Great Trek Adventure

19 days, 18 nights

+- Overview

Trek and camp as the early Europeans did when they explored this part of Southern Africa, and travel from the Cape in South Africa through Namibia, into Zambia and Botswana.  Start with a tour of the Cape Peninsula while in Cape Town, South Africa’s ‘mother city’, before heading north through the Western Cape and into the wilds of the deserts of Namibia.  This is a land of dramatic geological scenery: from moon-like landscapes of Damaraland to the world’s highest sand dunes at Sossusvlei.  Spend time on the Atlantic coast where you’ll see thousands of flamingos at Walvis Bay and enjoy optional activities during a two-day stay in colonial Swakopmund.  It is also a country once home to the San (Bushmen) who left traces of their nomadic past etched in ancient rock paintings, and where today you will meet interesting tribes such as the Himba whose women are renowned for their dignified beauty. 

Route Details

Cape Town (1) Namaqualand (1) Fish River Canyon (1) Namib Deserti> (2) Swakopmund (2) Spitzkoppe (1) Damaraland (1) Etosha National Park (3) Okavango (2) Chobe (2) Livingstone (2)

Now it’s time for serious game viewing, beginning in Namibia’s Etosha National Park.  The vast saltpans of Etosha are inhabited with great herds, the predators and birds beyond counting.  After several days crossing the park, enter the Caprivi Strip in northeastern Namibia and see Africa’s animals in a different habitat along the rivers of the Okavango Delta.  Enjoy excursions in a dugout canoe (mokoro) or take guided walks into a world of pristine wilderness.

+- Daily Itinerary
+ - Day 1 Cape Town
Arrival

Set off on a full-day tour of the Cape Peninsula. Drive along the Atlantic via Hout Bay and Chapmans Peak, and visit the Cape Point Nature Reserve, before returning along the Indian Ocean coastline via Simonstown and Fishhoek to your well-situated Waterfront hotel.  A morning or afternoon cable car ascent up Table Mountain is optional and dependent on weather (own expense).  Enjoy dinner on your own along the bustling Waterfront with its many restaurants.

Overnight Accommodations

Breakwater Lodge

+ - Day 2 Cape Town Namaqualand

Leave Cape Town after breakfast for the West Coast. Traveling north set up camp in the heart of the Namaqualand region.  In the spring months (Aug to Oct), the countryside is ablaze with flowers.

Overnight Accommodations

Camping

Included Meals

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

+ - Day 3 Namaqualand Fish River Canyon

Today, cross the border into Namibia, and following lunch arrive at the Fish River Canyon. After setting up camp, take a wonderful walk along the rim of the canyon, watching its colors change at sunset.

Overnight Accommodations

Camping

Included Meals

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

+ - Day 4 & 5 Fish River Canyon Namib Desert

Travel today through spectacular countryside to the edge of the Namib Desert where you will camp for 2 nights. Enjoy a stunning sunset walk in the dunes surrounding the camp.  Set off early the next morning for Sossusvlei, stopping in the dune belt to witness the changing colors of the world’s highest sand dunes. Then undertake a 5km walk to Sossusvlei and Deadvlei and later in the afternoon take a short hike through the Sesriem Canyon before returning to camp.

Overnight Accommodations

Camping

Included Meals

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

+ - Day 6 & 7 Namib Desert Swakopmund

Head northwest to the Atlantic coast. During lunch at Walvis Bay, you can watch the many flamingos that come to the bay to feed. Arrive in Swakopmund for a 2-night stay in a bungalow or guesthouse.  The balance of the day and all of the next are at leisure with numerous optional excursions available (own expense). Activities include sand boarding, quad biking, skydiving, kayaking, hot air ballooning or scenic flights over the vast Namib Desert.

Overnight Accommodations

Dunedin Star Guest House

Included Meals

Breakfast

+ - Day 8 Swakopmund Spitzkoppe

Head north and set up camp among the boulders of the Spitzkoppe Mountains, a spectacular setting that is sure to leave a lasting impression. An afternoon walk is conducted in the surrounding area.

