Africa
I arrive in Cape Town via Johannesburg on the 2nd of February. After spending two nights in Cape Town, South Africa, I begin a six-week safari throughout Africa, travelling through countries including South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Tanzania and Kenya. The following itinerary has been taken from documentation I received from the tour company organising the safari:
WEEK 1
Cape Town – Fish River Canyon – Namib National Park - Swakopmund
Our safari begins in cosmopolitan Cape Town. Overlooked by Table Mountain and bordered by the Atlantic and Indian oceans this is one of the world's most picturesque cities, and an ideal place to begin your African safari. We travel north through the Western Cape to Citrusdal, a popular local resort. Continuing north we notice the fertile Cape area give way to increasingly barren desert lands, and this is especially noticeable once we enter the arid Namaqualand, passing through the town of Springbok on the way to the Orange River.
We cross the Orange River frontier and enter Namibia. Our first major stop is one of the natural wonders of Africa - the Fish River Canyon. Between 450m and 550m deep and over 160km long, this is the largest canyon in Africa and said to be second only the Grand Canyon. There are some remarkable photographic opportunities here, some of which take in the sharp river bend known as 'Hell's Corner.'
Continuing north we travel further into the desert to the Namib-Naukluft National Park, Namibia's most popular national reserve and, geologically, the oldest desert in the world. The 'Namib' is famous for the Sesreim and Sossusvlei region with its massive sand dunes, some of which stand at over 300 metres high, reputedly the worlds highest. Waking before dawn we cross into the park and (energy permitting) scramble to the top of one of the dunes for a dramatic view of sunrise across the vast sand sea. The climb to the top is worth it not only for the view but also for the thrill of sliding back down! There are various nature walks in the area amidst the dunes and saltpans with any number of photographic opportunities.
We continue on and move out of the desert to the old German colonial town of Swakopmund.
WEEK 2
Cape Cross – Skeleton Coast – Okavango Delta
Situated between the desert and the sea Swakopmund is a delightful coastal oasis and a wonderful place to relax for a few days or enjoy some of the optional activities usually available here, such as quad-biking and sand boarding.
Traveling up the eerie Atlantic Coast area we visit the Cape Cross Seal Colony, home to some 80,000 seals and the place where the Portuguese mariner Diego Cão, first set foot on the coast of southwest Africa in the year 1486. Further inland we pass into Damaraland and stop at one of Namibia's most recognisable landmarks, Spitzkoppe ('the Matter horn of Africa').
We continue north to Etosha National Park – a vast reserve of over 20,000 sq km, surrounding a central salt 'pan' and enclosing some 114 mammal and 340 bird species. We spend two nights in the park, camping at each end of the park in order to see as much as possible in the time available.
We then travel east into Botswana and make our way to the beautiful Okavango Delta, a natural wetland system spreading over 1,600,000ha of northern Botswana, where rivers originating in the Angolan high country, far to the northwest, divide repeatedly and spread out into a broad flat inland delta. We venture out into the Okavango to explore the channels, oxbow lakes, floodplains reedbeds and islands on foot and in mokoro (dugout canoe) in search of hippo, crocodile and the abundant bird life. This is an enchanted and delicate ecosystem with giant lily pads and tall swaying grasses alive with birdlife. We camp on river islands with nothing but the nocturnal sounds of the African bush - an unforgettable wilderness experience!
WEEK 3
Chobe National Park - Victoria Falls
Finally leaving the Okavango we drive north again before turning east to Chobe National Park. Situated in the northern corner of Botswana the park is home to some of the largest populations of elephant in Africa as well as lion and abundant bird life, including the famous African fish-eagle. We take an early morning gamedrive, return for the heat of the day to camp to relax, and head out once again in the late afternoon for the delightful 'fish-eagle' cruise - a very relaxing way to see hippo and elephant wash and drink, and the famous fish-eagle feed on the river.
Moving on from Chobe we make our last border crossing into Zimbabwe and make the short drive to Victoria Falls (town). This is a bustling town perched above one of the natural wonders of the world. Victoria Falls is an unforgettable spectacle where the mighty Zambezi River, slow moving and 1700m wide at this point, plunges 100m into the Batoka Gorge below and is transformed into a raging torrent of white water zig-zagging its way across the plains to the east. The town is often covered in a light mist spray and the thunderous roar of the Falls can be heard from miles away – it is for this reason the locals refer to the site as Mosi Au Tunya – 'the smoke that thunders'. We recommend a visit to Victoria Falls National Park to see the falls themselves.The park gates are a few minutes walk from the center of town and well worth the modest entrance fee.
