This tour starts in Cape Town, one of the world’s most beautiful cities with its incredible location beneath Table Mountain. As we depart Cape Town the day after the tour starts you may want to arrive here a few days prior to departure to allow yourself time to enjoy the area’s attractions such as the nearby penguin colonies, Robben Island, cage diving with sharks, the lively V&A Waterfront and the nearby Stellenbosch wineries, a must-do for any wine lovers.

Our journey through Africa begins as we travel up the Western Cape coast through wine country and it is here at Highlanders Vineyard where we get a taste of SA’s famous wines and enjoy the beautiful views that make this area world-famous.

After travelling through some of the most remote parts of South Africa we now head for Namibia.

Our first stop in Namibia is at the awesome Fish River Canyon National Park where you will be amazed by one of Africa’s most incredible natural rifts.

We now head to the iconic towering red sand dunes of the Namib Desert at Sossusvlei where you will have the option to climb the famous Dune 45 for sunrise. The more spirited ones can attempt the climb up the much more arduous Big Daddy dune to get a view over one of the driest landscapes on earth.

The adventure sports capital Swakopmund is where you will have the opportunity to go deep-sea fishing, quad-biking, sand-boarding, camel riding and skydiving, or just relax on the deserted beaches and enjoy the German influenced resort towns hospitality.

Spitzkoppe is Namibia's ‘Matterhorn’ and the sight of these bold granite outcrops rising dramatically out of the flat surrounding plains make it an awesome spectacle.

The Skeleton Coast is a desolate place and a drive through this wilderness will allow us to see an abandoned oil rig, numerous shipwrecks and a noisy seal colony.

On our route inland you will have the option to visit a petrified forest with 45m long trunks and also take a guided tour around the bushman rock engravings at Twyfelfontein.

Near Kamanjab we will be visiting a Cheetah Park where we get to see these incredible animals up close and watch them feeding.

We will now visit a traditional Himba village and get an insight into these indigenous nomads' way of life.

Our last stop in Namibia is one of Africa’s greatest wildlife viewing venues, Etosha National Park, where we spend a couple of days driving through the park's desert and bushveld landscapes in search of lion, buffalo, elephant and giraffe, plus many of Africa’s other great mammals.

We now continue towards Angola.

Our first stop here is at the cool and picturesque Lubango where Christ the King Statue overlooks the town and the surrounding mountains offer us spectacular views from the Tundavala Gap.

A brief stop in the town of Benguela will give you enough time to get a feel for this ancient slave port.

Travelling through scenic landscapes we arrive at the impressive Kalandula Falls. These falls are one of Africa’s largest waterfalls but because they are so remote they are also rarely visited by tourists so we will most likely have the place all to ourselves.

The capital city Luanda offers us some modern convenience as well as a step back in time with wonderful colonial architecture and fabulous historical museums.

Our last stop in Angola is the town of Mbanza Kongo, the first Kingdom the original Portuguese navigators discovered, where today you can visit one of the oldest churches in sub-Saharan Africa as well as explore the Royal Museum.

We now continue towards the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Our first stop here is in Matadi where we spend a day in town to give you time to sample the local fare and explore the bustling markets.

We continue across the Congo River via the huge Matadi suspension bridge and then we have a short day’s travel through the oil rich Angolan exclave of Cabinda.

Boma is a bustling little port where you will have the chance to get out and visit a true Congolese river town before we encounter mud tracks on our way to the Republic of Congo.

In the town of Pointe Noire you have the chance to visit the African Circle Museum and also stock up on goods at a rare supermarket. From our base here you also have the option to visit the Conkouati-Douli National Park on an organised tour. This park is a highlight of the Congo where you have a good chance of seeing the thriving chimpanzee population that inhabit the area's islands. The park is also home to elephants, leopards, turtles and gorillas.

On the coast we visit the red Gorges of Diosso which are referred to as Congo’s Grand Canyon. The local museum is a quaint place that explains the area's history.

The small town of Dolisie is a welcome relief where we have a day to get a feel for the local culture and sample the delicious street food.

Our last 2 days in the friendly Congo are spent on dirt tracks which often turn into thick mud and test our vehicles off-road ability.

We now continue towards Gabon.

Our first stop here is in Lamberene where we visit Dr Albert Schweitzer’s hospital which is now a museum where we can get an understanding of the Nobel Prize winning work he did here for the African community.

In the capital Libreville the National Museum of Arts and Tradition will give you a good insight into local culture. If you are feeling more adventurous you can take a boat over to Pongara National Park, a beautiful mangrove reserve and favourite spot for nesting turtles where you also have the chance of spotting elephants, chimpanzees and buffalo.

Situated on the equator we get a real taste of Africa at the Reserve de la Lope where we spend a couple of days in the reserve with the option of game drives or trekking through the forest in search of mandrills, forest elephants and buffalo.

From here we continue towards Cameroon.

At our first stop in Kribi we find one of West Africa’s finest beaches where we have time to enjoy the sand, surf and seafood that makes this area so unforgettable.