Overnight Accommodations

Camping

Included Meals

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

+ - Day 9 Spitzkoppe Damaraland

Drive inland through the Damaraland region with its vast and rugged terrain. Its mountain ranges are intercepted by wide gravel plains, which run into sandy, vegetated riverbeds and hot, dry valleys.  In the afternoon we visit the Himba tribe, a semi-nomadic tribe, living in scattered settlements throughout the region.

Overnight Accommodations

Camping

Included Meals

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

+ - Day 10 Damaraland Etosha National Park

Today we travel to Etosha National Park, home to thousands of wild animal where floodlit waterholes attract an abundance of animals throughout the evening

Overnight Accommodations

Camping

Included Meals

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

+ - Day 11 & 12 Etosha National Park

Each day enjoy early morning and late afternoon game drives, as you move through this massive Park.  At night the floodlit waterholes at the Okaukuejo and Namutoni campsites attract an abundance of animals, providing many amazing wildlife sightings. .

Overnight Accommodations

Camping

Included Meals

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

+ - Day 13 & 14 Etosha National Park Caprivi

Leaving the park, enter the Caprivi Strip in northeastern Namibia where camp is set amongst the lush vegetation overlooking the Okavango River. Here you can enjoy a sunset on the deck or a swim in the famous “river pool”.  During the 2-night stay there are many optional activities available such as exploring by mokoros (dugout canoe), guided bird walks or a boat cruise on the river.

Overnight Accommodations

Camping

Included Meals

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

+ - Day 15 & 16 Caprivi Chobe National Park

Continuing through the Caprivi we cross into Botswana where we set up camping on the banks of the Chobe River.  Chobe is famous for its beautiful scenery, magnificent sunsets and abundance of wildlife and birdlife.  Relax on a game viewing cruise on the Chobe River.  There is an optional game drive in Chobe National Park (additional cost).

Overnight Accommodations

Camping

Included Meals

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

+ - Day 17 & 18 Livingstone

This morning cross the Zambian border to Livingstone for a view of Victoria Falls, one of the most spectacular sights in Africa. For the balance of these 2 days spend your time at leisure where you can browse in the local markets, and experience the many optional activities (own expense).  Activities included white water rafting, bungi jumping, microlighting/ airplane or helicopter over the Falls.  You can also take rhino walks and elephant back safaris.

 

Overnight Accommodations

Camping

Included Meals

Breakfast

+ - Day 19 Livingstone

Your wonderful safari ends after breakfast today.

Departure

Included Meals

Breakfast

Additional Information

Transfers

Round trip transfers in Cape Town and pre night accommodation may be pre-booked.  Please contact us for details.

Notes

This itinerary will depend on local conditions and is recommended for healthy, active participants looking for an adventurous holiday.

Insurance

Kindly ensure that you are holding Comprehensive Travel Insurance covering cancellation, curtailment, medical, emergency travel and assistance, as this is compulsory on this tour.

+- Accommodations

Overnight Accommodations

+ - Breakwater Lodge

LOCATION – Just minutes away from restaurants, pubs, theaters and shops, the Protea Hotel Breakwater Lodge is premier Cape Town hotel accommodation, ideally positioned in the heart of Cape Town’s V & A Waterfront development.

Once a 19th Century prison, the Protea Hotel Breakwater Lodge today provides comfortable and affordable Cape Town hotel accommodation in a spectacular setting that looks over the bay and up onto Table Mountain. Neighboring Cape Town’s CBD, the Protea Hotel Breakwater Lodge lies within easy reach of the main routes to the beaches, mountain walks and city hotspots, not to mention the airport. So whether you’re in Cape Town for business reasons or for a leisurely and relaxing holiday, the Protea Hotel Breakwater Lodge will provide you with comfort and convenience during your stay. The hotel offers Standard Rooms, Deluxe Rooms, Business Suite and Family Unit.  Besides the hotel’s accommodation facilities, there are two restaurants within the hotel complex, as well as a bar which is perfect for both pre-dinner cocktails and late night liqueurs. The Hotel also has an extensive choice of banqueting venues and state-of-the-art conference facilities.

