Start Location: Nairobi
End Location: Cape Town
Duration: 56 Days

Route overview

One of our best Africa Overland self-drive tours, this route takes you on a very long trip where you will encounter several amazing landscapes, wildlife, and cultures found in Africa.

A memorable tour for any budget traveler, this safari will take 17 weeks and it will start from Kampala Uganda in East Africa, and ends in Cape Town South Africa. This trip includes a visit to different attractions in Uganda where you will visit the mountain gorillas, Kenya where you will visit the amazing Masai Mara, Tanzania, where you will visit the Ngorongoro and Serengeti Plains, Mozambique then also visit the calm tropical waters of Zanzibar to the wild Atlantic Ocean of Southern Africa – the contrasts abound.
Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival at Entebbe International Airport

On this day you will arrive at the Entebbe International Airport the main airport in Uganda found just 45km away from Kampala the capital of the country. It’s better that you arrive at least a day before the starting date of your safari for better preparation. This is the day you will have to meet with the agent from the car rental company to work on the paperwork for the car you already ordered before u arrive in the country.

From the airport you will choose from either getting a hotel in Entebbe or in Kampala where you can meet with an agent from 4×4 Self Drive Africa Ltd, you get explained how everything on the car works and even inspect the vehicle and make sure the vehicle is really in good conditions and has everything you will need on your trip before you sign the car rental agreement.

After signing the agreement the agent from the car will ask to see the original copy of your driving license and passport and even take photos of them and later you will have to pay the balance of the car rental price. Then later you will be free to start your trip and the car will be in your hands.

It’s recommended that at least you spend the first day in Kampala, have time and explore this amazing city, and its attractions, and even try a night in Kampala by visiting different nightclubs and seeing how Ugandans are always happy at night.

Then after you will return to the hotel at around midnight so that you can have enough rest because the next day you going to have a long drive from Kampala to the western part of the country to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park for gorilla trekking.

Day 2: Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi Forest

On the second day, you will spend it in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park where you will be needed at the national park headquarters before 8 AM local time for a short briefing before you go gorilla trekking into the forest. After a briefing from a ranger guide you will be allocated the gorilla family you have to trek and from there you will drive to the starting point of gorilla trekking. From there you will be accompanied by the ranger guide plus the armed guard and then enter the forest in search of gorillas in the jungle. The time you will take while searching for them is unpredictable but in most cases, it depends on where the gorillas spent the last night and their movement in search of food and shelter, and in most cases, it ranges from 2-8hours.

After finding these animals, you will be given a period of one hour to spend with these animals as you enjoy watching them as they play, do their daily activities, and even take photos and record videos. After one hour period with the gorillas, you then move back to where you left the vehicle and then drive back to park headquarters where you will be rewarded with the gorilla trekking certificate then drive back to your lodge for lunch and then relax as you wait for the optional evening walk around the local community and then dinner and overnight at Nkuringo Gorilla Camp, Mahogany Springs Lodge, Gorilla Mist Camp.

Day 3: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park

On this day of our overland safari, you will have breakfast at the lodge and then embark on a 170km drive from Bwindi Impenetrable Forest to Queen Elizabeth National Park. This journey will reward you with an en-route game drive and a chance to spot the tree-climbing lions in the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park. This sector of the park is most famous for tree-climbing lions. You will arrive at the park in the late afternoon for lunch. And later you can enjoy an evening game drive and search for the variety of animals in the park. Then late evening, you will return for relaxation, dinner, and an overnight stay at the lodge.

Day 4: Game Drive & Launch Cruise

On this morning, you will wake up for a cup of tea/coffee, and go for a game-viewing drive to catch up with early raisers and predators returning to their hideouts. Expect to have excellent opportunities to see different animals like Spotted Hyena, leopard, Uganda Kob, Herds of elephants, wart hogs, Lion, Bush babies, and several primates.

After the morning game drive, you will return to your lodge for a full breakfast; relax as you wait for lunch. After lunch, you will get ready for an afternoon launch cruise on the Kazinga Channel, known for the highest concentration of hippos in Africa and with about 610 bird species. You will see a variety of games on the banks of Kazinga Channel, seen drinking at the water’s edge, Buffalo lingering in the shallows, and a variety of water-loving birds on the shores including the Great White, Pink-Backed Pelicans, Great and Long-Tailed Cormorants, Open-Billed Stork, African Jacana, and the rare shoebill among others. After you will return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Day 5: Transfer from Queen Elizabeth to Murchison Falls National Park

On this day you will wake up for an early morning breakfast at the lodge and get ready for a long drive from Queen Elizabeth National Park in the western part of the country to Murchison Falls National Park in the northwestern part of the country which will take something like 6 to 7 hours drive. You will reach the park late afternoon and check in to your lodge for dinner and overnight.

