Cape Town to Cairo route plan

Join Odyssey Overland for the adventure of your lifetime as we drive overland from Cape Town, South Africa to Cairo, Egypt on a 20-week expedition in a custom built overland truck. If you want to see a huge part of Africa up close and personal and experience a huge amount of what this amazing continent has to offer this is the trip to do. We take a while longer than other expeditions but believe that if you are coming all the way to Africa to really experience the culture, customs, scenery and wildlife, it is best not to rush. It’s also worth remembering that we run small funky groups of 16 -20, unlike many other trips where you will be packed in like sardines with 28 – 36 people travelling along. Our smaller groups allow us to visit more off-the-beaten-track places, stay in nicer accommodation and not overcrowd the places we visit. We will be exploring South Africa, Swaziland, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, Malawi, Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt.

Below is our intended route for our 20 week expedition from Cape Town to Cairo. This is a guide only; due to the nature of a trans-continental expedition things may change due to unexpected circumstances beyond our control, whether that be a bridge having washed away, a pass being closed due to a landslide, or some silly border official having his day’s fun with us. Or it may be that we get invited to a local festival or find a new unexpected highlight we wish to see, and so our itinerary is designed to be flexible and it all adds to the adventure! So the plan may change by a day here and there but overall the week-by-week plan below will be followed as closely as possible.

Weeks 1-3 South Africa – Wine, Whales and the Garden Route
We all meet up in Cape Town for a pre trip briefing and a night out on the town. We suggest that if you want to explore Cape Town before the trip departs you try and arrive 3 days before the trip starts. We are happy to meet you, arrange accommodation for you and give you all the information to get out and explore the “Mother City” which is one of the most spectacular cities in the world, dominated by the majestic Table Mountain.

As we wave Cape Town goodbye and head off on our expedition it’s only a short jump out into the Stellenbosch vineyards, one of South Africa’s top wine growing areas and a stunning historic town. With the plan to visit 3 to 4 estates to do some wine tasting as well as possibly stocking the truck with a few bottles. We will spend two nights in Stellenbosch and will have the best part of two days to explore, one wine tasting and another exploring the town. If wine is not your thing, no problem, there is plenty else to do.

Next we wander along the east coast our destination is Hermanus, famous for its shore based Southern Right Whale watching. Wander the cliff path with whales so close at times it’s crazy. It is possible to go boat-based whale watching but this is expensive and the view from the cliffs is in many cases better. En route to Hermanus we will also stop off at an African Penguin colony. Fancy jumping in the water with a huge Great White Shark? From Hermanus you have the option of popping a few kilometres up the coast to Shark Alley just off the Danger Point Lighthouse which is famous for its cage diving and boat-based shark viewing. It’s possible to see sharks of up to 5 metres here. Hermanus also has a couple of blue flag beaches for those who would like to catch a bit of a tan.

Since we plan to drive the length of Africa we think it’s essential to go to the southernmost point of Africa, many think this is Cape Point near Cape Town but the actual most southerly point is Cape Agulhas, we spend the night here before heading for the Garden Route.

The Garden Route is world-renowned for good reason, as it is a stunning part of South Africa to explore, incorporating rugged coast line, great little villages, nature reserves, great outdoor activities and friendly people. Our first stop will be Knysna, hopefully about lunch time as the local oysters are amazing. We spend the night and the following morning exploring before jumping a bit further up the coast to the Tsitsikamma Coastal National Park, which in our opinion is the best coastal national park in Africa (and we have seen a few!).

We camp right on the edge of the sea with spectacular walks and activities to do in the surrounding reserve. We spend a couple of days relaxing or really getting out there hiking and exploring. In addition just down the road is the highest commercial bungee jump in the world at 216m. Yep this is when you attach a piece of elastic to yourself and jump off a bridge - not everybody’s cup of tea but for those not jumping there is a great viewing platform to watch the jumpers.
Africa is also about the wildlife and the Big Five – lion, leopard, elephant, rhino and buffalo. These are sure to be on everybody’s list and we hope to see all repeatedly as we visit a great selection of game parks on our journey.

