20 Day Cape Town to Victoria Falls Overland

Today we gather at 13h00 at the AHA’s Harbour Bridge Hotel located at the Cape Town Harbour Waterfront before we set off on an exploration of this colourful city. We have a day and a half here, so our time will be spent participating in activities such as trekking up the iconic Table Mountain, visiting Cape Point, the V&A Waterfront, Hout Bay, and other various attractions. Our exact itinerary will be weather-dependent. We stay at a lovely lodge situated on the beachfront for both nights. Lunches and dinner will be at your own expense.

Departing from the ‘Mother City’ and following a visit to Bloubergstrand for one final view of the majestic Table Mountain from across the bay, we journey northward through the ‘Swartland’ and along the West Coast making our way into Namaqualand. In the beginning of Spring, this normally desolate area comes to life with the blossoming of countless desert-adapted flower species.

Enjoy the contrast of scenery on our journey today. From vast open spaces to dramatic rock formations in the Cederberg. Our journey is long to our accommodation in Springbok.

We make our way across the border and into Namibia today, then journey a brief distance to our base camp situated on the Orange Riverbank from where we start our canoe expedition. After our gear has been packed into our two-man canoes, we head off into the wild. The Orange River forms an incredible sight – a green ribbon snaking its way through the desert and enormous mountains of the Richtersveld National Park. We spend one evening camping beneath the skies and then make our way back to base camp to spend the following night in comfort.

We make our way directly to the magnificent Fish River Canyon, the second biggest of its kind in the world. Following a visit to the numerous viewpoints and exploring the rim of the Canyon, we carry on into the true Namib, enjoying a picnic lunch along the way. In the late afternoon we will set up our camp in the desert.

Our journey today takes us along a beautiful scenic road into the true Namib, to the Greenfire Desert Camp, our destination for the next two nights. Our camp is located on our private Nature Reserve situated within the Namibrand Nature Reserve and is home to a variety of desert-adapted animals and plant life. The camp is incredibly constructed against a rock outcrop between the giant mountains and red dune-fields

The following morning our guide leads us on a walk to gain an understanding of the desert’s unique geology and ecology. It is important to relax at the camp during the day, to enjoy the plunge pool and a cold drink, but those who are energetic can explore the surrounding rock formations, watch birds, or sit on a rock alone, enraptured by the changing colors of the vast landscape as they watch the sun rise and set. Our afternoon exploration takes us on an open vehicle desert drive to search for gemsbok and bat-eared foxes, followed by a traditional sundowner drink. As the sun sets, we slowly drive back to the camp, hoping to see some of the nocturnal animals that are commonly found in the area, such as porcupines, aardvarks, and brown hyenas.

We have an early start today, journeying straight to the Sossusvlei dune-fields where we will climb the high dunes. The final part of our travels today will take us to the heart of Sossusvlei and Deadvlei where we will use a 4×4 vehicle on this sandy terrain and enjoy magnificent views. Our camp will be in the desert for the night.

We have a brief distance to travel, crossing the Kuiseb Canyon and the Naukluft Park toward the seaside town of Swakopmund where we spend two evenings at the Amanpuri Lodge. You have a full day to explore this historical town that was built in 1892 so there is plenty of rich culture and interesting anecdotes.

Our lodging provides the perfect location for some exploration of Swakopmund. Here you will come across many beaches, markets, curio stores and a massive range of optional adventure activities, including quad biking, skydiving, horse riding, dune boarding and many more! Make an effort to try out the nightlife in Swakopmund, as well as a delicious dinner out at one of the local restaurants (own expense).

We travel north up the Skeleton Coast today, a barren stretch of coast except for the skeletons of shipwrecks. We visit the seal colony of Cape Cross before making our way back inland. We journey through the desert to see the large granite peaks at Spitzkoppe, after which we set up camp and spend the evening at the base of the mountain.

Today we make our way into the beautiful Etosha National Park for a magnificent wildlife game-viewing experience. We set up camp and then embark on a thrilling midday game drive. We head back to camp to spend the night observing game at the floodlit waterhole. We then continue through the park, game driving to the other side of the park to camp for the evening.

Departing from the severe desert environment, we make our way north to the lush region of Caprivi. This evening will be spent camping on the magnificent Okavango riverbanks.

Today we cross the border into Botswana to make our way to the Okavango Delta. The Delta is created as water from the highlands of Angola that gush out over the flat Kalahari Desert sands, forming a lush green paradise for bird and wildlife.

We enjoy our time here exploring the area where local guides educate us about the animals and plants that call the Delta home. We will also have time to learn about the local’s way of life in this wilderness.

Today we embark on a mokoro and boat transfer across the Panhandle that returns us to our vehicle. We then journey through the Kalahari to our lodge in Maun, where we unwind for the afternoon near the swimming pool.

This morning, we enjoy lazing by the swimming pool and enjoying a midday brunch. We suggest joining the local village walk where you learn more about the daily life of the locals. Afterward, we set off east to the enormous Makgadikgadi Salt Pans. The area may look stark, but there is plenty of birdlife and other animals that have made the desert their home. Without leaving a trace we travel to a remote area and enjoy the serenity of the area. We make our way to our accommodation for the evening after exploring this magnificent area.

Travelling north we head to the world-famous Chobe National Park, home to large amounts of elephants that gather at the Chobe riverbanks. An exciting game viewing boat cruise is organized for you within the park. We then cross the border for the highlight of the trip – Victoria Falls.

We rise in the early morning to explore Victoria Falls, the ‘Adventure Capital of Africa’. The tour ends after breakfast. There are a variety of activities available here, including white water rafting, bungee jumping from an astounding height of 111 metres, helicopter flights and more. Note that this tour continues to Johannesburg, should you wish to continue onwards to finish in Johannesburg, then please speak to your consultant.