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East & Southern Africa Highlights
Optional safari into the Okavango Delta
The Okavango Delta is a huge area of very slow flowing water that comes from the Okavango River, fans out and evaporates over the sands of the Kalahari Desert. There are many fresh water channels that give life to the abundant wildlife of the area. We travel in hand crafted Mokoros (small boats similar to canoes) which glide silently along the river, steered by stealth polers who earn their living transporting tourists along the Delta. There is no better way to explore the tranquil waterways and lily fields, glimpsing the diverse range of birds and amphibians such as speckled frogs which inhabit the papyrus.
Nairobi
You might choose to dine at the famous African Buffet restaurant “Carnivors”, where game meat is served from Masaii spears until you can eat no more and raise your flag in surrender! Lake Naivasha
Enjoy a boat cruise on the lake trying to spot some of the resident hippo or take a half day trip to the green Crater Lake for a guided bush walk. From our campsite you will be able to hear and maybe spot the hippo wallowing in the water near by and enjoy the many different species of birdlife found around the lakeshore. Masaii Mara National Park During this overnight optional excursion you spend the afternoon on an exciting game drive, glimpsing many of Africa’s famous wild beasts. The Masaii Mara National Park is one of the best game parks in Africa, with large herds of gazelle, giraffe and antelope. These animals attract carnivores such as lion, cheetah, hyena and even the elusive leopard - so the wildlife viewing here is definitely plentiful! Make sure your memory cards are empty and your batteries are charged! You’ll camp overnight in the park surrounded by the sounds of the African wildlife before heading back to Nairobi the following day. Nakuru National Park You can take a full day game drive in minivans to view more wildlife than your memory card can handle, including leopards, lions, zebra, buffalo and rhino. Here, black rhinos are used in a breeding program which aims to increase the population of this semi-endangered species. Etosha National Park
We camp here by floodlit waterholes and you can stay up all night glimpsing wild animals coming down for a drink at the waters edge.
Otijitotongwe Cheetah Park
You'll have the chance to see baby cheetahs gambolling and cavorting around with their brothers and sisters. You can hold and stroke the babies and hand reared cheetahs, and watch the staff hand-feed the older ones. The tame cheetahs were abandoned when they were young and consequently can’t be set free in the wild as they wouldn’t survive. The park itself is 2,000 acres and it is fenced off for obvious reasons. You can watch the adult cheetah being fed from a truck, and there are tame kudu and meerkats wandering about the place. The park is a great place to see these big cats clearly in an almost wild environment.
Swakopmund Swakopmund is situated on the Atlantic Ocean and is Namibia’s most popular holiday destination. It is an old German colonial town surrounded by desert. On our way we may stop in Cape Cross (weather permitting), to see (and smell) the large colony of around 100,000 Cape Cross Fur Seals that inhabit the area. Once in Swakopmund you can quency your thirst for an adrenaline rush with a range of optional excursions, such as sandboarding (stand up or lie down on a waxed hardboard and hurtle down the dunes), quadbiking (suitable for beginners), tandem skydiving, game fishing and many more. The town has a selection of good bars and restaurants, and you can spend the evening watching extreme videos of activities you did during the day over a cold beer or two. It’s a great place for a few nights and a lot of fun.
Trek into the mountains to visit the rare Mountain Gorilla. These gorillas are found in the Virunga Mountains, a range of volcanic mountains and rainforest which covers parts of Uganda, Congo and Rwanda. On the Rwandan side, there are currently five groups of habituated Mountain Gorillas ranging in number from 7 - 37 individuals. We start our trekking from Kinigi into their mountainous habitat with our guides, who will track their spoor and last movements to find them. The trek can be demanding at times and the weather can be very changeable, but the experience of seeing these magnificent animals in the wild is worth every bit.
It is possible that you may be lucky enough to come within arm’s length of these beautiful creatures if they approach you, but you are required to maintain a distance of 5 metres from the animals at all times. Your time with the gorillas is restricted to around 45-60 minutes, to safeguard the families from too much human contact.
Zanzibar Island
Known as the ‘Spice Island’ Zanzibar is famous for spices and produce, and supposedly boasts the sweetest pineapple in the world. In the nineteenth century it was one of the most important trading centres in the Indian Ocean region.
