Our fully guided self-drive 4x4 epic adventure begins in Aqaba, Jordan. We meet and greet and spend some time to get to know each other and our vehicles in the calm desert surroundings of Jordan. Together we undergo some driver instruction through the sand dunes of Wadi Rum. A visit to Jordan would not be complete without time to explore the Lost City of Petra, the Dead Sea the lowest point on earth and Lawrence of Arabia’s desert hideout.

The ferry from Aqaba to Nuweiba in Egypt will take us to the African continent.

Our first stop in Egypt is on the beach at Dahab. A quaint tourist town bustling with local restaurants, souvenir stands and diving schools. Situated on the shores of the Red Sea it is the perfect spot to take a snorkelling or diving tour. Mount Sinai overlooks the valley where it is believed God spoke to Moses from a burning bush. The bush is now enshrined in St Catherine’s Monastery. A visit to both these locations is a must while based in Dahab.

From Dahab we overland to the Capital, Cairo. We have a few days in Cairo to explore the Pyramids of Ghiza; the Step Pyramid at Saqqara and the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities.

We depart Cairo heading back to the red sea coast and Hurgada for a brief stopover before continuing to Luxor. Luxor a prime central location for visiting some of Egypt’s most famous sites of Valley of the Kings, Valley of the Queens and Karnak Temple.

From Luxor we drive south to Aswan and our final destination in Egypt. Here is where we can take a ride up the Nile by Felucca, the traditional boats used for thousands of years to navigate the Nile; visit Philae temple and a Nubian village. It is also possible to take a day trip to the ancient temple of Abu Simbel.

Aswan is also our starting point for a very special adventure: the crossing of Lake Nasser to Sudan and Wadi Halfa. Since all land borders between Egypt and Sudan are permanently closed the only way to continue south into real Africa is by boat. This is definitely one of the major highlights on this expedition.

The crossing takes about 3 days plus a day for loading and one day for off loading our vehicles. There are no loading facilities so the sailors run the barges onto the beach and it is up to us to on and off load…… After the Sudanese border formalities we overland into the most eastern part of the Sahara; the Nubian Desert.

This will be our first desert crossing on our fully guided self drive 4x4 Africa adventure. Surrounded by sand dunes for miles; the peace and quiet is like nothing else we have experienced and a pleasant change to the hustle and bustle of Egypt. It will take us approximately 3 days to cross this part of the biggest desert in the world. As we pass small isolated desert villages the local kids come out in droves to welcome us.

Meeting up with the mighty Nile river we head for Khartoum, the capital of Sudan. The Blue Nile originating in Ethiopia and the White Nile with its source in Uganda joins here.

We spend a few days on the banks of the Nile exploring the city, check on our 4x4 vehicles and stock up on food and water. Most visitors are surprised by the vibrant city of Khartoum and the warmth and friendliness of the Sudanese people. Shy by nature they watch curiously and shyly from a distance as we make our way through the large city.

Refreshed we continue south-east to Ethiopia.
 

Most images we have of Ethiopia are of starving children and unfertile desert land. A vast contrary to what we will discover on our travels through this mystical land. Queen of Sheeba and King Solomon ruled here and St George killed dragons in this stunning land of gorges and lakes.

As we approach Ethiopia from Sudan the land becomes greener, fertile and mountainous. Wooden huts scattered throughout the countryside next to small fields being ploughed by ox and man. The best way to explore this part of the World is overland in our 4x4 vehicles.

Our first stop not long after the border is Gondar.

Gondar, the “Camelot” of Africa so duly named for its castles and churches. The original capital of Ethiopia from its foundation by Emperor Fasilidas in 1632. A must is a visit to the Royal Enclosure and Debre Berhan Selassie Church where it is believed Mother Mary appeared to devout followers. The 5 murals painted on the ceiling are an incredible sight.

From Gondar we continue our journey to Lalibela. Perched at an altitude of 2630m above sea level Lalibela remains a very isolated place and a centre of pilgrimage. Famous for it 11 rock-hewn churches built in one century by the help of Angels – so is the belief. The churches are maintained and guarded by priests and monks. A guided tour through these churches, religious or not, will leave you in awe.

We bid farewell to Lalibela and overland to Bahir Dar on the shores of Lake Tana. Lake Tana is dotted with islands boasting some of the oldest monasteries in the World. It is possible to visit these monasteries and if lucky enough view ancient biblical books still closely guarded by resident monks.

Lake Tana is the source of the Blue Nile, a visit to Blue Nile Falls brings us into close contact not only with the falls but tens of curios kids.

Our route leads us to Addis Ababa “The new flower” in Amharic.

We spend a few days in the world capital of the Rastafarians to relax and restock our supplies. Lucy, the oldest human remains in the world can be seen at the museum here. The Merkato (local market) is the place to buy intricate religious icons such as Lalibela Crucifix and old style paintings of Mary, Joseph, Moses and St George. Strangely for those with a sweet tooth will be able to satisfy cravings at one of the many pastry shops scattered throughout the city.

