The overland experience
We'll be travelling in a purpose-built truck with (hopefully) like-minded travellers, no doubt from all walks of life. Many of the countries we'll be visiting have not only a high risk of malaria, but also a high risk of virtually every nasty disease that you can be innoculated against. Hence the numerous visits to the doctors throughout December and January, and the reason why fitting clothes into rucksacks could be problematic... extensive medical supplies being the priority.
The trip is 'self-help camping' and we'll be expected to muck in with everything from putting up tents and preparing meals to digging the truck out when it gets stuck on the road. The most delightful snippet of information in our pre-departure notes has got to be the provision of truck shovels and advice about digging a suitable hole behind a bush.
The highlights
Heading off from Nairobi, we'll be spending our first night in a Masai Village camp. Great opportunity to experience the local culture, although don't really know what to expect here, as I have heard a rumour about the Masai tribe's penchant for drinking blood...
Moving swiftly on to Tanzania, the highlights in this country include the Ngorongoro Crater and the Serengeti National Park - our first real chance for wildlife viewing. We'll be skirting around Kilimanjiro on the way to Dar Es Salaam and will no doubt have to restrain Darren from taking a diversion up Kili as he does seem to have this fascination for climbing mountains. Then it's a haven of long white beaches and the tempting waters of the Indian Ocean around the island of Zanzibar. Time for diving, snorkelling and relaxing. Maybe even time to turn the ever so attractive milk bottle white colour into a golden tan... somehow, I doubt it.
Malawi is our next destination, which is dominated by its huge freshwater lake. After travelling through Mozambique, it's on to Chimanimani National Park in Zimbabwe. Apparently, this is a hiker's paradise, so it'll be on with those walking boots and out with the trekking poles. Unless, that is, we get diverted through Zambia to avoid Zimbabwe in the current political environment.
A change of transport awaits as we leave the truck to catch on old colonial style sleeper train to Victoria Falls. Adrenaline city, with white water rafting, microlyting, gorge swinging and bungee jumping. And perhaps the slightly more tempting Sundowner booze cruise. The Okavanga Delta in Botswana will be our next port of call - its renowned calming effect could be most welcome after the 'activities' at the falls.
Then it's on to Namibia, to... yes, another National Park. In Etosha, we should get the chance for game watching by night. We'll also visit the Cape Cross Seal Colony which I've been told, although remarkable, is one of the smelliest places in the world. Also in Namibia, we'll be exploring the highest sand dunes in the world, in the Namib-Naukluft Park (in this case, 'park' being the slightly misleading term for desert). After a couple of days at Fish River Canyon, we'll be heading for the vineyards and wineries of South Africa. Can't think of a more fitting end to our first leg :)
The overland route