On arrival we take the sunset game viewing cruise on the upper Zambezi, enjoying a few sundowners as we watch the hippos and crocodiles wallow on the riverbanks. Victoria Falls is also Africa's 'adventure playground' with a multitude of adrenaline pumping activities usually available, including white water rafting, bungi jumping, microlighting, canoeing, sky-diving, elephant trekking, and horse riding to name but a few.
WEEK 4
Lusaka – Lake Malawi beaches
Leaving the 'Falls we continue our journey through Lusaka to Malawi - the 'warm heart' of Africa. The Malawi people are amongst the friendliest in Africa, and Lake Malawi (officially an inland sea), which covers almost a fifth of the country's landmass and provides a source of livelihood for many of the Malawi people. Fishermen, fish traders, canoe and net makers all ply their trade. A common sight is that of the fisherman in his bwato, (dugout canoe made from a hollowed out tree trunk) fishing at the break of day.
We stop at one or two places along the lake shore to enjoy the beach and surrounding area. There is the opportunity to swim and snorkel in the lake's clear, sparkling waters, or perhaps try scuba diving, or visit a tribal village or try your luck at a spot of fishing or to simply relax on the palm fringed beaches.
WEEK 5
Mikumi - Dar es Salaam – Zanzibar - Arusha
Traveling on we cross the border into Tanzania and continue toward the coast and the port city of Dar es Salaam – the 'Haven of Peace' passing through Mikumi National Park along the way. Dar is Tanzania's hub of commerce and industry, and is a hot, humid and bustling city. We set up camp and take some time to venture into the city centre, browse the large handicraft markets for ebony carvings and prepare for our trip to the exotic Zanzibar, the 'Spice Island'.
Evocative and exotic, Zanzibar conjures up images of idyllic, sandy, coconut palm fringed beaches, romantic winding cobbled alleys and lush tropical forest. It is all of these. However there is also much of an historical and cultural interest. The influence of both African and Arab past is evident in the architecture and diverse street stall offerings, and Zanzibar was once the most important island on the East African coast, a centre for trade in spices and slaves, and base for 19th century explorers, Speke, Burton, Livingstone and others. Stone Town, the centre of the 'Spice Island', played a dubious part in the slave trade, and visits to the old slave markets, 'Prison Island' and the slave caves provide a glimpse of the island's history.
The best way to see the old Stone Town is on foot. Explore the bazaars, stalls, shops, mosques, palaces, courtyards and plazas. On the other hand if it's white sand, sparkling blue sea and hot sun you prefer - visit the northern beaches and enjoy the Indian Ocean at its best. Snorkeling and diving are excellent in these areas and the many restaurants offer sumptuous seafood and local delicacies at very reasonable prices.
WEEK 6
Arusha – Ngorongoro Crater – Serengeti National Park
After returning to the African mainland we travel away from the coast inland, gaining a clear view - if the weather is clear - of the magnificent Mt Kilimanjaro Africa's highest peak (5895m) as we pass the town of Moshi. Our next stop is the city of Arusha, situated exactly mid way between Cape Town and Cairo. After the remote savannas through which we have driven Arusha is a colourful contrast – a bustling melting pot of some 100,000 people nestling in the shadow of Mount Meru (4556m). We have the morning to explore the markets before we leave to cross the Rift Valley and the renowned Ngorongoro Crater.
At 326 square kilometres Ngorongoro is Africa's largest intact caldera. From the rim (at 2400m) the view to the floor (some 700 metres below and some 16km from side to side) is staggering. Ngorongoro is a World Heritage site with a concentration of fauna and flora that it is second to none. We hire land-rovers (or similar), wind our way down to the crater floor and spend the morning (or afternoon) gamedriving.
Continuing on we descend to the flat plains of the Serengeti National Park. This is, if anything, even better known than the Ngorongoro. Wide open plains, flat empty horizons, and if you are lucky enough to travel between the months of July and September the sight of the annual animal migration, when the grazing animals migrate north to the new grasses of the Mara region, is something to behold. However at any time of year the Serengeti is a fabulous experience.
Crossing into Kenya we drive through rich tea growing areas to Naivasha before our final park of the tour, the Masai Mara. Contiguous with the Serengeti (to the south), the Mara lies along the Tanzanian border and is without any doubt Kenya's best known park and a real highlight to finish our tour. We make camp on the edge of the park and have the day inside the reserve to view elephant, lion, hippo, and abundant plains game such as zebra, giraffe, wildebeest, gazelle, impala etc.
Finally we make our way across the Great Rift Valley to Nairobi, Kenya's capital, where our tour ends.
After spending the night in Nairobi, I fly to London.