Lake Awasa will be our next stop and first opportunity to possibly spot African wildlife – hippos. From here we descend into the Great Rift Valley, stretching from Syria through the African continent to Mozambique, toward lake Turkana and the border to Kenya.

Crossing the northern frontier district of Kenya overland is one of the more challenging parts of our self drive 4x4 Africa adventure. A very arid area and demanding road conditions for us and the 4x4 vehicles. The crossing will take 2 days, but in that time we will be lucky to have covered 500kms. The going is slow and dusty.

Samburu National Park is our first real taste of East Africa and wildlife and a day or so to game drive through this superb park is a must. Our first glimpse of the big Cats; antelope, giraffe, elephant and zebra will leave a real buzz in the air while we chat about our game drive around the open campfire.

Passing Mount Kenya we cross the equator and make our way to Nairobi, the Capital of Kenya. Once again we take some time to relax and recover, service the 4x4 vehicles and restock.

We stay on the outskirts of Nairobi close to Nairobi National Park, David Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage and the Nairobi Giraffe Centre for those wanting to go exploring. A night out at Carnivores restaurant feasting on various meats is often a popular suggestion.

Our fully guided self drive Africa Adventure has reached the very heart of “safari country” and the half way point between Cairo and Cape Town.

Lake Naivasha, a short drive from Nairobi, awaits us with “Elsamere” - the home of Born Free. Indulge in high tea, watch a video about Joy Adamson’s life and visit a little museum dedicated to Joy and George. From here we visit Lake Nakuru National Park, famous for its white rhino population and millions of pink flamingos gracefully perched in the shallows of Lake Nakuru. We can drive right to the Lake’s edge; but be warned many 4x4s have been bogged doing just this!

If Walt Disney was to build a Game Park he would definitely model it on Lake Nakuru National Park. A small game park, teeming with wildlife, a soda Lake as the centre piece and cliffs drawing the background. A truly stunning setting.

We continue through the Great Rift Valley and up into the western highlands of Kenya. We are blessed with stunning views down into the Valley before descending to the Lake Victoria basin.

Uganda, “the pearl of Africa” appropriately labelled by Winston Churchill. We visit Kampala before heading north to Murchinson Falls National Park. A rewarding game drive as well as a fantastic boat trip to the bottom of the falls awaits us in this stunning park. An early morning walk through Budongo Forest may find us stumbling over a family of Chimpanzees.

A Cairo to Cape Town expedition wouldn’t be complete without a visit to the source of the mighty Nile the longest river in the world and Lake Victoria the biggest lake in Africa. We will also have the opportunity to spend a day or two helping out at one of the community projects in the Jinja area. 

Crossing back into Kenya we pass the port town of Kisumu before entering Tanzania and the world famous Serengeti National Park. It will take us two days to cross the most filmed and photographed game park in Africa. A game drive through the Ngorogoro Crater is an absolute must before we reach the town of Arusha.

The Serengeti is the most famous game park in all of Africa, and after spending some time there you will know why. The Ngorongoro Crater has been compared to Noah’s Ark and the Garden of Eden, an incredible 20km wide volcanic crater littered with lion, rhino, buffalo, elephant, zebra, and wildebeest - just to name a few.

We spend 3 days in the wild savannah plains amongst the African Big 5 wildlife in two of the most famous game parks in Africa. Our days are spent game driving and photographing wildlife like: lion, leopard, wildebeest, rhino, warthog, cheetah, gazelle, zebra, giraffe, elephants, buffalo, hartebeest, reedbuck plus many more. If we are lucky we may also spot the African Little 5. As the sun goes down we make camp amongst the wildlife, eat a hearty meal and fall asleep listening to the sounds of Africa. Your reservation awaits you at the 1000000 star Hotel (the breath taking African skies).

No fully guided self drive 4x4 Africa adventure would be complete without the thrill of driving through the most famous game parks in Africa.

We leave the Crater continuing through Masai Land to Meserani, a Masai Village. Here we visit a Masai Village and Cultural Centre.

A day’s drive takes us to the coast and Dar es Salaam or “Haven of Peace” in Kiswahili. It is here where we leave the vehicles and take a ferry to the spice island of Zanzibar with its ancient Arab architecture, tropical beaches and crystal clear waters. 

The ferry arrives in Stone Town – a classic Arabic old city, with narrow cobble stoned streets, sweet smell of spices float through the air, and the local mosque hums in the background. At sun-down the plaza changes form and as the sun disappears over the Indian Ocean, the Plaza comes alive with the smell of barbecuing fresh seafood, colorfully dressed women mix dough in preparation to make Zanzibar pizzas and the men stand around talking politics. For the true Zanzibar experience a visit and a meal in the plaza is an absolute must. A visit to Zanzibar would not be complete without taking one of the many spice tours on offer and a couple of days relaxing on the tropical beaches and swimming in crystal clear waters. For those wanting to partake in aquatic activities Zanzibar will not disappoint - snorkeling, scuba diving, swimming with dolphins, sailing and windsurfing are all on offer.

We spend a few days to relax and enjoy.

