Basix
Overland
Wildlife
Vic Falls to Gorillas
43 Days | Wide open plains against lush jungle and idyllic coastline
43 days
Start
Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
Finish
Nairobi, Kenya
Trip Code
YXOFC
Min Age
15
Trip Size
1 - null
Physical Rating
Meals
41 breakfasts, 27 lunches, 36 dinners
Transport
Overland vehicle, 4x4 Safari Vehicle, Ferry, Minibus
Accommodation
Camping (with facilities) (13 nights), Hotel (2 night), Bunglow (2 nights), Camping (with basic facilities) (4 nights), Hotel with shared facilities (1 night)
From £7,489(43 days)
Trip Informations
Experience the best East Africa offers on a 43-day in-depth adventure from Zimbabwe to Kenya. From the cascading beauty of Victoria Falls to the fragrant delights of Zanzibar's spice plantations, the peaceful shores of Lake Malawi to the bustling activity of Nairobi, this trip features vibrant landscapes, local village communities and the renowned African wildlife. Spot elephants in Zimbabwe, see lions in the Serengeti and track gorillas in Uganda – your animal expeditions alongside the natural wonders and colourful cultures of this unique region will surely make for some unforgettable moments.
Why you’ll love this trip
Meet the Maasai people known for their vibrant red dress and elaborate jewellery and gain an insight into the culture and ancient ways of this proud East African community.
With permits included in the price of the trip, take a trek through Uganda's steamy forests to seek out rare mountain gorillas and spend an unforgettable hour in their presence.
Take a mind-blowing safari across the floor of the Ngorongoro Crater in an open-roof 4WD vehicle for a chance to see the endangered black rhinoceros.
Track rhinos on foot in Matobo National Park, home to a diverse range of flora and fauna including warthogs, leopards, and klipsingers. Learn about the park's cultural significance and San rock paintings.
Visit the Victoria Falls Wildlife Trust to learn about the rehabilitation of wildlife from poaching and get the chance to meet some rescued or orphaned wildlife currently in their care.
Is this trip right for you?
This is an overland trip. That means you’ll be travelling with a group in a purpose-built vehicle, visiting remote communities, setting up your own tent, occasionally roughing it in the bush with no facilities, and getting the best possible views of the Big Five. While the trucks don’t have air conditioning, they do have sliding windows which let in the breeze and make it even easier to take spectacular snaps of the local wildlife. The drive days can be long, but it’s as much about the journey as the destination, and half the fun is the camaraderie. For more info on this style of travel, see our Africa overland page:
At Usambara Mountains the group will do an easy hike to the beautiful Irente viewpoint.
Camp in the Serengeti National Park itself without fences between you and the animals. Your leader will brief you on the safety measures the group will need to take for the two nights spent in the park.
Tracking gorillas in the dense forest can sometimes be wet, muddy and uncomfortable. The terrain is by no means easy either, so it can be pretty strenuous and often humid. But the sheer thrill in coming across a habituated group of gorillas, dominated by a great male silverback, more than outweighs any difficulty. You need to be prepared and fit enough to walk up to 4 hours – up and downhill. A top tip is to pack some gardening gloves to assist in any uphill climbs. See
for more information.
Some passengers on this trip will have been travelling together prior to the start of your trip, so they can help you get into the groove quickly. To see what you're missing out on check out our Africa Encompassed Northbound trip.
As the early bird catches the worm, the early camper sights the animals. There will be many early starts either to make use of the better safari time or to beat the morning traffic on long travel days.