Day 6: Boat Cruiser and Hiking up to the Top of the Falls – Uganda

This day in Murchison Falls National Park will start with an early morning boat cruise which is a 3 hours luxury sail on the Nile up to the bottom of the falls. This boat cruise is a clear chance to spot different animals drinking water on the bank of the river and a variety of water-loving birds. Still from this boat cruise, you will get a chance the see the beauty of the falls from down. At the bottom of the falls, you will get a chance to take photos and record videos for memories before you get off the boat accompanied by the ranger and start your 45minutes hike to the top of the falls which is the best way to reach the top however the top of the falls can also be reached to with a car. The trail to the top of the falls is not so steep so it can be done by anyone because it doesn’t need someone to be extremely physically fit. Reaching the top of the falls, you will get time to relax with a refreshing breeze from the falls, take photos, and record videos of one of the most powerful waterfalls on the continent. After, your vehicle will be waiting to take you back to the lodge for relaxation as you wait for lunch.

After lunch, You will relax for some hours and get ready to leave this amazing park, and transfer to the northeastern part of the country to Kidepo Valley National Park. you will reach the park in the evening, and check in to your lodge for a campsite for dinner and overnight.

Day 6: Full-Day Game Drive in Kidepo Valley National Park – Uganda

On this day, you will do an early morning game drive and later the evening game drive in the park which is occupied with savannah grassland that offers a clear view of animals from a distance when you are in an open game drive vehicle. The day will start with a heavy breakfast and then get ready for an amazing morning game drive in the Narus valley section of the park. This section is the best for game watching because of the high concentration of animals in this valley, especially during the dry season of the year when thousands of animals gather in the Valley to drink water and also feed on the savannah grassland. Among the variety of animals, you will spot on this game drive include; zebras, hippos, kobs, and Rothschild giraffes among other animals. The savannah grassland in this valley attracts a lot of grazing animals thing also which attracts carnivores like leopards, lions, hyenas, cheetahs, and others. Meaning there are high chances of seeing a predator hunting prey.

After, you will return to the lodge for late lunch and later embark on an afternoon game drive on the Kidepo Valley Section. This section has less concertation of animals compared to the Narus section due to the fact that this section is supplied with the Kidepo River that dries up during the dry season and it floods during the rainy season. Despite these problems this section, it hosts a variety of unique and endangered animal species like the beautiful ostrich, cheater, nocturnal leopards, the kudus, elands, and wolf-eared bats among others. After this evening game drive, you will return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Day 7: Transfer to Mount Elgon National Park – Kenya

This day will start with a heavy breakfast at the lodge and get ready for a long drive that will take something like 8 hours from Kidepo Valley national park in Uganda to Mount Elegon National Park in Kenya. This drive will take you through the dry park of Uganda and continue up to Kotido from where you will have lunch and then proceed with your journey to Bukwo areas in the eastern part of Uganda later you will reach the Suam border from where you will enter Kenya. After the border clearance, you will drive in Kenya for approximately 40km up to Mount Elegon National Park where you will spend the night.

Day 8: Full Day in Mount Elgon National Park

There is a variety of activities you can enjoy in this park but hiking and walking safari is the highlight of the visit to this park. On a walking safari through the park, you will get a chance to see a variety of animals like elephants, monkeys, and antelopes among others. in addition to that, the park is also home to over 300 different species of birds including the African Goshawk, endangered Lammergeier, and Baglafecht Weaver. the thing which makes the park a perfect destination for bird lovers.

A day in Mount Elgon National Park will start with a morning breakfast at the lodge and then get ready for a morning game drive through the park the drive which will reward you with a view of different animals in the park, later you will return to the lodge for relaxation as you wait for lunch, after lunch, you will be accompanied by a ranger and go a walking safari in the park where you will get a chance to enjoy the spectacular views of the escarpments, gorges, and rivers.

Day 9: Transfer to Lake Nakuru National Park

This day will start with a morning breakfast at the lodge and then get ready for a 270km drive from Mount Elgon National Park to Lake Nakuru National Park found on the floor of the great rift valley and surrounded by wooded and bushy grassland. The park is a perfect destination for bird lovers since it is believed to host over 450 bird species, and animal lovers since its home to over 56 different species of mammals including the white Rhinos, and waterbucks among others.

