trans africa travel

Great Trans-African Lodge Safari • 21 Days

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$  5,899.00

Our group tours are also offered on a private basis, and can be customized: Our experienced travel consultants will design bespoke, private itineraries according to your needs and budget. 

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Accommodation, pre-tour information.

Spend 3 weeks exploring Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe, experiencing the wildlife, culture and scenery only Africa can deliver. From marvelling at the Victoria Falls to the breathtaking magnitude of Namibia’s dunes and big game encounters – this tour combines all the comforts of lodge accommodation with an unforgettable safari experience. Are you ready to set off on this extraordinary 21-day safari adventure? Set off on a once-in-a-lifetime safari that spans 21 days, guiding you through the heart of Africa’s most popular landscapes. The Great Trans-African Tour is a guided lodge safari throughout Africa, taking you to Namibia, Botswana, and Zimbabwe with a small group. This itinerary begins in Windhoek and ends in Victoria Falls.

Highlights of the Tour

This is the cultural, social, political and economic capital city of Namibia. Windhoek was found almost right in the centre of the country making it a perfect entry point for visitors with a well-serviced international airport. The city is impressively clean and calm for a capital and it’s a good place to get your bearings before venturing further into Namibia on your safari. Beer lovers are in for a treat as there are many good breweries and German style pubs.

Home to towering red sand dunes that are the highest in the world Sossusvlei is always a highlight of any vacation to Namibia. Deep in the heart of the Namib Desert the area is fed by a river called the Tsuachab River – and the towering dunes actually prevent the entire pathway of this river. It only flows through Sossusvlei every 5 to 10 years, making it a rare sight to see. The Sossusvlei dunes are about 60km from the Sesriem gate which takes you into the Namib Nauklut National Park . At just under 50 000 sq km – this is the largest park in Africa!

Swakopmund is a coastal city in Namibia with a very strong German heritage, it’s sandy beaches face the Atlantic Ocean. The city’s colonial landmarks include the Swakopmund lighthouse and the Mole (an old sea wall). It is the adventure center of Namibia with many operators offering a wide range of activities from sandboarding to quad bike rides.

Etosha National Park

Etosha means ‘huge white area’ or ‘place of dry water’, and the National Park certainly lives up to this description! The massive salt pan can be seen from space. Etosha National Park covers a big region with massive elephants – the biggest in Africa. We will do a number of game drives and safaris whilst in Etosha.

Namib-Naukluft National Park

The largest national park in Africa! On our Namibia Trans-African Lodge safari, you’ll be able to journey deep into the Namib-Naukluft National Park , the land of bright gold and magical red sand dunes.

• Okavango Delta

The unique system of waterways which is known as the Okavango Delta in the Republic of Botswana is a large wetland area surrounded by the Kalahari desert. Thousands of years ago tectonic activity and faulting interrupted the flow of the river causing it to backup and form this unique ecosystem of waterways and countless islands.

Makgadikgadi Pans

It has become a special Botswana safari stop, and one of the flattest places on earth! The Makgadikgadi Pans is an area visited more for its solitude than big Africa game. But as the rain arrives, herds of zebra, wildebeest and other antelope make their way northwards to the Nxai Pan.

Chobe National Park

Chobe National Park is one of the best known parks in Africa and famous for its massive elephant herds. We go on safari in this pristine wilderness by boat and by vehicle. There’s some of the best game viewing in Africa to enjoy at Chobe.

• Hwange National Park

Hwange National Park  boasts Africa’s big five and there are plenty of them in the park. There are literally thousands of buffalos and elephant to see. Lion sightings are common and you may be lucky enough to spot an elusive leopard on a night drive in Hwange.

• Victoria Falls

More than five million cubic meters of water plunges into the gorge below the Victoria Falls . At almost 2 kilometers wide and 100 meters high this is a spectacle to witness and is a once in a lifetime destination.  You will enjoy panoramic views from the various vantage points and your hotel is situated within walking distance of the falls.

Departure guaranteed Departure not guaranteed Limited seats Full

2024 Tour Departure Dates

We make use of mid-range, en-suite accommodation on the Great Trans-African Lodge Safari.

AVANI Windhoek Hotel  (or similar) Windhoek, Namibia

Day 2 & 3

Agama River Camp  (or similar) Naukluft Mountains, Namibia

Day 4 & 5

Swakopmund Sands Hotel (or similar) Swakopmund, Namibia

Toshari Lodge (or similar) South Etosha National Park, Namibia

Day 7 & 8

Namutoni Resort   (or similar) Etosha National Park East, Namibia

Kaisosi River Lodge (or similar) Rundu, Namibia

Day 10 & 11

Nunda River Lodge (or similar) Divundu, Namibia

Thamalakane River Lodge (or similar) Maun, Botswana

Day 13 & 14

Mankwe Tented Retreat (or similar) Botswana

Nata Lodge (or similar) Makgadikgadi Salt Pans, Botswana

Day 16 & 17

Chobe Safari Lodge  (or similar) Kasane, Botswana

Day 18 & 19

Nantwich Lodge (or similar) Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe

Ilala Lodge (or similar) Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe

• Breakfast daily plus lunches on 11 days and dinners on 15 evenings.
• All transport in JENMAN safari vehicle
• Game drives and activities as mentioned in the full itinerary
• Experienced local guide
• Pre and post tour accommodation
• Optional activities
• Personal expenses such as telephone calls, curios and tips
• Travel insurance and visas
• Park Fees & Activities (quoted separately)

The Great Trans-African Lodge Safari departs from Terra Africa Guest House, Windhoek. Please note that the daily departure times are a guideline only and are subject to change due to seasonal variations, as well as unforeseen circumstances. The final decision rests with your guide who will advise you at what time you will be departing each day. On the evening of day 1, there will be a meeting presented by your guide, at 18h00, at your lodge. It is imperative that all clients attend this meeting so as not to miss out on any critical information. Whilst it is our every intention to adhere to the above-mentioned itinerary, there may on occasion be a necessity to make alterations in order to make the tour more enjoyable or practical. Therefore please treat the itinerary as a guide only.

JENMAN African Safaris uses fully equipped Toyota Land Cruisers, Sprinters, 12-seater 4×4 safari vehicles or other appropriate vehicles with comfortable seating, large windows for game viewing, a music and PA system. We endeavour to ensure that air-conditioning is provided, however we are unable to guarantee this for vehicles travelling through Namibia. All luggage, besides hand luggage and photo equipment, is carried on the vehicle or trailer roof racks to ensure maximum comfort in the vehicle. Some game drives may be conducted in open-sided safari vehicles. For transfers between Kasane and Victoria Falls or Hwange and Victoria Falls (or vice versa), 2×4 vehicles may be utilised.

Travelling Time & Distances

All travelling times in Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe are affected by road conditions, border crossings, detours and weather conditions, therefore on certain days travelling times may be longer than anticipated especially where there is a lot of distance to be covered. Please keep in mind that the time it takes to travel 100 km in your home country is not equivalent to the time it takes to travel 100 km on African roads, therefore we encourage you to sit back and enjoy the spectacular scenery Africa has to offer. Where possible additional stops will be made to ensure your travelling comfort at all times.

Meals included on this Tour

Where included most breakfasts and dinners will be enjoyed in the restaurants of the various accommodation establishments, however on certain nights the guide will provide an authentic meal for the group, which will be enjoyed together in the evening, often around a camp fire. Please advise us of any special dietary requirements in advance.

The onus is on the client to organize all visas required to visit Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe prior to departure. Please note that travellers entering Botswana will be required to present a valid international health certificate of vaccination for yellow fever should they originate from or have travelled through countries which have been declared yellow fever infected areas within the preceding 6 months.

Travel Insurance

Please note that travel and cancellation insurance is mandatory for every guest travelling with JENMAN African Safaris. All insurance is solely the responsibility of our guests. Please ensure you arrange your own insurance with protection for the full duration of your journey to cover personal injury, damage and loss of personal items including but not limited to camera equipment and other electronic items, medical expenses, repatriation expenses and loss of luggage, etc. Please speak to your travel agent if you require assistance.

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Trans-Africa Safari

Embark on one of our most epic adventures on our Great Trans-Africa Safari!

This 21 day tour will take a small exclusive group of adventurers through the otherworldly desert landscapes of Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe.

Discover some of Earth’s most impressive natural sites – the world’s largest sand dunes at Sossusvlei, the world’s largest waterfall at Victoria Falls, the world’s biggest elephant population in Chobe National Park, and more. You will get up-close sightings of Africa’s most coveted animals, including lion, leopard, elephant, rhino and Cape buffalo, at some of Africa’s legendary wildlife parks.

Best of all, we will connect with the culture of the local people by learning from the Kavango people at their living museum, travelling in a traditional ‘mokoro’ canoe, and other unique activities.

Difficulty:  This trip is suitable for someone with a beginner level of fitness. For more general information on what to expect, visit our   Adventure Travel FAQ.

Did you know?  Do you love elephants? While visiting Botswana in this tour you are sure to see one because it is home to approximately 130,451 of them! (In fact it has the highest elephant concentration in Africa)

What Our Adventurers Say:  Check out their experiences  here.

Enquire now to secure your place on the next departing Great Trans-African Safari – limited space remaining!

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Oct 31, 2023 – 7 spots left

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Exclusive Travel In Africa

Whether you are looking for a safari, a beach getaway, a remote retreat, a city escape, or a cultural immersion, there are many options for exclusive villas, private residences and secluded, intimate accommodations in Africa.

Perhaps the Covid pandemic contributed to this trend where the restrictions on personal space dictated travel habits at the time, but the last two years have seen travelers spending more, and luxury room categories are in high demand. The preference for exclusive offerings like suites, private villas and private safari vehicles is growing in popularity as they cater more precisely to the demands of the luxury traveler. They provide privacy, personalized service, and abundant space.

Villas, private residences, and multi-room suites allow guests to feel at home – to really settle in and relax. The spaciousness of your own private common areas creates an environment of tranquility, and if you are travelling with children, they will love the fact that they are not confined to a hotel room. There’s nothing better than breakfast in your PJs!

Luxury travelers relish the freedom of their own schedule; enjoying activities, and meals prepared by a private chef, when they want, and having the freedom to explore their surroundings knowing that your family or friends, are the only other guests. Wake up and go to bed when you want, use the gym, pool or jacuzzi at your leisure – all to yourself. If meditating on the lodge deck overlooking the magnificent landscapes is your thing, you can treat the space like it’s your own home.

Like your own home, many establishments have cozy indoor and outdoor dining areas, a fully equipped kitchen with personal chef, a study, a games room, a swimming pool, daybeds and delightful nooks and crannies if you are looking for some personal space.

The appeal lies in the capacity to fashion, authentic customized experiences, forging a sense of well-being by bringing friends and loved ones closer together, and creating unforgettable memories.

High levels of service, privacy, amenities, and facilities just for you. Families are looking for an escape from daily routine, and can indulge their desire for discovery, adventure, and entertainment.

Holiday time is precious, and the intimate nature of villas and sole use accommodations also afford guests the opportunity to better engage with the staff. To enjoy authentic experiences and meaningful encounters with the locals. This environment provides guests with a more immersive experience and can contribute to a deeper understanding and appreciation of the local culture.

Hyper-personalization is abundantly on offer and joining a wildlife team in the capture of an endangered animal, enjoying a private wine tasting in the cellar with the sommelier, or assisting the chef with the next meal, are but samples of a smorgasbord of opportunities.

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Operates in:

South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Tanzania, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Rwanda

Trans Africa Safaris, established in 1918, is a family-owned business with a long, proud history in the African travel industry. Specializing in life-enhancing experiences to South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Namibia, Tanzania, Kenya, Rwanda, and the Indian Ocean Islands, Trans Africa Safaris has a dedicated team of experienced staff and a reliable network of partners across the continent. Together we ensure that our travellers enjoy an unprecedented level of personal care and support before, during, and after their trips. The service excellence Trans Africa Safaris is renowned for is a reflection of a passionate family and experienced, knowledgeable team who create seamless client experiences and unforgettable memories. In this highly competitive industry, Trans Africa Safaris has differentiated itself by providing personal involvement, independence, flexibility, customization, and on-the-ground North American support.

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• FES to CAIRO (42 weeks) Trans Africa

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What to expect, optional excursions, dates & prices, trans africa, countries visited: angola, benin, botswana, cameroon, congo, cote d'ivoire, democratic republic of congo, egypt, ethiopia, gabon, ghana, guinea, guinea bissau, kenya, lesotho, liberia, malawi, mauritania, morocco, mozambique, namibia, nigeria, rwanda, senegal, sierra leone, south africa, sudan, tanzania, the gambia, togo, uganda, zimbabwe.

This epic expedition through Africa encompasses all the incredible landscapes, culture & wildlife you could imagine. From the harshness of the Sahara desert, the dense jungles of central Africa and the amazing wildlife of East Africa, the varied landscapes and cultures that make up this continent will leave an indelible mark on you forever. There will be times when it will be extremely tough - harsh terrains, bad roads and extremes of weather, but it will all be worth it! You will discover a continent most travellers only dream of - whilst having the experience of a lifetime!

Note: From October 2024 we will be extending the northbound Cape Town to Cairo section of the itinerary on this trip to include Eswatini, the Caprivi strip in Namibia, more time in Mozambique, and time in Burundi, Somaliland and Djibouti. We will finalise closer to the time whether we can travel through Sudan or not, or whether we need to leave the truck in Addis Ababa and overfly to Cairo (flight at your cost), completing the Egyptian section of the trip after that using local transport (buses, trains) and staying in local hotels. We have had to run our last two trips like this and it has worked well. 

• Cross the vast Sahara Desert
• Discover Africa's best kept secrets and pristine beaches in Sierra Leone
• Meet rescued chimps at Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary
• Visit a fetish market to see the still thriving religion of Voodoo
• Travel through some of the densest jungles and toughest terrains
• Game drive by day and relax at floodlit water holes by night in Etosha National Park
• Explore the area of Sossusvlei - home to some of the world's highest sand dunes
• Discover the enormity of Victoria Falls
• Take a 4x4 safari through the Ngorongoro Crater and Serengeti National Park for a chance to see the Big 5
• Trek to see the largest living primate, the Mountain Gorilla
• Visit the magnificent monasteries and rock-hewn churches located around Ethiopia
• Camping 'under the stars' in the vast Nubian Desert in Sudan
• Immerse yourself in the history and culture of Ancient Egypt
• Accommodation - approx. 95% camping & 5% simple hostel/hotels
• Guided tour of Fes
• Guided tour of Volubilis
• Guided walk and entry to Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary
• Tiwai Island Wildlife Sanctuary
• Entry into Yamoussoukro's Notre-Dame de la Paix, the world's largest basilica
• Entry into Cape Coast Castle
• Kakum National Park canopy walk
• Boat trip to Ganvie Stilt Village
• Etosha National Park
• Cape Cross Seal Colony
• Cheetah Park
• Spitzkoppe Rock formations
• Sossusvlei Sand Dunes
• Fish River Canyon
• Stony Point Penguin Colony
• Cape Agulhas
• Cango Calcite Caves
• Ostrich farm
• Garden Route
• Addo Elephant National Park - Game drive
• Drakensburg Mountains
• Royal Natal National Park
• Chobe National Park
• Overnight sleeper train Vic. Falls to Bulawayo (if available)
• Private Game Ranch
• Lake Malawi village walk
• Mikumi National Park
• Return ferry to Zanzibar
• 4 nights accommodation on Zanzibar
• Marangu - the foothills of Mt Kilimanjaro
• Lake Nakuru National Park and game drive
• Lake Naivasha
• Entry into Meroe Pyramids
• Lake Nasser Ferry
• Red Sea Coast
• Pyramids & Sphinx day tour
• Meals - approx. 65%
• All transport on Oasis Expedition Truck
• All road tolls and ferry crossings
• Camping and Cooking equipment
• Services of Oasis Crew
• 3 day lay-over costs in Accra
• 6 day lay-over costs in Cape Town
• Gorilla Trekking Permits (bookable as an Add on)
• Optional Excursions as listed in the Pre-Departure Information
• Airport Taxes & Transfers

Travel Insurance

• Meals - approx. 35%

Trip Itinerary

Days 1 - 9 fes to marrakech, days 10 - 18 marrakech to western sahara, days 19 - 33 western sahara to dakar.

On this leg of our Africa overland trip, after crossing into Mauritania we travel east along the desert road to the town to Atar on the Adrar Plateau. From here you have the opportunity to explore the surrounding area by 4x4 vehicle.

Leaving Atar, we pass small isolated villages surrounded by the vast desert and herdsman migrating with their camels in search of water. With very infrequent traffic on the roads and no food crops being grown, one wonders how tough it is to live in such harsh desert conditions.

We reach the capital, Nouakchott , where we spend a couple of days obtaining visas and re-organising the truck and life in general after our dusty desert travels. It is quite incredible to think that slavery was only abolished here in 1980 and it is rumoured that it still continues in some outlying areas.

South of Nouakchott, we will take 1 of 2 borders crossing into Senegal , the infamous and hectic Rosso border, crossing the Senegalese river by boat, or travel through a remote border - Diama, passing along the piste through Diawling National park (weather permitting). 

We enter sub Saharan Africa by crossing the Senegal River and continue into St Louis , West Africa’s first French settlement and from where French colonialists conquered the interior. Senegal has a very different feel to the west Saharan countries we have just come from. We begin to be exposed to West Africa's vibrant food and music culture, colourful fashion and markets. We will start getting used to bad roads, 'interesting' local driving styles and a mixture of modern West African cities as well as some fly blown and remote border posts and villages.

The city of St Louis, is located at the mouth of the Senegal River and is an interesting place to visit. We will spend a couple of nights near town camping within the national park 'Langue de Barbarie', well known for its fauna rich with various species of birds. You can take a pirogue trip and bird watch, relax and swim on the sandy beach, try your hand at fishing and much more.

Our Overland route through Senegal we will visit Lake Retba (or Lac Rose as it is known by locals) where you can float in the pink lake. Its salinity content compares to that of the Dead Sea and during the dry season it exceeds it. From here you may have the opportunity to visit Dakar . Like any large city in the world Dakar has its undesirables so compared to the laid back country side and small towns that we are more familiar with, in large cities we learn to take care and go out and explore in pairs.

Days 34 - 56 Dakar to Tiwai Island Wildlife Sanctuary

Continuing south, we will visit The Gambia, the smallest country on the continent (mainland) of Africa . We will take the truck across the Gambia River by ferry and base ourselves near the capital city, Banjul. Banjul sits on an island where the Gambia River meets the Atlantic Ocean.  You can visit the lively, open air street market, wander the streets passing colonial buildings, visit nearby beaches or take a river boat trip.

Re-entering Senegal, we will cross into the southern Casamance region and will stop at the town of Ziguinchor to obtain a visa for Guinea-Bissau, before spending a day on the pristine coastal beaches of Senegal. Here you have the opportunity to swim, take a bike ride, fish or wandering through the nearby villages.

