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Itinerary

DAY 1-4: CAIRO TO LUXOR
The first part of our day is spent in Cairo visiting the Great Pyramids and Sphinx at Giza with our Egyptologist guide, and also the Egyptian Museum. We then drive towards the Red Sea Coast. You will have time to relax on the beach or try your hand at various watersports such as snorkelling, windsurfing or scuba diving in the cool clear blue waters. We end our first few days in the city of Luxor where the Valley of Kings and Queens and Karnak and Luxor Temples will keep us busy exploring for a few days more.

DAY 5-14: LUXOR TO ABU SIMBEL
Here in Luxor – you have the opportunity to visit the Valley of Kings and Queens, the remarkably well-preserved tombs of ancient rulers such as Ramses lV and Tutankhamun have coloured paintings and hieroglyphics that still seem fresh even after 3000 years. Karnak and Luxor Temples are both in easy walking distance from our camp – as is the local souq where you can pick up an array of souvenirs.

A half-day drive further south brings us to Aswan. Here you will notice the first of many cultural changes on this trip. The darker Nubian people in Aswan lead a more relaxed and less hectic pace of life than their Egyptian countrymen. We base ourselves here for a few days to finalise our Sudanese visas if we haven’t already done them in Cairo and in which time you can choose to join a 2 or 3-day felucca boat cruise to Edfu and/or Kom Ombo. From Aswan, we drive to Abu Simbel where there is the opportunity to visit the massive stone monuments built by the greatest of all pharaohs, Ramses ll.

DAY 15-20: ABU SIMBEL TO MEROE
From Abu Simbel, we take a ferry across Lake Nasser to the border with Sudan. This can be a long border crossing but once the formalities have been dealt with, we drive to the friendly town of Wadi Halfa.

The hospitality in Sudan can be surprising, but very genuine. For such a poor country with so many recent problems, Sudanese people are often too willing to invite you for a meal or a cup of ‘Sudanese whisky’ – better known as tea! From Wadi Halfa we board our expedition vehicle for our drive across the Nubian Desert. Our route will see us either hugging the banks of the Nile as it snakes its way south or possibly experiencing the vast open desert plains which are dissected by the main train line from Khartoum, making this our only real point of reference. Whether passing through sleepy Nubian villages, resting in tea rooms, pottering around the local souqs or experiencing total isolation in the middle of the desert – a unique experience awaits you along with this not so travelled route.

Note: If the security situation in Sudan has not improved, then we will overfly from Cairo to Addis Ababa (flight at your cost, budget $200) after completing the Egypt section using public transport and local hotels. We will then join our overland truck in Addis and adjust our itinerary in Ethiopia. We ran our 2022/23 Trans Africa expedition in this way and it worked very well.

DAY 21-24: MEROE TO KHARTOUM
The ancient Pyramids at Meroe lie to the north of the capital Khartoum. Khartoum is our next stop and it has a fantastic setting on the confluence of the Blue and White Niles. Our stay here is on the banks of the Nile at the quirky but interesting Blue Nile Sailing Club. It houses one of General Kitchener’s old Gunboats, a relic from the British military campaign against the Mahdi over a century ago. For such a large city, Khartoum feels quite laid back. In our few days here you can visit the Hamed al-Nil Tomb or take a trip to the daily camel market. Viewing the confluence of the two Niles is also an interesting way to pass the time.

DAY 25-38: KHARTOUM TO ADDIS ABABA
From Khartoum, we drive south-east through the towns of Wadi Medina and Gedaref, on our way to Ethiopia. Many of the roads we travel on are often in mountainous areas, so travel is slow. Ethiopia has a lot more visual & indigenous history than any other sub – Saharan country. In the towns of Gondar (the capital of Ethiopia from 1632 until 1868) we spend a few days where it is possible to organise overnight trips to the Simien Mountains National Park – home to the Gelada Baboon, hikes are available in the area. You may also wish to arrange a trip to the holy city of Axum dating from the 12th Century have been kept alive by generations of dedicated priests who guard their precious religious and artistic artefacts.

Lalibela, famous for its 11 monolithic rock-hewn churches is our next destination where you have the option of a guided tour of one of Ethiopia’s holiest cities.

Our route to Addis Ababa takes us via Lake Tana and the spectacular Blue Nile Gorge and Falls. From Bahir Dar, you can organise boat trips to some of the small islands which have Monasteries dating back up to 900 years and which are still looked after by monks who live from subsistence farming. A couple of days drive brings us to the capital Addis – where we have the chance to indulge in some authentic Ethiopian coffee or explore ‘El Mercato’ – one of Africa’s largest open-air markets.

