Cape Town to Istanbul  - 19 Weeks
Cape Town to Cairo - 16 Weeks

Tour summary

Cape Town to Nairobi              7 Weeks
Nairobi to Cairo                       9 Weeks
Cairo to Istanbul                     3 Weeks

Counties Visited – 14
South Africa, Botswana, Zambia, Mozambique, Malawi, Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, Sudan, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Turkey.

What’s it like?  As we will be camping and travelling for an extended period of time, you must be prepared for an adventurous challenge. It can be hot and dusty, or wet and soggy, and we will sometimes be out of contact from the rest of the world. This means no telephones, shops or any other mod cons. We need you to participate and work with all members of the expedition. For the Trans we use sturdy purpose-built vehicles for these rugged off-road conditions.

The Route

Cape Town to Istanbul

Week 1 - 2: South Africa, Botswana

Departing Cape Town we head north towards Botswana and the Kalahari Desert via Kimberly. We travel along the edge of the Kalahari Desert to Maun. A small town on the edge of the Okavango Delta, and the starting point for the Mokoro trip. A Mokoro is a traditional dugout canoe and your transport into the Delta. As you glide through the waterways, you will see a fantastic array of wetland wildlife, birds in particular and you are also likely to come across hippos or elephants taking a drink from the shore. You can go on a walking safari to look for giraffe, buffalo and rare antelope such as the tsessebe. This overnight stay is a great wilderness experience.

We spend a night by the banks of the Chobe River, in Kasane.  Here hippo, buffalo and crocodiles share the river bank and occasionally pay us a visit through the night.  Here you can take a sunset cruise on the river or take an afternoon game drive through the park, and see some of Africa’s largest elephants and big cats.

Week 3: Zambia, Malawi

Entering Zambia, we reach the Victoria Falls, where the Zambezi River plunges 100 metres down a mile wide chasm, creating one of the most incredible natural wonders of the world. The local name for the Falls is 'Mosi-oa-Tunya' which means 'the smoke that thunders' and you'll soon find out why. When the river is in full flow, the falling water causes a huge roar and sends a cloud of spray up to 500 metres into the air.

We stay near Livingstone beside the Zambezi and above Victoria Falls, for a few days, as there is so much to see and do. Adventure activities abound - you can bungee jump, white water raft and go game-viewing on horse back. More sedate excursions include canoeing, light aircraft or helicopter flights over the falls, and the sunset cruise on the Zambezi. Of course, the falls themselves are the main attraction and you can walk through the rain forest along the cliff opposite for an excellent view.

Crossing the border into Malawi, we soon reach the shores of its huge lake. The campsites and small resorts along Lake Malawi offer sandy beaches, swimming and snorkeling, water skiing and walking in the surrounding countryside. You will also find markets selling beautifully carved Malawi chairs, tables and other souvenirs.

Week 4 - 5: Tanzania, Kenya

Heading north through Tanzania, our route takes us through Mikumi National Park where we may well see giraffe or pygmy elephants grazing along the roadside. At Dar es Salaam on the Indian Ocean coast, we can cross to Zanzibar Island. Here is the old stone capital of the Omani Sultanate and away from the town are stunning beaches, and World Heritage Listed buildings, forests and ruins.  You can take a spice tour of the island, go diving, swimming with dolphins or visit remote islands by the traditional dhow boats.

Heading inland we pass Africa’s highest peak, that of Mt Kilimanjaro.  From Arusha we hire Landrovers to visit the Ngorongoro Crater & Serengeti National Park, which has the heaviest concentration of plains game found all over East Africa.  From Tanzania we cross in Kenya the Athi Plains, passing gazelle, giraffe and troops of baboons on our way to Nairobi.

Week 6 - 7: Uganda, Kenya

Leaving Nairobi we pass the dramatic landscape of the Rift Valley to the highlands of Kenya. Crossing the border at Malaba we drive through rain forests and tea and sugar plantations to Uganda’s capital, Kampala. Crossing the equator we camp on the shores of Lake Bunyonyi, the deepest crater lake in Uganda. We climb through lush terraced hills to Kisoro, from here we trek the famed mountain gorillas or you could visit Mgahinga National Park for a day hike up a volcano or a guided nature trail. We meander back to Lake Bunyonyi to relax, canoe, mountain bike and swim.

In the modern bustling city of Kampala you may wish to visit the National Museum, the Kasubi Tombs of the Buganda people. Crossing the Owen Falls dam we arrive at Jinja on the shores of Lake Victoria. Spend an action-filled day white water rafting down the Nile, bungee jump, fish on Lake Victoria, take a guided village walk; or give up a day of your holiday to volunteer for the local community education project.