+ - Camping

The concept behind this tour is for guests to enjoy the tasks they are responsible for, while still feeling like valued visitors who are on holiday. Clients’ involvement is an integral part of an enjoyable and successful journey. Clients are required to participate in certain tasks such as assisting the guide and assistant with the making and breaking up of camp, erecting and dismantling their tents with ease.

Camping Equipment
Large, spacious, comfortable tents (W2.4m x L2.4m x H1.9m) accommodating 2 persons are provided. Each tent is insect proof and equipped with a built-in ground sheet for insulation as well as two large aerating windows with mosquito nets. Each passenger is provided with a 6 cm thick foam mattress and a comfortable safari folding chair. A comprehensive set of cooking and camping equipment, water containers, first aid box, reference books on mammals and birds of the area and a set of spare parts are carried in the vehicle. Clients are requested to bring their own small pillow and sleeping bag (alternatively sleeping bags may be hired).

All meals are prepared by the guide & assistant cook with special emphasis placed on good, wholesome food. A continental breakfast: cereals, bread, jams, tea, coffee and milk are served in the morning. Lunch is usually a “cold picnic” with the main meal being enjoyed in the evening with a sit down dinner at a lantern lit table. Freezers on each vehicle allow us to be self-sufficient. Drinks and mineral water are not included on the tours and may be purchased from a bottle store or supermarket at reasonable prices and stored in the cooler box/fridge provided. Tea and coffee is available when in camp.

+ - Dunedin Star Guest House

Additional Information

Accommodations

14 nights camping at selected camp-sites and 4 night hotel/guesthouse.  Note: Sleeping bags are available (USD 46) and must be booked in advance.

+- Inclusions

Features & Services

Included

  • Meet & Greet

    We'll meet you at The Breakwater Loge Hotel in Cape Town on Day 1.

  • Accommodations for 18 Nights

    We provide you with overnight accommodations at camp-sites for 14 nights and guesthouses for 4 nights as described in your selected itinerary.

  • Included Meals

    We provide you with the meals as described in the daily itinerary. Please let us know if you have any dietary restrictions in advance.

  • Daily Transfers

    We cover your transportation from the door of your hotel to the next destination each day in equipped expedition truck.

  • Driver & Guides

    Our professional guides are at your service. We guarantee our guides are friendly, knowledgeable, and eager to help you. All our local guides and drivers speak English fluently.

  • Local Fees & Taxes

    We cover applicable entrance fees for sightseeing and excursions as described in the itinerary. We cover applicable local government taxes and service charges on accommodations and transportation.

Not Included

  • International Airfare, Airport Taxes & Fees

    Our prices are inclusive of land arrangements only. See our Air & Land Inclusive collection for packages that include airfare. Airport taxes and security related fees are subject to change with or without notice.

  • Meals not described on the itinerary

    Food and beverages not described in the itinerary may be purchased as needed.

  • Tips & Gratuities

    Tips and gratuities to drivers, guides, hotel/camp and restaurant staff shall be awarded at your discretion.

  • Hotel & Room Services

    We provide overnight accommodations as described in the itinerary. Hotel or room services enjoyed during your stay that are not described in the itinerary are additional.

  • Personal Items & Services

    Items or services of a personal nature, such as telephone/Internet usage, laundry, gifts, or transportation not described in the itinerary are additional.

  • Optional tours or excursions

    Time permitting, any optional tours or excursions not mentioned in the itinerary may be enjoyed at your own expense.

+- Booking

Dates & Pricing

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For Travel Dates Between:

Price:

Single Room Supplement:

 
Per person, based on double twin room occupancy.
For single room occupancy when joining a minimum of 2 passengers.

Booking Details

Departure

Join in Cape Town at the Breakwater Lodge Hotel at 7a.m. Guaranteed departure with a minimum of 4 passengers
Group Size: Max.16 Avg. 10
This tour is offered in the reverse direction starting in Livingstone on Feb. 5; Apr. 1; Jun. 3; Jul. 29; Aug. 5; Sep. 2; Nov. 4