DAY 39-47: ADDIS TO ELDORET
After a couple of days in Addis, we continue our journey south heading into the Omo Valley. This little-visited region is home to some of the most colourful ethnic groups in Ethiopia. The friendly Hamar people are noted for their ornate, interesting hairstyles and the Mursi people are famous for the clay lip plates and earlobe decorations. An optional day tour will take you into the Omo National Park. We then travel through one of Africa’s greatest natural features – the East African Rift Valley. Overland trips through East Africa will allow you to experience spectacular scenery first-hand, and the Rift Valley is a definite highlight. Stretching from beyond the Dead Sea in Jordan down to Mozambique in Southern Africa – the valley floor seems to sweep on forever and is dotted with volcanic peaks, shimmering lakes and countless springs.

The north of Kenya is very remote and Nomadic tribespeople like the Rendille and Borena in Marsabit and the Samburu (cousins of the Maasai) still wear the very distinctive and often elaborate dress. We pass the foothills of Mount Kenya before tackling some mountainous driving through the Nandi Hills – taking us via Eldoret before continuing into Uganda.

DAY 48-55: ELDORET TO KABALE
Kampala has had a turbulent past, but these days it is a friendly and safe city. We have a free day to spend in local cafes and nightspots – where you can get to know the local people. The following day we have a long drive as we head west through swamps, patches of forest and fertile green countryside. As we travel through Uganda, we’ll pass through several small towns and villages; Mpigi, where you will see roadside stalls manufacturing and selling traditional musical instruments; Kyazanga, where we can buy fresh rotisserie and roasted meat and vegetables, as well as roasted plantain bananas. We will also be able to make a photo stop where our route crosses the Equator.

Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park are home to several families of Highland Mountain Gorillas. Getting up close to these amazing creatures is truly a once in a lifetime experience and one of the highlights of the trip. You have the opportunity to trek to see the Gorillas in Uganda (bookable as an Add on). It is estimated that only around 700 of these gentle giants remain. This mountainous area on the borders of Rwanda, Uganda and Zaire (now renamed the Democratic Republic of Congo) is their only natural habitat and they are periodically threatened by poachers and political instability in the area. One permit allows you to spend about 50 to 60 minutes with one of the gorilla families. Trekking to find them in groups of 8 people can take anywhere from half an hour to 5 hours. The organisations and well-trained guides that continually monitor and protect the families are conscientious and responsible.

We will base ourselves in the village of Kabale which will allow you to trek the Mountain Gorillas and visit the beautiful Lake Bunyonyi.

(Due to the popularity of Trekking to the Mountain Gorillas and the limited availability of obtaining Trekking Permits, we may do the Gorilla trek in Rwanda in Volcanos National Park, which may come at an additional cost – you will be advised in advance).

Passing over the mountain ranges we cross the border into Rwanda. The small, friendly town of Musanze is home to Musanze caves and several hiking trails, take a village tour throughout the area where you can see first-hand production of local Banana beer. There will also be an opportunity to visit the genocide memorial in Kigali, which is a moving and humbling experience.

DAY 56-64: KABALE TO NAIROBI
We then return to Uganda and make our way towards Kampala and camp near Jinja – Uganda’s adventure playground. Here, on the edge of Lake Victoria, the Nile begins its 6700km journey to the sea. We spend the next few days downstream from the source of the Nile. This is a spectacular area and a superb place to go whitewater rafting or kayaking. You can also organise quad biking, horse riding or a visit to a local education project

Re-entering Kenya, we travel through the heart of the Rift Valley – with views from atop a steep escarpment opening up some of the most dramatic scenery in the world. Hills covered in tea plantations and rural scenery lead us to Lake Nakuru National Park – home to a wide variety of wildlife including Black Rhino, Hippo, Lion, Leopard, Hyena and Giraffe. However, Nakuru is a soda lake and most famous for its pink inhabitants, a flock of almost a million Pink Flamingos which feed noisily along the shoreline. A further half-day drive brings us to Lake Naivasha. We camp near the lakeshore where Hippos sometimes feed at night! Here you can walk to Elsamere, the house of Joy Adamson – of Elsa the Lion and Born Free fame, and enjoy a film of her life – and cream teas! You can also hire mountain bikes and cycle or walk through Hells Gate National Park – the only game reserve in Kenya in which you are permitted to do so. Or for a less active but equally enjoyable game viewing experience – visit the Crater Lake Game Sanctuary. Both offer excellent scenery opportunities to spot hyrax, abundant bird and plant life along with several types of antelope and a variety of plains animals.

A few hours drive brings us to the capital Nairobi.