We continue inland to the capital Yaounde where you can visit the local markets and monasteries and enjoy one of west Africa’s most pleasant cities.

Our last stop in Cameroon is in Foumban where you have the opportunity to visit the Sultan’s Palace, a well organised museum symbolically shaped like a serpent and spider.

We now continue towards Nigeria.

We enter Nigeria from a remote border where our journey now takes us through the beautiful highlands.

In the southeast part of the country we find the lively colonial port town of Calabar where highlights include a visit to the Slave Trade Museum, National Museum and Drill Monkey Ranch.

In Benin City the national museum offers us an insight into the Benin Empire with a significant amount of ancient artefacts. For those more interested in modern art a walk down Bronze Casters Street will show you some fine bronze works of art.

In Osogbo we visit the Sacred Grove Forest to explore the sanctuaries, shrines, sculptures and artworks created in honour of Osun, the Goddess of Fertility.

Abeokuta is our last destination in Nigeria where we visit the Olumo Rock formation, an historical natural fortress used during inter-tribal warfare in the 19th century.

From here we continue to Benin.

At Lake Ganvie you have the option to take a boat out to a village in the middle of the lake that is home to 30,000 Tofinu people who reside here in stilted bamboo huts. You have the option to spend a night here in the stilted village before returning to land the next morning.

In Ouidah we camp on a beautiful beach and you have the option to join a half day tour that includes visiting the forts, temples and museums of this historic region.

In Grand Popo you have the chance to witness a traditional voodoo ceremony and go looking for green sea turtles on the nearby beach.

Further north we camp on the shores of Lake Aheme and if our luck is in we will get the opportunity to watch the locals perform the traditional Zangbeto voodoo dance for us.

The remarkable town of Abomey is our next stop where you can explore the ruined temples and palaces of the Dahomeyan empire.

We continue to Pendjari National Park where we wild camp in a remote corner of this unspoiled wilderness. Here we take a whole day game drive with a chance of spotting the elephant, lion, buffalo, hippopotamus, monkeys and various antelope species that inhabit the park.

Our last stop in Benin is in the Tata Somba region, an area of traditional two-storey fortified huts where cattle are kept on the ground floor and grain is dried on the upper floor. Here you have the option to join a half day walking tour to explore the huts, visit a school and see a baobab tree.

We now continue to Togo.

Togo is only 50 km wide and our first stop is in the capital Lome where a day out can include visiting the bizarre fetish markets, marvelling at the displays in the Museum of West African Arts and exploring the labyrinths of the colourful Grand Market.

On our last day here we will visit the artistic town of Kpalime which is famous for its traditional crafts of woodcarving and batik. 

From here we continue towards Ghana.

Our first stop here is at the beautiful Wli Waterfalls, the tallest in West Africa, where you have the day to hike to the falls and enjoy one of Ghana’s best natural sites.

Heading inland we visit the Tafi Atome Monkey Sanctuary where you have the chance to get up close and personal with Mona monkeys that will gladly sit on your shoulder as you feed them bananas.

The capital city of Accra offers us a taste of big city life with shopping malls and cafes and the old district of Jamestown’s dishevelled colonial buildings and fishing port are well worth a visit.

In Ghana’s 2nd city of Kumasi, Ashanti traditions still abound and in the enormous Kejetia Market you will discover the beating heart of the city where you can easily lose yourself for half a day.

In Kakum National Park you have the opportunity to get a bird’s eye view over the forest from a canopy walkway where if you are lucky you have the chance of spotting elephants, flying squirrels, colobus monkeys and antelopes, as well as over 300 species of birds and 600 species of butterfly.

Further along the Gold Coast we visit the historical Cape Coast Castle, once the largest slave-trading centre in Africa.

At our final destination here we camp on a spectacular beach near the town of Axim where you can enjoy a lazy day in the sun or explore the Portuguese Fort Santo Antonio.

We now continue to the Ivory Coast.

Down on the coast we base ourselves at a beach resort between the modern city of Abidjan and the colonial town of Grand Bassam allowing you the chance to enjoy the old and the new side of Cote d’Ivoire.

Inland we arrive at the capital city of Yamoussoukro where the absolute highlight is a visit to the spectacular Basilica Of Our Lady Of Peace with its stained glass windows and towering dome.

Our last visit here is to the sleepy town of Man where a succession of green-clad mountains rise out of the dusty earth giving our trekkers the option to hike up Mt. Tonkoui, the second highest peak in the country affording awesome views over 3 countries at the summit.

From here we continue towards Liberia.

Having only recently opened its doors to tourists, Liberia is fresh and exciting and our first destination is in the interior where we wild camp at the beautiful Kpatawee Falls. Here you can either laze in the rock pools or hike up to the falls, one of Liberia’s most picturesque spots.

Monrovia is the capital where we base ourselves just outside of town allowing you the chance to explore sites such as the abandoned Ducor Hotel and the National Museum, both offering great insights into this once war-torn city.

Our last port of call is the marvellous beach town of Robertsport, a little slice of heaven for surfers and sun-worshippers.

We now continue towards Sierra Leone.

