East African Odyssey tour

Departing the Zambian side of Victoria Falls at dawn, we bid a final farewell to the thundering waters. A long travel day awaits, but East Africa unveils itself through our truck's window: bustling markets explode with color, lively villages hum with activity, and the rural countryside paints a tranquil picture. As we arrive, a delicious meal awaits, and our guides prepare us for the adventures to come.

You will need to add at least one extra night in Livingstone before this tour starts as we leave early this morning and you will want some time to see the Falls and perhaps take advantage of some of the other adventure opportunities available here.

Route: Livingstone to Lusaka
Facilities - Camping: Campsite with shared ablutions
Facilities - Accommodated: Two per Room with en-suite bathroom

We depart Zambia's bustling capital, Lusaka, heading east towards Petauke for the night. The Great East Road, a vital connection to Malawi, guides us through Zambia's countryside, revealing a tapestry of villages and small farms – a world away from the developed nations many of us know. Along the way, the mighty Luangwa River marks our path. A delightful highlight is Luangwa Market, alive with the energy of Zambian vendors. Treasures abound: delectable year-round fruits like masau and masaku tempt our tastebuds, while charming crafts, from miniature hippos to woven baskets and papyrus carpets, showcase the vibrant artistry of the region.

Facilities - Camping: Campsite with shared ablutions
Facilities - Accommodated: Two per Room with en-suite bathroom

It's time for some rest and relaxation - which you'll find in bucketloads in South Luangwa. We make our way to the banks of the Luangwa River this morning, stopping at the town of Chipata - the home of Chipata Cotton, an important example of the creative African textile industry.

During March to December, we have an optional activity available where you can enjoy a tour of local workshops which are crafting these beautiful textiles.

Sunset is a real highlight on the banks of the Luangwa River, be sure not to miss out on this spectacular sighting.

Route: Petauke to South Luangwa National Park
Included Highlight: Mulberry Mongoose Curio Visit

Known for having one of the highest concentrations of wildlife within its borders, the South Luangwa National Park situated in Zambia’s Luangwa River Valley is one of Africa's top safari destinations.

You can spend the majority of the day today searching for wildlife. This morning you can take an optional safari today or during the dry season months of April to December - enjoy a walking safari which provides one of the most authentic wildlife experiences in Africa.

Later in the day, we'll head out on a sunset drive through the park, which includes sundowners. Exploring South Luangwa National Park at night is a unique experience, as many of the nocturnal wildlife who are hidden during the day, come out to play at night.

Included Highlight: Sunset Game Drive in South Luangwa National Park
Optional Activity: Safari Walk (seasonal) or Morning Game Drive in South Luangwa

We say goodbye to Zambia this morning as we travel to Malawi, commonly known as the 'warm heart of Africa'. We'll make our way to its iconic Lake Malawi - one of Africa's Great Lakes, and the southernmost of the East African Rift System.

Lake Malawi boasts more fish species than that of any other body of freshwater on the planet, which isn't too surprising once you hear the fact it's the world's eighth largest lake. We spend the night on the shores of this natural wonder.

Route: South Luangwa National Park to Lake Malawi

We'll visit a local village near our lodge today. You then have the rest of the day free to do as you please - spend some time relaxing on the shores of Lake Malawi or participate in the activities on offer.

Included Highlight: Malawi village tour

After a day of relaxation, we hop back into the truck as we make our way to Lake Malawi's northern banks. We'll enjoy a spectacular African sunset over the lake before your guide helps you plan your activities for the next few days - or you can choose to get a little more relaxation in.

Route: Central Lake Malawi to North Lake Malawi
Included Highlight: Village walk with tour leader

We leave the lake this morning and head north, crossing the border into Tanzania and heading for the Utengule Coffee Lodge where we'll spend the night.

We'll spend a little time today at a local coffee plantation, where we can see the process of growing and harvesting the coffee beans, and be able to enjoy some samples. We then head up the Great Rift Valley into Tanzania, passing the northern extremes of Lake Malawi before heading east to Iringa, which sits on a cliff overlooking the Ruaha River Valley.

We head out early today as we make our way to the Mikumi National Park. Mikumi is Tanzania's fourth largest national park and is part of a 75,000km2 wildlife sanctuary which centres on Selous, Africa's largest game reserve. This afternoon you have the option to book a game drive searching for the wildlife in Mikumi National Park - which is home to three of the Big Five species - lion, elephant and buffalo.

Today you will have the opportunity to book additional safaris in Mikumi National Park or embark on a variety of cultural tours.

We overnight in Dar es Salaam before an early start the following morning to catch our ferry to Zanzibar Island.

We head out early to catch our ferry to Zanzibar Island from Dar es Salaam. After arriving at the ferry port we make our way to our hotel located in Stone Town

Boasting a rich history this busy port was once a landmark on both the Slave and Spice trade routes . Our morning begins with a walking tour of Stone Town to discover the more well known landmarks, including the birthplace of Freddy Mercury . After our city tour, we travel by road to our base for the next 2 nights. Before our arrival, we will stop along the way to enjoy a guided walking spice tour, which passes through villages and spice plantations. You will be able to witness first - hand how spice farm workers climb the trees and seek out specific plants and will have the opportunity to purchase fresh spices directly from these farms.

You have the day free to explore the island of Zanzibar. There are so many water sport activities available to you - from fishing, snorkelling, scuba diving and a selection of ocean safari options. You could also rent a scooter to explore the island or you can simply choose to relax on its sun kissed beaches

We say farewell to the island of Zanzibar today and take the ferry back to Dar es Salaam where we rejoin our truck and drive to Bagamoyo this afternoon, where we'll spend the rest of the evening preparing for our journey to Arusha tomorrow.

We travel north today to the busy Tanzanian town of Arusha. Tanzania's north is home to some of its top tourist attractions, such as the Serengeti National Park, the Ngorongoro Crater as well as the towering Mount Kilimanjaro.

Arusha might be close to Karatu, but we'll spend most of the day getting close to the wildlife-rich Ngorongoro Crater. Once we arrive in Karatu, our guide will brief us on the full day trip into the crater.

Karatu is conveniently situated to allow you the opportunity to participate in various optional activities in the coming days.

If you have booked the Serengeti excursion, you will be collected from Arusha this morning to start your safaris.

We'll be collected early from our camp today in 4x4 vehicles and head into the Ngorongoro Crater, a UNESCO world heritage site and the home of the world’s largest unbroken caldera. More than 25,000 wildlife call the crater home and it's also one of Africa's top birding destinations, supporting over 500 bird species including ostriches, kori bustards, secretary birds and much more. We spend the majority of the day exploring the crater before arriving at our overnight camp in the Seronera region in the heart of Serengeti National Park. Surrounded by abundant wildlife and spectacular views, the camp features meru style tents and we'll enjoy a meal and drinks here this evening with the sights and sounds of nature passing right by us.

We start early this morning for another game drive through Serengeti National Park, searching for more of the abundant wildlife, and targetting species we may not have seen yet. We'll arrive back into Karatu late in the afternoon ready to reminisce on some amazing wildlife encounters.

We leave the Serengeti today and drive back to Arusha. The rest of the evening will be spent relaxing, listening and sharing stories of your experience in the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater.

We cross the border into Kenya this morning as we make our way to Nairobi, where our journey ends on arrival. Accommodation is not included in Nairobi tonight, but may be booked as an additional option if required.

Please do not plan any international flight departures until tomorrow in case of delays on the drive to Nairobi.