Addis Ababa to Cape Town Overland Between Addis Ababa and Cape Town

Africa's Rift Valley is home to some remarkable tribal groups, and on this adventurous trip we'll seek them out, heading deep into southern Ethiopia's Omo Valley. It's a challenging region to travel in, and overlanding provides the only real access to these isolated communities. We'll meet the Hamer, who practice bull jumping as an initiation rite, the Banna and the Arbore, whose lifestyles have changed little for centuries, and visit a fascinating Rastafarian project. Crossing southern Ethiopia we reach the Kenyan border, through semi-desert to Samburu National Park for some game viewing. The Samburu people live here, and we'll spend time learning about their culture before going on safari in Lake Nakuru, ending our trip in Nairobi.

This is a thoroughly tribal adventure travel trip. In Southern Ethiopia, we travel overland into the depths of the Rift Valley, visiting the amazing lakes, witnessing the wildlife and meeting the local tribal people. A word of warning is necessary here. This is definitely an adventure holiday and you must be aware that we will take you through regions with very poor infrastructure and very few western facilities. Roads can be absolutely appalling and you should be prepared to forgo your home comforts. However the rewards of this kind of overland travel are immense. We will travel into one of the most unchanged tribal regions in Africa and meet peoples who lifestyles have changed very little in the last two hundred years. At Konzo we will explore the Konzo tribal culture and villages before heading deep into tribal southern Ethiopia towards the Omo Valley. This is a very remote, seldom visited region, which is home to the Hamer, Banna and Arbore people. The bull jumping of the Hama people have become renown in the outside world due to the great BBC series, Tribes featuring Bruce Parry. Unfortunately, unlike Parry, who spent months living with many of these tribes we can only spend four nights in the region, but this is what adventure travel tours should be all about. Travelling Overland allows us to explore regions like this.

Responsible travel is one of our four business principles and on this trip we will take you to an excellent community tourism project in nothern Kenya. The Samburu region is usually associated with an African safari, and of course we will do our Kenya safari in Samburu National Park, which has very prolific African wildlife, including lion, elephant, leopard, the amazingly lovely reticulated giraffe, the lithesome gerenuk and the grevvy Zebra. However, while we are here, we will also stay at the Samburu tribal community project to learn about their culture and way of life.

In terms of wildlife we will also explore the mountainous Bale Nat. Park in search of the Simien Fox and further south in Kenya we will find rhino, buffalo and flamingo in Lake Nakuru National Park. So the trip may not have the big names of the Serengeti or Masai Mara but for wildlife its as good as it gets; hey you have a good chance of seeing the big five!

This trip is the perfect blend of wildlife and culture, exploring the great game parks of East Africa and getting to meet the locals on community projects that we support. Rather than just go for a game drive in the Serengeti we actually camp out in the park for 2 nights, and you shouldn't miss the chance to go game viewing from the air on a hot air balloon safari, as well as seeing the Ngorongoro Crater. We explore the stunning Usambara Mountains, visiting small villages and going on walks through the surrounding bush, before heading to the beaches of the Indian Ocean, ending the trip on the idyllic and exotic island of Zanzibar.

Down here in East Africa, life is always laid back, loads of stuff to see and do and above all people to meet. Responsible tourism is the new adventure travel buzzword, but on this overland adventure we really practice what we preach (actually we try not to preach). Then there's the Tindiga Bushmen by Lake Eyasi. African wildlife is at its most prolific on the plains of the Serengeti. Forget your average Tanzania safari, Dragoman travel overland through the Serengeti, sleeping two nights in the park surrounded by animals, travelling the length of the plains, allowing time to really explore (and even take a balloon safari) and then a third day visiting the Ngorongoro Crater Reserve. This is an adventure holiday and we will allow you the time to experience the region. That's why we take it slowly, stopping off the beaten track at Lushoto to visit small village communities and to walk through stunning hillsides whilest en route we also stop off near the base of Kili and have a wander to the gate of the National Park. After all that walking we can enjoy the relaxing beaches of the idyllic island of Zanzibar and take in the fabulous architecture and local spices. We take it slow, less driving, less rushing, more wildlife, more relaxation and more contact with the local communities.

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Southern Africa is home to some of the continent's finest game reserves, and travelling overland means that we can stay right in the heart of the wildlife hotspots. Beginning at the magnificent Victoria Falls, we'll take a safari in Chobe National Park, which feels like walking into a wildlife documentary - all the animals you could ever hope to see are here. In the Okavango Delta we'll canoe through lush waterways threading through the wilderness, and you can get up close to the game in mokoro canoes. We head overland across the Kalahari to Namibia for a stay with the Bushmen, and camp in the superb Etosha National Park before travelling down the forbidding Skeleton Coast. We'll journey through the starkly beautiful Namib Desert, crossing into South Africa and ending our unforgettable trip in Cape Town.

