Tour Southern Africa Group Overland Tour

Guide

Driver/guide is included on this tour.

Accommodation

You will spend 100% of your time on this expedition in your tent camping. There may be the occasional time when our only option is to stay in a local hotel, guest-house or hostel but this rarely happens. Quite often we will wild camp by ourselves out in the bush or in the desert and other times we will use designated campsites with amenities. The majority of our wild camp locations are usually very scenic and we always strive to find the perfect spot on the banks of a river, overlooking a canyon, behind a dune in the desert, etc. but sometimes we just have to camp wherever we can find a spot. From past experience on expeditions of this length and nature we have found that people prefer to supply their own tents as they are then not forced to share and they can pick a tent that suits their needs. As a general rule, try and choose a good quality lightweight and waterproof free-standing tent that is easy to erect, take down and carry. On the rare occasion when we are not camping (this could happen if we are in a city and no campground is available) we always try to use decent, clean budget hotels, guest houses and hostels, however, taking into consideration the sometimes unpredictable nature of this expedition and the remoteness of some of the areas we visit, please be aware that in some circumstances we just have to take what we can get – good or bad. When staying in hotels/guest houses/hostels you can expect to share your room with other expedition members of both sexes. In many of the places we stay there are upgrade options available so should you prefer not to camp or you just want some time alone you can often rent yourself a private room at your own expense.

Others

Services of your expedition leader/driver Use of our own custom-built expedition vehicle and equipment Diesel, mechanics, shipping and any other costs relating to the vehicle Ferry tickets (when travelling as a group) An average of 2 meals a day while camping (usually breakfast and the evening meal) All accommodation costs (100% camping) National Park entry fees when we enter as a group with our vehicle Local transportation costs (if required)

Meals

Eating well is a very important factor on our expeditions and good food is vital for everyone’s health and well-being so we always strive to prepare healthy, wholesome and plentiful meals. We will be cooking a lot of meals from our own kitchen on the truck. When we are camping we usually eat breakfast and the evening meal from the truck. For lunch we usually stop at a cheap local restaurant giving you a chance to taste the local fare too. Lunches are at your own expense. When we are staying in hotels/guest houses/hostels (usually in cities) it is often impractical to cook on the truck so we do not provide any meals at these times. When it comes to shopping and cooking we will divide ourselves up into groups of 3 or 4 people (depending on group size) who will shop for and prepare the day’s meals and clean up at the end. This will work out that you roughly get to cook once a week (depending on numbers). Fresh food is generally available daily so we try and eat meat and vegetables for every main evening meal. We do also cater for vegetarians but we cannot cater for fussiness. In these group situations everybody must appreciate we cannot cater for individual likes and dislikes. Don’t worry if you are not a gourmet cook as your crew are also always there to give advice. All our vehicles are equipped with a small fridge which is used for the cook groups food only. For personal food & drinks we have cooler boxes for everyone to use. Cleanliness plays an important role throughout this expedition and your crew will make sure an acceptable level of general hygiene is maintained throughout your journey to ensure the wellbeing of the group. Included: 2 meals per day while camping

Transport

We will be travelling in a purpose-built Madventure overland vehicle 100% of the time on this expedition. A standard bus simply wouldn’t be able to tackle many of the roads we travel on. The overland vehicle we use is a custom-built expedition truck which can accommodate up to 36 people although most of our expeditions travel with approximately 25 people. Comfort and safety is of course a big factor during expeditions of this length and nature so all our vehicles have high-backed coach seats with safety belts. The seating is on the upper level of the vehicle giving you an almost 360° view of the surrounding scenery. Our vehicles are designed to allow sufficient luggage storage and are also equipped with lockers to keep all your all your gear safe. Our long range diesel and water tanks ensure our self sufficiency in remote areas and the equipment we take with us is also of vital importance. In case of a breakdown we are equipped with a good selection of spare parts as well as a comprehensive tool kit to undertake any necessary repairs on our own as and when we need to. There may also be times when we get stuck in the sand or mud when travelling off road so all necessary recovery equipment such as sand mats, cables, ropes, shovels and pickaxes are also on board. We spend a lot of nights around the campfire so we take along good axes and saws for the times when we have to replenish our wood supply. We usually carry 500 litres of treated drinking water and we are equipped with a good kitchen which includes all cutlery, plates, cups, pots and pans, utensils, gas cooker, BBQ grate, etc. All our vehicles are equipped with a small fridge which is used for the cook groups food only. For personal food & drinks we have cooler boxes for everyone to use. Fold up chairs are provided for outdoor seating and we also have a large tarpaulin to keep us dry on those rainy days. Our vehicles are equipped with USB charging points only so try and bring all of your important electronic devices such as telephone, tablet & head-torch to charge from a USB socket. We do not have a 120V or 240V power supply on the vehicle but you will have the opportunity to charge your 120/240V electronic equipment when we stay at campsites & hotels. We carry solar showers and a toilet tent with us for those times when we are bush camping without amenities. We carry a comprehensive first aid kit for emergencies but we recommend you bring your own for general use.