Guinea-Bissau, considered one of the world's poorest and most fragile countries, has a population of less than 2 million. In the 19th century, it was colonized as Portuguese Guinea  and the official language is Portuguese. Still bearing the scars of the civil wars of 1997-8, Bissau is an interesting city to explore and as it's less frequented by tourists, the people are very welcoming and intrigued by our presence.

Depending on weather and road conditions we will travel to Parque Nacional de Cantanhez where you can arrange optional trekking trips into the rainforest in search of chimpanzees and other wildlife.

Leaving Guinea-Bissau, we travel east towards the Guinean border and will start to encounter challenging roads. Guinea Conakry (as it is usually called in West Africa) is a country that very few travellers ever visit and is one of the proudest in West Africa. Its people have stood together and survived the always difficult post-colonial era of independence without resorting to tribal conflicts or civil war. The first colony to gain Independence from France, they stated they preferred ‘freedom in poverty, than prosperity in chains’.

We can appreciate Guinea’s spectacular tropical forests and waterfalls as we cross the  Fouta Djalon plateau and the beautiful hilly hinterland over the next few days.

Next we enter Sierra Leone , famous for its diamonds and infamous for its disastrous civil war, which it fortunately recovered from after many years. However, its roads are still abysmal so it can be slow going on our drive to the coast. Camping on the coast south of Freetown , we can enjoy its serene palm fringed beaches and remoteness. Nearby is the Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary which cares for around 100 injured or orphaned chimpanzees. The reserve has an incredible story, starting in 1988 with the first rescue of a baby chimpanzee, surviving the civil war and growing to become Sierra Leone’s primary conservation organisation. We include a tour of Tacugama where you can see the resident rescued chimps and discover their individual personalities as well as learning more about this characterful species.

It is likely we will be obtaining visas in Freetown and you may also have time to explore the city markets and museums or a boat trip out to the nearby Banana Islands. 

Travelling further south towards Liberia you have the option to visit the Tiwai Island Wildlife Sanctuary home to 11 species of primates as well as the rare and elusive pygmy hippo. You can explore the island by foot or dugout canoe, enjoying the river and forest wildlife.

Days 57 - 75 Tiwai Island Wildlife Sanctuary to Accra

The roads from the east of Sierra Leone to the border of Liberia are generally in a poor state. Passing through the jungle and continuing our journey that few other travellers get to take, we make our way to Monrovia . Despite the ravages of the past, Liberia is full of hope and energy, and the city is becoming a thriving capital and moving on. Entering Liberia we notice another change in people and culture especially the language! For the first time in two months of our Africa overland travels, we are in a country where English is the main language. The people in Monrovia are welcoming and pleased to see tourists coming to explore their city. We may have to apply for a visa here, so will be situated in and around the area for a couple of days, including a trip out to  Kpatawee waterfalls , considered one of Liberia's most beautiful spots.

Reaching the border with Ivory Coast, more commonly known in its French form, Cote d’Ivoire , we then continue our adventure towards the city of Yamoussoukro . Built by President Boigny, one of the classic ‘Big Man’ dictators it was an expensive and vane project to glorify himself with six lane highways leading nowhere and a huge Basilica built to copy St. Peter’s in Rome.

A further day’s drive away is Abidjan , one of West Africa’s modern cities with skyscrapers and flashy restaurants. However, it very much has the feel of having seen better days and as with so many cities, ostentatious wealth mixes side by side with abject poverty.

Our Africa overland adventure now heads east to the frontier with Ghana and back to English again. Making our way towards the coastline of Ghana we will spend a couple of days relaxing on palm-fringed beaches near Cape Coast. From here we will visit the castles of Elmina and Cape Coast , where thousands of slaves passed through the ‘Door of no Return’. We will also stop at Kakum National Park where you have the opportunity to embark on a canopy walk or trek through the nature trails in the forest.

Kumasi is the capital city of the Ashanti Region and our next stop. You will have the opportunity to visit one of the largest markets in West Africa, Kejetia Market.  Stalls sell everything from glass beads and live chickens to Ashanti sandals. Kumasi is also known as a centre for Ashanti culture where you can visit the National Cultural Centre offering craft workshops and dance performances.

A day’s drive takes us to the capital, Accra.

Days 76 - 78 Accra

Days 79 - 86 accra to lome.

Those starting their trip in Accra will join us now, and we will spend a day or two obtaining several visas before leaving Accra and heading for the  Wli Agumatsa Waterfalls . We'll then cross into Togo and return to the coast to the capital, Lome. 

Days 87 - 107 Lome to Limbe

​Travelling through Togo and Benin doesn't take long as they are only 50 miles wide. Voodoo is the main religion here, basing its beliefs in the power of the dead. You can visit an interesting fetish market , take a boat ride on lake Togo to Togoville, as well as sample good African restaurants in Lome the capital of Togo. We will be applying for some further visas for our onward travel in the capital. 

In Benin you can take local canoes out to Ganvie village - built on bamboo stilts on Lake Nakoue .

Next we enter Nigeria , Africa's most populous country with well over 100 million people. The pace of life here tends to be more hectic than we have become used to on our overland adventure, full of hustle and bustle.  Making our way east, our route will depend on whether we need to apply for any visas and which border crossing into Cameroon is open. Subject to our route, we may have the opportunity to visit a Drill Monkey and Chimpanzee rehabilitation centre, a project dedicated to rehabilitating and breeding drills, a primate closely related to baboons and mandrills, to be released back into the wild.

Moving through mountainous and lush jungle, we enter Cameroon . Again, depending on which route we can take, we will travel to the foothills of Mount Cameroon, to spend a few days camping near Limbe and 6 Mile Beach. From here you can choose to trek up Mount Cameroon , visit a chimpanzee orphanage or relax on the beach.

Days 108 - 124 Limbe to Congo

​After chilling out on the beach, or if you were brave enough to tackle the mountain, we head inland to the capital city of Yaounde , where we may apply for a couple more visa's. You can sample fresh bread and amazing pastries from the countless bakeries, admire the roadside fresh flower stalls, or stock up on some supermarket treats! Bursting with art galleries, museums and various markets, this is an ideal place to restock your snack store and prepare for the demands of central Africa. 

When we depart city life, to travel south on the more rugged roads! We drive through lush jungle scenery, passing the occasional waterfall, before eventually reaching the lively market town of Ambam . Here we can replenish our food supplies before crossing the Ntem River into Gabon , a country that consists mostly of tropical rain forest. Our next stop is the beautiful Lope National Park, home to a population of elephants, buffalo and the famous central Africa drill monkeys. After a safari through the savanna lands, we continue south along dirt and mud roads toward the Republic of Congo . Along this leg of the Trans Africa overland trip we may encounter some challenging road conditions and situations on the whole of the route. Team work will definitely be needed if we are to tackle what may lay ahead - from clearing paths through water logged pot holes the size of the truck to only travelling a couple of miles in a day over wet and unkempt mud roads. These are some of the best memories you will take away with you.

Days 125 - 133 Congo to Mitadi

​​One of the main highlights for most people who visit Congo is the friendliness of the people, particularly in the countryside. The open delight and welcome we receive while driving through these remote villages is really touching. While the first section of roads are rough dirt, once we reach the sealed roads it's a fast run towards the town of Dolisie. 

From Dolisie we will make our way west towards the ocean city of Pointe Noire. Two contrasting areas, the African quarter - where we see traffic jams, crowded streets and a bustling Grand Marche (market), the European Quarter quite the contrast with beach side bars and restaurants, noticeably oil is the source of the wealth. You will have time to explore the cities museums, railway and cathedrals or relax on the beaches. Departing Congo a transit through Cabinda, an exclave and province of Angola will bring us into Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly known as Zaire) . Sandy tracks will eventually lead us into Muanda. Again tourists are foreign to this region and we attract attention everywhere we travel, dirt roads and potholes will direct us over the Congo River to the city of Mitadi and the gateway to Angola .

Days 134 - 144 Mitadi to Namibian Border

Angola is still recovering from over two decades of civil war. As we travel south through the many small villages and communities - local people - especially children may never have seen a foreigner before. Military tanks litter the side of many roads in places. The country is slowly rebuilding its infrastructure and basic needs - with the capital of Luanda showing full sign of this slow progression. As Portuguese is the preferred language and hardly anyone we encounter will speak English - a lot of humorous improvisations with hands, face and voice are usually needed by all of us. After the southern town of Lubango and home to 'Christo Rei' a shrine overlooking the city as Christ the Redeemer looks over Rio, we head to the Namibian border for the next instalment of our Trans Africa overland adventure.

Days 145 - 163 Namibia to Cape Town

​Crossing into Namibia and into the region of the Owambo people - we pass through the country's second largest town - Ondangwa. This town is one of the main suppliers of beer to Northern Namibia - hopefully there will be enough left for us! 

We continue towards Etosha National Park - recognised as one of the world's greatest wildlife viewing areas. The semi desert is quite a contrast to the more fertile terrain we have been used to. Besides game drives we can also game watch by night at one of the floodlit water holes where we may well spot Rhino, Elephant and Giraffe among a host of other wildlife. From Etosha we visit a local Cheetah park before continuing on to the Brandberg Mountains in Demaraland. 

We then travel to the stunning Spitzkoppe Rock formations . Known as the Matterhorn of Namibia, the Spitzkoppe is part of the Erongo Mt range and was formed over 100 million years ago after the collapse of a gigantic volcano. The scenery is striking from every angle - even more stunning as the granite massifs turn red at sunset. 

Next stop is the world famous Cape Cross Seal Colony , where the sight of thousands of these mammals, as well as their accompanying pungent odour is remembered by all! The Cool Atlantic Ocean and the prominent Benguela current provide a perfect location for feeding and breeding for the Cape Fur Seal. 

For the next three days, our Africa overland trip will be based in Swakopmund - Namibia's adventure gateway. You can choose between a variety of activities and excursions here: spend a day deep sea fishing for shark and other game fish or head out to the desert and try quad biking and dune sledding . You can also go horse riding or get a birds eye view of the dramatic coastline - either by Sky diving from 10,000 feet or take a flight over the towering sand dunes in the are a. In Swakopmund itself you can walk along miles of deserted beaches, visit the museum or relax in a cafe. 

A one day drive takes us to the Namib-Naukluft Park , a vast expanse of desert which contains some of the highest sand dunes in the world. At Sossusvlei we stop and explore this spectacular area and red dunes. Continuing south we enter the semi-desert, and wide-open countryside of cattle ranching until we arrive at one of Africa's most sensational natural features, Fish River Canyon . We stop here for a couple of hours to take in the awesome scenery. 

A couple of hours drive away we enter South Africa and cross the Orange River - a rich source of diamonds. We travel south through the Cederburg Wilderness Area , an area of rugged valleys and peaks - before getting to our final destination on this African adventure; the vibrant and cosmopolitan city of Cape Town . Our accommodation here will be in a backpackers hostel.

Days 164 - 169 Cape Town

Cape Town is one of the favourite stops on our Trans Africa overland trip as there is plenty to do in and around the Mother City , from climbing up Table Mountain to abseiling down it, diving with sharks (either in ocean cages - or at the Two Oceans Aquarium), scuba diving courses, a tour to Robben Island or a chance to revamp your wardrobe and head out on the town to one of the many hot-spots that Cape Town has to offer. Those on the 22 week trip from the UK leave us here, whilst others will join to continue the trip to Nairobi and Cairo. 

This free time in Cape Town is at your own cost , so you can decide what you want to do and where to stay! There may be less time here depending on any delays on the trip down from Accra.

Days 170 - 178 Cape Town to Free State

We overnight in Hermanus/Gansbaai and the next day there are a number of marine options- Whale watching, Shark Cave Diving and Dyer Island Nature Reserve . From here we will head for the most southern tip of Africa at Cape Agulhas - which is the dividing line between the warm Indian Ocean and the cooler Atlantic Ocean. The seas around Cape Agulhas are very treacherous and have caused numerous shipwrecks. To help reduce fatalities the Cape Agulhas Lighthouse was built in 1848 and is the 2nd oldest working lighthouse in South Africa. From August to December Southern Right and Humpback Whales may be spotted along the coast - as they feed in the nutrient rich waters off the southern coast.

From Cape Agulhas we pass through the Outeniqua Mountains to the Little Karoo - we will visit an Ostrich farm to learn more about the worlds largest bird. The Ostrich has been around for 8 million years and a feather was actually discovered in King Tutankhamun's tomb in Egypt. 97% of the world's population of Ostriches lives in the Karoo.

We will also explore Cango Calcite Caves recognised as one of the world's finest network of Calcite caves. The bizarre formations of Stalagmites and Stalactites represent over a million years of slow formation.

We spend two days winding our way along South Africa's famous Garden Route where there is a wealth of things to see and do. We travel through the popular resort of Knysna , located on a tranquil lagoon that is protected from the sea by two enormous cliffs known as 'the heads'. We visit the Tsitsikamma Forest , where you will be able to hike along the coast and view the crashing waves at the mouth of the scenic Storms River , and maybe spot dolphins and whales in the ocean. Optional excursions in this region include mountain biking, black water tubing, and the mother of all bungee jumps at Bloakrans Bridge - the highest jump in the world at 216 metres.

From the Garden Route we head inland to Addo Elephant National Park which has recently been extended to include part of the coast and is now home to the BIG 7 - lion, rhino, elephant, leopard, buffalo, whale and shark ! On our game drive we hope to spot some of the many elephant that the park is famous for, which are the most southerly population in Africa.

Heading north we make our way towards the mountain Kingdom of Lesotho.

Days 179 - 185 Free State to Johannesburg

We drive through the lowlands of Lesotho and visit Thabo Bosiu or Mt. Moorosi with a local guide (time & weather permitting). This mountain stronghold was the home of Chief Moshoeshoe, the founder of the Basotho nation. We continue through Lesotho's tiny capital Maseru, and re-enter South Africa.

Royal Natal National Park on the edge of the Drakensburg Mountains has an impressive natural Amphitheatre of massive rock walls. The Tugela River plunges spectacularly over the edge of the Amphitheatre wall, dropping around 800m through a series of five falls. There are over 130km of walking trails around the park-many of which are easy, half day strolls, through beautiful countryside of grassland dotted with patches of yellowwood forest and proteas set against the stunning backdrop of the Amphitheatre.

Heading north we pass through small towns and villages, through Afrikaaner heartland, making our way to South Africa's largest city, Johannesburg . Built as a result of the gold rush, the city has grown into one of the wealthiest cities in the world. We will be staying at a laid back backpackers in the suburb of Johannesburg, where you can relax by the pool.

Days 186 - 194 Johannesburg to Victoria Falls

From Johannesburg we travel through the North-West Province to Botswana and continue on the Trans-Kalahari highway towards Maun, the gateway to the Okavango Delta . Here you will have an opportunity to leave the truck to venture into the Okavango Delta. Local poler guides will navigate the extensive waterways using canoes similar to their traditional Mokoro's (dug out canoes).This is a great experience - and the best way to have a chance of seeing the elusive wildlife of this unique desert oasis. You will have a number of opportunities to go on game walks with rangers - giving you the chance to see elephant, crocodile and hippo up close and personal. The Okavango Delta is one of the world's largest inland waterways and its calming serenity will leave those who experience it feeling supremely relaxed. There is also the opportunity to experience the heights of African adventure travel too: see the delta from the air during an hour-long flight. 

We continue heading east into the Kalahari Basin - known for its dry, desolate and expansive freedom. We spend the night on the outskirts of the Chobe National Park - famous for its hordes of Elephants, as well as an abundance of other wildlife. You will have a chance to spend the afternoon on the Chobe River - a less intrusive way to view game and wildlife - as well as the Namibian frontier across the river. Crossing into Zimbabwe - we stop for several days at one of the adventure playgrounds of the world - Victoria Falls .

Days 195 - 206 Victoria Falls to Harare

There is something here for everyone in  Victoria Falls ;   A day trip over the Victoria Falls bridge to view the falls from Zambia, Flight of Angels - a great way to get a birds eye view of the falls in a light aircraft or helicopter, Sunset Boat Cruises or a more sedate Canoe trip, to the adrenaline packed Gorge Swing, Abseil or a chance to experience one of the highest commercial Bungee Jumps in the world.

After your adrenaline has been spent - We will then follow a journey that is steeped in history and say goodbye to our truck for the night as we  board the overnight train from Victoria Falls to  Bulawayo . Expect basic conditions, but the views and experience of looking out the window and watching the world go by more than makes up for it. If you look carefully you might even spot some kudu or elephant! In  Bulawayo  you have the option for a day to venture into  Matobo  National Park  with a local safari company. You will have a unique chance to get out on foot to try and spot the elusive  Black Rhino - amongst other game . There is also the opportunity to visit  Cecil Rhodes' grave and Ancient Rock Paintings.

From Bulawayo we travel across  Mashonaland  to the  Great Zimbabwe Ruins  which was once the greatest medieval city in Sub Saharan Africa and where the name  Zimbabwe  is derived ,  literally meaning house of stone. We continue to Gweru where we visit a  privately run horse and game ranch  where you can go game viewing on  horseback or even take a walk with Lion Cubs!  Its our destination for the next few days and always a highlight! We make our way to the Eastern Highlands of Zimbabwe, we will either visit Chimanimani National Park or Vumba Gardens, where you have the opportunity to take a hike through the mountain wilderness area, or hiking to the nearby bridal veil falls, or simply enjoying the stunning surroundings from this sleepy village whilst strolling through the village market.

We will then make our way to the capital -  Harare , arriving into Zimbabwe's cosmopolitan city, you can enjoy many of the sights in and around the city centre, there are many markets throughout the city from craft markets to the hectic local Mbare market, stroll through the botanical gardens, or enjoy the nightlife in one of the many bars throughout the city.

Days 207 - 213 Harare to Lake Malawi

Passing through lush mountainous landscape and plantations - we soon will be following the coast of Lake Malawi - the countries most dominant natural feature. Camping in Malawi sums up the spirit of an Africa overland trip with Oasis. We spend 4 to 5 days at friendly laid back campsites where most people choose to relax on the sandy beaches or try their hand at scuba diving , snorkelling or windsurfing as we follow the lakeshore north. If you are more inclined to just relax - then there is no better place than on the shores of Lake Malawi. This really is a warm friendly country - making it easy to wander off and meet up with your local hosts in one of the many villages or schools nearby. You can view first hand the talent of the local artisans and purchase some exquisite pieces of furniture and carvings out of ebony and mahogany.

Days 214 - 220 Lake Malawi to Zanzibar back to Dar es Saalam

Our route north then brings us to Dar Es Salaam where our truck is based in a campsite on a beautiful Indian Ocean beach . From here you will take the ferry out to Zanzibar Island for four nights and venture into the narrow bustling streets of Stone Town and its famous spice markets, old slave forts and dungeons . There is also time to relax on Zanzibar's famous white beaches, scuba dive or snorkel and swim with dolphins- before returning to Dar Es Salaam.

