Tour
Operator: Oasis Overland
To book this tour call: 08700 66 45 11
Trip
Itinerary
Travel to Uganda and Kenya and then journey south through Malawi to Mozambique and Zimbabwe on this world all in one "Apes and Lakes" adventure. The World famous Lake Nakuru, Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater Game Parks, majestic Mountain Gorillas, cultures and beaches of Zanzibar and Lake Malawi, adventure activities at the awe-inspiring Victoria Falls all conspire to make this an unforgettable experience on the African continent.
Days 1 - 5
Our tour begins! Travel through Kenya and Uganda is a unique experience thanks to amazing natural landscapes we'll be able to see this for ourselves as we embark on a short drive north from Nairobi into Africa's greatest natural feature, The Great Rift Valley. Our journey takes us into the valley where we visit Lake Naivasha. We camp near the lakeshore where Hippos sometimes feed at night! Here you can also walk to Elsamere, the house of Joy Adamson of Elsa the Lion and Born Free fame, and enjoy a film of her life - and cream teas! You can also hire mountain bikes and cycle or walk through Hells Gate National Park - the only game reserve in Kenya in which you are allowed to walk.
From here a mountainous drive through the spectacular Nandi Hills brings us to our next stop at Eldoret. The following morning, we cross into Uganda and continue onto Kampala, the capital, where we have a free day to spend in local cafes and nightspots, there is also the opportunity to spend the day visiting a local Chimpanzee Sanctuary and rehabilitation centre on one of the islands on Lake Victoria. We then continue west through patches of forest and green fertile countryside and pass a number of small towns and villages along the way where we can see local crafts people at work. We usually have a lunch stop at one of the roadside stalls selling fresh rotisserie meat and vegetables. We also stop at the spot where our route crosses the equator.
Days 6 - 12
From the town of Kabale, we visit either Bwindi or Mgahinga National Park. Both are situated in the Virunga Range of volcanic mountains. The rainforests on these mountain slopes are home to several families of Mountain Gorillas and is a highlight of travel to Uganda. Spending time with these fast-disappearing gentle giants of the forest is an awe-inspiring and humbling experience for everyone that treks to see them. We spend 2 or 3 days at the base camp allowing time for everyone in our group to complete their trek to the gorillas. During this time there is the opportunity to visit nearby villages, climb an extinct volcano or go to Lake Bunyoni where you can hire mountain bikes or canoes or visit the local school . Please Note: - If we are unable to view the gorillas in Uganda we will visit them in Rwanda.
Days 13 - 18
We then return to Kampala and camp near Jinja. We spend the following three nights at Bujagali Falls, just downstream from the source of the Nile. This is a spectacular area, and a superb place to go whitewater rafting. We can also go quad biking or visit a local school. Ending the first stage of our tour and our travel in Uganda, we re-enter Kenya and travel to Lake Nakuru National Park. Lake Nakuru is a soda lake and our game drives here allow us to see its world famous flock of almost a million Pink Flamingos, as well as a wide variety of wildlife including, Black Rhino, Hippo, Lion, Leopard, Hyena and Giraffe. Lake Naivasha. We camp near the lakeshore, where Hippos sometimes come ashore to feed.
There is also the option that we may be able to visit the world famous Masai Mara Game Reserve. (weather and roads conditions allowing - this option would be instead of Lake Nakuru Nat. Park). This reserve is home to a wide variety of wildlife including Rhino, Hippo, Lion, Cheetah, Giraffe and many other species of wildlife and we will do several game drives whilst we are here. (During the months of July to September we will endeavour to enter the Maasai Mara to view the amazing spectacle of the Wildebeest migration).
Days 19 - 24
A half-day drive brings us back to Nairobi for a day, before we continue south for the next leg of our journey: travel in Tanzania. We should see zebra and giraffe on the roadside as we head for the town of Arusha, which is where we use a local safari company to guide us through Ngorongoro Crater and Serengeti National Parks. In the crater you can spend the day viewing the abundant wildlife including Elephant, Lion, Cheetah, White Rhino, Hippo, Antelope, and Crocodile. From here you can also choose to go into the Serengeti where vast herds of wildebeest roam the plains. There is also the option, for those who wish to visit a local Maasai Village and learn about their culture and way of life.