Not included:

Optional

Below is a list of the most popular optional excursions along with the most recent prices. Prices can of course change and are not controlled in any way by Madventure so please use the list below as an approximate guide only. Namibia Skydiving £160 Sandboarding £30 Quad-biking £50 Game fishing £100 Hot air ballooning £300 Scenic flight, Sossusvlei £250 South Africa Cable car to Table Mountain £15 Abseil Table Mountain £60 Cage diving with Great White sharks £150 Robben Island guided tour £20 Stellenbosch wine tour £40 Stony Point penguins £5 Bloukrans bungee jump £60 Ushaka Marine World £12 Moholoholo rehabilitation centre £10 Panorama route entrance fees £10 Lesotho Basotho pony trek £30 Thaba Bosiu cultural village entrance £6 Eswatini Sibebe rock climb £6 Mozambique Diving in Bazaruto archipelago, per dive £35 Zimbabwe Bridal Veil Falls hike £10 Great Zimbabwe ruins £15 Walking with lions £70 Lion night encounter £75 Lion feeding £20 Elephant interaction £10 Matobo NP tour £70 Zambezi rafting at Vic Falls £100 Bungee, gorge swing & highwire day at Vic Falls £160 Bungee jump off Victoria Falls £130 Flight over Victoria Falls £120 Victoria Falls entrance fee £20 Botswana 2 day Okavango Delta Mokoro trip £120 Okavango Delta scenic flight £80 Chobe NP morning game drive £40 Chobe NP sunset cruise £30

Insurance

It is compulsory that every person who travels with Madventure obtain travel insurance for the complete duration of the tour. Proof of travel insurance must be shown before joining a tour. You may be covered under your credit card’s travel insurance so it might be worth checking with your credit card provider first. There are various travel insurance companies to choose from and a Google search will bring up a vast selection but for a comprehensive reliable policy that includes Covid Cover and Medical Repatriation we recommend a London based company named Campbell Irvine, Telephone: +44 20 7938 1734, https://microsite.campbellirvinedirect.com/madventure/. They are familiar with what we do so if you mention Madventure and the tour you are travelling on they should be able to provide excellent cover for you. For people based in North America a company called Allianz offers good cover – Telephone: +1 866 884 3556, www.allianztravelinsurance.com If you choose to obtain your travel insurance through another company please ensure you read the small-print and make sure your policy includes Covid Cover and Medical Repatriation.

Flights

No flights included or expected during this tour.

Others

Personal travel insurance Personal spending money (£150 – £200 per week recommended) Visas & Letters of Invitation (approximately £100 depending on nationality) Lunches Meals while staying in hotels/guest houses/hostels (none expected) Accommodation upgrades Entrance fees to optional sites and parks Any optional activities Any flights (no flights expected) Tent, roll mat, sleeping bag & pillow

Start planning your experience

Day 1 Day 1-12: Namibia
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 1-12: Namibia

Our tour begins in the small town of Ondangwa which is a short flight away from the capital Windhoek. From here our first destination is one of Africa’s greatest wildlife viewing venues, Etosha National Park, where we spend a couple of days driving through the parks desert & bushveld landscapes in search of lions, buffalo, elephant & giraffe, plus many of Africa’s other great mammals.

After exiting the park we will then visit a traditional Himba village and get an insight into these indigenous nomads way of life.

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

On our route to the coast 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.

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

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

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.

Our last stop in Namibia is at the awesome Fish River Canyon NP where you will be amazed by one of Africa’s most incredible natural rifts.
Day 2 Day 13-39: South Africa, Lesotho & Eswatini
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 13-39: South Africa, Lesotho & Eswatini

The Cape West Coast offers us a beautiful introduction to South Africa and we get our first taste of this country at Highlanders Vineyard where we sample a few of SA’s famous wines and enjoy a traditional dinner.

We continue south to Cape Town, one of the world’s most incredible cities dramatically set beneath Table Mountain.We spend 4 days here to enjoy the area’s attractions such as the nearby penguin colonies, Robben Island, cage diving with sharks and brilliant V&A Waterfront. Not to be missed is a day trip around the Stellenbosch wineries, a must-do for any wine lovers.

We now head east along the Whale Route, a stunning drive, where we will be visiting the famous whale-watching area of Hermanus as well as the penguins at Stony Point before setting up camp Cape Agulhas, Africa’s most southerly point.