We head for Addo Elephant National Park our first major game reserve, home to vast herds of elephant (it has the highest concentration of elephant in Africa) as well as good numbers of buffalo, rhino and other game. We plan to do an evening and morning game drive looking for game and are sure to be able to chalk up a couple of the Big Five. The other highlight is the waterhole close to camp which at night comes alive with elephants, buffalo and rhino if you are lucky. It is almost as if they are popping in for an after work drink. Sitting comfortably behind what seems to rather a small wall and you can also sit and sip on your drink while watching a stunning wildlife show.

As we head north we enter another stunning section of the South African coast, the Wild Coast, formerly part of the Transkei, a homeland given to the local people in the apartheid era – a reminder of South Africa’s chequered past. This is where Nelson Mandela was born and grew up, we will visit his home village and the nearby Nelson Mandela Museum as well as spending a couple of days enjoying the amazing beaches and natural beauty of this part of the world.From here we head inland to the Drakensburg mountain range for its incredible scenery and a chance to do some hikes great trails or just kick back and relax and enjoy the stunning views. The choice of where to go in the Drakensburg is huge so we will discuss the options with the group and then make a decision.

For the folks who are interested in adding another country to their list they could do a drive in a 4x4 over stunning Sani Pass rugged into the mountain kingdom of Lesotho. From here we wander through the scenic province of Kwazulu Natal en route to Swaziland.

Week 4 The Kingdom of Swaziland – National Parks and Arts & Crafts
Imagine a country where traditionally all the most beautiful young virgins dance almost naked in front of the King and then he takes his pick. Sadly for the King he is getting it in the neck about this practice now so has scaled things down a bit but Swaziland is one of three remaining Kingdoms and is great to explore. Our first stop is the Miliwane Game Reserve good for walking safaris with some good antelope and hippo sighting likely.

It’s also our chance to watch a traditional Swazi dance and possibly if the urge takes you, get involved and learn a couple of moves. From here we wander on to the capital of Mbabane, more for a quick stockup as the town is fairly modern and does not have much to offer. We then head for the Malkerns Valley, home to the Royal Village of Lobamba where the big attraction is the local art and craft with stunning carvings, glass work and pottery. Many of these craft markets are run by the local women who previously had been excluded from running businesses.

We then head further through the rolling hills of the Lebombo Mountains to spend a bit more time in another National Park, the Hlane Royal National Park; very relaxed in its approach you have the options of walking, mountain bike or jeep guided game viewing trips.

Week 4 and 5 Mozambique – Seafood, Diving, Beaches and Islands
We cross into Mozambique from Swaziland and head for the capital of Maputo with its great vibe, street cafes and tree lined streets. Mozambique is very different from its neighbours South Africa and Swaziland due to its Portuguese influences, and the city’s colonial past is everywhere to see giving a vaguely Portuguese feel, though it is clear that this is very much an African capital. This is where the liberated South African elite came to play when they wanted to escape the constraints of the apartheid regime. We base ourselves here for a couple of days, reminders of its war-torn past are ever present with roads named after Karl Marx and Vladimir Lenin, but you are more likely to spot capitalism on every corner as you wander the wide streets. There are great markets to wander and try out those Portuguese phrases you have picked up!

Mozambique is the land of huge plates of prawns and seafood, amazing diving and stunning beaches and islands, so from Maputo we hop slowly up the coast staying in beach front campsites with all sorts of activities on offer. With an abundance of seafood and great beaches, friendly locals and warm water which is crystal clear ideal for snorkelling and diving, the days slip by as we beach hop north. The pinnacle of these beachside stops is Tofo Beach as not only is it stunning but also has some amazing sea-life to show off. Imagine swimming with dolphins, whale sharks or scuba diving into the landing pattern-like tower of up to 15 giant manta rays all slowly spiralling downwards as if coming in to land. Having dived the world extensively, I still find the variety of corals and marine life hard to beat every time I come back. For the non divers we also spend enough time here for you to get qualified and exploring the underwater world if you choose, or you can enjoy the beaches and local culture. We will also have the option of hiring traditional dhows and sailing out to the Bazaruto Archipelago from Vilanculos for more great snorkelling and diving. We are also sure to lay on a couple of feasts with the local fresh lobster, prawns, fish and local speciality, spicy Portuguese style peri-peri chicken, we will live the country through its food. Mozambique is truly a special place.