Days 221 - 228 Dar es Salaam to Nairobi

Making our way to Kenya we pass through hot savannah grasslands where acacia trees provide the only shade. Various game, usually zebra and giraffe can be seen as we head over the border. Once in the capital Nairobi , we stay in a private campsite on the edge of town.

Days 229 Nairobi

Days 230 - 238 nairobi to kampala.

In  Nairobi  you have the opportunity to visit the  Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage , where Oasis helps support one of the elephants (Kamboyo). A great experience to see the nursery animals come out for their daily mud bath and comical play and to see the amazing work the centre does with rescued and injured elephants and rhino. Nearby is the  Langata Giraffe Centre , where you can learn more about these gentle and majestic creatures - hopefully getting the chance to get up close to feed them.

From  Nairobi we head north into one of Africa's greatest natural features, the  East African Rift Valley . Stretching from the Dead Sea in Jordan down to Mozambique in Southern Africa, our first view is from the top of a steep escarpment. Overland trips through East Africa will allow you to experience some of the most dramatic scenery in the world, and the Rift Valley is a definite highlight. The valley floor seems to sweep on forever and is dotted with volcanic peaks, shimmering lakes and countless springs. Our journey takes us into the heart of the Rift Valley to  Lake  Naivasha .  We camp near the lakeshore where  Hippos  sometimes feed at night! Here you can 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 permitted  to do so. Or for a less active but equally enjoyable game viewing experience - visit the  Crater Lake Game Sanctuary . Both offer excellent scenery & opportunities to spot  hyrax, abundant bird & plant life along with several types of gazelle, impala and eland.

A further half day drive through hills covered in tea plantations and rural scenery drive brings us to  Lake  Nakuru National Park   - home to a wide variety of wildlife including  Black Rhino, Hippo, Lion, Leopard, Hyena and Giraffe . However, Nakuru is a soda lake and most famous for its pink inhabitants, a flock of  Pink Flamingos  which feed noisily along the shoreline.

A mountainous drive with spectacular scenery through the  Nandi Hills  brings us to our next stop at  Eldoret . From here we cross into Uganda, and continue west to the capital.

Kampala has had a turbulent past, but these days it is a friendly and safe city. We have a free day to spend in local cafes and nightspots - where you can get to know the local people. 

Days 239 - 246 Kampala to Jinga

Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park are home to several families of Highland Mountain Gorillas . Getting up close to these amazing creatures is a truly a once in a lifetime experience and one of the highlights of the trip. You have the opportunity to trek to see the Gorillas in Uganda (bookable as an Add on). It is estimated that only around 700 of these gentle giants remain. This mountainous area on the borders of Rwanda, Uganda and Zaire (now renamed Democratic Republic of Congo) is their only natural habitat and they are periodically threatened by poachers and political instability in the area. One permit allows you to spend about 50 to 60 minutes with one of the gorilla families. Trekking to find them in groups of 8 people can take anywhere from half an hour to 5 hours. The organisations and well-trained guides that continually monitor and protect the families are conscientious and responsible. We will base ourselves in the village of Kabale which will give you the opportunity to trek the Mountain Gorillas and visit the beautiful Lake Bunyonyi .

(Due to the popularity of Trekking to the Mountain Gorillas and the limited availability of obtaining Trekking Permits, we may do the Gorilla trek in Rwanda in Volcanos National Park, which may come at an additional cost - you will be advised in advance).

Passing over the mountain ranges we cross the border into Rwanda. The small, friendly town of Musanze is home to Musanze caves and several hiking trails, take a village tour throughout the area where you can see first hand production of local Banana beer. There will also be an opportunity to visit the genocide memorial in Kigali , which is a moving and humbling experience.

We then return back into Uganda and make our way towards Kampala and camp near Jinja - Uganda's adventure playground. Here, on the edge of Lake Victoria, the Nile begins its 6700km journey to the sea. We spend the next few days downstream from the source of the Nile. This is a spectacular area, and a superb place to go whitewater rafting or kayaking. You can also organise quad biking , horse riding or a visit to a local education project.

Days 247 - 255 Jinga to Addis Ababa

Re-entering Kenya, we travel around the foothills of  Mount Kenya  before embarking on the next phase of our journey. This leads us into the remoteness of northern Kenya. Nomadic tribes people like the  Rendille  in Marsabit & the Samburu  (cousins of the Maasai) still wear very distinctive and often elaborate dress.

As we cross into  Ethiopia  - the roads we travel on are often in mountainous areas, so travel is slow. Ethiopia has a lot more visual & indigenous history than any other sub - Saharan country.

We continue our journey north heading into the  Omo Valley.  This region is home to some of the most colourful ethnic groups in Ethiopia. The friendly  Hamar  people are noted for their ornate, interesting hairstyles and the  Mursi  people are famous for the clay lip plates and earlobe decorations. An optional day tour will take you into the  Omo National Park .

We make our way north to the capital, Addis Ababa.

Days 256 - 262 Addis Ababa to Bahidar

We spend a couple of days in Addis Ababa where we have the chance to indulge in some authentic Ethiopian coffee or explore 'El Mercato' - one of East Africa's largest open air markets. We also spend the next few days organising our Sudanese and Egyptian visas - before heading onto  Bahir Dar via the spectacular  Blue Nile Gorge & Falls .

Days 263 - 271 Bahidar to Sudan

Bahidar is based on the southern edge of  Lake Tana  - you can organise boat trips to some of the small islands which have  Monasteries  dating back up to 900 years, and which are still looked after by monks who live from subsistence farming, or take a trip to Blue Nile Falls. Lalibela, famous for it's 11 monolithic rock-hewn churches is our next destination where you have the option of a guided tour of one of Ethiopia's holiest cities.

Gondar (the capital of Ethiopia from 1632 until 1868), we spend a few days where it is possible to organise overnight trips to the Simiens Mountains National Park - home to the Gelada Baboon, hikes are available in the area. You may also wish to arrange a trip to the holy city of  Axum  dating from the 12th Century have been kept alive by generations of dedicated priests who guard their precious religious and artistic artefacts. The border with  Sudan  is not far from Gondar and the first towns after the border are  Gedaref & Wadi Medani .

Note: If the security situation in Sudan has not improved, then we will adjust our itinerary in Ethiopia and then fly from Addis Ababa to Cairo (flight at your cost, budget $200), leaving the truck behind. We will then complete the Egypt section using public transport and local hotels.  We ran our 2023 departure in this way and it worked very well. 

Days 272 - 278 Khartoum to Wadi Halfa

The hospitality in Sudan can be surprising - but very genuine. For such a poor country with so many recent problems - Sudanese people are often too willing to invite you for a meal or a cup of 'Sudanese whisky' - better known as tea!  Khartoum  is our next stop and it has a fantastic setting on the confluence of the  Blue and White Nile s . Our stay here is on the banks of the Nile at the quirky but interesting Blue Nile Sailing Club. It houses one of General Kitcheners old Gunboats, a relic from the British military campaign against the Mahdi over a century ago. For such a large city, Khartoum feels quite laid back. Here you can visit the  Hamed al Nil Tomb  or take a trip to the  daily camel market  or viewing the confluence of the two Niles are also an interesting ways to pass the time.

The ancient  Pyramids at Meroe  lie to the north of the capital Khartoum. Our drive across the  Nubian Desert  will see us either hugging the banks of Nile as it snakes its way north or possibly experiencing the vast open desert plains which is dissected by the main train line from Khartoum - making this our only real point of reference. Whether passing through sleepy Nubian villages, resting in tea rooms, pottering around the local souqs or experiencing total isolation in the middle of the desert - a unique experience awaits you along this not so travelled route to Wadi Halfa.

Days 279 - 285 Wadi Halfa to Luxor

Upon reaching  Lake Nasser  and  Wadi Halfa  in Northern Sudan , we enter Egypt and board the ferry to Abu Simbel - our ultimate destination on our expedition. We arrive into the small village of Abu Simbel, here you will notice you will notice one of the many cultural changes on this trip - the darker Nubian people lead a more relaxed and less hectic pace of life than their Egyptian countrymen. You have the opportunity to visit  Abu Simbel  - the massive stone monuments built by the greatest of all pharaohs, Ramses ll, after spending the night we will travel in convoy to the city of Aswan. Philae temple, Nubian museum, an evening boat cruise to a nubian village and walking through the colourful souk, is a great way to spend your days here. You can also join a 2 or 3 day  felucca  boat cruise to  Edfu and/or Kom Ombo  before arriving into Luxor.

Days 286 - 293 Luxor to Cairo

You will be kept busy exploring in  Luxor  - where we visit the  Valley  of Kings and Queens.  Here, the remarkably well preserved tombs of the ancient rulers -namely Ramses ll and Tutankhamun -have coloured paintings and hieroglyphics that still seem fresh even after 3000 years.  Karnak and Luxor Temples  are both in easy walking distance from our camp - as is the local souq where you can pick up the last of your souvenirs. The following day we drive out towards the Red Sea Coast. You will have time relax on the beach or try your hand at various watersports such as snorkelling, windsurfing or scuba diving in the cool clear blue waters.

Our final destination,  Cairo  is only a days drive away. Visiting the great  Pyramids and Sphinx at Giza  with our  Egyptologist  guide  and also the  Egyptian Natural History Museum  in the afternoon is definitely a fitting way to end this amazing expedition.

Essential Information About Your Trip

Pre-departure meeting.

You can plan to arrive at the campsite in Fez where the truck will be based at anytime after 11am on Day 1. We will be holding a pre-departure meeting that afternoon starting at 2pm. The normal camp that we use is:  - Diamant Vert Bungalows, Rte Ain Chqef, Fez, 30000 We will reconfirm this in your pre-trip documentation closer to your arrival.  If you want to arrive a few days earlier and spend more time in Fez, we recommend booking a hostel/hotel in town as the location of the campsite we use is not ideal for exploring the city independently. 

Post Trip Accommodation and Airport Transfers

Post-trip accommodation can be arranged with your tour leader during the trip or directly with the hotel on arrival. The return airport transfer can be arranged through your hotel / hostel and is not included, it is at your own expense. We regret these services cannot be arranged via the Oasis office before departure.

Flight Information

For the Trans Africa  starting in Morocco , you will need to arrange your own flight to Fez either at least the day before the trip starts or on Day 1 early enough so that you can join the group at the campsite in time for the pre-departure meeting.  For starters further on during the trip, you will need to arrange your flights to arrive at your departure city at least the day before your trip begins. 

Purchasing return tickets to the UK or onward to India, SE Asia or Australia and New Zealand.  Due to the nature of this expedition, unforeseen delays can be experienced anywhere along the route and we cannot guarantee our arrival dates at the various locations. It is therefore recommended to purchase these when you arrive in either Cape Town/Nairobi/Cairo.  

There are many online flight search engines such as  www.skyscanner.net  or  www.ebookers.co.uk ,  flights can also be booked direct with airline websites or through travel agencies. Please inform us of your flight details when you have them confirmed, as airport transfers can be arranged for various trips. 

One way ticket:  If you intend to travel on a one way ticket to meet up with one of our trips, without possessing an onward flight ticket - we recommend that you  have a copy of your payment confirmation/receipt (that you will be sent at time of your balance payment) available at immigration to assist easy entry.

Departure Taxes : Please check with your Travel Agent or Airline if your flight ticket already includes a departure tax payment out of the country. If it does not - please budget for approx US$30 to $70 USD - to be paid in US$ only.

• UK to Cape Town - 32 blank pages
• UK to Nairobi - 39 blank pages
• UK to Cairo - 45 blank pages

The information below is to be used only as a guide and may change without prior notice. It is advisable to contact the relevant embassy in plenty of time before the trip departs to check the current visa requirements. It is  your   responsibility  to ensure you have all the relevant visas you require . We will however provide information before the trip starts about which visas you will need to obtain in advance and which can be obtained on the way. 

Visas obtained at borders and embassies during the trip must be paid for in either USD,  Euros or local currency  CASH ONLY, as stipulated by the relevant immigration officials. Evisas will require payment online by credit or debit card. 

For more information on other nationalities & visas checkout  www.projectvisa.com

Please Note : Your Tour Leader will collect a USD 30 visa kitty per person at the beginning of the trip - which goes towards paying for taxis, photocopies, faxes, communication etc - when applying for a majority of visas as a group. Your Tour Leader will keep a separate account of expenses incurred and will inform the group of any surplus funds remaining at the end of the trip - or any extra that is required.

Most nationalities will require an Electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA) to enter Kenya which must be obtained in advance of travel . 

East African Visa -   (relevant to Grand Adventurer, Apes & Lakes, Gorillas & Gameparks, Nairobi to Kigali and the 9 week Nairobi to Cairo Nile Trans  - This covers you for entry into Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda and is obtained as an e-visa in advance of travel . You can apply via any of the three country websites, though the Kenya evisa website  seems to provide the most efficient and quickest process. Once you leave the three countries your visa will expire, so if your itinerary will for example be re-entering Kenya again later please be aware that you may have to apply for and pay for a 2nd Kenyan eTA in enough time before you are due to enter the country.

Kenyan eTA  -  (relevant to Coast to Coast, Savanna Dawn and Gameparks & Zanzibar trips ) - Kenya has introduced an Electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA) system. Travellers need to apply via https://www.etakenya.go.ke/en .  This will take at least 3 days to process but you can apply up to 3 months in advance, so allow yourself plenty of time in case of delays.  You will need to either print a copy of your eTA or download it to your mobile to present on departure at the airport and at immigration at your point of entry into Kenya. You may be denied boarding of your flight to Kenya or denied entry to Kenya if you do not have your copy of your eTA with you.

We know that the Kenyan visa websites often have issues taking payments. If your payment doesn't go through, the process will not have completed. We suggest that you:

• try a different website browser
• check your bank has not blocked the payment
• clear your cookies (if you know how) and try again
• wait a few hours or until the next day, and try again

If you are travelling on the  Trans Africa or Nile Trans expeditions  you will apply for the East Africa visa online while on the trip. Your tour leader will liaise with you about this.

Passports should be valid for at least six months after your departure from the country. Please do not bring an almost full or almost expired passport. Visa arrangements are the responsibility of the traveller, and requirements are subject to change by the local authorities.

We recommend that you contact your closest Egyptian consulate or embassy for current information for your nationality.

In general official advice is that all nationalities obtain their Egypt visas in advance, as we cannot guarantee that you can get them in the airport or land border. An online e-visa is available through visa2egypt  and we recommend obtaining your visa via this method whether arriving in to Egypt by air or land if you are able. Please do not use any other website as there are many scam sites offering Egypt e-visas. In practice however, many nationalities (including British and European, Australian, New Zealand, USA) can and do obtain their visas on arrival in Cairo airport or most land borders. The process is much quicker and simpler, the cost is currently US$25 p/p and must be paid in hard currency (i.e. GBP, USD or EUR) - you'll be given change in local currency if necessary. There are no forms to fill in and you don't need to bring passport photos. Visas are issued at one of the bank desks in the immigration hall, before you get to passport control. On our small group tours, our representative will have met you by this stage and will assist with the process at Cairo Airport. 

Important Note:  Due to recent changes in the visa regime for Canadians, a visa on arrival or e-visa will no longer be possible for Canadian Citizens entering Egypt after October 1st 2023. Until further notice Canadian passport holders must obtain a visa prior to arrival, from the nearest Egyptian Consulate. 

All African & Indian nationals, and some others, will need to obtain their visas in advance.

For further information on your visa requirements, please either contact us or your local Egyptian embassy/consulate.

All Nationalities require a visa for Angola. We will obtain this visa whilst on the trip. Approximate cost $150 USD.

You will need to bring 3 recent colour passport photos with a white background along with you to apply for the visa.

All Nationalities require a visa for Benin. We will obtain this visa whilst on the trip. Approximate cost €36 Euro's.

Passport Holders from UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, USA, Canada, South Africa and most EU countries will not require a visa to enter Botswana.

Passport Holders from other countries, will need to check the current visa requirements with the relevant consulate, and whether you need to obtain the visa in advance.

All Nationalities require a visa for Cameroon. We will obtain this visa whilst on the trip. Approximate cost €110 Euro's.

All Nationalities require a visa for Congo. We will obtain this visa whilst on the trip. Approximate cost €115 Euro's.

You will need to bring 2 recent colour passport photos with a white background along with you to apply for the visa.

Cote d'Ivoire

All Nationalities require a visa for Cote d'Ivoire. An online payment will be required in advance to apply for this visa, and we will collect the visa whilst on the trip in Morocco. Details for the visa process and application will be emailed to you a few months before your trip departs. Approximate cost €58.00 Euro's.

Democratic Republic of Congo

All Nationalities require a visa for Democratic Republic of Congo. We will obtain this visa whilst on the trip. Approximate cost $300 USD.

Passport Holders from UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, USA, Canada and most EU countries will require a visa to enter Ethiopia. 

Joining in Addis Ababa  - All nationalities must apply for their Ethiopia visa online in advance at www.evisa.gov.et . You will receive your application approval by email and you will need to show this at the airport when you arrive in Ethiopia.

All other joining points  - All nationalities must apply for their Ethiopia visa online and you can do this during your trip.  You will receive your application approval by email and you will need to show this at the land border when you enter Ethiopia.

A 30 day single entry visa costs $82 USD.

All Nationalities require a visa for Gabon. We will obtain this visa whilst on the trip. Approximate cost €100 Euro's.

All nationalities must obtain a Ghanaian visa in advance, before joining the Oasis trip. You will need to apply for this visa in your country of residence, so please allow time for your visa process before your trip commences. 

Details for the visa process and application will be emailed to you a few months before your trip departs. Cost will depend on the embassy in your home country.

All Nationalities require a visa for Mali. We will obtain this visa whilst on the trip. Approximate cost is $85 USD for UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and most EU Passport holders and $115 USD for USA passport holders.

Passport Holders from UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, USA, Canada and most EU countries will not require a visa to enter Lesotho. 

New Zealand passport holders will need to make sure that they obtain a multiple entry visa for South Africa as you will be entering and exiting Lesotho from South Africa.

All Nationalities require a visa for Liberia. We will obtain this visa whilst on the trip. Approximate cost $150 USD.

Passport Holders from UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, USA, Canada and most EU countries will require a visa to enter Malawi. Malawi has started offering an e-visa scheme and all Malawi visas should now be obtained in advance of arrival rather than at the border. Most nationalities can obtain their e-visa online via the Malawi government website . The price for most nationalities is 50 USD, and the process should take 5 working days (though we recommend allowing more). You will need various documents from us to complete the visa application and you will therefore not apply for the visa until after you have joined the trip. Your tour leader will then assist with the visa applications. South African passport holders do not need a visa.

All Nationalities require a visa for Mauritania. We will obtain this visa whilst on the trip. Approximate cost €55.00 Euro's. You will need to bring 2 recent colour passport photos with a white background along with you to apply for the visa.

Passport Holders from UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, USA, Canada and most EU countries will not require a visa to enter Morocco. 

South African  passport holders require a  visa   in   advance  to enter Morocco. This needs to be obtained through a Moroccan embassy or consulate in your home country, before beginning the trip. Please contact your nearest High Commission to find out more.