In the friendly village of Kampai we stay at an eco-camp and have the option to visit the Tiwai Island Wildlife Sanctuary. On an afternoon river cruise or evening nature walk you have the chance of spotting the island’s high concentration of primates, and if you are lucky enough, pygmy hippopotamus and river otter.

Our last stop here is at the white sand beaches south of Freetown where you can enjoy the sand and surf, explore the relaxed capital city and visit the nearby Tacugama Chimpanzee Reserve.

From here we continue towards Guinea.

Our first destination here is Guinea's capital city, Conakry, where we apply for a couple of visas. While we wait you have the opportunity to visit the Grand Mosque, Botanical Gardens and Loos Islands.

The beautiful Bride’s Veil waterfalls are our next stop where we get to camp in a beautiful setting with cascading water to put us to sleep.

From the town of Labe you will now have the option to go on a 2 day hike to explore the amazing Fouta Djallon region. Trekking through the area’s rolling grasslands you will discover an area of majestic waterfalls, deep canyons and friendly villagers where we will spend 1 night sleeping in a local village getting to meet the local Fulani people.

After 2 nights of wild camping we reach the border and cross into Guinea Bissau.

Entering the friendly country Guinea-Bissau we pass through some lush countryside and eerie ghost-towns on our route to the coast.

In the capital Bissau you will find a city full of crumbling colonial buildings, but don’t let that fool you, when the sun goes down the stylish restaurants and bars open and offer great evenings out on the town.

We now continue to Senegal.

Entering southern Senegal we now visit one of West Africa’s finest beaches at Cap Skirring where great seafood and live music is the order of the day. The cows love it here too and can be found enjoying the beach with the tourists.

From here we head towards The Gambia.

A real highlight of our visit to The Gambia is visiting the Tumani Tenda Eco Lodge, a self-sustaining local community where the villagers are happy to teach you about their daily lives which include oyster collecting, soap making, bee keeping, fishing and farming.

Banjul is the country's laid-back capital where you have the chance to explore the city’s highlights including visiting the local markets and wandering the atmospheric back streets.

Our last destination here is the eco-tourism Camp Tendaba on the banks of the Gambia River. From here you have the option to explore the wetlands by boat and visit the Kiang West National Park, home to the clawless river otter, caracals, hyenas, pythons and crocodiles.

We now continue back towards Senegal.

In northern Senegal at Toubacouta we now visit the Grand Mosque of Touba and have time to explore the Sine-Saloum Delta, a series of brackish channels where you have the option to take boat trips to visit islands with baobab trees, shellfish beaches and most famously, a female chief called ‘The Queen’.

Our next stop is the lively Senegalese capital Dakar where we spend a couple of days exploring the city.. The nearby Ngor Island is a fabulous escape from the frenetic city where you can enjoy a day of surf, sand and seafood.

We will spend our last couple of days in Senegal at Langue de Barbarie National Park which offers great kayaking and bird-watching opportunities. With its crumbling architecture and peaceful ambience the nearby town of St. Louis is also a great day out.

From here we continue towards Mauritania.

Mauritania’s young and unassuming capital city, Nouakchott, is our first stop where the highlight is the colourful and frantic fish market.

In Nouakchott we restock our supplies before heading into The Adrar, a spectacular Saharan jewel in Mauritania’s crown. From our base in Atar you have the option to explore the ancient caravan towns of Chinguetti and Ouadane, steeped in history in a vast sand ocean of magnificent dunes.

We now enter the Sahara proper where the desert camping is fantastic and reveals a night-sky that is probably one of the clearest in the world and littered with stars.

From here we now head towards the Western Sahara and Morocco.

Our first few days here are spent travelling up the rugged coast of Western Sahara where we will be wild camping on the cliffs overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.

On the coast we now visit the laid-back fishing port town of Essaouira where you have the opportunity to relax and just soak up the Moroccan atmosphere.

Our next stop is Marrakech, an ancient caravan town that today offers fantastic souqs and the awesome Djemaa el-Fna, a nightly spectacle in the old medina where you can wander streets full of acrobats, snake-charmers, food stalls and musicians, simply amazing!

Entering central Morocco we are now in the Atlas mountains where we travel along the Draa valley, an area of earth-red Kasbahs and stunning Berber villages where we visit the spectacular pink canyons of the Todra Gorge.

Our tour ends in the beautiful Moroccan city of Fez, the largest living mediaeval Islamic city in the world, and it is here that we will spend our last 2 days exploring the city’s famous covered markets, leather tanneries, winding alleys and beautiful mosques, a majestic end to an overland expedition across Africa!

This tour ends after breakfast on the last day of the trip so you can make your onward travel arrangements accordingly.

If you would like to extend your trip and join us prior to Cape Town we have a tour that travels from Nairobi to Cape Town before this trip starts so you can add on Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Botswana should you wish to.

We are happy to create a bespoke itinerary and price for you so please feel free to contact us to discuss all options.

If you can’t do the whole tour it may be possible to book a shorter section of your choice. Please get in touch and if this option is available we will be happy to work out a bespoke itinerary and reduced price for you.