Returning to Kenya and Nakuru Town, the capital of the Rift Valley Province, we stay at Kembu Camp a working farm. We spend a full day at Lake Nakuru, viewing game in a park famous for its soda lake surrounded by thousands, sometimes millions of pink flamingoes. We move on to camp on the shores of Lake Naivasha where hippos come to graze in the evenings.

Close by is Hell's Gate National Park and Elsamere, once the home of Joy Adamson and Elsa the lion of 'Born Free' fame. From here we return to Nairobi with the chance to feast at the renowned Carnivores Game Restaurant.

Week 8 Nairobi: Kenya

Here we have a week layover in Nairobi giving us the chance to take a rest and stock up on stocks and supplies before the next section.  This will also give you the chance to enjoy the many surprises Nairobi has to offer including breakfast at Giraffe Manor, the amazing Safari walk, Karen Blixen’s house and the David Sheldrick Animal Orphanage.

Week 9 - 10: Kenya

We visit Samburu Park & the base of Mount Kenya. And continue north through the “Northern Frontier District” of Kenya, a restricted area; semi arid with a spectacular diversity of people, wild game on the road side and a pleasant dry climate

Week 11 - 12: Ethiopia

We enter Ethiopia and we climb the mountains into the highlands and follow the Rift Valley Lakes to Addis Ababa.  Take boats to visit Bahir Dar Monasteries on islands on Lake Tana the source of the Blue Nile, with hippos and crocs at the outflow of the river. Tissisat Falls is the source of the Blue Nile.  We visit Gondar; a city of castles and churches.   In the Simien Mountains you can horse trek and see grazing Gelada Baboons.  Then on to Axum, the home of the Queen of Sheba and King Solomon.

Week 13 - 14: Sudan

We pass the Gezira cotton region to Kassala a market town overlooked by Sugar Loaf Mountains In Khartoum where the Blue & White Nile join, watch dervish dancing or even join in the Nubian wrestling - safer just to watch.  We visit the Pharonic Pyramids of Meroe in an un-spoilt, little visited desert setting.  We drive across the Nubian Desert sands through friendly villages on the Nile.  From Wadi Halfa we take a ferry across Lake Nasser to Aswan in Egypt

Week 15: Egypt - Cairo – Pyramids & Sphinx.

In Aswan we visit the High Dam & Philae Island Temple.  Luxor, we visit Karnak Temple the Colossi of Memnon & Valley of the Kings & Tutankhamen's Tomb on donkeys.  From Luxor, we take the overnight train to Cairo where we spent a few days to look at the great pyramids in Giza and the immense collections of the Cairo Museum.

Week 16 - 17: Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon

Back on the train to Luxor to collect the truck then it’s up through Hurghada and across the Sinai Peninsular to Dahab and a few days to relax on the beach of the Red Sea.  This is one of the best places to go scuba diving in the world.  From there it’s an overnight ferry to Jordan and into Wadi Rum, and memories from “Lawrence of Arabia” then a quick dip in the Dead Sea before heading up to Petra, then across the border to Syria.  Here we see crusader castles and the myriad of things to buy in the many souks of Damascus and Aleppo.  From Damascus we also spend a day in Lebanon, a chance to see Baalbeck Ruins, the Temple of Jupiter, the Peace Memorial and then onto Beirut.

Week 18 – 19: Syria, Turkey

Heading out of Aleppo and leaving Syria, we enter Turkey with its olive groves and sweet baklava.  Heading into Cappadocia we visit the fairy tale land carved by the weather into the volcanic ash.  Try a Turkish bath and some belly dancing whilst you’re here.  Then to Olympos to visit the Chimera Eternal flame and the Turquoise Coast at Kas.  It’s now off past the limestone curtain of Pamukkale and to Selcuk and the ancient city of Ephesus, before we spot the wooden horse at Troy.  From here we cross to Europe and stop at Gallipoli to pay our respects, before ending the trip in Istanbul, not Constantinople! From Istanbul why not experience the original Orient Express train back to London.

Africa is an unpredictable continent. We do not have a fixed itinerary so please treat the information given as a guideline only. Although our information is written in good faith at the time of printing, our route may vary at any time due to weather, politics or road conditions.

For an updated dossier containing a more detailed itinerary and information on visas, vaccinations, spending money, optional excursions and other useful information please contact us.

Of all the trips we run this is the most likely to have a change of route due to local conditions and visa requirements.