Leaving Dar es Salaam behind us we head west through Mikumi National Park and reach the border of Malawi. We follow the lake shore and enjoy the laid back atmosphere of this beautiful country. The Nyika Plateau is definitely worth a visit, high in the Malawi Mountain range, a rare opportunity to take a horse riding safari or try your hand at fly-fishing. The road to the Plateau overland is steep, rocky and slow going but not a problem for our 4x4 vehicles.

Lake Malawi with its beautiful beaches and coves not only gave the country its name, it also covers one third of the county’s surface.

Heading further south we cross into Zambia and visit South Luangwa national park, one of the best kept secrets of African game parks. Not many travellers know about this outstanding park hidden in the Luangwa valley.

Overlanding on some particularly bad roads we arrive at our "home" for the coming 2 nights - Flat Dogs Campsite. The campsite is situated on the banks of the Luangwa River - a natural fence separating the campsite from South Luangwa National Park. It is not unusual for Elephants to wander into camp at breakfast time to check-out the breakfast menu; be warned Kellogg’s Cornflakes are one of the favorite foods and they are not shy in helping themselves! The campsite has several platforms high in the tress – a perfect spot to lay and listen to the wild African sounds.

South Luangwa National Park is famous for leopard, lion, giraffe, hippos, crocodiles, hyena and aardvark. It is one of the few parks where night game drives as well as walking safaris are possible. A spectacular park situated in a spectacular part of Africa.

Passing through the capital Lusaka we reach the world famous ` smoke that thunders` renamed to Victoria Falls by David Livingstone.

Long before we reach Livingstone we can see the mist coming from the famous Victoria Falls. The mist becomes more pronounced as we arrive in the centre of Livingstone, Zambia. The Zambezi River with its Victoria Falls is a natural border line separating Zambia from Zimbabwe; the Falls leaves many speechless with her sheer size and power; 1 mile long and pumps an incredible 4.5 million cubic meters of water every second into the Zambezi Gorge.

Livingstone is the perfect base to enjoy the many activities on offer including a sunset cruise down the Zambezi; white water raft; abseil and gorge swing in the Zambezi Gorge, bungee jump 111m with Victoria Falls providing the perfect backdrop; take an afternoon stroll with Rhinos; or photograph the Falls from great heights in a micro light, helicopter or light aircraft – the options are endless.

Our next destination is Botswana with Chobe National Park and the Okavango Delta. We have the option to go into the delta in dugout canoes and spend a couple of days amongst the wild life. There is also the option to take a scenic flight over the Delta, a rare opportunity to spot herds of elephants from the air.

Okavango Delta is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Botswana. An amazing 15,000 sq km water maze of lagoons, estuaries, streams and islands form this incredible haven for birds and African animals alike. The best way to explore the Delta is by Mokoro – local dug-out canoes, at night we free-camp by the banks of the Okavango Delta.

Overlanding into northern Namibia we visit Etosha National Park for three days, have a look at the world’s biggest meteorite and enjoy the breath taking desert scenery before driving south along the skeleton coast.

Etosha is Namibia’s draw card. A vast game park situated in classic African savannah surroundings. The well located watering holes often mean we do not have to travel far to see wild life. The well equipped campsites situated near a flood lit watering hole are a pleasant surprise for everyone who has travelled north to south. A perfect setting to pop the cork of a few bottles of South African finest wines and enjoy a platter of cheeses, olives, and fresh fruit as we watch the animals come in to drink. Sitting by one of watering holes peacefully watching wild life is a vast contrast to the hustle and bustle of Cairo and Egypt – you will begin to wonder if you are still on the same continent!

The German colonial towns of Swakopmund and Luderitz are well worth a visit. Swakopmund appropriately labelled as the desert adventure capital of Southern Africa, there are many activities to had including quad biking, sky diving and deep sea fishing. For those looking for a more relaxed time there are plenty of excellent restaurants serving famous Namibian seafood and traditional German food and beer. Luderitz, an old Bavarian style German colonial town, is a true step back in time. On the icy shores of the South Atlantic Ocean it is home to seals, penguins, flamingos and assorted marine life.

Not far from Luderitz is the diamond ghost town of Kohlmanskop. Once a bustling diamond mining town until the slump in diamond prices after WW1 and richer deposits discovered further south left Kohlmanskop a mere reminder of what life was like pre WW1.

Sesriem National Park provides us the chance to climb to Dune 45, the largest sand dune in World. A visit to Fish River Canyon and the hot springs of Ai Ais are a must in this part of the Africa.

South Africa is our last country and final destination on our fully guided self drive 4x4 Cairo to Cape Town adventure. Leaving the arid landscape of Namibia we soon hit the green Mediterranean-like wine region of the Western Cape and our final destination of Cape Town. 

A wine tour around Stellenbosch is a civilised way to wind down our epic journey across the African continent.

As we arrive in Cape Town and enjoy a final meal together we reminisce over the previous 4 months; remembering our overland adventures we toast to our experiences, the interesting people we have met along the way and more importantly to us; for turning our dreams into a reality.