Currently there is conflicting information available about the Mozambique visa however, passport holders from UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, USA, Canada and most EU countries should expect to require a visa. We will obtain this visa whilst on the trip - please bring 3 recent colour passport photos along with you and have digital copies of your passport and a passport photo in case they are required for your application.

South African passport holders are free of charge.

Passport holders from other countries, will need to check the current visa requirements with the relevant consulate, and whether you need to obtain the visa in advance.

Passport Holders from UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, USA, Canada, South Africa and most EU countries will not require a visa to enter Namibia.

Those starting their trip in Morocco - all nationalities require a visa and we will apply for this in advance during the trip.

Those starting their trip in Accra - all nationalities must obtain a Nigerian visa in advance, before joining the Oasis trip. You will need to apply for this visa in your country of residence, so please allow time for your visa process before your trip commences. Details for the visa process and application will be emailed to you a few months before your trip departs. Cost will depend on the embassy in your home country.

Passport Holders who have already obtained an  East Africa , will not need to purchase another visa to enter Rwanda.

If you are NOT travelling on an East Africa Visa; passport holders from UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, USA, Canada and most EU countries will require a visa to enter Rwanda, this can be obtained on the trip at the border on arrival. Approximate cost is $50 USD.

Passport Holders from other countries who have NOT obtained their East Africa visa, will need to check the current visa requirements with the relevant consulate, and whether you need to obtain the visa in advance.

Passport Holders from UK, Ireland, New Zealand, USA, Canada, South Africa and most EU countries will not require a visa to enter Senegal. Australian passport holders will need to obtain a visa in advance, and can do so at the consulate in Nouakchott, Mauritania whilst on trip.

Passport Holders from other countries, will need to check the current visa requirements with the relevant consulate.

Sierra Leone

All Nationalities require a visa for Sierra Leone. We will obtain this visa whilst on the trip. Approximate cost $80 USD.

South Africa

Passport Holders from UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, USA, Canada and most EU countries will not require a visa to enter South Africa.

All nationalities require a visa in advance. As part of the application process, most nationalities will require a Letter of Invitation and a letter from the Sudanese Ministry of Interior which we can provide through our agent in Sudan.

In addition to the visa costs below, all nationalities will need to pay $60 USD for an immigration registration fee and a $10 USD departure tax whilst in Sudan. You will need to bring 2 recent colour passport photos on a white background along with you to apply for the registration.

Starting in Cairo -  all nationalities should apply for their visa at their nearest embassy in advance of joining the trip.  Approximate cost of $210 USD includes Letter of Invitation, Ministry of Interior letter and visa fee for most nationalities and $264 USD for US passport holders.

Starting in the UK or Accra for the Trans Africa and Cape Town or Nairobi for the Nile Trans Trip -  we will obtain this visa whilst on the trip.  Approximate cost of $210 USD includes Letter of Invitation, Ministry of Interior letter and visa fee for most nationalities and $264 USD for US passport holders.

Everyone will need to bring 4 recent colour passport photos on a white background along with you to apply for the visa.

Passport Holders from UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and most EU countries will require a visa to enter Tanzania. The current cost is $50 USD with the visa available on arrival at the border. Passport holders from the USA also need a visa and can obtain it on arrival, but the cost is $100 USD. Alternatively visas are available in advance via the Tanzanian government's e-visa website . South African passport holders are Free of charge.

For those travelling on the Grand Adventurer, Apes & Lakes and Gorillas, Gameparks & Zanzibar trip, the Tanzanian visa is a Single entry visa and also covers you for Zanzibar. 

All nationalities require an e-visa for Togo. We will apply for this online during the trip.

You will need to have a scanned copy of the first 3 pages of your passport and a scanned passport photo.

Passport Holders who have already obtained an East Africa, will not need to purchase another visa to enter Uganda.

If you are NOT travelling on an East Africa Visa; passport holders from UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, USA, Canada and most EU countries will require a visa to enter Uganda, this can be obtained on the trip at the border on arrival. Approximate cost is $50 USD.

Passport Holders from UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, USA, Canada and most EU countries will require a visa to enter Zimbabwe. We will obtain this visa whilst on the trip at the border on arrival, a visa can also be obtained at the airport on arrival into Harare and Victoria Falls. Approximate cost for Australian, USA and New Zealand Passport Holders is $30 USD, British and Irish passport holders $55 USD and Canadian $75 USD for a Single entry visa. South African passport holders are Free of charge. 

If you are planning on going over to the Zambian side of Victoria Falls from Zimbabwe you will need to obtain a double entry visa for Zimbabwe so that you can return back to Zimbabwe after your day trip. Approximate cost for Australian, USA and New Zealand Passport Holders is $45 USD, and British passport holders $70 USD. 

Canadians & Irish passport holders are unable to obtain a double entry Zimbabwe visa. 

The visa into Zambia is called a Day Tripper visa and is available at the border and only valid for stays of less than 24 hours. The approximate cost is $20 USD. 

For those  joining in Victoria Falls  a UNI-Visa is available at the airport on arrival, which is a multiple entry visa between Zimbabwe and Zambia and costs approximately $50 USD.

Guinea Bissau

All Nationalities require a visa for Guinea Bissau. We will obtain this visa whilst on the trip. Approximate cost $80 USD.

Passport Holders from UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and most EU countries will not require a visa to enter The Gambia. USA passport holders will need to obtain a visa and can obtain on arrival. South Africans will need to obtain a visa in advance.

Vaccinations and Health

It is possible that you may require some vaccinations for your trip, depending on the areas that you are visiting. As we are not medically trained, we are unable to give detailed advice on vaccination requirements, so please use the information below as a guide only.  We have worked closely with  Nomad Travel Clinics  for many years and they offer Oasis travellers a  10% discount  on vaccinations, anti- malarial drugs, first aid items, clothing and equipment, just enter discount code OASIS1000 at Nomad Travel . Alternatively you can check out the  fit for travel website  for more travel health information or consult a reputable travel clinic or your GP for information and advice. We suggest that you allow at least 8 weeks to get all your vaccinations.

Yellow Fever  - Being vaccinated against Yellow Fever and having a valid certificate and a photocopy is deemed compulsory in nearly all the countries we visit in Africa, especially at certain borders and are needed if you are entering from an infected country. You can view a list of countries requiring a certificate through the World Health organisation . 

Rabies  - Vaccinations are regularly advised for all countries that we travel through in Africa - especially if time and money are not a deterrent.

Malaria  - In some of the areas we visit there is a risk of contracting Malaria. You must be aware that whatever malaria prophylactics you are taking, they only offer partial protection. They must be coupled with your own physical efforts against being bitten - which is the best prevention. Malaria-carrying mosquitoes come out at sunset so from this time you should wear long sleeves and trousers. Exposed skin, especially ankles, should have insect repellent containing 'Deet' applied to them. Your crew will advise on where the worst affected areas are on the trip. There are a number of prophylactic malaria treatments on the market & requirements change.  It is also wise to take a sample of whichever prophylactic you choose, a few weeks before you leave. This way you may determine early on if you have any adverse reactions so you can change the regimen if necessary. Please consult a reputable travel clinic or GP for advice. For more information visit www.nomadtravel.co.uk or  www.fitfortravel.scot.nhs.uk

Dengue  - Unlike the malaria mosquito, which bites at night, the dengue carrying mosquito bites during the day. Some areas we travel to do have occasional outbreaks & it is therefore advised that you take care not to be bitten during the day as well as at night.  There is no vaccine available.

Health  - To join our trips you should be in good general health. Your medical insurance company must be told if you have any pre-existing medical condition / allergy or if you are on any regular medication, otherwise you may not be covered under your policies for these. Our crew will need to know of any medication or conditions you may have. For general health advice log onto www.nathnac.org/travel/ .

It is a compulsory requirement that you have adequate travel insurance before you join any Oasis Trip & at the very least are insured for all necessary medical & repatriation costs incurred.

You will be asked to provide the following details if you have not already done so: travel insurance company name, insurance policy number & insurance emergency telephone number. You will also be required to give a copy of your policy with this information to your Tour Leader on arrival with confirmation that the policy duration is sufficient to cover you for the entire duration of your trip.  It is also wise to leave a copy of your insurance policy with a friend or relative for safe keeping.

We believe that your safety and holiday enjoyment are very important. It is a mistake to think that "it will never happen to me". It is also very important that you are covered for all the activities that you may wish to undertake while on our trip. It is extremely important that you check the full extent of your cover related to 24 hour Medical Emergency Assistance. In the event of you needing medical treatment you want to know that you have the best cover available to you. Your policy should include adequate Medical Emergency and Repatriation cover as well as Cancellation, Baggage and Personal Liability cover. You need to be aware of EXACTLY what activities your policy covers you for. Please note that skiing is not usually covered in most insurance policies. Please note also that many of the areas we visit are not as developed as the UK and we have no control over the availability or standard of medical and repatriation services and facilities in the areas we visit and these do not form any part of our contract with you.

You should also note that passenger liability insurance covering vehicles, particularly in Third World countries, may be unavailable or inadequate; it is therefore important that your insurance cover makes sufficient provision for you and your dependents in the event of an accident.  

We are happy to refer our UK based travellers to the travel insurance specialists Campbell Irvine who have a policy suitable for overlanding which covers most of the adventure and sporting activities on our trips.

Please be aware that most travel insurance policies will not cover you if you are visiting areas against government travel advice.  If your trip will go through areas like this (for example, some of our Trans Africa routes through West Africa) then you may need to look at an alternative policy for these sections, for example Battleface or SafetyWing .

For further information, check out the Travel Insurance   section of our website. 

Money, Budgets and LP

Local Payment (LP)

LP  is part of your overall trip payment and is the most cost effective and practical way to get hard currency to Africa to pay for a variety of your day to day local costs (i.e. all meals prepared by the group - 3 per day whilst travelling and 2 whilst in towns, campsite fees, wood, gas, and certain activities listed in the brochure) which cannot be pre-paid from the UK.

Please note:  CASH ONLY is accepted and needs to be in - $US Dollars, or a combination of $US Dollars and Euros (as explained below). Please make sure that all your notes are in good condition. Old, torn or marked notes are often refused by the banks and we will therefore be unable to accept them either.  Larger denomination notes are preferable for your Local payment. Please make sure that $US Dollars are dated 2013 or later and do not have a serial number starting with CB. Scottish Pounds are not accepted. In general the Local Payment breakdown is as below, a precise break down will be emailed in more detail 4 to 6 weeks prior to departure.

• UK to Accra -  50% $US Dollars plus 50% Euros
• UK to Cape Town -  50% $US Dollars plus 50% Euros
• UK to Nairobi -  75% $US Dollars plus 25% Euros
• UK to Cairo -  80% $US Dollars plus 20% Euros

How to bring your currency

Past Oasis travellers have fed back that they have felt, as a general rule it is best to bring your money as  a combination of US$ cash and Euros cash . It will depend on the exchange rate at the time of your trip as to which currency is better, but Euros are increasingly becoming the preferred currency in many West African nations, whilst US$ Dollars are widely accepted from Angola all the way to Cairo. Great British pounds are also accepted in Southern Africa, and some East African countries, as well as Egypt.

Credit / Debit and Pre-paid travel currency cards are also an option if you are concerned about bringing all your money in cash - BUT DEFINITELY BRING AT LEAST 60% of your money in cash. Some travellers worry about carrying so much cash with them, however all Oasis Overland trucks are equipped with an on board safe for the security of your money and passport. 

We also advise to bring £50 worth of SA Rand in Cash, as this may be needed if we arrive into Namibia or South Africa on a weekend & the banks/ATMs are closed (only if you are travelling to these countries). 

US dollars dated pre-2013 are not widely accepted in Africa so please ensure your notes are dated 2013 onward & Scottish pounds are also not accepted. The rate of exchange for small denomination $US bills are usually slightly less than larger bills, but it is still advisable to bring an assortment of both as some activities and operators will not have the facility to give large amounts of change.

Spending Money

For personal spending money budget on approximately £300 per month (from Morocco to Angola) and £100 to £145 per week (from Namibia to Egypt) to cover you for some meals out, drinks, communications, souvenirs and other general spending . 

We recommend the following to be used as a guide - including a few days layover in Cape Town:

• UK to Cape Town - approx £2100
• UK to Nairobi - approx £3100
• UK to Cairo - approx £4300

The recommendation above is worked out on the assumption that you will be fairly budget-conscious. Remember, however, there are also other costs to bear in mind such as drinks and snacks, post trip hotel and food costs, optional side trips, your time in Cape Town, email & communications, souvenirs and other general spending. This is an estimated figure as personal spending habits and budgets differ greatly from person to person.  Budget on optional activities and visa costs separately (see visa section above & optional excursions page) and allow extra for your Local Payment contribution.

IMPORTANT: Contingency Fund - It is important to bear in mind that should it not be possible to enter a certain country due to safety concerns, visa problems or political turmoil etc, and it becomes necessary to fly over a country in order to continue a trip, that all your costs for flights will be borne by you and not Oasis.  

Changing money

Your crew will advise you where & when you can change money & with what means. It is also a good idea to have a small CASH emergency fund, to allow for the unexpected.

Credit & Debit Cards

If you are intending using your credit or debit card, we suggest taking more than one card with you as you may find that your card is not accepted in the first ATM you try. Visa and Maestro cards are best.  We do not recommend using MasterCard based cards in Africa as they have very limited access through large parts of Africa.  Please note that usually you will be given local currency and NOT US$ or £GB. We recommend that you inform your bank that you will be using your card abroad to avoid it being blocked. Please see the optional excursions page for activities that can be paid for using a Credit or Debit Card.   Commission rates vary between 2-8%.

Pre-Paid Travel Currency Cards    

These cards are similar to normal Credit and Debit cards but they can be pre loaded with cash before you travel with a set amount allowing you to withdraw this cash using the card at normal ATMs. It is a more secure way to access cash on your trip, but again do not rely on these as your sole means of funds on a trip - (please refer to the ATM section). Several banks and companies now offer these cards, but be sure to look into the rates for withdrawing cash when making your decision. When using these cards abroad you will use them to withdraw the local currency from an ATM and not the currency that you loaded onto the card.

These are available in most major cities along our route and allow you to withdraw local currency only. We discourage you from relying on your ATM card as a primary source of funds in case it is lost/stolen/swallowed, or the machine isn't working. In some destinations we probably won't even see a bank or ATM for days on end. Even where do find them, they cannot always be relied upon - things change, and ATMs don't always work! Besides memorising your PIN, it is also important to be aware of your daily withdrawal limit and bank withdrawal costs.

Is often expected and relied upon. It is often more than a reward for services well done, but, as wages are extremely low, it is an accepted means of supplementing an income. If you would like to leave a tip for any activity/individual, you could organize this as a group and give a tip at the end. A recommended amount for restaurants is usually 10% of your total bill and similar for activities. Some countries also add an extra Government tax on restaurant bills.

Because it can be difficult to know what to tip, and because it has such importance in some areas both economically and culturally, there may be times and activities for which your crew will make it clear what level of tipping is 'customary/expected'. They may also be quite enthusiastic or assertive in encouraging you to take account of these suggestions. This is motivated by the knowledge of how important tipping can be, and the offence or confusion that can be caused when local people are tipped poorly. In the end, tipping remains at the discretion of the individual, but our crew will continue to advise on normal or average rates, and we would ask you to carefully consider the economic or personal impact of being seen as 'under tipping'. We know that many who travel with us are on a tight budget, but ask you to consider that those we work with locally may also face financial hardship, and also work very hard to try to give you unrivalled service/ experiences.

As a very rough guide, we would suggest that you budget for an amount equal to 10% of the local payment for your trip, plus 10% of the cost of any of the listed optional excursions that you wish to do. The amounts you end up tipping may vary from a rigid 10%, but hopefully this will help you budget in general.

In the past we have been asked by travellers about tipping your Oasis Crew. If you choose to do this, it would be budgeted separately from the above. Our guys work very hard at making your trip a great travel experience. Working overseas can often be challenging and they are pretty much on call for you 24 hours a day, so it's appreciated as a thank you for hard work and good service, but of course not mandatory. Our suggestion is to budget around US$1 a day.

Rain is a regular occurrence in Morocco with chilly night time temperatures - especially in the desert. Most days are nice and sunny - and it only gets warmer as we head south. From Mali to Nigeria it is quite humid during the day and we may hit 'short' rains in Central Africa (Cameroon to Angola). In Southern Africa - November to March the weather is hotter and there is summer rainfall, although this is very intermittent when it may not rain for months, or it can rain for a day at a time. In East Africa (Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania) the 'short' rains are around November. The 'rains' usually last for one or two hours each day followed by hot sunny weather. Nights can be surprisingly cold at higher altitude in western Uganda, Ngorongoro Crater & the Rift Valley. Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt can be very hot (35C+). View Trans Africa Climate Chart

What To Take

The less you take the less you have to pack, wash & lug home & you can always pick up extras along the way. Most people make the mistake of bringing too much gear. Clothes washing or laundry facilities will be available at least once a week. You will be travelling in the heat & camping in the cold, so bring clothes for all climates; rough stuff is best. Pack according to season: allowing for extremes in temperature (from the constant baking heat in the dry season to the cold and occasional frost overnight in the south). Make sure that you bring your gear in a traditional soft sided 70 - 90L rucksack or holdall - suitcases are not suitable.  Remember baggage is limited to 20kg per person plus one day bag.

Even though our trucks are equipped with a comprehensive medical kit, we advise you to bring a small personal medical kit as our truck kit is not for general everyday use. It will also be your responsibility to carry your kit on included excursions and optional activities as some local operators may not have medical kits to hand.

What to wear  - Keeping your arms, shoulders and legs covered will go a long way to prevent causing offence and hassle to yourself. This is true for men as well as women (especially in Morocco, Mauritania, Sudan, Egypt and predominantly Muslim countries). Avoid wearing tight or revealing clothing, but generally on beaches you can wear what you like. Attitudes range from fairly liberal in such places as the Red Sea coast, to fairly conservative in some of the small towns. Cities and large towns are also fairly relaxed, but outside these areas dress conservatively.

Photography and Electrical Equipment

Cameras (incl. Digital & Video Cameras) -  An easy to use 'point and shoot' will get you some good photos. For memorable shots, it may be worthwhile investing in an SLR camera, but be sure to get some practice in before the trip! Most towns and cities have internet cafes where you can download onto CD/internet sites - but don't rely on it.  Internet speeds can be slow for uploading photos to social media or the Cloud.

Photography -  Be aware of your surroundings when taking photographs and filming. Some locations will be sensitive or have local laws banning photography. For example it is usually forbidden to use cameras at borders or around government buildings, military installations, bridges and airports or to take photos of local officials. If you do take photos or film where it is not permitted you may find yourself being questioned by irate officials who may decide to confiscate your camera or instruct you to delete all the images/footage on your device. If in doubt ask for permission, or if there is no-one to ask use some common sense.