Itinerary
Inclusions
Meals
41 breakfasts, 27 lunches, 36 dinners
Transport
Overland vehicle, 4x4 Safari Vehicle, Ferry, Minibus
Accommodation
Camping (with facilities) (13 nights), Hotel (2 night), Bunglow (2 nights), Camping (with basic facilities) (4 nights), Hotel with shared facilities (1 night)
Activities
Victoria Falls - Victoria Falls Wildlife Trust (The Tuuur Foundation partner) visit
Matobo National Park - Rhino Tracking, Park Visit & San Rock Paintings
Masvingo - Great Zimbabwe Ruins guided visit
South Luangwa - Anti-Poaching Jewelery Project
South Luangwa National Park - 4x4 Afternoon Game Drive
South Luangwa National Park - 4x4 Dawn Game Drive
Mikumi National Park - 4x4 Game Drive
Irente - Lushoto hike
Irente - Local lunch
Ngorongoro Forest - Elephant Cave Trek
Karatu - Home-Cooked Dinner
Karatu - Coffee Farm Tour
Ngorongoro Crater - 4x4 Game Drive
Serengeti National Park - Morning 4WD Safari
Mto Wa Mbu - Village walk & local dinner
Lake Nakuru - Overland Vehicle Game Drive
Lake Nakuru - Morning Overland Vehicle Game Drive
Queen Elizabeth National Park - Overland Vehicle Game Drive
Bwindi National Park - Mountain Gorilla Permit & Trek
Kericho - Tea plantation visit
Masai Mara National Reserve - 4x4 Game Drive
Loita Hills - Maasai Village Visit
Masai Mara National Reserve - Full Day 4WD Safari
Optional activities
Victoria Falls - Canoe trail (full day) - USD185
Victoria Falls - Helicopter Flight of the Angels (12 mins - Excludes US$25 fuel surcharge and NP fees) - USD150
Victoria Falls - Helicopter Flight (25 mins - Excludes US$30 fuel surcharge and NP fees) - USD284
Victoria Falls - Rafting & river boarding (half day) - USD218
Victoria Falls - Village & township tour - USD61
Victoria Falls - Canoe trail wine route - USD55
Victoria Falls - Victoria Falls entrance - USD50
Bulawayo - Railway Museum - USD5
Balawayo - Natural History Museum - USD10
Harare - National Archives - USD3
Harare - National Botanical Gardens - USD5
Harare - National Gallery - USD10
South Luangwa National Park - Game Walk - USD50
Lake Malawi - Guided village walks - USD15
Lake Malawi - Bike Hire - USD25
Lake Malawi - Snorkelling - USD25
Stone Town Tour - Dharajani Market, Joseph's Cathederal, Palace Museum, Forodhani Food Market - USD20
Zanzibar - Prison Island Tour - USD25
Stone Town - Handicraft & Music Urban Adventure - USD50
Zanzibar - Spice tour - USD25
Zanzibar - Snorkelling - USD50
Zanzibar - Dhow Trip - USD35
Stone Town - Culinary Urban Adventure - USD29
Serengeti National Park - Balloon Ride (from price) - USD745
Nairobi - City Experience Urban Adventure - USD55
Kalinzu Forest - Chimpanzee Trekking - USD205
Queen Elizabeth National Park - Kazinga Channel boat cruise - USD30
Kisoro - Golden Monkey Trekking - USD160
Kisoro - Rwanda Day Excursion - From - USD75
Kisoro - Batwa Village Visit - USD35
Kisoro - Coffee Farm Tour - USD35
Jinja - River Nile whitewater rafting (full day) - USD140
Jinja - Nile Boat Cruise - USD40
Jinja - Source of River Nile tour - USD45
Masai Mara National Reserve - Balloon ride (from price) - USD625
Dates and availability
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Important notes
1. A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip. The single supplement applies to all nights of your trip and is subject to availability. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.
2.This trip requires a higher non-refundable deposit (AUD 1000, USD 1000, EUR 800, NZD 1250, GBP 650, CAD 1000, ZAR 8000, CHF 900) in order to secure the included gorilla permit. Please note that we need to confirm availability of a gorilla permit if you are booking within 45 days of departure. The additional deposit paid at time of booking will be credited to the final balance of your booking.
3. Optional sunrise balloon rides in the Serengeti National Park and Masai Mara National Reserve are possible on this itinerary. Please see the itinerary above for full details of this activity. As the balloon only holds 16 people, places are limited and we recommend you book in advance. Please inquire when booking your trip to book this optional activity.
4. This trip is a combination of YXOS, YXON, YXOQ and YXOG our most popular itineraries. As such the make up of your group and your leader may change on days 17, 20 and 28.
5. The Zanzibar portion of your itinerary may have a few more passengers than the maximum group size of 22 as we have a crossover of trips starting and finishing in Zanzibar.
6. This trip finishes upon arrival in Nairobi on Day 43. Please do not book any flights until after 10 pm this evening.
7. Some governments currently have increased foreign travel advice around security in place for Queen Elizabeth National Park in Uganda. Please check your government’s foreign travel advice before departure and ensure your travel insurance covers all destinations and activities on your itinerary.
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