On the Garden Route we now arrive at the lagoon town of Knysna where we will base ourselves for a couple of days to explore the wonderful forests and beaches of this area.

As we travel towards the Sunshine Coast we stop off at Bloukrans River Bridge, the world’s highest bungee jump at 216m, giving our adrenalin-junkies the chance to get their fix before continuing to the surfing mecca of Jeffrey’s bay.

We now visit Addo Elephant National Park and get the opportunity to see the large herds of elephants, buffalo & kudu as well as lions, hyenas, black rhino and the largest remaining population of the flightless dung beetle.

Heading inland we enter the mountain kingdom of Lesotho where you will have the chance to explore dinosaur footprints at Quthing, towering peaks at Malealea, dramatic waterfalls at Maletsunyane and historic cultural villages at Thaba Bosiu during our 4 day visit.

Back in South Africa we spend a couple of nights in the beach resort town of Durban where you have the chance to visit Ushaka Marine World, one of the best oceanariums in the world.

We continue our journey to the kingdom of Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) where you will get to experience walking amongst wildlife such as giraffes, warthogs, kudu, zebra, hartebeest & impala during our visits to Nisela Lodge & Mlilwane Sanctuary.

In Eswatini you also have the option to climb Sibebe Rock, the world’s largest granite dome.

We re-enter South Africa and head straight into the incredible Kruger National Park where we spend 2 days in the southern section of the park searching for the big 5. This is one of the world’s best game viewing experiences!

Our last couple of days in SA are spent in a beautiful area known as the Panorama Route where we visit sites such as the Maholoholo Animal Rehabilitation Centre, Blyde River Canyon, God’s Window & Pilgrims Rest.

In the town of Nelspruit we have the opportunity to restock our supplies before heading to Mozambique.
Day 3 Day 40-48: Mozambique
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 40-48: Mozambique

With its flame-tree-lined streets, sidewalk cafes, pumping salsa bars and Mediterranean-style architecture, the capital Maputo is easily one of Africa’s most attractive cities and our first taste of this beautiful country.

A little further north we reach the legendary white-sand-beaches of Tofo, a great stop with its azure waters, rolling breakers and party atmosphere.

Our last stop is at the resort town of Vilanculos, the gateway to the beautiful Bazaruto archipelago, an area with pristine coral reefs and turquoise waters making for excellent sailing, snorkelling & diving.
Day 4 Day 49-55: Zimbabwe
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 49-55: Zimbabwe

We enter Zimbabwe in the rarely visited Eastern Highlands, an area of outstanding natural beauty with forested mountains, lush valleys and rushing rivers where we have a day to trek into the mountains and visit the Bridal Veil Falls & an Eland sanctuary.

We continue on to the Great Zimbabwe Ruins, once the greatest medieval city in sub-Saharan Africa. The ancient site provides evidence that this was home to a very advanced society.

In Gweru we visit Antelope Park where you have the opportunity to meet elephants, join lions on an evening hunt and even take a morning walk with lion cubs!

In Bulawayo we visit the gravesite of Cecil John Rhodes before spending an afternoon in Matobo NP, home of balancing boulders, ancient rock art and the rare black rhino.
Day 5 Day 56-69: Botswana, Namibia & Zimbabwe
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 56-69: Botswana, Namibia & Zimbabwe

Our first stop in Botswana is at the world’s largest inland river delta, Okavango, where you will have the option to take a trip on a mokoro (traditional dug-out canoe) through the vast waterways of the delta in search of crocodiles, hippos & elephants that make this park so special.

Namibia’s Caprivi Strip is a wild area well off the tourist trail where we have a few days to explore the regions abundant wildlife.

Back in Botswana we visit Chobe National Park where you have the opportunity to take a sunset cruise with a front row seat to one of Africa’s finest wildlife settings. With herds of elephants crossing rivers using their trunks as snorkels, pods of hippos wallowing in the pools & the rare puku munching on the wetland grass this is a memory that will stay with you forever.

Crossing back into Zimbabwe we reach our final destination, the incredible Victoria Falls! Our last few days are spent here allowing you time to explore the falls and take part in the adventure activities that abound including grade 5 rafting on the Zambezi River, abseiling, bungee jumping and gorge swinging, an exhilarating end to an unforgettable African adventure!

69 days tour

Southern Africa Group Overland Tour

This tour includes:

Not included:

Start planning your experience

Itinerary of your trip Southern Africa Group Overland Tour

Day 1-12: Namibia

Day 13-39: South Africa, Lesotho & Eswatini

Day 40-48: Mozambique

Day 49-55: Zimbabwe

Day 56-69: Botswana, Namibia & Zimbabwe

Experience Style

Accomodation level

Experience Type

Physical Rating

Age range

Who talk about us:

Best cities to travel to

America

Europe

Asia

Africa

Oceania