Drones -  As the use of drones becomes more common, countries throughout the world are gradually updating their laws and restrictions on usage. The specific regulations will vary from one country to another, so do check the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office advice for the latest information. As with cameras, use your common sense if you do use a drone and avoid operation in sensitive areas. If you plan to bring a drone on your trip with us please contact us first to ensure there will be a suitable place to store it while on your trip.

Electrical charging & power supply -  It may be difficult to find a power source for charging at times, so a spare battery is a must.

Consider a 12V in-car charger (our vehicles are equipped with a couple of 12 volt cigarette lighter charger sockets -  truck trips only ) or bring along your 230V mains charger and travel adaptor plug for use at some of the hotels, hostels and campsites we stay at.

NOTE: 12V - 230V inverters cannot be used on our vehicles because of the power drain they cause.

Log onto   www.whatplug.net   for information regarding the different electrical plugs and voltage used in each country.

Contacting Home

The internet and WiFi are available in many towns / cities you will visit. Do bear in mind that the connections can be unreliable and will not always be as fast as you are used to at home.  If a lot of people try to use the internet at the same time the speed will be slower still, especially if trying to make Skype calls or upload photos / videos.  During periods of the trip where we are wild camping, internet will be less common.

Some travellers choose to take an unlocked mobile phone with them and buy local SIM cards in each country, allowing them to use mobile data.  If you particularly want or need regular internet access this may be a good option. Telephone calls can be expensive usually £1 to £5 for a three minute call.

Online Diaries  - A great variety of free "travel blogs" are now available online, they are a good way of keeping relatives and friend up to date with what you are doing and a good place to upload photos, collecting messages as well as keeping a record for yourself.

Responsible Travel

Before you go

• Remove unnecessary packaging before you go - waste disposal facilities are often stretched or non existent in the places we visit. To avoid unnecessary pollution of local water supplies take environmentally friendly toiletries with you.
• Why not invest in a wind-up or solar-powered torch or media player before you travel or at least rechargeable batteries.
• Learn some of the local language and read up on the local history/culture before you go. You'll get so much more out of your trip.
• Why not pack some pens/pencils exercise books in your rucksack and they can be donated to a local school or project while you're away. You can also purchase these items cheaply, locally which will help local businesses.
• Take a sturdy water bottle with you from home that you can re-use throughout your trip. We carry large quantities of purified water with us on our Expedition vehicles and it is much better for the environment if you drink this, rather than purchase bottled water along the way. (It also saves you money).
• Water-to-Go: Oasis Overland have partnered with Water-to-Go to help reduce the number of plastic water bottles consumed during a trip. Water-to-Go is a filtration system that eliminates over 99.9% of all microbiological contaminants including viruses, bacteria, chemicals and heavy metals from any non-salt water source. Click here and enter the code OASIS15 to purchase your Water-to-Go products at 15% discount. Water-to-Go will then donate a further 15% to Oasis Overland Charity projects.
• Don't waste water. It is a scarce resource in many of the places our trips visit. On all our Ultimate and Overland Expeditions we carry large quantities of purified water with us. We encourage you to refill your own water bottles from this supply, rather than purchase bottled water along the way-much more environmentally friendly and saves you money.
• Never buy endangered species or endangered habitat products. Apart from the fact of it being illegal it also encourages the trade to continue.
• Look after and preserve the areas we visit. Be careful about stepping on coral reefs or trekking on undesignated tracks.
• Buy locally made crafts and products helping to support the local economy.
• Don't feel when bargaining that you have to get the cheapest price possible just for the sake of it. Pay what the item is worth to you & don't worry about what someone else has paid.
• Try the local food and drinks - this will help to support local farmers and food sellers. Sitting in a local cafe is also a great way to meet local people.
• Dispose of litter appropriately on your trip. This includes cigarette butts. Not only does litter look unsightly it can be lethal to wildlife.
• Where any toilet facilities exist, however unsavoury they might seem to you, they should be used. Where they do not, always bury your waste and make sure it is never near (at least 30m) a water source.
• When game viewing do not encourage your guides to get too close to the wildlife so that their natural behaviour is impeded.
• Respect local customs, traditions and beliefs of the people in the different regions that you travel through.
• Do not take photos of people, ritual events or special places unless you have asked first. Dress appropriately according to local codes and show respect around religious festivals.
• Recycling is almost non-existent in many of the areas and countries we visit - we do the best we can with limited resources & space on our vehicles.
• For books dedicated to travelling more responsibly & ethically see: www.tourismconcern.org.uk

All major cities have their share of petty crime (just like our cities) and sensible precautions need to be taken. Wearing expensive looking jewellery or watches and carrying cameras will draw unnecessary attention to you.  Leave valuables such as passports and excess money in your hotel safe or truck safe (we recommend carrying a copy of your passport details page at all times). You may find a simple money belt is more discreet than a bag. Always be aware of your surroundings and when approached by people you do not know, use your common sense. At night in cities it's best to use a taxi, rather than walking around the streets, single women in particular need to be careful and we would suggest that it is safer to be in a group.

On board the truck -  Each vehicle is fitted with a hidden, lockable safe to be used for money, passports and important documents. Group member will be responsible for the safe and Oasis Overland cannot accept any liability for clients' personal or monetary contents kept in the safe or on board the truck.   We advise you to not take items of value that are not essential for the journey. In certain areas a roster may be drawn up for the group to share the task of guarding and keeping

FCO Advice -  The UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) offer country-specific advice, regarding not only security but also entry regulations, local laws and customs and health. We strongly recommend all travellers visit the FCO website, or the equivalent in their home country, to familiarise themselves with local conditions and potential issues in the countries they plan to visit before committing to a trip with us. You can view their website  here .

As an adventure tour operator, some of our trips will travel to areas that are rarely-visited and occasionally attract negative publicity. We are not in the business of taking our travellers or indeed staff to regions that we consider dangerous and  the safety of all who travel with us is always our main priority , but as a discerning customer we understand you will want to be aware of any risks before travelling. We liaise with the FCO on specific regions or areas as necessary, as well as monitoring open media outlets and political risk resources, and speaking to our contacts on the ground.

In some rare cases, our trips may have to travel through areas against which the FCO either ‘advise against all but essential travel’ or ‘advise against all travel’. When our trips travel through these areas we will carry out all due diligence and notify you in advance. This advice can change without notice.  In these instances you will need to ensure you have full and comprehensive travel insurance that includes cover for these areas – some policies will exclude them. We are able to provide additional cover, if required, at additional cost.  It may also be required that you read and sign a short information sheet confirming you have been advised of the risks and agree to travel contrary to the FCO advice.

If you have any questions at all about the safety or security of your trip, please do not hesitate to contact us and we will be happy to discuss your trip in more detail.

Additional Information

• Your full passport details
• Guarantee of Full payment

What To Expect

Life on the road.

Firstly expect the unexpected! If you are looking for a set itinerary where everything runs smoothly, then this is not the kind of trip for you. Our itineraries can change due to local circumstances, and in such situations we'll always try to minimise any disruption, but bear in mind that from time to time events happen outside our control. It is this very unpredictability which makes each expedition different, exciting and one of the most adventurous things that you will possibly ever do! As part of this adventure you will be expected to have an active involvement in the day to day running of the trip, be part of the group and get stuck in and help with various tasks, whether it's cooking meals over open fires, pitching your tent or keeping the truck clean and tidy.

Because Oasis Overland do not operate normal 'package holidays' the itineraries given cannot be guaranteed to run exactly as outlined. However, it is rare that we have to make major changes and in the event that we do this will be discussed with you either before or during the trip. It is important to bear in mind that should it not be possible to enter a certain country due to safety concerns, visa problems or political turmoil etc, and it becomes necessary to fly over a country in order to continue a trip, that all costs for flights will be borne by you and not Oasis. Should it not be possible for an Oasis trip to begin from a scheduled starting city due to border closures, civil unrest etc,  Oasis will make all reasonable efforts to begin the trip from an alternative location. However, all additional costs that you may incur in travelling to the alternative location will be paid by you or your insurance company and not Oasis.

Expedition Vehicle

For most of your trip the Oasis expedition truck will be your new home - giving you a comfortable & secure base with which to experience your trip. We use  purpose built truck's which have been converted especially for this expedition, which pass through all types of terrains from soft sand, mud, rock and potholed roads to tarseal. It is reassuring to know that these vehicles can handle the tough conditions that they are put through. The truck is equipped with all the equipment we may need en route, including a professionally compiled expedition Medical Kit, large water & fuel carrying capacities, an extensive range of spare parts and the kitchen sink, (well almost!) so all you need is your sleeping bag, a roll mat and your own personal gear!

All Oasis Overland trucks are fitted with seatbelts. For your own safety and security we recommend that travellers wear these at all times whilst the vehicle is moving. Our overland trucks in Africa also have a ‘beach area’ which is a chill out zone to be used when the truck is not moving.

Accommodation

Oasis uses roomy three-person tents but only for two people. They are specially made for us to meet the tougher conditions of an overland trip and have mosquito netting sewn into the door and windows. Tents are shared (between two people of the same sex from your group unless you are a couple). We spend some nights bush or desert camping and the rest of the time in campsites. Facilities and standards at campsites vary, some are well equipped and managed and some are very basic. At bush camps you will be living off the truck, so there will be no showers or en-suite facilities! At certain campsites there is the opportunity to upgrade to a private room at your own expense if you are missing your bed.

During the day

As a guide, driving days normally start at about 8am and finish at about 5pm, with stops for lunch and buying food, seeing local sights etc. We won't be driving every day, although there are times when we will drive for two, but we will then stop for a few days and you will have free time to explore, meet local people, do some optional activities or just relax and do your own thing. Expect to sometimes get dusty & dishevelled during the day and although you will be able to shower most nights (except at bush camps), not all camps will have hot showers .

Meals & cook groups

When 'on the road' or camping, we usually cook using gas or over open fires in a rota system and you can expect to cook in a group of two or three people approximately once every ten days depending on the number of people on trip and whereabouts you are. Your cook group will have to decide on what to cook, utilise stocks from the truck stores and locally obtain ingredients from markets, shops etc. and rustle up a meal. But don't worry if you're not a Gordon Ramsay as the rest of the group and the Tour leader usually lend a helping hand.  Here is an idea of what to expect at meal times:

Breakfasts : Usually simple - we help ourselves to cereal, toast, hot drinks and on occasion we will splurge with a cooked breakfast.

Lunch : Cold and usually quick. The cook group will put out bread, tinned supplies and maybe make a salad.

Dinner:  Cooks come into their own in the evening, and will always attempt to cook up some delights. When the truck is parked up for a few days in a town or city most people usually like the option to eat out at local restaurants - so we often don't cook all meals when at these locations.

Vegetarians / Vegans / Coeliacs / Gluten & Lactose intolerance -  Our Tour Leaders will always do their best to cater for any dietary requirement or intolerance whenever possible. However we do not cater for fussy eaters. It must be remembered that the variety of dishes available may not be the same as available to meat eaters. If there is anything in particular you require in your diet or because of an allergy or would miss from home, it would be best to bring these with you, as these cannot be purchased with normal Local Payment funds due to the high cost of these specialised and often imported foods.

Remember that when eating out in local restaurants & hotels that vegetarianism or food allergies / intolerance's, are still not widely known about or understood by many local people. i.e Vegetarians or Vegans will often be offered fish or chicken in error.  Most large towns and cities, or areas used to tourists, will often have more choice but please be aware that it will probably not be as varied as you are used to when eating out at home.

In the evenings 

When at a bushcamp or campsite where you and your tent buddy will put up the tent, and then lend a hand with getting out the tables, stools, firewood and water containers. The fire   grates need to be taken out, the fire lit and someone can fill the kettle and make hot drinks while the cook group prepares the evening meal. Then just sit back & chill and enjoy the rest of your evening!

We usually have two crew whose duties are extensive and quite demanding, with challenges ranging from driving and maintaining the expedition vehicle to a high standard, to organising visas and border crossings, arranging accommodation, pre-booking some excursions and guides, helping with shopping and cooking as well as finding the best deals, socializing and making sure everything runs as smoothly as possible. While our crew are usually experienced and knowledgeable they are not tour guides as such. Our trips pass through many countries and our tour leaders cannot be expected to have detailed knowledge of each country's history, flora and fauna and archaeological sites. Even so - they will be more than willing to pass on any interesting and useful information that they have acquired whilst on the road. A rewarding way to gain a better insight into the wildlife, cultural and historical diversity of the countries we travel through is by reading guide books as well as talking to the local people and using local guides.

Adventure travel can be unpredictable and occasionally our crew may have to amend the itinerary to take into account changing local circumstances or because of a delay at a border or because of circumstances outside our control. This can all lead to additional work and commitment for our crew who will do all they can to minimize any disruption to the trip. While our crew are essentially on call 24 hours a day 7 days a week, it has to be remembered that no one is actually expected to work these hours, so at Oasis we are realistic that within a trip there will be times when our crew need 'down time' and a chance to relax and 'let their hair down' as well. They are only human!

Itinerary Changes

Due to the unpredictable nature of this expedition - it is not always possible to follow the exact itinerary as set out below. We will always endeavour to visit all the places listed, and often more that are not. All the information regarding the itinerary is given in good faith and is subject to change, dependent on local political or country instabilities, weather, security & road conditions etc. Any major itinerary changes will be decided by the crew & company directors and will be discussed with the group beforehand whenever possible. It is also possible that the expedition may arrive later than specified into Cape Town/Nairobi or Cairo .

It is important to bear in mind that should it not be possible to enter a certain country due to safety concerns, visa problems or political turmoil etc, and it becomes necessary to fly over a country in order to continue a trip, that all your costs for flights will be borne by you and not Oasis.

If we do have to fly over a particular area or country we will endeavour to take in other places of interest if time permits. While Oasis Overland will cover all ground and transport costs, we have not taken the cost of flights into our pricing structure. Therefore any flights will have to be paid for by each individual.

Optional Excursions are paid for on the day and organised during your trip, so you can decide whilst travelling which activity you may want to do. Prices listed are only a guide and may be dependant on fluctuating exchange rates and minimum numbers. Please see below for more details.

We feel that having optional excursions gives a greater degree of flexibility and independence to our group members; independence to decide how much your spending budget can afford; flexibility to decide when and what time of day or with whom to visit a particular site, rather than for example, with the whole group at a pre-ordained time. If you decide not to join a popular excursion, you will have free time to relax or wander off to a market, village or beach, depending on where we are.

You pay for the optional excursions to the local operator, ensuring the money stays with that operator in the local community and this ensures as well, that you are paying the true price for any optional excursions you want to do. This also applies to accommodation costs before and after the trip. Please note that the prices of optional excursions quoted are approximate as local prices can and do change. Please see the relevant trip page for the Optional excursions you can do on that trip and a list of prices.

Please Note: The end dates of the Expedition are subject to change due to the nature of this trip.

+ Local payment from US$5,000

• Travel Style Ultimate Expedition
• Start Location Fes
• End Location Cairo
• Region Africa

A deposit of just £600 secures your place; full amount payable if booking within 10 weeks of departure.

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Prices are from prices and may vary depending on the number of participants or date of travel.

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• Category --> Category Trans Africa Expeditions, West Africa & Nile - 7 to 41 Weeks Kenya to Southern Africa, via Zimbabwe 19 to 93 days East Africa; Kenya, Tanzania & Uganda from 11 to 15 days From Nairobi or Zanzibar, East Africa 16 to 57 Days - Heading South Northbound 20 to 57 Days - Cape Town, & Vic Falls Heading North Southern Africa Trips - 9 to 22 Days Central Asia – from Istanbul to China, and onwards
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• Start City --> Start City Accra Cairo Cape Town Nairobi Cape Town Dar es Salaam Johannesburg Livingstone Nairobi
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Big thanks for unforgettable experience in Africa. Especially to our driver, Mark, who was awesome. Nairobi to Victoria Falls, Nov 2019. Robert from Australia

Africa Tours – Travel Africa overland safari, an adventure of a lifetime

African Trails has been running African overland camping safari using overland trucks to take groups of people around the whole of Africa since 1980. Read testimonials from previous travelers. We run trips from 5 day game park tours to 41 week Trans Africa overland enabling us to cover the whole of Africa. From north to south and west to east. With over 60 African adventure tours; covering 26 countries. With departures every month, you’ll find the right safari for you.

The Best Africa overland tours

Travel by overland safari truck is the safest, most friendly  and cost effective way to have an Africa camping tour. On our big Trans Africa and Cape Town to Cairo Nile Expedition.

We go to places where public transport is unreliable, roads are rough, and finding accommodation can be difficult. Safari in Africa with African Trails and when you join our trip with your backpack you will find everything you need on our well equipped expedition truck.

Safari Overland Trucks

Late model Mercedes Benz and Scania, with Euro 4, fuel efficient and enviro-friendly motors with ABS braking and air-ride suspension give a smooth ride.

Our overland tour trucks have comfortable coach seats, with a wide aisle for leg room and space; a great place to socialise and to see the sites.

Heavy duty overland trucks allow us to get to those hard to find, rugged, out of the way places. Dirty and dusty roads with potholes and corrugations are no hindrance in our adventure tour off the beaten track to remote detonations.

Our Most Popular Trips

Our overland trips are so different to the usual game park safari to the  Masai Mara in Kenya,  the  Serengeti & Ngorongoro Crater   in Tanzania. Or  Etosha Pan  Namibia, or one  of the seven natural wonders of the world; Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe. Instead of a short visit to game parks that you can book through any travel agent on the high street at home, on our African overland camping safari we visit the game parks and all the sites and sights in between.

Starting a trip in Cape Town is a popular choice, a great city for a food safari.

We see African villages, towns and meet the people of Africa in Africa. In East and southern Africa you can take a sample of the best game parks in Kenya and Tanzania by going on our 15 day Kenya Tanzania Game Parks to Zanzibar. Travel further afield on our 21 day  Nairobi to Victoria Falls. Or take in the whole region with an 8 weeks Gorillas to Cape Town.

Waiting for a Camel Train to Pass

A snapshot of a day on an Overland Trip

Travelling through Africa, Asia & South America by safari truck is an experience in another world. Early starts, something new around every corner of the road.  Each day’s different. That’s the beauty of an overland trip You could be spending an afternoon by a lake or driving along a dusty road complete with bumps and potholes.

Most nights are spent at campsites

In most campsites you can charge your equipment, wash clothes, and have a cold drink at the bar. Meanwhile, the cooks of the day are busy lighting the fire, and starting dinner. W ith nights watching the stars and the best nights sleep  you’ll ever have; by the campfire, under the stars. Trip Life.

Big Trips – Trans Africa, Trans Asia, Cape Town to Cairo overland route

Come with us to do the biggest trip in your life, an African overland camping safari. Great if you have time or a gap year, make it part of a trip around the world. Join our 22 weeks London to Morocco heading to Cape Town, or a 41 week London to Morocco to Cape Town and Cairo . An Istanbul to Peking and Singapore.   Or even a  25 weeks or a full circuit of South America.

