This tour starts in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania's bustling capital where we camp on a beach in a quiet area just outside of the city. On the first night of the tour you will be invited to attend a welcome dinner to get your first taste of Tanzania and meet your fellow travellers.

From Dar es Salaam we now take a fast ferry over to the island of Zanzibar, a beautiful island where you can discover the slave-trading history in the winding alleys of Stone Town and relax on the palm-fringed beaches of this idyllic paradise.

Our journey to Arusha is broken up with a visit to the German style town of Lushoto from where you have the option to go trekking in the Lushoto and Usambara Mountains for incredible views over this dramatic region while meeting the local inhabitants of the Irente villages.

Upon departing Lushoto we will pass by Mt. Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest peak, where weather permitting we will get a good view of this immense mountain.

From our base at Arusha’s Snake Park we will now board 6 person 4x4 safari vehicles and start our journey towards 2 of Africa’s most iconic wildlife areas, Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Crater, where you are likely to see the big 5 along with cheetahs, wild dogs and flamingos. This safari is one of the tour's biggest highlights!

During your trip to the Serengeti you will also have the opportunity to visit a Maasai village to get an insight into their traditional way of life.

We now spend 2 nights wild camping as we travel west towards Burundi.

Our first stop in Burundi is the beating heart of the nation, the Gishora Drum Sanctuary. Here the local drummers put on a display of specific rhythms mixed with combat-style dance, a true Burundian experience not to be missed!

We continue to the capital Bujumbura on the shores of Lake Tanganyika from where you can explore the quirky museums, beautiful beaches and languid villages dotted around the lake. A boat trip through the Rusizi National Park is often a highlight of our stay here where you can see crocodiles, hippos and numerous bird species.

From Bujumbura you also have the option to take a day trip to visit the southernmost source of the Nile River, a bumpy trip through the mountains of Burundi.

Providing the Rwanda/Burundi border is open we will now cross directly into Rwanda. If the border is closed we will enter Rwanda from Tanzania.

Our first stop in Rwanda is the attractive capital Kigali where we have the opportunity to visit the Memorial Centre, a sombre reminder of the 1994 Rwandan genocide.

A short drive away we reach the sleepy town of Musanze from where you can visit the Karisoke Exhibit, a small museum explaining the conservation efforts of Dian Fossey who studied and protected the gorillas in the nearby Virunga massif. From here you also have the option to trek to Dian Fossey’s gravesite where she and a few of her beloved gorillas are buried. Along the way you have a chance of encountering gorillas and golden monkeys.

Our first stop in Uganda is at the magical Lake Bunyonyi where it is possible to take a sunset cruise amongst the lakes 29 islands. 

You now have the opportunity to undertake one of Africa’s most memorable experiences, gorilla trekking in the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. The hike can take minutes or hours depending on where the gorillas are located on the day and once we find them we then get to spend an hour with these lovable primates.

We continue to Queen Elizabeth National Park which is beautifully set amidst the lakes of the Great Rift Valley. Here you have the opportunity to take game drives in search of leopard, elephant, waterbuck, lions and Ugandan kob. We also take time to explore the far reaches of the park to discover volcanoes and salt mines.

In Murchison Falls National Park we have a couple of days to go on game drives and take a cruise on the Nile river to spot wildlife from the water and get a good view of the spectacularly powerful Murchison Falls.

At the Kaniyo Pabidi Ecotourism site you have the chance to go chimpanzee trekking in the Budongo Forest to meet these amazing creatures at close quarters.

We continue to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary where you have the opportunity to track white rhinos on foot with a local ranger.

Our last stop in Uganda is at Jinja, the source of the Nile River, where we base ourselves near the Bujagali Falls giving you the opportunity to raft the grade 5 White Nile, go fishing for Nile perch and take a sunset booze cruise.

Our first destination in Kenya is the world-famous Masai Mara, a spectacular national park teeming with giraffe, buffalo, zebra, cheetah, lion, leopards and other big game species. Some of our tours arrive in time for the annual Masai Mara migration so if this is on your bucket-list please get in touch so we can book you on a tour that includes the migration. This is an unforgettable experience!

We continue to Lake Naivasha where you have the opportunity to visit Elsamere, the home of the late Joy Adamson of Born Free fame. Close by you also have the option to cycle or walk unguided through Hell’s Gate National Park, a unique experience especially considering buffalo and leopards inhabit the park.

Our final destination on this tour is Kenya’s capital city Nairobi where popular activities include feeding giraffes at the Langata Centre, learning about Kenyan tribes at the Bomas of Kenya Cultural Centre and joining a guided safari walk in Nairobi National Park which is home to healthy populations of lions, leopards, buffalo, zebra and rhinoceros.

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 this tour prior to Dar es Salaam our truck travels up the east coast of Africa before reaching Tanzania so you can add on South Africa, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia (Caprivi Strip), Zambia and Malawi 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 expedition 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.