Week 6 Zimbabwe – Mystical Ruins and walking with lions
Even with the difficult times facing Zimbabwe, it still has so much to offer and we feel by contributing directly to the local people we are doing our bit to help this troubled country. The country is still safe to travel through and the locals give us a heroes welcome! As we cross from Mozambique we head for the Bvumba Mountains, meaning mountains of the mist, the forested hills offer some amazing trekking and we will see how we are doing for time but may stop here for a day to explore.

From here we head for one of the great mystical ruins of Zimbabwe, the Great Zimbabwe National Monument. With no written record of this huge settlement (they are the largest ruins in Africa south of the Egyptian pyramids) many theories are around, but from the advanced engineering and well planned defences this must have been a major city in its time. We get a local guide to give us his take on the history and spend a full day wandering the ruins. The local bird of prey that features throughout this ruin is now the national emblem of Zimbabwe. The chance to pickup stunning rock art carved by the local artists in the green soap stone is not to be missed.

From here it’s just a short hop down the road to a lion sanctuary where you can walk and play with the lions as well as do various other activities.

Next we head for the city of Bulawayo, Zimbabwe’s second biggest city. While the city holds limited appeal, the big attraction is the nearby Matopo National Park which is famous for its Black Rhino. Our local guide specializes in taking walking safaris with these amazing animals. Not for the faint hearted this is an adrenalin rush of note depending on the luck of the day and this is what game viewing is all about you may get as close as 50 metres from these huge and potentially dangerous animals. Our guide is an old hand at this and follow his lead and you will be fine! We camp out in the Matopo Hills with the chance to climb to the top of one of the crazy-shaped rocky hills to watch the sunset (chilled gin & tonic in hand we find is the best way!). Zimbabwe also has many skilled craftsmen and the local curios are great value and it is great to be able to support these people in their troubled country.

Week 7 Botswana – Salt pans and the Okavango Delta
Our first stop will be the Makgadikgadi & Nxai Pans National Park which comprise Botswana’s great salt pans, Sua, Ntwetwe and Nxai – these vast salt flats allow you to see the curvature of the earth on a good day. We stay out here at the funky Planet Baobab Campsite, named after the local tree many of which are more than 4,000 years old, they look like giant trees which have been uprooted – the local legend has it that these great trees had boasted to the other small stunted desert trees that they were the king of all trees, so as punishment the gods had them upended, hiding their massive branches in the ground and leaving their roots pointing to the sky. They form a vital chain in the local eco-system, but more about that when we get there! From the lodge you have the chance to jump on quad bike, walk or take a jeep safari out onto the pans.

From here we drive through the flat lands of Botswana heading for Maun, the gateway to the Okavango Delta, a huge inland wetland teeming with wildlife. The preferred form of transport here is the mokoro or dug-out canoe. In the past these were made by felling one of the local massive trees and then hollowing it out to make a canoe – they are beautiful looking boats, but it did lead to a mass cutting down of the beautiful African trees so a local company makes a look-alike out of synthetic fibre which works just as well. We meet up with our local guide and polers and float down the narrow waterways, looking out for crocodiles and huge hippos along the way, not to mention amazing birdlife and wildlife as we go. Our destination is one of the many islands deep inside the delta where we will camp out in the wild and do guided walks and mokoro trips in the area around us. A very special experience! After two nights deep in the African bush we float back to civilization and spend another night in Maun before heading for Namibia.

Week 8 Namibia – Sand dunes, national parks and adventure activities
Home to the oldest desert in the world, stunning dune fields, the amazing desert elephants, the Skeleton Coast and Etosha National Park, we explore the best that this country has to offer.