Overland travel is an ideal way to discover the best of Botswana and Namibia as well as Victoria Falls in Zambia and Cape Town. Southern Africa is all about wildlife, with the Okavango Delta and Etosha National Park being some of the best places to take an African safari. In Botswana's Chobe National Park, known for its elephants, there is the choice of taking a boat or jeep safari. This trip is loaded with adventure activities: there are numerous options, ranging from elephant safaris and white-water rafting to quad biking through the dunes of the Namib Desert. In Southern Africa tourism is big business and it is important that we ensure that the local communities benefit from our trips. As part of our commitment to responsible travel, we will ensure that there is a community project along the way and that we allow time to visit small local communities, including overnighting in a local Bushman village.

Nights 1 - 5: Ethiopian Rift Valley & Mountains 3 nights in the wilds of Bale Mountains National Park for hiking or mule/horse trekking Visit the Rastafarian community and educational project at Shashemene Addis Ababa, the northern Rift Valley and Lake Langano Visit to Lake Abiyata, and see the flamingos near Shashemene Nights 6 - 9 Ethiopian Rift Valley Overland through Ethiopia's Rift Valley along the shores of Lake Abaya 2 night stay at Arba Minch to explore the market or nearby Lake Chamo and its crocodiles Nights 10 - 14 Southern Ethiopia Visit to tribal region near Omo River, seeing Hamer, Banna and Dascench tribes Overnight in Konzo, centre of the Konso people Nights 15 - 19 Southern Ethiopia & Northern Kenya Visit to Samburu tribal community and cultural project with local Samburu tribespeople Remote overland journey through the wilds and deserts of southern Ethiopia and northern Kenya Wildlife safari in Samburu National Park: elephants, lions, Grevy's zebra and numerous other animals Nights 20 - 23 Kenyan Rift Valley Relax and explore Nairobi, Kenya's capital city Safari in Lake Nakuru National Park, excellent for rhino Visit to Elsamere Born Free foundation at Lake Naivasha

Night 1: Kenya Relax and explore Nairobi, Kenya's capital city Night 2-6: Northern Tanzania Safari Region 2 day Jeep Safari and wildcamp in Serengeti National Park Visit to the Mto Wa Mbu Cultural Tourism Programme. Jeep safari in Ngorongoro Crater Reserve Overland through northern Tanzania via Arusha Nights 7-9: Kili and the Maasai Steppe 2 night stay in the stunning Usambara Mountains with time for local community visits and hikes Half day moderate/easy hill trek to Irente Lookout and community visit to Irente villages Overnight stay at Mt Kilimanjaro with time for an easy hike up to the gate of the national park Visit Marangu Village Educational Project Visit to the Amani street children's orphanage Nights 10-13: Tanzanian Coast & Zanzibar Guided tour of Spice Plantations and local lunch 3 nights on the tropical island of Zanzibar Overnight on the white sand beaches of the Indian Ocean near Dar Final Day: End at Dar es Salaam Return to Dar by hydrofoil

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Nights 1-4: Zambia & Botswana See Chobe's profilic wildlife by boat 2 night stay at Livingstone to experience the amazing Victoria Falls Take an open top jeep safari in Chobe National Park Nights 5 -7: Namibia & Botswana Relaxing overnight stay at Ngepi, a stunning campsite on the Kavango River 2 night safari into the Okavango Delta Overland through northern Chobe and the Caprivi Strip Nights 8 -12: Northern Namibia Overnight bushcamp with Namibian Bushmen Overnight at the beautiful Nkwazi Lodge on the Angolan border 2 nights at Etosha campsites with excellent game viewing waterholes Overland safari through Etosha National Park with excellent wildlife Bushwalking, tracking and food gathering with Bushmen Nights 13 - 16: Namibian Coastal Desert 2 nights in Swakopmund, Namibia's adrenaline city Visit the Skeleton Coast's Cape Cross seal colony Explore and hike in the ancient landscapes of Spitzkoppe Nights 17-20: Namib Desert Canoe or relax on the banks of the Orange River Guided trek through the Sossusvlei Dunes and dawn trek up the huge Dune 45 Journey through the mountains, dunes and plains of the Namib Desert Overnight stay at Fish River Canyon with time to explore Explore the unique Quiver Tree Forest & the Giant's Playground rock formations Nights 21: South Africa Soak up the atmosphere in colourful Cape Town Journey from Namibia to the southern tip of Africa, the Cape of Good Hope