Stone Town is an old city and the cultural heart of Zanzibar; little has changed here over the last 200 years. It boasts a labyrinth of walled streets, winding alleys, bustling mosques and grand Arab architecture. You can spend many idle hours simply wandering the streets, shopping at the bazaars and admiring the intriguing elephant-proof doors. Or sit and watch the sun set over a cold beer and a sumptuous seafood feast. If food is your thing, make sure you also check out the brilliant night market which serves traditional local fare. Females should note that Stone Town has a high Muslim population so remember to cover up and bring appropriate clothing. To the north and east of Zanzibar Island lie the island’s beautiful, isolated beaches with sparkling blue ocean and golden sand fringed with palm trees. There are plenty of options for you at the beaches: relax and take it easy, indulge with a massage, go diving, snorkelling or swimming with dolphins.
Ngorongoro Crater Before it exploded and collapsed 2 millions years ago, the Ngorongoro Volcano was one of the world's tallest mountains. Today, the crater is one of the most stunning natural wonders in the world, and is approximately 610m deep with an enclosed area of about 260km2. There is a soda lake with flamingos as well as open plains and forest areas. Because the sides of the crater are very steep, the area has become a natural enclosure for a wide variety of wildlife which can be seen in their natural habitats. You’ll have the opportunity to get very close to the game here for photos as there are few places for them to hide.
Serengeti National Park
There is an option to do a Serengeti and crater trip where you will spend two nights camping, one of which is spent inside the Serengeti one of the most famous parks in Africa. Surrounded by the sights and sounds of wild, rugged Africa, you may spot teeming herds of wildebeest, antelopes, zebra, buffalo and big cats such as lion and cheetah. If you are lucky enough to be in the park around the time of the largest mammal migration in the world, that of the Serengeti wildebeest, you’ll see around 1.5 million-strong herd migrating to follow the African rainy season - a truly unbelievable, magical sight.
Lake Malawi Kande Beach is one of the many beautiful beaches situated alongside the lake’s shore. There is a lively atmosphere here and with Kande Beach being one of the big Overland meeting points you will no doubt be in for a party or two! You can relax in the sun or go diving, snorkelling, swimming or horse riding. You can also visit nearby local villages and markets famous for their woodcarvings.
QE2 National Park
Established in 1954, and situated at the base of the Rwenzori Mountains, this park suffered badly during the years of the Ugandan/Tanzanian war and much of the wildlife there was shot. Today, however, the wildlife has recovered and the Kazinga Channel, which joins Lake Edward and Lake George, is famous for having the world’s largest concentration of hippos that are easily viewed from a boat on the channel. You can also see elephants, leopards, lions and chimpanzees in this park. You have the option of spending a full day in the park both game driving and taking the not to be missed boat cruise on the Kazinga channel. Jinja The Ugandan hub of extreme sports. Get into some adrenaline-fuelled optional excursions like rafting, quad biking and bungee jumping 44m high over the White Nile, the longest river in the world. You could also do some quad biking to local villages along riverbanks. In Jinja you also have the option to visit an orphanage or do some community work with Soft Power, a local charity committed to improving the educational facilities with Uganda. Your tour leader will be able to give you more information about this.
Victoria Falls
Victoria Falls are some of the most famous waterfalls in the world. Admire the plummeting falls crashing dramatically into the river below (111m) and take in a variety of optional activities. One of the most popular is white water rafting on the lower Zambezi River which has a series of 23 rapids all graded 3 to 5 depending on the time of year and the water level; definitely not for the faint-hearted! Other popular activities include Bungee Jumping, River Boarding, Jet Boating, canoeing or try sitting in the Devils armchair. You can also take a helicopter ride and admire the raging falls from above.
Please note: all the activities on the river including the Devil's Armchair are subject to the level of the river and may not be available. Chobe National Park
A Tucan Travel staff favourite and one of the largest game concentrations in Africa, has great wildlife viewing opportunities - you won't have to try hard to spot the big 5 of Africa (lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhino). Zambia / Zimbabwe Beautiful Lake Kariba forms the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe. The lake was created when the Zambezi River was dammed by the building of the Kariba Dam in the 1950’s. The Kariba Dam is one of the largest in the world and provides hydro-electricity to both Zambia and Zimbabwe. We camp at the edge of the lake and fall asleep to the sounds of Africa’s animal kingdom. You can choose to spend two nights floating tranquilly around Lake Kariba. Sit back, relax and watch the wildlife grazing peacefully at the edge of the lake. We can also take the tender boat to go fishing and to try and get closer to the game. Admire the serenity of this beautiful area and fall asleep beneath a dramatic night sky.
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