Our first stop is the capital city of Windhoek, due to its colonial past the city has a slightly German/African feel with wide streets and a nice clean feel. A visit to Joe’s Beer House famous for its exotic African dishes is a must in this city as well as a night out on the town! The next morning we head toward the dune fields of the Namib Desert. With some of the highest dunes in the world, this incredible landscape begs to be explored. For those who really want to explore we meet up with a local legend and he will show you things about this desert that you never would have known or found out; for such a harsh and dry environment it is amazing that life exists if you know where to look.

After a hectic morning we head slightly north in the dune fields trying to find the idea place to camp under the stars and get those perfect sunset shots.

Next stop is the adventure capital of Namibia. Swakopmund, set on the Atlantic coast with the cold Benguela current cooling the hot surrounding dune fields, this is the place to head off on a quad bike, sand board the sand dunes, tandem skydive, go deep sea fishing, and so the list goes on. This funky town also has great German bakeries, traditional restaurants and a great party scene if that’s what you fancy. We stay in a nice hotel for a couple of days and relax or pump up the adrenalin levels, it’s all up to you.

From here we head up the Skelton Coast with its harsh beauty (and ship-wrecking history), en route we stop off at the Cape Seal colony at Cape Cross where thousands of seals congregate.

Our next destination is another amazing desert stop, called Twyfelfontein (meaning doubtful spring or fountain) this was a sacred place for the local bushmen in years gone by. The surrounding hills are etched with paintings from these old great hunters depicting memorable hunts, but this was also their way of paying respect to the animal which fed and clothed them. The other big attraction is the desert elephant which live up this way. We will spend a full day out trying to find them and hope to head off on foot and follow them for a bit if the wildlife gods are smiling on us. These elephants move huge distances to find enough food to support their massive bodies, so finding them at times can be quite a task. We camp in a spectacular setting where on a clear night the sky is aglow with countless stars.

Next on to one of Southern Africa’s great national parks; Etosha (meaning great white place) has been a national park since 1907 and has amazing game viewing opportunities. The park covers an area of 23,175 square kilometres and has so much to offer. We spend two full days game driving around the park while staying in their fantastic camps. Most days this will mean a early start to leave the camp as the gates open and then a couple of hours driving and then back to relax during the hot midday and then head out as soon as it cools down enough to view game again in the afternoon. The other great thing about Etosha is the floodlit waterholes. All the camps have these and it’s great to watch the animals come in for a drink over the night. This can be anything from antelope, lions, elephant and even rhino at times. Etsoha is home to all the Big Five except buffalo and we are sure to be able to tick off most of them by the time we leave this great national park, together with many other African species.

From here we wander north to the Cubango River which forms the border between Namibia and Angola and is the river which feeds the Okavango Delta. We now head through the Caprivi Strip a narrow piece of Namibia squeezed between Botswana, Angola, Zambia and Zimbabwe, and we camp on the river banks for a night before heading for the fantastic Victoria Falls and Zambia.

Week 9 Zambia – Victoria Falls, the Zambezi and game viewing heaven
Victoria Falls or locally know as Mosi oa Tunya “The Smoke that Thunders” is an amazing sight as this great river plunges over the edge. While it is neither the highest nor the widest waterfall in the world, it is claimed to be the largest, based on a width of 1,708 metres (5,600 ft) and height of 108 metres (360 ft), forming the largest sheet of falling water in the world. We base ourselves in the village of Livingstone for 3 days to experience the falls and possibly do a couple of the many optional activities available. From white water rafting the mighty Zambezi, to scenic flights, elephant back safaris, game viewing, sundowner cruises on the Zambezi River above the falls with a good chance of finding elephant, to taking a plunge off the Victoria Falls Bridge on a piece of elastic plus so many other options. For those who want to it’s also possible to cross over for the day to the town of Victoria Falls on the Zimbabwe side (though you will need to buy a visa).

