largest national park in the country, located near Morogoro. Join an expert guide on a 4WD safari, where you’ll see herds of buffalo, wildebeest, giraffe, elephant, and zebra.

Sit back, relax and enjoy the scenic drive to Kipepo Beach, located on the white sandy beaches on the south coast of Dar es Salaam. Once you arrive, set up camp and take some time to unwind – maybe enjoy a stroll along the shore. Your camp for the night is set on the grounds of a hotel right next to the beach, offering the perfect opportunity to unwind and take a refreshing dip in the Indian Ocean.

Today is a free day to explore at your own pace. Enjoy a day at the beach or head into Dar es Salaam to explore Tanzania's largest city and cultural centre. Maybe start your morning at Kivukoni Fish Market, where fishing dhows unload their fresh catch and the city buzzes to life with the day’s first light. In the city centre, tea vendors wander the streets, shops sell spicy samosas, and the mix of African, Arabic, Indian, and German architecture tells the story of Dar es Salaam’s rich cultural blend.

Catch a ferry to Zanzibar, Africa’s famous ‘Spice Island.’ On arrival, enjoy some free time to discover Zanzibar City at your own pace. Lose yourself in the maze of cobblestone alleyways in Stone Town, admire the mix of Arabic, African and European architecture, or soak up the bustling atmosphere of Darajani Bazaar. This afternoon, you’ll have another welcome meeting at 2 pm to meet the new travellers joining you on the next leg of your adventure. After your meeting, perhaps head out together for dinner at a local restaurant – your leader will have the best recommendations.

Once checked out of your Stone Town accommodation, consider booking in to an optional guided tour of the island's spice plantations, learning all about the history of this town's spice trade. You will have the opportunity to smell and taste various spices, such as cinnamon, vanilla and ginger, plus sample some teas made with these spices too. After lunch, head to the Northern Beaches, where white sands and sparkling blue seas await. This is the Indian Ocean at its best.

Ease into the day with the sound of gentle waves and soft ocean breezes. With a full day free to enjoy Zanzibar’s coastline, you might choose to take a refreshing swim, stretch out on the beach beneath the palms, or savour the flavours of the island with a seafood dinner by the water. However you spend it, today is all about slowing down and letting the rhythm of island life take over.

Say goodbye to Zanzibar’s northern beaches this morning as you travel back to Stone Town. Here you’ll meet new members of your group at an 11 am welcome meeting before taking the ferry back to Dar es Salaam. Say hello to your driver and cook before boarding your overland vehicle for the short drive to you camp in Bagamoyo, a lovely spot by the beach.

Travel into the remote Usambara Mountains (approximately 7 hours). This unspoilt area of Tanzania attracts very few tourists, making it the perfect place to soak in your surroundings. The forests stretch across the mountains and are ideal for easy hikes and guided walks. You base is the old German colony of Lushoto, where you’ll stay on the grounds of one of the earliest hotels in Africa.

Today, explore the beautiful Usambara Mountains and experience this area’s gentle hospitality on a visit to some of its small communities. From your base, hike to the gorgeous Irente viewpoint. It's best to pack some water and snacks in a day pack for this trip. On your way back, visit a local cultural project based at Irente farm and enjoy a locally prepared lunch.

Today, journey from the scenic Usambara Mountains to Arusha. While there are no planned activities, enjoy the drive through Tanzania's picturesque landscapes as you make your way to the bustling gateway to the northern safari circuit. Upon arrival at your campsite on the outskirts of town, unwind and settle in for a restful evening and prepare for the adventures ahead.

After breakfast this morning, head to Karatu, the gateway to the Ngorongoro Crater. Here, you'll hike through the Ngorongoro Reserve Forest to Elephant Caves and the Endoro waterfalls along the way. Rich with calcium, the Elephant Caves got their name as elephants would come here and break off pieces of rock, eating the dust to receive important minerals. Today's trek, accompanied by an expert local guide and armed ranger, is the perfect way to stretch your legs after a few days of overland travel. You'll hike through Ngorongoro rainforest as your local guide explains the ins and outs of the area here and points out interesting animal tracks and footprints. Marvel at the wild landscape and spot beautiful birdlife as you walk. After, head to Karatu village for a tour of the local coffee farm. Here, you'll see the innovative farming practices from the locals and learn about the farming activities that sustain the coffee, bean, maize, banana, soya and pea crops. Tonight, enjoy a traditional dinner with a local Tanzanian family in their home, who will cook you a few different dishes to try. Learn about the local culture with educational stories from a locally trained guide. What a night!

Get up early, put your camping and personal gear into a six-person jeep and head out for an excursion into the Serengeti via the Ngorongoro Crater. Enjoy a safari in the crater, spending between 3 and 4 hours exploring this perfectly intact volcanic crater. Watch for black rhinos, lions, leopards, elephants, impalas, zebras and hippos. Next, move on to the open plains of the Serengeti. Green after the rains, brown and burnt in the dry season, this is perhaps the quintessential image of Africa – the home of thousands of hoofed animals and fierce predators. Your campsite is within the Serengeti itself, so listen out for the sounds of nocturnal animals as you drift off to sleep.

Wake at dawn and embark on a game drive. You will head out while the animals are at their most active, then go back to camp for brunch at around 11 am. After spending the middle of the day relaxing, just like the animals do, head out again as the day begins to cool. You'll return from this second game drive in time for dinner. There's also the option today of a balloon ride over the park (in place of a portion of the morning game drive). If you have pre-booked this activity you will be picked up before dawn and driven to the launch site. After a safety briefing, you will glide through the dawn, sometimes at tree height, which provides amazing photo opportunities. After landing, you'll be treated to a five-star bush breakfast, then be returned to your camp.

Rise with the sun and enjoy another game drive as you leave the Serengeti. Jump back into your overland vehicle and head for Mto wa Mbu. After setting up camp, we'll take a guided stroll through the farming areas, local homes and farmlands, getting to know the local community and their way of life. Later, we'll enjoy a scrumptious locally prepared dinner in town.

Set off early and cross the Kenyan border then continue to Nairobi. You'll be dropped at the finishing point hotel in Nairobi where your trip ends. If you'd like to stay longer, just speak to your booking agent.