Ultimate Africa

56 days - from $5815

This is the ultimate African adventure that takes us from the jungles of Rwanda to the savannahs of East Africa, the tropical beaches on the Indian Ocean, mighty Victoria Falls, the desert splendours of Namibia and ultimately Cape Town - the Mother City. At every juncture of this epic journey, the kaleidoscope that is Africa unfurls before us in what is surely the experience of a lifetime.

Highlights

• Fish River Canyon
• Sandboard the world’s biggest dunes, Namibia
• Etosha National Park - game drives and floodlit waterholes
• Lake Naivasha's hippos
• Diving and snorkelling in Lake Malawi
• Senga Bay on Lake Malawi
• Chobe National Park's river
• Tented camp stays
• Game drives in the Masai Mara
• The flamingos of Lake Nakuru
• Okavango Delta by 'mokoro'
• The locals of Chintheche
• The children of East Africa Mission Orphanage
• Masai Mara's mammal migrations
• Chibuku Shake Shake
• Sesriem Canyon
• South Luangwa National Park - the birthplace of walking safaris
• ‘The smoke that thunders' - Victoria Falls
• Ride the Nile at Jinja
• Gorilla trekking in Parc National des Volcans
• Drink waragi – Ugandan banana gin
• Game drives in Queen Elizabeth National Park's diverse habitats
• Skeleton Coast's Cape fur seals
• Cape Town - South Africa's 'Mother City'
• The orange blaze of Sossusvlei's desert dunes
• The 'Garden of Eden' of UNESCO World Heritage-listed Ngorongoro Crater
• Spend time with the San Bushmen, Namibia
• Get cheeky with chimps, Ngamba Island
• Game drives in the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Serengeti
• Kigali's Genocide Memorial - a monument to the courage and resilience of the Rwandan people
• The beaches, cultural diversity and slave history of the 'spice islands' of Zanzibar

Itinerary:

Day 1: Kigali (Rwanda)2: Kigali - Ruhengeri (Rwanda)3: Parc National des Volcans - Gorilla Trek - Kisoro (Rwanda)4-5: Queen Elizabeth National Park (Uganda)6: Entebbe (Uganda)7: Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary - Jinja (Uganda)8: Jinja - Nile River (Uganda)9: Kericho (Kenya)10: Nakuru - East Africa Mission Orphanage (Kenya)11: Lake Nakuru National Park - East Africa Mission Orphanage (Kenya)12: East Africa Mission Orphanage - Lake Naivasha (Kenya)13-14: Masai Mara National Reserve (Kenya)15: Nairobi (Kenya)16: Arusha (Tanzania)17: Serengeti National Park (Tanzania)18: Serengeti National Park (Tanzania)19: Ngorongoro Crater - Mto Wa Mbu (Tanzania)20: School of St Jude - Arusha (Tanzania)21: Dar es Salaam (Tanzania)22: Stone Town - Zanzibar (Tanzania)23-24: Nungwi Beach - Zanzibar (Tanzania)25: Dar es Salaam (Tanzania)26: Iringa (Tanzania)27-29: Lake Malawi (Malawi)30: Lilongwe (Malawi)31-32: South Luangwa National Park (Zambia)33-34: Chipata - Lusaka (Zambia)35-37: Livingstone (Zambia) - Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe)38-39: Kasane - Chobe National Park (Botswana)40: Sepupa (Botswana)41-42: Okavango Delta (Botswana)43: Bagani (Namibia)44-45: Etosha National Park (Namibia)46: Otjitotongwe Cheetah Park (Namibia)47: Himba Village - Twyfelfontein - Spitzkoppe (Namibia)48-49: Cape Cross - Swakopmund (Namibia)50-51: Sesriem - Sossusvlei - Namib-Naukluft National Park (Namibia)52: Fish River Canyon (Namibia)53: Orange River (South Africa)54: Cederberg Region (South Africa)55: Cape Town (South Africa)56: Cape Town (South Africa)

What's It Like?

Gecko's adventures offer authentic experiences and a genuine alternative to backpacking. Our trips are designed for younger travelers on a budget but do include the entrance fees to the ‘must see’ sights while not wasting your money on unnecessary frills. Itineraries utilize public transport and basic twin share accommodations in small locally owned hotels, the occasional multi-share, or simply floor space in a jungle or village hut. Many trips involve some physical activity, the occasional long traveling day and you will need to carry your own bags. On camping trips, meals are freshly prepared by our camp cook, but expect to put up and take down your tent, and assist with camp chores. On all trips we only use local tour leaders who are passionate about their homeland. This is travel, grassroots style - basic but rewarding.

Included:

An experienced driver, safari guide and camp cook whilst on safari; all park fees; one pre-purchased gorilla permit; local specialist guides for gorilla trek and in Ngorongoro Crater, Serengeti National Park, South Luangwa National Park, Chobe National Park, the Okavango Delta and Sossusvlei; all camping equipment; transport in custom-built safari vehicle during safari, 4WD vehicle during safari, mokoros, ferry, boat and on foot.

International flights, local payment, arrival and departure transfers, airport/departure taxes, visas, pre-tour or post-tour accommodation, all other meals, drinks, sleeping bag, pillow, all optional additional tours or activities during free time, transfers outside of the tour program, travel insurance, tips and items of a personal nature, laundry and flights (unless specified).