From Livingston we head north through Zambia and stop off for a night in the capital of Lusaka, nothing to get too excited about but gives us a chance to restock before heading into the wilds. On this trip we really try and give a true wildlife experience and head for off-the-beaten-track national parks. We really believe there should be more animals than tourists and so on our routing have added in two national parks that most overland companies do not visit primarily because they are off the beaten track and take a bit of getting to, but would you rather share your pride of lions with a dozen other tour groups? For this reason we have included South Luangwa and Ruaha National Parks. As we head north through Zambia our destination is South Luangwa National Park, the gem of all the parks in Zambia. Getting there is quite a rough drive, but once we are there this is game viewing heaven. The campsite overlooks the Luangwa River and is called Flatdogs in honour of the crocodiles sunning themselves on the bank below and is a truly special camp. With no fences, elephants are regular visitors and hyena and leopard are known to wander through once in a while. We use Landrovers to explore the park doing a game drive in the morning and evening and doing the last part of the drive in the dark with a spotlight seeing all the animals that you would not normally see during the day. South Luangwa is famous for its leopard not to mention big herds of elephant and prides of lion. This is how game viewing should be; just your group and a knowledgeable guide!!

Week 10 Malawi – Beaches and chill time
The last couple of weeks will have been fairly hectic, so we head into Malawi for a week of chill time. We will briefly visit the capital, Lilongwe, before heading to Lake Malawi. Lake Malawi covers over a fifth of the whole country, and is more than 560km long and, at its widest, close to 75km wide. This is the first large Rift Valley lake that we will encounter. The Rift Valley was formed millions of years ago when Africa was nearly ripped in two (but it would have none of it!) and as a result there are spectacular cliffs, volcanoes and grassy plains, and of course lakes. A freshwater lake, Lake Malawi is home to an astonishing variety of brightly coloured fish (over 500 species), and some crazy rock formations as well as hippos and crocodiles.
We will hop our way up the shoreline of the lake from beach camp to beach camp with many options including diving (it is a cheap place to do a diving course if you want to), snorkelling and windsurfing. The local villages are also great to explore, with plenty of arts & crafts and there are some interesting walks to be done.

This is prime chillout time and those wanting to top up the tan will find the sandy beaches the ideal place.

Week 11 Tanzania – Kilimanjaro, Ngorongoro Crater, Serengeti and Ruaha
Tanzania has so much to offer from top national parks and the mighty Mount Kilimanjaro to Zanzibar Island. Our first stop will be Ruaha National Park, Tanzania’s second biggest national park which sees very few visitors other than the very expensive fly-in safari market, therefore enjoys the fabulous combination of very few tourists but lots of animals. The park is home to huge elephant herds, good populations of lion, buffalo and antelope and we are sure to get top value while in this park. We will try and concentrate on walking safaris here, though for those who prefer jeep based viewing this is no problem.

Next stop the funky capital city of Dar es Salaam with its exotic mix going back centuries to the days of the spice and slave trade. Just off the coast is the islands of Zanzibar with its stunning white beaches, narrow cobbled streets of the capital Stone Town with its old slave forts, spice markets and amazing night seafood market there is something for everybody on this exotic island whether that is chilling on a beach or heading out with a local to see how all the spices are grown. We spend three days on the islands and it’s up to you decide what you fancy doing. The crew will assist with accommodation and activities but it’s up to you!

As we head north we head towards the mighty Mount Kilimanjaro and the wilds of the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater. We have decided to offer two options depending on your interests: the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater, or Kilimanjaro.

The Serengeti, Tanzania’s largest national park, and the Crater are amazing wildlife sanctuaries but are also very popular with mass tourism so though you will see and experience amazing wildlife expect to do it with a crowd and to pay big money to do so. Remember that we have visited three other amazing national parks, Etosha, South Luangwa and Ruaha and a good number of others and are fairly sure to have had amazing sightings of the Big Five, many different antelope, birds, bugs and all the other things wild life musts on an Africa safari.

So based on this we think that Kilimanjaro has a lot to offer. For those who want to head to Serengeti and Ngorongora this is no problem and we will arrange it all for you, for those who would like to attempt a summit of Africa’s highest peak we do not do the climb ourselves but rather use a company of local mountain specialists. Please remember this is a major climb involving high altitude and you will need to be quite fit to attempt the climb. For those who think to climb to the top of a mountain just to walk back down is just stupid, we have a number of other alternatives which you can consider, from short hikes around the base of Kilimanjaro to cultural activities such as school visits, walking tours through local Maasai villages and amazing local food. This is an amazing part of the world and you are sure to find something you would like to do!

