25 Day overland tour from Nairobi to Victoria Falls.
Day 1/3
We meet at the hotel at 9am on the first day. We recommend you arrive in Nairobi at least the day before, however if you're there with a few Day to spare there's lots to see and do around the city. Close to the hotel is the National Museum, there are markets in and around Nairobi or you can venture further afield to Karen Blixen's house, Langata Giraffe Centre or even Nairobi National Park for a first glimpse of African wildlife.
Leaving Nairobi we cross the Athi River Plains and the border to Tanzania and see Mount Kilimanjaro rising above the horizon in the distance. We spend the night near Arusha, which is nestled at the foot of Mount Meru. From here you can hire Land Rovers with a guide to take you to the Serengeti National Park & Ngorongoro Crater. The crater is a collapsed, extinct volcano, thousands of years old and now supporting a wide range of animals. It's an excellent place for your first game drive as being a relatively small area it has a high concentration of animals.
This area is the home of the Masaai and we will certainly come across tribesmen and women selling their distinctive beaded jewellery or inviting you to take photographs, for a small fee.
Day 4
A day's drive from Arusha brings us to Dar es Salaam on the Indian Ocean coast.
Day 5
Over the centuries trade between Africa and Arabia has resulted in the blending of Arabs and Africans into a beautiful Swahili (coastal) culture with wooden sailing dhows crossing the ocean, coconut plantations and fishing villages with mosques on the beaches.
Day 6/10
From Dar es Salaam you can take the ferry to Zanzibar Island. Here is the old stone Capital of the Omani Sultanate, sandy beaches, spice tours, snorkelling, diving and trips to other nearby islands. Zanzibar is a fascinating place to visit and you can stay for 3 or 4 Day to take it all in.
Day 11/12
South through Tanzania, our route takes us through Mikumi National Park where we may well see giraffe or elephant grazing along the roadside.
Day 13/18
Crossing the border into Malawi, we soon reach the shores of its huge lake. The campsites and small resorts along Lake Malawi offer sandy beaches, swimming and snorkelling, water-skiing or walking in the surrounding countryside. You will also find markets selling beautifully carved Malawi chairs, tables and other souvenirs.
In Blantyre the capital of Malawi we get visas for the next leg. We enter Mozambique and spend a the day driving through the bush, passing villages, mud huts and small children who wave at us as they tend their herds of cows and goats.
Day 19/24
In Zimbabwe we visit the modern capital Harare, then on to Gweru and the Antelope Park. Here is the only place in the world you can walk with lion cubs, also you can swim with elephants and play polo cross.
In Bulawayo town there is Rhodes Matopos National Park, here you can walk near wild white rhino, see bushman rock paintings and see the fantastic view Rhodes grave, the founder of modern Zimbabwe.
Day 25
Victoria Falls where the Zambezi River plunges 100 metres down a mile wide chasm, creating one of the most incredible natural wonders of the world. The local name for the Falls is 'Mosi-oa-Tunya' which means 'the smoke that thunders' and you'll soon find out why. When the river is in full flow, the falling water causes a huge roar and sends a cloud of spray up to 500 metres into the air.
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