You will have an en-route stop in Nakuru Town before you proceed to enter the park. You will reach the park late afternoon and prepare for an evening game drive and later you will return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Day 10: Game Drive and Transfer to Massai Mara

The 10th of this overland safari will start with an early morning breakfast and then get ready for a game drive in the park later you will return to the lodge and get ready for a 230km drive from Lake Nakuru National Park to Masai Mara Game Reserve found in the southwestern part of Kenya along the Tanzania Border. You will reach Massai Mara in the late afternoon and then you will have lunch and then prepare for the evening game drive in the park and later you will return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Day 11: Full Day in Massai Mara National Park

On this day, you will wake up at least early enough for breakfast and then get in your safari vehicle for a morning game drive in the park. Game drives are done in the morning and afternoon because that is the time when the animals are so active. In the morning game drive, you will get a chance to spot the early raiser like the predators going to hunt for the prey and others. on this morning game drive expect to see animals like; rhinos, lions, hippos, wildebeests, giraffes, zebras, warthogs, buffalo, hyenas, wild dogs, buffalo, jackals, leopards, and all types of antelopes, and elephants. You will have a picnic lunch in the park and you continue with another game drive that will take you up to the border of Tanzania to visit the Mara River where the great wildebeest migration takes place. In the evening, you will return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Day 12: Transfer to Nairobi National Park

You will wake up early in the morning for breakfast and get ready to leave this amazing park and drive 250km to Nairobi the capital of Kenya. You will reach Nairobi in the evening for lunch and later you will get a chance to explore some of the attractions in Nairobi city like David Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage and Giraffe Center, museums, and also get chance to explore the nightlife in Nairobi city by visiting some of the night clubs in the city. After this amazing experience, you will return to your hotel for an overnight stay.

Day 13: Transfer to Tsavo West National Park

After morning breakfast at the hotel in Nairobi, you will transfer to Nairobi National Park which is found within 15 minutes drive from Nairobi City center, you will go straight for a game drive in the park where you will get a chance to see a variety of animals in the park including the big cats. After you will return for early lunch and then you will hit the road and transfer to the southern part of Kenya to Tsavo West National Park. You will reach the park a bit late evening for dinner and overnight.

Day 14: Morning Game Drive & Transfer to Amboseli National Park

This day will start with a heavy breakfast at your lodge and then get ready for a morning game drive in Tsavo West National Park where you will get a chance to spot a variety of wildlife in the park like zebras, elephants, giraffes, antelopes, buffalos, lions as well as different bird species. In the afternoon, you will return to the lodge for lunch and then get ready to transfer to Amboseli National Park. You will reach the park in the evening and check in to your lodge for dinner and overnight.

Day 15: Morning Game Drive and Transfer to Mount Kilimanjaro National Park – Tanzania

You will wake up early in the morning and go for a morning game drive in Amboseli National Park where you will get a chance to spot a variety of wildlife like Cheetah, Leopard, Buffalo, Wild dogs, Elephant, Zebra, Lion, Mongoose, Giraffe, Crocodile, Hyrax, Lesser Kudu, Dik-dik, and Nocturnal Porcupine. In addition to that, the park is home to over 600 different species of birds. Later in the afternoon, you will return to the lodge for lunch and then get ready for a 2hour drive and cross the border to Mount Kilimanjaro National Park in Tanzania where you will have dinner and overnight.

Day 16: Explore Mount Kilimanjaro and then transfer to Tarangire National Park

On this day, you will wake up very early in the morning for a game drive in the park due to the less time you have in Tanzania, you will not be able to climb Mount Kilimanjaro but you will get time to explore the park’s amazing wildlife like, Colobus Monkey, Serval Cat, Duiker, White-Tailed Mongoose, Bush Baby among others. after the game drive on the foothills of the mountain, you will return to the lodge for lunch and later hit the road and transfer to Tarangire National Park.

Day 17: Full Day in Tarangire National Park – Tanzania

On this day, you will wake up early in the morning for a heavy breakfast and embark on an early morning game drive in Tarangire National Park which hosts the highest number of elephants in Tanzania’s Northern Safari Circuit. In the afternoon you will return to the lodge or campsite for lunch and later you will get ready for an afternoon game drive. In the park, you will get a chance to see a variety of wildlife in the park that include; lions, buffaloes, wildebeests, giraffes, and zebras as well as various types of antelopes and gazelles. Later you will return to the lodge for relaxation as you wait for dinner and overnight.

Day 18: Transfer to Lake Manyara National Park

You will wake up early in the morning for breakfast and then hit the road and transfer to Lake Manyara National Park. It is found in a just hour’s drive and you will reach the park in the afternoon and check in to your lodge for lunch later you will go for an evening game drive in the park.

Day 19: Full day in Lake Manyara National Park

On this day, you will enjoy a full-day game drive in the amazing Lake Manyara National Park. The day will start with a heavy breakfast at the lodge, get your packed lunch, and then get into your safari vehicle to start your full-day game drive in the park. Through the open windows and roof of your safari vehicle, you will be able to spot a lot of animals like hippos, buffaloes, tree-climbing lions, wildebeest, elands, and others. In the afternoon at around midday, you will have a picnic lunch set on the shores of Lake Manyara while enjoying views of different animals that came to the shores of the lake to drink water and many other bird species since the park is home to over 400 different species.

After lunch, you will continue for another game drive in search of more animals in the park, and later in the evening, you will return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Day 20: Transfer to Ngorongoro Crater