Days 25 - 31
It's one-day drive to Dar Es Salaam, passing through a number of small towns and villages along the way and, if we are lucky, we may see the towering peak of Mt Kilimanjaro. We camp for about 4 nights in a campsite on a beautiful Indian Ocean beach. From here most people take the ferry out to Zanzibar for the full four days and venture into the narrow bustling streets of StoneTown and its famous spice markets, old slave forts and dungeons. There is also time to indulge yourself on Zanzibar's famous white beaches before returning to Dar Es Salaam. We continue our journey through the interesting and often mountainous hinterland of Tanzania. We pass through the peaceful Mikumi National Park. From the roadside we usually see Elephant, Giraffe, Zebra and Antelope. Passing rivers and small waterfalls we enter Malawi with its huge fresh water lake.
Days 32 - 40
The next few days of travel in Malawi are spent at small laid back campsites on the edge of the lake. You can participate in watersports including windsurfing, water skiing or snorkelling or if you are so inclined just relax on the shores of Lake Malawi. Some of our group may go off and visit one of the nearby villages, the local school or one of the craft markets, where artisans produce some exquisite pieces of furniture and carvings out of ebony and mahogany. We continue on to Blantyre in the south of the country where we organise our Mozambique visas as well as possibly visit the local brewery. From Blantyre we cross into Mozambique and head for Zimbabwe following the infamous 'Tete Corridor' which was well known in the days of Mozambique's long running civil war as the 'Gun Run'. We cross into Zimbabwe, travel to Harare and stay in the capital for a few nights.
Those on the 40 Day trip finish here in Harare, while those on the 50 Day trip carry on to Victoria Falls.
Days 41 - 45
From Harare we travel Zimbabwe's unspoilt landscape and head south to Gweru. Here we visit a privately run horse and game ranch where you can go game viewing on elephant and horseback. Here too it is often possible to go on walking safaris with young lion cubs, which is always a highlight.
We now travel to the Great Zimbabwe Ruins where the name 'Zimbabwe' derives from, literally meaning "house of stone". It was once the greatest medieval city in Sub Saharan Africa. We then continue west to Bulawayo, where you have the option of using a local safari company to venture into Motobo National Park, visit Cecil Rhodes grave and World's End viewpoint, as well as viewing on foot with an armed ranger the elusive Black Rhino, amongst hordes of other wildlife.
Days 46 - 50
An old colonial style sleeper train will take you back to the truck at one of the greatest adventure playgrounds of the world - Victoria Falls.
For some Mosi oa Tunya 'The Smoke That Thunders' is the highlight of any overland tour. You can see the cloud of spray from 20km away and when you actually get to the Falls, the crescendo of noise coupled with the visual impact is a moment you will always remember. There is something here for everyone, including awesome grade 5 white water rafting, canoe trips, sunset cruises by boat, the Flight of Angels (with breathtaking aerial views of the Falls and the Gorge from light aircraft, microlight or helicopter), abseiling, the Zambezi Gorge swing and one of the highest commercial Bungee Jumps in the world! A great way to end your travel in Zimbabwe and the "Apes and Lakes" tour!
From here you can travel by bus, train or plane to Harare or Johannesburg to connect with international flights. Or why not combine this with our Deserts & Gameparks trip and finish in Cape Town, Jo'burg or back in Harare?!
Apes & Lakes
Itinerary
The World famous Lake Nakuru, Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater
Game Parks....
The air holiday packages and flights shown are ATOL protected by the
Civil Aviation Authority. Our ATOL number is 3355. Refer to our booking
conditions for more information.
Please note that where there are featured links, ABTA
protection will not apply to non-member websites. Images of hotels and resorts are shown for guidance purposes only.
You may stay in a room which is different from the examples shown.