Week 13 & 14 Kenya, Uganda / Rwanda, and Kenya again – Mountain Gorillas and local tribes
As we head north from here we cross into our next country, Kenya, and head for the manic capital of Nairobi. This is a true African capital and we use it as a base to resupply and get any visas we need for the countries ahead. We will be sure to head for the famous Carnivores Restaurant to try some more crazy exotic food. The option of visiting the nearby Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage and Langata Giraffe Centre are also worth considering. As soon as we can though we head north from Nairobi heading towards Lake Nakuru, another of the Rift Valley lakes. Its major attraction is the flamingos which gather here in their millions to feast on the algae that grows in the shallow waters. There is also the chance of doing a game drive here in search of Leopard and White Rhino. We camp on the shores with time to explore.

From here we leave Kenya for a bit as we go in search of the Mountain Gorillas in Uganda or Rwanda. We will need to get permits in advance for the gorilla trek as there are only limited permits available every day and depending on where we get the permits will determine where we head in the Virunga Mountain Range. This is the last natural habitat of these gentle giants with only 500 – 600 still living in the wild. This can be quite a trek through the dense jungle but the reward of sitting quietly and having a family of these great apes forage around you is a very special experience. The local guides are really good, depending on where the gorillas are the normal trek is about an hour but can be up to 5 hours. Depending on where we view the gorillas will depend on what other activities will be on offer. If we stay in Uganda we will have time to explore the Queen Elizabeth National Park and explore Lake Bunyoni. There are also some great little villages to explore.

Next up, the adventure playground of Uganda, we head for Jinja which is situated at the start of the great Nile River which makes its way through Africa for 6,700km and which we will follow for quite a way as we head north towards Cairo. We spend a couple of days here with great white water rafting, quad biking, horse riding and general relaxing.

From here it’s back into Kenya as we start to head further up the Rift Valley and into the wilds of Northern Kenya. The roads get steadily worse as we go north but the reward is that we start seeing the northern tribes many who still dress in their spectacular traditional dress. We can expect of come across both the Sambura and Rendille tribes up this way. We take the time to say hello and if invited have a wander around a couple of local villages and see how these people live in this harsh environment. The tribes also offer some great traditional bead work and carving for those wanting to take home something different. We will also explore the Samburu National Park for a day before heading north towards the border of Ethiopia.

Weeks 15 & 16 Ethiopia – Rock hewn churches and fascinating tribes
For many people, Ethiopia conjures up visions of widespread famine and harsh deserts. While the country is undoubtedly poor, it has a varied landscape and some amazing experiences to offer the more intrepid travellers! This will be tough travelling with very rough roads, all campsites will be very basic and at times will be hard going with the dust and heat sure to tax us all, but nothing you can not handle if you come along with the right approach. This is wild untamed Africa only explored by an adventurous few!

As we cross into this wild southern corner of Ethiopia the big attraction here is the local tribes with their amazing cultural ways and varied traditional dress. We will explore the Konso and Omo Valley regions. The tribes in this sector still dress traditionally, from lip plates to elaborate face painting and amazing neck and ankle bracelets these tribes are very unique and it’s incredible to see how they survive in this harsh environment. This will be one of the toughest legs of our journey with bad roads, very limited western influence and hot and dusty conditions. We base ourselves in Jinka. Due to the rough roads and terrain we leave the truck for a couple of days and we will use small 4x4 jeeps to explore this section. We will hop from tribal settlements and markets with our local guide explaining as we go. We will go in search of the Hamer, Arbore and Dascensch tribes with the chance of also seeing the nomadic Mursi if we come across them on our travels. This will be one of the harshest and most difficult sections of our expedition, but worth every minute once you have recovered and have gathered around a nice campfire with a chilled gin and tonic, we work out just how easy we have it in the western world.