Videos and Social Media – Facebook –  Pinterest  –  You Tube  –  Twitter

You can take a good look at our overland adventure tours to remote destinations on our various social media sites. Take a look at other travellers tales going overlanding on a shoestring

Phone: +44 (0) 7938 726 334 (WhatsApp)       Email: [email protected] African Trails, 28 Grange Street, Morecambe, Lancashire, LA4 6BW, UK

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Das Mädchen für alles Joe Küster

Member Since Oct 2011

• 01.03.2025 - 14.04.2025

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Trans-africa expedition.

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Trans Africa Safari Expedition A 4x4 adventure of superlatives

Philosophy and itinerary of the Trans-Africa Expedition

There are many reasons to travel: the escape from everyday life, the search or the addiction for ever new adventures. Whatever it is, it remains a fascinating experience and adventure across the African continent that will accompany you for the rest of your life and will certainly change you to some extent. Out of Africa has captivated explorers, adventure travellers and rally junkies alike. As a teenager, I sat mesmerised in front of the amazing impressions of the Paris Dakar Rally, with the wish in the back of my mind: I want to experience AFRICA, once in Paris Dakar or better still, once across the entire continent! 

Everyone who has travelled Africa several times and knows the addiction "Adventure Africa" as a "life elixir" knows how difficult this part of the world is. After three years of planning and three subsequent expeditions, we have come to grips with these difficulties and know that this is an experienceable, exclusive adventure that will be remembered by EVERY participant.    

Back story:  My name is Joe Küster, founder of OVERCROSS with well over 100,000 "Africa kilometres" tour experience as a guide. In 2014, over a cup of coffee and the question of life's last adventures, the idea was born in the offices of Schaaf Federtechnik in Möglingen.  The starting signal for a handful of participants to cross the African continent. After a few thousand kilometres, the first expedition failed miserably. Two years later, with a total of three years of preparation and a "burnout syndrome", I started the Trans Africa expedition again. This time planned "according to the general plan"! A motorbike tour guide, a support guide in a Land Rover Defender and an online tour guide were specially assigned, briefed and trained for the expedition. An emergency phone and satellite monitoring as well as a "direct line" on site were also provided. With this mega effort, this mega expedition could start, which was and remains an indescribable experience for the participants. 

After more than 20 years of experience in Africa, you can believe me that this expedition (besides my children and the great love at my side) is THE adventure, what the "world" means to me. After 45 days, the trip will have changed you and will stay with you for the rest of your life. 

Two years after returning from the TRANS AFRICA EXPEDITION, I know that for me as a guide and organiser, this expedition was both the most strenuous and the most "liberating" thing I have ever done in my life! 

Picture: Trans Africa Off Road Safari Expedition.

The participants.

Maybe this trip is the craziest, most exhausting, most expensive and most pointless thing that has ever crossed your mind. A typical participant of this EXPEDITION is an academic or entrepreneur with a fair amount of responsibility and obligations, a type of person who immediately leaves the comfort zone for an experience, in order to master 15,000 kilometres of Africa Expiriance with minimalist equipment and a sworn expedition team. A cold beer from the cooler now and then, eating in the bush, sleeping in the roof tent. The rest is the experience, which you will experience every day anew on the journey.

An expedition for people like you and me, people who are already travelling when they hear key words like: "Camel Trophy / Paris Dakar / Somewhere in Africa", a special breed of people who reduce the number of participants and the equipment in advance.

Trans-Africa | Wildcamp - Wagenburg

Arrival day: transcontinental flight to south africa.

We flew through the night with South African Airlines and landed at Cape Town International Airport (CTIA), South Africa's second largest airport, at around 11:00 am. The shuttle will take us to Table Bay on the north-western edge of Cape Town. We pick up the vehicles at the warehouse of the forwarding agency that took care of the transport. We connect the batteries, stow luggage and equipment. We drive to the nearest petrol station where we fill up our vehicles before we drive the first kilometres to our campsite at the foot of Table Mountain. Welcome to the Cape, welcome to Mama Africa in the heart of Cape Town!

Cape Town | The Trans-Africa Safari Expedition starts here

Start zur transafrika-safari-expedition.

At the Cape of Good Hope we take the start picture after sunrise over Africa! Here we go: once across the African continent! Past Cape Town we drive around the bay to Somerset West. Short stop for breakfast and on to Chapman's Peak Drive. Via the legendary and relaxed Garden Route we reach Mossel Bay and enjoy the view of the Indian Ocean. In the late afternoon we will reach Knysna Park before sunset, closing the first day of travel on a wildlife safari with a South African sundowner.

South Africa | The Trans Africa Safari near Addo National Park

Adrenalin along the garden route .

We fold in the roof tents for the first time and take off to the bridge 50 kilometres away. Today we have 211 metres of free fall for breakfast. Alternatively, we can hook you up to a cable car that will catapult you through the forest at a height of 30 metres! If you're still hungry then, you'll get a dessert to go with your adrenaline breakfast. "On the road again": On asphalt we reel off the scenery of the Garden Route.

South Africa | Along the famous Garden Route

Lesotho: over the sani pass into the kingdom.

In the small town of Hofmeyr, a dreary transit town, we make our breakfast stop and fill up tanks and food for today's marathon day. Today's stage will be one of the toughest asphalt stretches in southern Africa. We cross KwaZulu-Natal and reach the border to the smallest kingdom in Africa: Lesotho. With 64 inhabitants per km², it is a small and manageable country with equally manageable border formalities, which we should have completed within half an hour. We drive up into the kingdom to an altitude of 2800 metres. Now it gets exciting for the "first time": over the highlands of Lesotho we reach the fantastic landscape of the Drakensberg Mountains, which characterise the scenery of southern Lesotho. Time and desire will be the deciding factor in the Kingdom of Lesotho when we spend the night at the "feet" of the 3482 high Thabana Ntlenyana at Bob's Campground. You can take a bath in the Matebeng River and enjoy the only luxury far and wide to the full. It will be the first and last cold bath and the first and last cold night south of the equator.

After the Garden Route we reach the foot of the Drakensberg Mountains

On the road to the battlefield.

Clouds of fog move up the Thabana Ntlenyana, we move with them and cross a continuous fog bank to the summit. It is cold and damp until we reach the next valley and the African sun bathes the Lesotho landscape in bright green. Breakfast in the highest bar in South Africa before we tear out of Lesotho over the Sani Pass, which is the third steepest pass in the world, and reach the Mkhomazane border post into South Africa at the foot of the Drakensberg Mountains. After our third border crossing we cross the state of Kwa Zulu Natal and towards evening we are standing on the "Battlefields" in the former kingdom of the Zulu. The Zulu War of 1879 was an undeclared war between the Zulu and the savage tea-drinking people. After the British Empire, with its superiority in arms, defeated the Zulu at the Battle of Ulundi, the Zulu Kingdom ceased to exist as a sovereign state. It is in the midst of these battlefields that this day of travel ends.

Land Rover Zebra on the Trans-Africa Expedition

Safari to the kingdom of eswatini.

Morning ceremony: tour briefing and a last sip from the coffee cup, then the engines are started and we drive to Swaziland. Via South Africa's country roads we reach the border to the Kingdom of Swaziland. The route stretches through the mountainous kingdom to the Hlane Royal National Park. Hlane Royal National Park is home to the largest herds of lions, elephants, white rhinos and giraffes in Swaziland. We go stalking in the park ranger's Land Rover and enjoy the sundowner amidst the African wildlife, provided we haven't "worn ourselves out" in time between Swaziland's bends.  

Swaziland - Give way

New year's eve party at gecko lodge near kruger park.

The last day of the old year begins relaxed: Sleep in, leisurely breakfast, on- and off-road through the forests of Swaziland to the border crossing of the state of Mpumalanga in South Africa. We reach Hazyview around afternoon and fill up ALL tanks until the new year! From here on, the length of the daily stages will decrease for the rest of the tour, as we have "only" done distance up to here in order to be able to take more time for the "real" Africa. 

IT'S TIME TO PARTY - New Year's Eve in Africa and "only" eleven countries and one continent to go!

On the Trans-Africa in South Africa, at Gecko Lodge (near Kruger Park)

New year in africa: a year of adventure.

The new year in Africa begins with a hangover breakfast, coffee, aspirin, rollmops and a counter beer. We set off on a relaxed "sobering up tour" through the Kruger Park. The states of Western Cape, Eastern Cape, Kwazulu-Natal, Mpumalanga and Limpopo are behind us and the last state, Northern Province, lies ahead. It will be rather "quiet" kilometres through the Kruger Park today, which we will drive in a northerly direction before heading back on the road to the border.

Lion family in Krueger National Park, South Africa

Once across zimbabwe.

Welcome to Zimbabwe! The border crossing takes place with the crossing of the Limpopo River, depending on the water level and the waiting crocodiles. After we have got the off-road vehicles through customs formalities, we are ready to go. The next stopover is Matobo National Park. On one of the main African routes we reach Great Zimbabwe and dive into a piece of African history. The Rhodes-Matobo National Park, founded in 1926 and called Matobo National Park since 1953, is Zimbabwe's oldest national park. In 2003, it was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It became famous not only because Cecil Rhodes is buried here, but also because of the imposing granite rock formations. Here, 2000 years ago, the Bantu are said to have left a rich heritage of rock carvings and rock structures such as the impressive "Great Zimbabwe", which has been a World Heritage Site since 1986. The hills are still sacred places of worship for the Shona people. Here we set up our camp.  

On the way from Zimbabwe to Zambia on the Trans-Africa Off-Road Vehicle Safari

Safari to the famous victoria falls.

A new tour day begins with the sunrise over Africa. Fold in the tents, a sip of coffee, a biscuit and off we go. We start the engines and drive off- and on-road towards the north-northwest. Today's itinerary takes us past Hwange National Park. Depending on the course of the tour, group dynamics and interest, we will go on safari in Hwange National Park. The end of the day's stage is the Zambian border, where we will reach one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites again after about 500 kilometres. Welcome to Mosi oa Tunya, better known as Victoria Falls, which separates Zimbabwe and Zambia with the Zambezi River.

Trans-Africa trip to the impressive Victoria Falls

From livingstone to lusaka.

And "daily greets the groundhog" after a short, deep sleep: briefing, coffee, off we go. We reach Zambia via the 200-metre long Railroad or Victoria Falls Bridge. This impressive border bridge between Zimbabwe and Zambia was commissioned by Cecil Rhodes in 1903. The bridge was built in England, brought to Africa by sea freight and inaugurated by George Howard Darwin, Charles Darwin's son, after only 14 months of construction and erection. After receiving the Zimbabwean exit stamp, we cross 200 metres of exciting history before reaching Zambia on the other bank of the Zambezi. Clearance at customs and then off on an unspectacular asphalt "racetrack" and a dead straight off-road shortcut towards the north-east. Zambia is derived from the border river Zambezi, which runs between Zimbabwe and Zambia. The Railroad Bridge over the Zambezi is the only link in the Victoria Falls region. Crossing the Zambezi, we enter Zambia, which is ranked 141 out of 187 in the Human Development Index (2014). 99% of the black African population speaks about 72 Bantu languages. The country ahead of us is rather sparsely populated with about 19 inhabitants per m² and for us Africa begins as we imagine it.

Welcome to Zambia!

Expedition zambia, the safari into the unknown.

We travel across the vast highlands of Zambia to the Malawi border. Zambia, formerly known as Northern Rhodesia and independent since 1964, offers a variety of animals and plants in large national parks. However, it is best known for its waterfalls, of which Victoria Falls is the most famous. Other large waterfalls can be found all over the country, which, due to the subtropical location, wash down violent and impressive masses of water during the rainy season. The sparsely populated country sometimes has no infrastructure on the extensive stretches. So it is obvious that we are in for an itinerary in Zambia that holds ALL the surprises, because we travel (how could it be otherwise) in the rainy season, with fierce tropical storms and temperatures between 24 and 38°C. Past Zambia's national parks and across the great Luangwa River, we cross the entire Eastern Province, where cotton is grown on barren soils and aquamarines are still found today that can fetch up to US$1000 per carat.

Trans-Africa Crossing in Zambia

At lake malawi.

Like every morning: discussing the day's stage over coffee and biscuits and starting the engines with the first rays of sunshine... we don't want to give the impression that we are a self-help organisation, but it is the discussions that make the journey easier. We reach the border to Malawi via the asphalt stage. Today's travel day is only interrupted by the waiting time at the border post. We use this to have breakfast, refuel, brush our teeth (yes, this is not neglected either, because even if the pants are only changed once, the teeth must not suffer) and write postcards. With a lot of luck, we get our turn quickly and thus avoid writing postcards (although the mothers at home might be a bit curious and miss us already). After completing the Malawian border formalities, the crossing of Malawi begins! We drive to Lake Malawi on relatively good roads, off the road and along the lake off-road to the lodge. Jump into the water, lick our wounds and eat a delicious crocodile meal - with a view of the other crocodiles in the lake.

Lake Malawi on the East African Rift Valley

Through the east african rift valley.

Malawi lies almost entirely in the East African Rift Valley and is rather densely populated with 120 people per km². The lifeline of Malawi is Africa's third largest lake, along whose shores we will travel today. Sunrise over Lake Malawi, discuss the day's route, coffee, biscuit, go! The route leads along the western flank of Lake Malawi, which covers about 30,000 km². As usual, we will approach the border to Tanzania "pole pole" (Swahili: slowly). While the border formalities are being processed, we can enjoy the "delicacies" of the Songwe border river. As usual, we refuel, eat and write postcards before getting back into the car seat and driving through a new African country. For this afternoon, we have endless tough African kilometres on dirt roads ahead of us. This day will stick in our bones for a long time with its challenging stretches. At sunset, we will reach the coffee region of Tanzania, where we will conclude what is expected to be one of the toughest days of driving!

Beware of elephants: On the way from Malawi to Tanzania by off-road vehicle

Tanzania: welcome to the "most fertile" and youngest country in africa.

With a fertility rate of 5.3% and an average age of 15 years, Tanzania is probably one of the youngest countries in Africa, with 43 inhabitants per m². After yesterday's exhausting day, we will start the day with a leisurely breakfast and enjoy the freshly brewed coffee directly from the plantation at our leisure. We cross the endless expanses of Tanzania, roaming along the more or less well-maintained roads/tracks along the well-known Ruaha National Park in a northerly direction until we reach our night's camp "in the 1000-star hotel" Tanzania. Here in Tanzania, a few mechanic friends will be waiting for us for a "pit stop"! The next day, all the oils come out and all the wear parts that we were able to/needed to order by phone on the way are now replaced. Time out until the sun rises again the next day. We have a leisurely breakfast, discuss the day and set off again for Kenya.

Huge herds of animals cavort in the Tanzanian savannah

Stopover kilimanjaro with destination nairobi.

Unfortunately, there is no time for the Ngorongoro Crater, the Serengeti or the ascent of Kilimanjaro on this Trans-Africa tour. But we have a "foretaste" of the beauty of the countries and can always come back or simply drive back again... Passing Mount Meru, we drive on towards the north. Through the eternal expanse, the euphorbias are the only highlight, until we reach Mount Longido, where we take a rest before we will reach the border to Kenya. After crossing the border from Tanzania into Kenya, we reach Nairobi. After about six thousand Africa kilometres we will take the time to visit the city and buy provisions for the next 14 days. In the evening we will eat a crocodile with some bikers from Nairobi and the Royal Enfield importer in the Kroko Bar. What we don't manage, we take with us as a "dogi bag". Towards evening we chain ourselves to the bar and wash the dust down our lungs until the doctor comes! We have enough time to sleep... when we are back home. Next destination: Ethiopia, the largest landlocked country in the world in terms of population! 1001 experiences lie behind us, 1001 kilometres across Kenya ahead of us. We ride until the sun goes down. The second marathon day, this time through the land of marathon runners. A day that could hardly be tougher. Sun full, dust thick and sweat running through the pores like.... whatever. It will definitely be the most indescribable adventure!

Kilimanjaro towers over the Tanzanian savannah

Trans-africa expedition to the cradle of humankind.

The turnpike to Ethiopia goes up and we start through to Addis Ababa. The barren landscape becomes greener and lusher, an area with high lion, hyena, giraffe and elephant populations and in places disastrous roads and tracks. Ethiopia ranks 173 (out of 187) on the Human Development Index and is one of the poorest countries in the world. Half of the Ethiopian population is undernourished and lives mostly on subsistence farming. Tourism is a drop in the ocean. For us, the trip will perhaps bring the realisation of the luxury we live in and the importance of fair trade. Regardless of whether it is the milk from the farmer on our doorstep or the coffee that the food companies get for us as cheaply as possible at the expense of the poorest. For photographers, this country will probably be the highlight, even if we are on tour for ten hours a day, stops for photos and national parks like the Abidjatta-Shalla National Park we will treat ourselves to... as long as we are "in time"! We cross the African landscape kilometre by kilometre, from horizon to horizon ever further north, ever further towards the shower and the African urban jungle of Addis Ababa. The nightly conferences of the city dogs over the rooftops of Addis through the courtyards and streets of the city usually do not end before sunrise. TJA - This is Africa. But here it's the dogs that do it and here it's the politi... another topic!

Anyone who has ever spent an African night on a rooftop or in a cheap hotel by the hour amidst cockroaches, fleas and the barking of dogs knows why we will treat ourselves to a four-star hotel for tonight. On the other hand, we are so brushed and ironed after the hellish ride that we would sleep well in any doss house.

Without words... 

Safari stage to the origin of the blue nile.

We pass Merkato, one of the largest markets in Africa with about 100 hectares, which is visited by a quarter of a million people DAILY. Freshly supplied with water and bread, we set off on the Ethiopian roads. Our first stage destination is Lake Tana at an altitude of 1830 metres, whose outflow in Bahir Dar is the source of the Blue Nile. Our day's stage destination is Gondar, the first capital of antiquity, where we spend the evening at Fasilidas Castle with the Ethiopian Orthodox Christians celebrating the Timkat festival in the legendary Bath of Fasilidas. Here and now in Gondar is the Epiphany festival with the procession and celebration of the baptism of Jesus Christ.... and we are there with you!

One of the famous rock churches in Ethiopia that we visit on our African adventure

Crossing the border from ethiopia into sudan.

The Ethiopian roads and the last night will still be heavy on our bones. Today's driving day will be rather long and monotonous from the Sudanese border to Khartoum. We will cross the south of Sudan in one day on asphalt to the capital, where we will arrive shortly before sunset.

Sandstorm on the Trans-Africa Tour in Sudan

Endless nubian desert.

Along the "Sudan Express" we will cross the Nubian Desert in two full days of driving. The desert area between the Third Cataract of the Nile and Khartoum is considered ancient Egypt's high culture. In the desert land of the tall Hamitic Nubians we will encounter cultural-historical relics of ancient pyramids, burial cities and temple ruins, which date back to the cultural heyday of the Kingdom of Kush before our era. We will spend the night in or near the oldest necropolis, the royal necropolis of the Kingdom of Kush. Filling up the water and petrol tanks for the last time in Sudan: Fully refuelled, we head back into the merciless desert, which will certainly demand our last strength before we cross the border at railway station 1 to the Kingdom of the Pharaohs.