As we wander north the next stop will be Arba Minch set between Lake Abaya and Lake Chamo, two of the lakes of the renowned Rift Valley, this is a gathering point of many of the local tribes and has an excellent local market. A great option here is to hire a local boat and visit the “Crocodile Market” where at times huge numbers of crocodiles come out onto the banks to sun themselves. The local is also home to two more tribes the Guji and Ganjule who hunt the hippo of the lake. From here we will also venture out to the village of Chencha, a Dorze tribe village. Famous for their cotton work they were quite possibly forced up to here present village by warring tribes on the plains below them about 500 years ago.

Our next stop is something totally different and was created by Haile Selassie the former emperor Ethiopia who awarded the Rastafarian religious sect a Africa home for their religion in the town of Shahsemene. About 120 Rasta families live in the village along with many local people.

From here we continue following the string of Rift Valley Lakes and head for the lakes of Abiyata and Shala which are both in the Rift Valley National Park and have a good chance of spotting some game as well as flocks of flamingos.

Addis Ababa has such an African ring to its name, meaning “New Flower” it lies in the hills high enough to have a pleasant climate and has many attractions to explore. At first look this the fourth largest city in Africa looks just like all the rest with a mix of big Mercedes cars swerving to miss goats and the throngs of people, but once you settle in this is a very funky city with lots to see. From the African Museum, a must even for the non museum goers, to exotic local food, vibey street cafes and bars to rocking night clubs, Addis Ababa has something for everybody. We will spend a couple of days here sorting visas for Sudan and restocking ready for the next leg of our journey.

We continue heading north from Addis Ababa and drive down into the Blue Nile River Gorge more than 1,000m deep as we twist and turn down the scenery is fantastic. Our destination today is the source of the Blue Nile in the town of Bahir Dar on the shores of Lake Tana. This area has long been a religious centre with many churches on the islands on the lake, local boatmen will take you out on a tour of these churches in their traditional boats made by bundling the local papyrus reed together. The inside of many of these churches have traditional murals and decorations of the Orthodox church (please note some of the churches will not allow women to enter).

The other big attraction here is the Blue Nile Falls which plummet 45 metres and can be as wide as 400m, though modern river control can reduce the flow quite a bit. There are many options above and below the falls with walks or boat trips getting you to some fantastic vantage points.

Lalibela, once a small religious town hidden in the remote hills of Ethiopia, is one of the top attractions in this Orthodox Christian country and is a World Heritage Site. Here we find a cluster of 11 rock-hewn churches around 800 years old. Mostly cut from solid rock the amount of work that these must have taken show an ardent religious following with a many days on their hands. Legend has it that angels assisted with the building and it took just 12 days! The most famous and best preserved church is Bete Giorgis (St George the patron saint of Ethiopia) is carved in the form of Greek Cross. The local priests are happy to show us around and explain what they can. There will also be the option of doing a trek into the hills to other churches all for those who would like a mule trek.

From here we continue north on small roads heading for the town of Mekele another town with many amazing churches cut into the surrounding cliffs and into the local caves. Many of these churches are clustered together in groups. We will visit the clusters of Gheralta, Takatsfi and Atsbi.

Next it’s on to another Ethiopia highlight and World Heritage Site, Axum (or Aksum) was the birth place of Christianity in Ethiopia and is believed to be the final resting place of the Ark of the Covenant, as well as being the capital of the ancient Kingdom of Axum and is the oldest city in Ethiopia. The churches of St Mary of Zion are said to be the oldest in Africa dating back to 330AD. We also get to check out a bit of ancient Bolix and Astrix-like Obelisks, the tallest one standing today is 23 metres high but the one that has toppled over measures 34m, but is still the largest monolith ever erected by man. The nearby ruins are said to be of the palace of the Queen of Sheba, who is said to be grandmother of King Soloman, the founder of Ethiopia’s ruling family, until the late Emperor Haile Selassie.

From here we head for the roof of Africa, the Simien Mountains and the Simien National Park. Home to some unique animals we go trekking or on a mule safari to enjoy this scenically stunning mountain range. The local Gelada baboons are a big attraction as well and if you are lucky we may even sight some of the Walia Ibex. We spend a couple of days trekking here before heading for the next ancient city of Gondar.

Gondar is known as the city of castles and palaces and seems to have been the place where every new king for many years felt he had to build a castle to prove his arrival. Called “Africa’s Camelot” the city is great to get lost in for a couple of days and explore its former splendour.

From here we head for the border of Sudan and head for the capital of Khartoum which is expected to take us two full days’ drive with a few local villages along the way and a border to negotiate.

Weeks 18 & 19 Sudan
Although it is the largest country in Africa, Sudan is rarely visited by tourists, but has so much to offer, from ancient pyramids to whirling dervishes, with dramatic mountains and scenery in between, not to mention hospitable people.

Khartoum, the capital city of Sudan, is set at the junction where the White and Blue Niles intersect. This city will be a our base for a couple of days as we get everything ready to venture north following the Nile. It is described by many as a dusty hot uncomfortable city and while this can be very true, it all depends on how you approach it. Hopefully you will be out exploring the markets drinking tea with the locals and generally enjoying this city. We will also try to arrive here in time for the Friday market and the gathering of the Dervishes who conduct a religious ceremony where they whirl themselves into a religious state, a very special ceremony to watch. The local markets also offer some very exotic souvenirs with Beja tribal swards always making their way into the truck to be smuggled home to be mounted on walls around the world!

From Khartoum we head north following the Nile as it winds towards Egypt. We now enter what was historically the Nubian Kushite Kingdom with the earliest recorded history going back well before 3500BC. We will explore many Nubia ruins as we travel through this historic part of Africa. We visit Musawarat, home to the Great Enclosure, once an important pilgrimage site. Further north we stop at Begrawiya, which is one of Sudan’s most impressive sights, with ancient pyramids and hieroglyphics and none of the crowds that dominate the pyramids in Egypt.

Heading briefly west, we visit Karima, a town dominated by the mountain of Jebel Barkal, which was a very important spiritual site in the time of the pharaohs. There are plenty of ruinous pyramids and temples to while away an afternoon.

 

 

We now drop down and follow the Nile River for a while, hopping from oasis town to oasis town. We visit Dongola, famous for its palm groves, before heading to Wadi Halfa, where after some “swift” negotiation, we will board a ferry for the journey into Egypt. This is a tough section of our route, but with a bit of patience and a smattering of good humour, it is all possible!

Week 20 Egypt – Pyramids, Sphinxes and Deserts
Our starting point in this iconic country is Aswan, Egypt’s most southernmost city. Located on the banks of the Nile, this city retains a distinctly African feel. We have a couple of days here to recover from the ferry journey, restock the supplies at the vibrant souq and perhaps visit the Nubia Museum which gives you some background to the ethnic roots of the people of northern Sudan and southern Egypt.

Next stop is Luxor, where the history takes centre stage with the incredible Luxor Temple and Avenue of the Sphinxes in the centre of the city, and many more relics of ancient times nearby. We have two full days here to explore the city and sights before we head back into the desert.

As we continue on towards Cairo we head west into the White and Black Deserts of the Western Desert Region. Hopping from oasis to oasis, we explore these fascinating havens of hot springs, date palms and olive groves, and with the opportunity to roll down sand dunes or perhaps head off on a camel trek into the desert. We spend time at the oasis towns of El Kharga, Dakhla and Bahariya as well as spending a night camping out under the stars in the Western Desert. We will also have a chance to explore many of the ruins as we travel through the desert.

Few places in the world can evoke such strong visual icons as the great Pyramids and Sphinx of Giza, and these are the final highlights of our epic expedition of over 13,950 miles as we finish up in the hectic, crazy, sprawling city of Cairo.

This is also the largest city in Africa and is manic 24/7. You may want to spend more time in Cairo, and our Egyptologist guide will be on hand to bring the history to life. From Cairo you can also continue to explore the Nile Delta, or maybe you will want to head off to the Red Sea for a bit of chill time while you plan your next adventures!

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