The pyramids of Meroe in Sudan, silent witnesses of the ancient empire of Kush in Nubia

The last country of the trans-africa expedition: egypt.

Inschallah, the ferry will welcome us in the morning hours. After unloading in Wadi Halfa, we can bring the off-road vehicles on board and enjoy the (old school) crossing on the pontoon or barge (depending on which is ready for use). On the Trans Africa Tour this will be our core date. The border situation between Egypt and Sudan is getting on the last nerve of every tour operator! Maybe that is the reason why no one offers it?! We leave Lake Nubia, which becomes Lake Nasser when we cross the border into Egypt. Ahead of us is the harbour town of Abu Simbel and a marathon with the authorities. With our new Egyptian number plates we can then drive into Abu Simbel for the long-awaited shower.

In Abu Simbel we get up close and personal with past millennia. 

In the footsteps of the pharaohs to the valley of the kings.

We leave Abu Simbel on tarred roads heading north along the Sahara and immerse ourselves in the desert world with its isolated volcanic craters and the monotonous mirages of the Sahara. After 250 kilometres we reach the Aswan checkpoint, finally a few bends and the Aswan dam. On the Khazan Aswan Road we cross the Nile and follow it northwards to the Valley of the Kings near Luxor. After visiting the tombs, we change banks again and visit the night performance of the Karnak Temple.

In Luxor, the beauty of Egyptian monumental art is revealed to us.

Off-road across the sahara of the pharaohs.

We leave the green Nile belt and enter the Egyptian desert/Sahara in the early morning hours. We cross the desert tongue of Quena, if the road conditions and our condition allow it. Along the Nile we travel on to our big stage destination: Cairo. The streets become busier and you can literally feel the metropolis announcing itself with the crowds of people on the streets. West of the Nile we can see the pyramids of Giza from far away. A great goal has been reached. We are standing in front of the Sphinx and the pyramids, the stage goal Africa is reached after about 12 000 kilometres and we have crossed the length of the "black" continent once! Time for a good, cold beer.

The last big milestone shortly before the end of the journey: the pyramids of Giza near Cairo

Last kilometres .

We can take a relaxed approach to the last few kilometres from Cairo to Alexandria, where we load the expedition vehicles into the waiting containers. From this historic city, home to the famous library and one of the seven wonders of the world, the "Pharos of Alexandria" lighthouse, we return to Cairo and the airport.

The Mediterranean Sea near Alexandria: we made it! Once trans-Africa!

The last breakfast together before we fly towards the Central European winter. We say goodbye to new friends, an exciting time in our lives and probably the biggest adventure of your life: over 14,000 kilometres, 11 countries and a huge continent later, we are 1001 impressions richer!

Here is a rough description of the route:

• Cape Town - Lesotho, 
• Lesotho - Swaziland,
• Swaziland - Kruger Park, 
• Kruger Park - Zimbabwe, 
• Zimbabwe to Zambia, 
• Zambia to Malawi, 
• Malawi to Tanzania,
• Tanzania to Kenya, 
• Kenya to Ethiopia
• Ethiopia to Sudan
• Sudan to Egypt

IMPORTANT!!! This 4x4 expedition/safari through Africa is not a package trip to the beach and not suitable for every traveller! Therefore, we ask for your understanding that a personal interview is indispensable before a booking/confirmation of participation!

You can find our 4x4 rental vehicles HERE!

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Trans Africa Self Drive Adventures and Tours

Khaudum 2 Caprivi with a Botswana Twist

Great lakes and waterfalls of Zambia recce tour

Lone men of Kaokoland

Why do we camp?

Camping and overland travel tips

Bush coffee

Welcome to Trans Africa Tours and adventures. Let us take you on a trip that will leave you speechless and then turn you into a story teller. We know you have a wide range of touring companies to choose from and that’s why we will go out of our way to show you why we are the best.

• We were the very 1st company to start small group tours of 5 vehicles or less when others took as much as 16 cars on tour.
• We were the 1st to only require a R1000 deposit when others insisted on a 50% deposit.
• We were the 1st to start the “recce tour” concept.
• We were the 1st to have Starlink internet access on our tours.
• Many of our tours and itineraries are being copied.
• We have a very high returning client rate.

Africa hides the most beautiful gems in landscapes and people for you to discover. Come explore Africa with us and we will introduce you to these beautiful places and interesting people.

For us, it’s about more than just doing the normal touristy thing, we will take you places the normal tourist never see and visit the off the beaten track destinations.

We offer the following:

• Guided self drive tours
• Bookings and adventure itineraries
• Camp equipment
• Equipped 4×4 vehicle rentals
• Custom made tours
• Please contact us for a quote……..

Check out our 2024 tours and adventures.

Why travel with us.

• We do more than just travel from point A to B. We show you places and destinations other only dream of.
• We share the history, stories and tales of all these places with you.
• No one will dispute the value of small groups while on tour—allowing you more personal and intimate interactions with the sites and people of your group and destinations.
• We focus on the greater experience rather than just sightseeing.
• You are fre e to do your own thing should you choose and are not bound to the day activities.
• Touring Africa with us makes best friends for life from complete strangers.
• Trans Africa Tours specialize in taking first time African travelers and showing them the ropes, border crossing formalities and the do and dont’s in Africa.
• We have a 5 star rating over a 5 year period and are doing tours for the last 11 years.
• Your tour leader George is a qualified paramedic with more than 20 years experience, not only that but he is extremely bush-wise and have extended mechanical knowledge. In short – He will not only guide you but he will take extremely good care of you in times when you might need it most.

Traveling in Africa changes you forever, like nowhere on earth. Once you have been there, you will never be the same. But how do you begin to describe its magic to someone who has never felt it? How can you explain the fascination of this vast, dusty continent, whose oldest roads are elephant paths? Could it be because Africa is the place of all our beginnings, the cradle of mankind, where our species first stood upright on the savannas of long ago?

Trans Africa Self Drive Adventures and Tours is your dream travel company

Have a look at our upcoming tours to Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, Mozambique, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Angola and Swaziland. These countries are very unique and each has its own magical destinations. Trans Africa Tours has been to all these countries to scout the best places for you. Once a year we do a recon tour into the unknown, searching for new routes and places.

“Africa – You can see a sunset and believe you have witnessed the Hand of God. You watch the slope lope of a lioness and forget to breathe. You marvel at the tripod of a giraffe bent to water. In Africa, there are iridescent blues on the wings of birds that you do not see anywhere else in nature. In Africa, in the midday heart, you can see blisters in the atmosphere. When you are in Africa, you feel primordial, rocked in the cradle of the world.”

* Jodi Picoult (American author)

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Please read some of our reviews and testimonials  https://transafricatours.co.za/testiminials/

TRANS AFRICA SPONSORS & PARTNERS

We pride ourselves on having established partnerships with these reputable businesses. If its good enough for Trans Africa its surely good enough for you…

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Fes to Accra (75 Days) Trans Africa

• Overland Truck
• Fully Guided

• Introduction
• Day 1-9 FES TO MARRAKECH
• Day 10-18 MARRAKECH TO WESTERN SAHARA
• Day 19-33 WESTERN SAHARA TO DAKAR
• Day 34-56 DAKAR TO TIWAI ISLAND WILDLIFE SANCTUARY
• Day 57-75 TIWAI ISLAND WILDLIFE SANCTUARY TO ACCRA

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What's Included

• Accommodation
• Additional Services

Where You'll Stay

Reviews about this operator.

• Tour Operator Oasis Overland 4.1
• Lyndsay · 29th August 2019 This tour was fantastic! The operators at Tourradar and Oasis Overland were very accomodating and arranged airport... Show more
• Mark · 7th April 2018 The tour was terrific. Loved it all. And tour guide Mustafa was wonderful.
• hayley · 25th December 2022 What a trip of a lifetime! Strongly recommend traveling Africa with Oasis - it was a truly unforgettable experience!... Show more

Dates & Availability

Pay-by-instalments

Take advantage of our 0% interest instalment plan on selected departures. Learn More

• Upcoming departures
• October 2024
• November 2024
• October 2025
• Sunday 27 Oct, 2024 Thursday 9 Jan, 2025 English Sold Out €4,903 See Similar Tours For These Dates
• Sunday 10 Nov, 2024 Thursday 23 Jan, 2025 English Sold Out €4,903 See Similar Tours For These Dates
• 1 Other Unavailable Departure
• Get Instant Confirmation Sunday 26 Oct, 2025 Thursday 8 Jan, 2026 English €5,262 0% Interest Instalments Confirm Dates

Frequently Asked Questions

We are there for you! If you have any questions about this tour, then please don't hesitate to contact us 24/7 and we will get back to you latest within 2 hours!

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Good to Know

• Currencies $ US Dollar £ Gibraltar Pound Gibraltar Fr Guinea Franc Guinea $ Liberian Dollar Liberia د.م. Moroccan Dirham Morocco MRO Ouguiya Mauritania Le Leone Sierra Leone Fr CFA Franc BCEAO Ivory Coast and Senegal

As a traveller from USA, Canada you will need an adaptor for types D, M, G, C, E, F, K. As a traveller from England you will need an adaptor for types D, M, C, E, F, K, A, B. As a traveller from Australia, New Zealand you will need an adaptor for types D, M, G, C, E, F, K, A, B. As a traveller from South Africa you will need an adaptor for types G, C, E, F, K, A, B.

• These are only indications, so please visit your doctor before you travel to be 100% sure.
• Typhoid - Recommended for Ivory Coast, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Mauritania, Morocco, Senegal and Sierra Leone. Ideally 2 weeks before travel.
• Hepatitis A - Recommended for Ivory Coast, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Mauritania, Morocco, Senegal and Sierra Leone. Ideally 2 weeks before travel.
• Cholera - Recommended for Ivory Coast, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Mauritania, Senegal and Sierra Leone. Ideally 2 weeks before travel.
• Tuberculosis - Recommended for Ivory Coast, Ghana, Liberia, Mauritania, Morocco, Senegal and Sierra Leone. Ideally 3 months before travel.
• Hepatitis B - Recommended for Ivory Coast, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Mauritania, Morocco, Senegal and Sierra Leone. Ideally 2 months before travel.
• Rabies - Recommended for Ivory Coast, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Mauritania, Morocco, Senegal and Sierra Leone. Ideally 1 month before travel.
• Meningococcal meningitis - Recommended for Ivory Coast, Ghana, Guinea and Senegal. Ideally 3 weeks before travel.
• Yellow fever - Required for entrance into the country for Ivory Coast, Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone. Yellow fever - Certificate of vaccination required if arriving from an area with a risk of yellow fever transmission for Guinea and Senegal. Yellow fever - Recommended for Mauritania. Ideally 10 days before travel.
• Unfortunately we cannot offer you a visa application service. Whether you need a visa or not depends on your nationality and where you wish to travel. Assuming your home country does not have a visa agreement with the country you're planning to visit, you will need to apply for a visa in advance of your scheduled departure.
• Here is an indication for which countries you might need a visa. Please contact the local embassy for help applying for visas to these places.
• For any tour departing before 17th July 2024 a full payment is necessary. For tours departing after 17th July 2024, a minimum payment of €390 is required to confirm your booking with Oasis Overland. The final payment will be automatically charged to your credit card on the designated due date. The final payment of the remaining balance is required at least 75 days prior to the departure date of your tour. TourRadar never charges you a booking fee and will charge you in the stated currency.
• Some departure dates and prices may vary and Oasis Overland will contact you with any discrepancies before your booking is confirmed.
• The following cards are accepted for "Oasis Overland" tours: Visa, Maestro, Mastercard, American Express or PayPal. TourRadar does NOT charge you an extra fee for using any of these payment methods.
• Insurance Unless otherwise mentioned, TourRadar does not provide travel insurance. We do however recommend purchasing it through our tried and trusted partner, World Travel Nomads .
• Accessibility Some tours are not suitable for mobility-restricted traveller, however, some operators may be able to accommodate special requests. For any enquiries, you can contact our customer support team , who are ready and waiting to help you.
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Discovering South Africa’s treasures beyond Cape Town

De Hoop Nature Reserve in South Africa. Erin Conway-Smith/The Globe and Mail

As you drive into De Hoop Nature Reserve in South Africa’s Western Cape region, you’ll see majestic herds of eland, one of the world’s largest antelopes. You might also catch sight of a few Cape mountain zebra, the endangered cousins of Africa’s famous striped beasts.

But while admiring the charismatic animals here, pay attention to the ungainly ostriches strolling among them. They are a curious link to some of the world’s earliest art, found in the ancient sea caves of the nearby coast.

Abstract geometric designs carved into the giant shells of ostrich eggs around 65,000 years ago are among the oldest known examples of symbolic creations by humans. Dozens of carved fragments have been found in Klipdrift Shelter, an archeological site on the reserve.

A new exhibition at this stark but stunning site calls it a land of “extreme plenty” – a prehistoric coastal paradise where an abundance of shellfish and mammals, along with a mild climate and protective caves, allowed Stone Age humans enough time for the luxury of creating patterns on the eggshells they used as water containers.

Ostrich and egrets at De Hoop Nature Reserve in South Africa. Erin Conway-Smith/The Globe and Mail

This connection to early human history is among the hidden gems of the Western Cape. Most tourists tend to fly into Cape Town and join the crowds on the city’s beaches or the Table Mountain cable car. By venturing off the beaten path, just a few hours in almost any direction from Cape Town, you can discover a host of unexpected pleasures – and often have them almost to yourself.

As South Africa celebrates the 30th anniversary of its first democratic election after its liberation from apartheid, the country is increasingly recognizing the importance of tourism, which supports nearly 10 per cent of its work force. Cape Town, the legislative capital, remains the hub, drawing record numbers of inbound passengers at its airport this year and regularly topping global lists of favourite cities, with its spectacular new museums and waterfront shops. But for a glimpse of the true South Africa, go beyond its limits.

In my 15 years as a Johannesburg-based correspondent, I’ve come to treasure road trips across the country, from mountains to desert to ocean. A vast network of wildlife parks is easily accessible, with comfortable accommodations and good facilities. Roads are not always up to Canadian standards but mostly fine, and South Africans are famously friendly.

De Hoop Nature Reserve was a farm in the 18th and 19th centuries, and its historic homestead was later declared a national monument. Handout

For our latest five-day meander through back roads and coastal hideaways, we head two hours east of Cape Town to the gorgeous town of Montagu on the edge of the Karoo desert, where we spend the first night.

Montagu is known for its nearby Boer War fort, but nowadays its excellent museum and extensive herb gardens are an entry point to the culture of the Khoisan, the Indigenous people of Southern Africa. The museum, housed in a 117-year-old former church, features displays of medicinal herbs from Indigenous remedies, handed down to generations and studied by the museum’s staff for the past three decades.

A stroll around the historic town reveals many other attractions: good restaurants, an art-deco hotel and hundreds of the African sacred ibises and egrets that roost in the trees above a town pond.

A two-hour drive to the south – past fields of grain, dotted with South Africa’s national bird, the blue crane – brought us to De Hoop. The nature reserve was a farm in the 18th and 19th centuries, and its historic homestead was later declared a national monument. Today the reserve is a successful partnership between the provincially owned CapeNature agency and several private companies that provide cottage-style accommodation, dining and leisure activities.

At low tide, guides bring visitors to rock pools, where you can see the same abundance of shellfish that allowed the early humans to flourish. Whale season is from June to December, bringing southern right whales into the bay. The land-based whale watching here is among the best in the country. For a more adventurous pursuit, you can see whether your snowboarding skills translate to the emerging sport of sandboarding on the massive sand dunes near the ocean.

Endangered birds are protected at De Hoop, making for some extraordinary birdwatching experiences. ANTON CRONE/Handout

The birdwatching is exceptional. We spotted 45 of the reserve’s 260 bird species in a two-hour walk along De Hoop’s inland lake. There are flocks of pelicans, egrets, cormorants and flamingos. De Hoop is part of the Cape Floral Region, a UNESCO World Heritage site, protected for its thousands of endemic plant species and its unique fynbos vegetation, an exceptionally diverse type of coastal shrub.

Endangered birds are also protected here. De Hoop is home to a newly established colony of African penguins, the latest attempt to stave off the extinction of the continent’s only penguin species. There’s also a colony of Cape vultures – the last surviving in the Western Cape. Neither the penguin colony nor the Klipdrift archeological site are open to visitors, but there are guided walks to the vulture colony to see the endangered birds swooping overhead.

Eland, one of the world’s largest antelopes. Handout

Because there are no predators in this corner of the country, you can stroll safely among the wildlife: bontebok antelopes, ostriches, otters, rock hyraxes and more. There are good hiking trails along the lake, where spectacular golden orb spiders can be spotted. The reserve is also the end point of the renowned 55-kilometre, five-day Whale Trail, one of South Africa’s most popular coastal hiking routes. (Advance bookings required.)

De Hoop employs about 200 people, providing much-needed jobs in a country of high unemployment. Most employees are local residents from lower-income communities who have been trained into skilled positions.

One of them is Dalfrenzo Laing, from the nearby town of Napier, who survived a troubled adolescence of crime and drug use. In 2008 he was laid off from his job at a petrol station and had no idea what to do. Recruited for an eight-month marine guiding course, he became De Hoop’s first guide.

Ten years ago, when I first visited De Hoop, he was our guide to the starfish and jellyfish at the tidal pools. Today he is assistant general manager for the De Hoop Collection, the company that operates the white-washed cottages and farmhouses where visitors stay, and he serves as its ambassador to the local communities. “I’ve visited many schools and I hope I’ve inspired them,” he told me. “I tell them about my journey and how nature has helped to transform me.”

After two nights at De Hoop, we drove an hour westward to the relaxing coastal town of Agulhas. The big attraction here is Cape Agulhas – the southernmost tip of Africa and the meeting point of the Atlantic and Indian oceans. (Many people wrongly assume that the Cape of Good Hope is the continent’s southern tip.)

Portuguese sailors called it the Cape of Needles in the 1480s after discovering that their compass needles all pointed precisely true north from here. But the name also evokes the sharp rocks and dangerous reefs in the waters of the often-stormy cape, which have wrecked roughly 150 ships over the centuries, giving it another name: the Graveyard of Ships.

One of South Africa’s oldest lighthouses, at the southernmost point in Africa. Geoffrey York/The Globe and Mail

Agulhas National Park is now building an interpretative centre and expanded visitor facilities around the cape’s distinctive 175-year-old lighthouse – one of the oldest in the country, and still functioning. Inside is a small museum, and you can climb to a very windy viewpoint at the top.

The southern tip of Africa, a few hundred metres past the lighthouse, is marked with a monument and a giant stylized map of the continent. A few kilometres down the coast is the Meisho Maru shipwreck, the eerie rusted remains of a Japanese fishing trawler that crashed into the underwater rocks during a storm in 1982.

Another nearby attraction is the town of Struisbaai, with a sandy beach that extends for 14 kilometres (although the water is probably too cold for most swimmers). Stingrays swim into the harbour every day in search of discarded entrails from the fishing boats. The biggest and most popular has been named Parrie.

After an excellent dinner at a fish-and-chips spot and a night at an Agulhas hotel, we drove back to Cape Town, making time along the way to stop for tastings at Africa’s southernmost wineries, including Strandveld and Black Oystercatcher. The terroir for these wine estates produces distinctive sauvignon blancs because of its slow-ripening yields, small grapes and cool Atlantic Ocean winds.

An alternative coastal route back to Cape Town is slightly longer, but it allows you to visit the beguiling town of Hermanus, the country’s whale capital, with its 12-kilometre cliff walk and Whale Crier who alerts tourists with the foghorn-like blare of his kelp horn when there is a sighting.

On the coastal route of this five-day loop, an essential final stop is the town of Betty’s Bay, a former whaling station. Here, you can visit one of South Africa’s best-known colonies of African penguins, giving you a glimpse of the charming but endangered birds that De Hoop’s new colony is trying to revive. Scientists at Betty’s Bay are measuring the diet of these plucky penguins, studying ways to safeguard their future – and keep the tourists coming.

Cape mountain zebra at De Hoop Nature Reserve. Handout

There are no direct flights to South Africa from Canada, but there are many flights from cities such as Atlanta, Newark, N.J., London, Paris and Frankfurt, with some flights going directly to Cape Town.

Car rental is easy and efficient at Cape Town airport. Driving is on the left, as in Britain. If you don’t want to self-drive, some tourism agencies allow you to hire a guide with a car.

Visa and Mastercard are widely accepted but carry some South African rands for petrol-station tips, car guards and parking garages. Most ATMs accept international debit cards, but don’t get into conversation with the smooth-talking con men who sometimes hover around the cash machines.

Crime is always a concern, but it is much rarer in small towns and tourist sites, where the vibe is relaxed and friendly. Stay alert in the big cities, keep your car doors locked and windows up, and put valuables in your trunk.

At national parks, you can book comfortable chalets or huts from the excellent website of SANParks , the national parks agency: sanparks.org .

At De Hoop, a range of accommodation, from campsites to six-bed manor houses, is available as part of the De Hoop Collection: dehoopcollection.com

In Agulhas, the Agulhas Country Lodge boasts nice sea views. Rates with breakfast, based on double occupancy, start at $75 a person: agulhascountrylodge.com

In Montagu, sunbirds dart around the gardens of the Montagu Vines Guesthouse. Rooms start at $155 for double occupancy: montaguvines.co.za

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Why Traveling Around Africa Is Difficult for Africans

I was scrolling on social media when a post caught my eye. Green Ranger Safaris , a travel company I'd never heard of, was organizing a road trip through seven African countries. This trip would start in Nairobi, Kenya, then head down into Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Namibia, and Botswana. The pricing was reasonable, so I paid a deposit, brushing aside concerns about both spending weeks on end with a group of strangers and the slight chance that the trip might have been an excellently worded scam.

A few months later, in August, I was on a truck with those strangers. It was late in the evening, and we swept through the Kalahari Desert in northern Botswana, the sun in the sky a flaming orb, the only visible life on the sand of the desert being the shrubs, the wild horses, and the herds of elephants. Music swirled from the truck's speakers, a mishmash of popular Kenyan songs from the turn of the century and Nigerian megahits. The countries we were traveling to had been chosen mostly because they were all English-speaking and provided visa-free travel to Kenyans, so the border crossings were simple, with clearances for the trucks, stamps for our passports and, in Botswana, disinfectant for our shoes.

Talk among the passengers was already turning toward doing similar trips in other parts of Africa. One suggested starting in Namibia, sweeping down along the coast into South Africa, moving through the megacities there, then traveling to Lesotho and Eswatini before entering Mozambique. Another pitched a West Africa trip. It all sounded exciting. Everything was possible. But then another passenger brought up Niger, where a coup had just led to the country's closure of its borders. What would happen if a person took a West Africa road trip and then there was a coup? Would the passenger have to stay there and never go home? We laughed at the absurdity. But behind the laughter was real heartache. Because the reality is that any African traveler has thought about the difficulty of traveling as an African.

My mother was a traveler, and when she traveled for work, my brothers and I would travel in Kenya with her. Then, when I was older, the expanse of my travel grew larger: First I traveled around Kenya, then around East Africa. Now I have a desire to explore the continent, to explore versions of myself in other countries in Africa, home to some of the most humbling and impressive landscapes and vistas in the world: to the largest freestanding mountain on earth (Kilimanjaro); to the largest hot desert in the world (Sahara); to thundering waterfalls twice as wide and deep as Niagara (Victoria); to sparkling white-sand beaches; to UNESCO-listed nature reserves; to cities whose histories stretch back through millennia; and to award-winning wine regions. But I find myself marooned before the bank of difficulties other African travelers face.

A few months after my Green Ranger trip, I spoke to Anneli Douglas, an academic at the University of Pretoria in South Africa who has studied travel in Africa. She pointed out how much easier it is for Western visitors to get visas for Africa than it is for African travelers to visit their countries. "Sometimes, travelers have to travel long distances to apply for a visa, or there might not even be representation of the destination country in the home country, making it difficult to obtain a visa at all," she says. "Also, for Western countries, the cost to obtain a visa to Africa is much cheaper than what it is for Africans-considering the value of the local currency."

In places like Kenya, African destinations are rarely marketed to would-be travelers. Instead, there is a surfeit of packages offering holiday trips in destinations like Dubai, Bangkok, and Istanbul, because it is not only easier but also often cheaper to organize trips to these places than it is to organize trips within the continent. Even when visas are relatively easily attainable, travel from one African country to another is rife with difficulties. Sam Maundu, a Nairobi-based tour operator who runs Rosolo Safaris , which organizes trips around Africa, had no shortage of factors ready when I asked what these difficulties are: "Language barriers, visa restrictions, expensive flights, African destinations not targeting Africans to visit, long distances to be covered either by road or by flight since there are often no direct flights, security situations in some places, perception that there is nothing to see in other African countries, harassment by border officials."

One of the lingering effects of colonialism on the continent is that interaction between African countries tends to exist along mostly colonial lines: There are the former Portuguese colonies, the former British colonies, the former French colonies. Passport holders from Kenya, which was colonized by Britain, are mostly able to go to former British colonies visa-free or with visa-on-arrival status. This means that for a person planning a trip, it becomes easier to think of traveling to these countries. On our multiple-country road trip, the travelers were mostly holders of Kenyan and Ugandan passports (Uganda, another former British colony), and so the countries that the trucks went to were all-except for Namibia-former vestiges of the British Empire. This shared history meant also that because all these countries have English as an official language, it would be relatively easy for us travelers to communicate with people there.

Samuel Agblorti is a lecturer at the Centre for Mixed Migration and Diaspora Studies of the University of Cape Coast in Ghana. I ask him about about a hypothetical trip from Cameroon to Senegal, across a region where multiple coups have happened in recent years. Safety concerns rising from these events had further entrenched visa restrictions across Africa. "Because our borders aren't very well protected, there is a fear that allowing too many visitors will make it unsafe," Agblorti tells me. But even getting those visitors has been a problem.

In 2016, the African Union announced plans for an AU passport to be rolled out by 2020. This passport would open travel across the continent, as more African citizens wouldn't need visas to travel to other African countries. However, more than seven years later, the passport hasn't been launched, stymied by a mixture of security concerns and protectionist attitudes among African states. (The AU remains silent on when and if the passport will be launched.) Still, Agblorti says such a passport would not necessarily be the panacea that its supporters think it would be as it wouldn't automatically lead to visa-free travel without individual states implementing it. He gave the example of regional blocs such as the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), whose membership comprises 15 West African states whose citizens hold ECOWAS passports. "Even within ECOWAS, there are protocols that member countries are supposed to adhere to, but some of them don't," he says. "You may have a common passport, but if the countries don't make extra commitments, then it doesn't matter."

Thus far, only a handful of African countries have committed to allowing African visitors to visit without a visa: Gambia, Benin, and Seychelles; Rwanda has announced plans to implement this. On a small scale, then, African visitors to these countries will experience the promise of the AU passport-if it does indeed come to fruition.

Most recently, in December 2023, rather than introduce the visa-free status its president had promised , Kenya announced that it would require an electronic travel authorization (ETA) , to increase revenue from visitors seeking to enter Kenya. Visa-free entry was scrapped for all but five other East African countries, and new travel requirements and fees were introduced for countries whose citizens had previously enjoyed visa-free travel into Kenya. To some, the doors of entry-rather than being flung open-were being closed even tighter.

Another issue is how expensive it is to travel in Africa. According to a 2013 World Bank report , airfare within Africa is roughly 50 percent more expensive than airfare in comparable locations worldwide. Flights from one African country to the other tend to be much more expensive than flights from Africa to Europe and Asia, despite logic that the shorter the distance, the cheaper the flight ought to be. This means, in effect, that a traveler from Kampala, Uganda, would find it more affordable, and therefore more attractive, to fly to Dubai than to Maputo, Mozambique, despite the latter being much closer than the UAE.

Tour operator Maundu told me that this makes it difficult for him to suggest to his clients travel packages that involve other African destinations: Often, it means the cost of the round-trip air tickets more than doubles the cost of the entire travel package. And there aren't always reliable road or rail options that offer alternative transport to travelers. Most leisure travelers can't move directly by rail from Kenya to South Africa (there is a luxury train network between Tanzania and South Africa that costs $19,000), while in most other regions of the continent, not only are there no multicountry rail options, but also existing bus networks rely on terrible roads.

The irregularity or non-availability of intra-regional air connections and of internal air transport also constrains access to internal destinations and prevents progress with multicountry tourism packages, Maundu says. Also, tax rates per passenger in Africa are more expensive than they are on other continents: The total tax per passenger is about $64, compared to $30.23 in Europe and $29.65 in the Middle East. This is exacerbated by the lack of a single unified aviation market, whose absence means that fares and tax rates swing with volatility across different parts of the continent.

Rather than negotiate with one central body, airlines operating in Africa deal with individual countries, which each usually have different rates and requirements for entry. In Europe, for instance, the establishment of the European Common Aviation Area (ECAA) in 2006 decreased airfares across Europe by making possible the rise of a fleet of low-cost airlines, and at the same time increased the volume of flights within European airports. In this vein, there have been attempts to establish a single aviation market in Africa. The most recent of these attempts is the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM). Announced in 2018 , the SAATM so far has signed on 34 countries. However, like the AU passport before it, the SAATM has not been implemented, and so it remains nothing but an idea.

In the meantime, African travelers continue to dream. Travel plans continue to be made. Potential destinations continue to be talked about. At the end of our seven-country road trip, as we headed back to Kenya, we spoke again about organizing future trips together, our group of strangers now bonded as friends. Some people discussed taking a trip to Uganda over the next month. Others talked about heading across the Indian Ocean to Mauritius. In Lusaka, Zambia, where the first batch of travelers would leave us to fly back to Nairobi, weepy goodbyes were made. "We are family," one of them said.

Simple Flying

Pride in flight: lions vasylyna & nikola travel on martinair cargo boeing 747 to south africa.

The two lions have found a new home at a large South African sanctuary.

• Vasylyna and Nikola have found a new home in South Africa at LIONSROCK Sanctuary after flying from the Netherlands.
• Both lions had troubling pasts before being rescued and transported to FELIDA Big Cat Sanctuary in the Netherlands.
• Air France-KLM Martinair Cargo also transported koalas to the Netherlands, marking a historic moment for the country.

Two lions, Vasylyna and Nikola, have found a new home in South Africa after being transported on a special Martinair flight from the Netherlands. The animals arrived in South Africa on April 26 onboard a Boeing 747 Freighter . They will join other big cats at a large sanctuary in the Free State province. The cargo carrier also transported two koalas to the Netherlands a week earlier.

A new home in South Africa

The journey to South Africa marked a new chapter in the lives of Vasylyna and Nikola. They were transported from FELIDA, the specialized sanctuary for big cats in Friesland, the Netherlands, to LIONSROCK Big Cat Sanctuary in Bethlehem, South Africa. With an expansive area of 4.8 sq mi (1250 hectares), LIONSROCK is home to over 100 big cats, including lions, leopards, and tigers rescued from around the world.

Both sanctuaries are run by the animal welfare organization FOUR PAWS. The lions boarded Martinair Cargo Flight MP8341 from Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS) to Johannesburg OR Tambo International Airport (JNB). According to Flightradar24 , the Boeing 747 departed Amsterdam at 23:25 and landed in Johannesburg at 09:56.

The cargo carrier is proud to have played a critical role in getting the lions to their new sanctuary, leveraging its extensive experience in transporting wild animals. The airline has a dedicated animal hotel at its KLM Cargo facilities in Amsterdam and expert staff members who diligently oversee animal welfare during flights . Speaking about the facility, Air France-KLM Martinair Cargo Global Head of Specials Logistics Mirjam Scherer said,

"At our animal hotel at Schiphol, we prioritize dedication to providing the best care for our animal passengers. We ensure the highest level of attention and care for every animal under our care, from the moment of arrival to departure. Our team of seasoned professionals is ready to deliver the best service and care, including special diets, administering medication, and, of course, plenty of love and attention."

How Qatar Airways Helped To Relocate 'The World's Loneliest Lion'

Lions with similar backgrounds.

Vasylyna and Nikola share incredibly similar stories. The young lioness Vasylyna arrived at FELIDA Big Cat Sanctuary on June 7, 2023. She had been kept as a pet in Ukraine before escaping and wandering through the war-torn streets of a village near Kharkiv. She was captured by the founder of Wild Animal Rescue and taken to a temporary wildlife shelter in Ukraine. Due to the hostile situation in the country and lack of adequate care and space, she was relocated to the Netherlands.

Nikola found his way to the Dutch sanctuary after being rescued from illegal private possession in Montenegro. He was found in February 2022 and confiscated by local authorities. He had been roaming the streets near Budva on the Adriatic coast, exhausted and malnourished. Thanks to the collaborative efforts, the two lions now have a new home in a large sanctuary. FOUR PAWS Director Petra Sleven added,

"The relocation of Vasylyna and Nikola to LIONSROCK means they finally have the opportunity to live in a large sanctuary, surrounded by other lions. While it’s saddening that they never had the chance to be released into the wild due to illegal trade, we are glad to offer them a more natural life here."

In August 2022, five lions also arrived at LIONSROCK from FELIDA. They were part of a pride of seven rescued by FOUR PAWS from Romania in September 2022. They were taken to the Netherlands for treatment. The younger five were transported to LIONSROCK, while the older two lions remained at FELIDA, requiring specialized care.

Check out more African aviation news here

Transporting koalas to the Netherlands

On April 19, 2024, Air France-KLM Martinair Cargo facilitated the transportation of three koalas from the US to the Netherlands. The animals arrived in the Netherlands onboard a KLM Boeing 787 Dreamliner , becoming the first koalas to set foot on Dutch soil. This marked a historic moment for everyone involved.

How Does KlasJet Look After Animals Traveling On Its Planes?

They were transported on Flight KL602, which departed Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) at 14:14 and arrived at Amsterdam Schiphol at 09:04 local time. Upon arrival, the koalas were unloaded from the aircraft's cargo hold and transported to the KLM Animal Hotel, where they underwent customs clearance and health checks. On their final leg, they traveled from Amsterdam to Ouwehands Zoo in Rhenen.

What are your thoughts on these stories? Please let us know in the comments!

• Entertainment

Former UK PM Boris Johnson Turned Away from Polling Station for Lack of Photo ID 3 mins ago

Liberia signs law to set up crimes court for victims of its two civil wars 3 hours ago, naira dips at official to n1,402/$1, parallel market to n1,380/$1 3 hours ago, i’ve made peace with wike, says magnus abe  3 hours ago, south africa gears up for africa’s travel indaba 2024, set to promote african tourism .

South Africa’s Deputy Tourism Minister has said Africa’s Travel Indaba plays a pivotal role in showcasing the continent’s tourism offerings.

Africa’s Travel Indaba, a prominent tourism trade show, is scheduled to take place from May 13th to 16th at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre (ICC) in South Africa.

This event, known for its global significance, attracts thousands of participants, including exhibitors from various African nations and international buyers. More than just a platform for business transactions, the event focuses on capacity building and knowledge sharing, benefiting all attendees, particularly smaller and emerging businesses in the industry.

South Africa’s Deputy Minister of Tourism, Honourable Fish Mahlalela, highlighted the importance of Africa’s Travel Indaba as he said, “This show is the premier platform for showcasing Africa’s diverse tourism offerings and experiences. Its impact on the tourism sector and the broader economy is immense and central to the success of our continent.”

Africa’s Travel Indaba 2024 promises extensive value for delegates, featuring tailored networking sessions, panel discussions, speed marketing sessions, and a sophisticated match-making diary system.

Also, the participation of twenty-six African countries underscores its status as a proudly Pan African show. Additionally, 120 Small, Medium, and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) will be hosted at the Hidden Gems zone in collaboration with the Department of Tourism.

The main event will be preceded by the Business Opportunities Networking Day (BONDay) on May 13th, which will offer networking opportunities and thought leadership discussions.

Furthermore, the partners for the event and provincial hosts, KwaZulu-Natal Tourism, have organised pre- and post-tours for selected delegates to showcase various experiences and products.

The MEC Economic Development, Tourism, and Environmental Affairs, Mr. Siboniso Duma, expressed excitement about hosting Africa’s Travel Indaba in KwaZulu-Natal, highlighting its significant role in tourism growth and economic impact. He emphasised the province’s readiness to accommodate attendees, citing adequate accommodation establishments within a reasonable travel distance to the venue.

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Chairperson of the eThekwini Municipality Economic Development and Planning Committee, Councillor Thembo Ntuli, emphasised the importance of Indaba for Durban’s tourism industry, saying, “Indaba is an instrumental platform for the tourism industry which is firmly on the road to recovery. The show has become synonymous with the city of Durban as we have hosted this Africa’s critical tourism showcase over many years.

“The city’s economy will benefit immensely from hosting this three-day long trade showcase as hotel occupancy is expected to be between 85 to 95 percent. In addition, local tourism products and community tourism organizations are ready and eager to engage with buyers, tour operators, and travel agencies to continue selling Durban as the destination of choice.”

The 2023 edition of Africa’s Travel Indaba recorded substantial growth, with increased attendance of almost 62%, with over 8,500 delegates attending from 22 countries, and significant contributions to the GDP of eThekwini and KwaZulu-Natal.

The Chief Executive Officer of the Inkosi Albert Luthuli Convention Centre, Ms. Lindiwe-Rakherebe, expressed enthusiasm for hosting Africa’s Travel Indaba as she said, We are fully committed to ensuring that our venue provides the perfect setting for international buyers and media to connect with the best of Africa’s tourism products. With our state-of-the-art facilities and dedicated staff, we are ready to welcome participants from across the globe and make Africa’s Travel Indaba 2024 a resounding success.”

Ozioma Samuel-Ugwuezi

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