Kigali to Cape Town Overland Tours
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Price
£3095
+ Local Payment US$950
(local payment explained)
Selected dates NOW £2878
What's Included
• The Serengeti• Ngorongoro Crater
• South Luangwa National Park
• Matopos National park incl rhino trek
• Chobe Game Cruise
• Etosha National Park
• Africat Carnivore Care
• Cape Cross Seal Colony
• Namib Naukluft National Park
• The Grumeti Reserve
• Kigali Genocide Memorial
• Great Zimbabwe Ruins
• Bushmen visit
• Sossusvlei Dunes
• Spitzkoppe or similar
• Fish River Canyon
• Lake Victoria
• Lake Malawi
• Brkfast & dinner whilst travelling on the truck
• Some pre-prepared barbecues
• Contribution to final group meal
• Camping whilst travelling on the truck
• 3 nights lodge stay, Swakopmund
• 3 nights Ashanti Lodge, Cape Town
• Further 3 nights in local lodges
• Fully equipped expedition truck incl - fridge, gas, tents, sleep mats
• Services of Absolute Crew
• Ongoing advice
• All road tolls & taxes are paid
Countries Visited
Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia, South Africa
Kigali to Cape Town Safari Overview
Get with the beat of Africa! Gorilla trek in the Virungas, Safari across the Serengeti and into Ngorongoro Crater. Swim in crystal clear waters off Zanzibar and visit in rural fishing villages by Lake Malawi. White water raft on the grade 5 rapids at Victoria Falls, get up close and personal with a rhino on a trek in Matopos. Lie back as you are poled through the maze of wetlands in the Okavango and trek to the top of Namibia's monumental red-gold dunes. Toast the perfect trip with a glass or two of a crisp South African wine in the wineries at Stellenbosch before arriving into Cape Town!
Kigali to Cape Town Safari Add-ons
Itinerary
Day 1
RWANDA - UGANDA
Collection in Kigali, Rwanda's capital city, for transfer to Kisoro.
Optionals: Coffee tour or Lake Mutande
Days 2 -3
UGANDA - RWANDA
Kisoro, Musanze
Optionals: Mountain gorilla trek Bwindi Impenetrable Forest (Uganda). Or golden monkeys trek or orphanage visit. Batwa (Pygmy) village visit or coffee tour. Lake Mutande. Trek to Dian Fosseys grave. Basket weaving. Banana beer making.
Days 4 - 5
RWANDA
Musanze, Kigali, Genocide Museum and Memorial.
Optionals: Basket weaving. Banana beer making. Nyamata Church Memorial
Days 6 - 11
RWANDA - TANZANIA
Rusomo Falls. Stop over in traditional village. Mwanza and Lake Victoria. Transit drive through the Grumeti Reserve. Game drives in the Serengeti in our large overland truck with big elevated windows for all round viewing and the assistance of our trained tour leader. Maasai village visit. Guided game drives in Ngorongoro Crater in smaller safari vehicles. Evening celebratory barbecue on our arrival in Arusha.
Optionals: Hill walk, Balloon safari.
Days 12 - 19
TANZANIA
Marangu, Mount Kilimanjaro, Indian Ocean coast, seafood meal at our camp on the Indian Ocean, preparations for the stay on Zanzibar Island.
Optionals: Guided walks at the foot of Kilimanjaro. Free time for the option to visit Zanzibar Island day 15, returning to the mainland on day 19.
Talk with us as to the special arrangements we can make for your stay on Zanzibar. We reserve accommodation in popular beach accommodation and in a lodge within ancient Stone Town, as well as your other requirements including the ferry bookings, transfers and spice tours.
Other options to budget for include snorkelling and scuba diving on Zanzibar sweeping coral reefs, to Prison Island famous for its giant tortoise population and to Jozani Forest to see the red colobus monkeys.
All accommodation and transfers including a spice tour on Zanzibar Island can be arranged ahead of time.
Days 20 - 24
TANZANIA - MALAWI
Drive west through Mikumi National Park, Lake Malawi beach camps, fishing village visits, curio markets.
Optionals: Water sports, including snorkelling, canoeing, scuba diving and pedalo hire, village walk, wood carving lesson.
Days 25 - 30
ZAMBIA - ZIMBABWE
South Luangwa National Park for guided game drives in small safari vehicles, Lusaka, The Zambezi Valley and a relaxing couple of days at Lake Kariba.
Optionals: Extra game drive or walk in South Luangwa, A houseboat cruise on the Lake visiting Matusadona and including a game cruise and fishing.
Days 31 - 34
ZIMBABWE
Great Zimbabwe Ruins, Bulawayo and Matopos National Park for a rhino trek and guided game drives in small safari vehicles.
Optional: Afternoon visit to rock paintings and Cecil Rhodes’ grave or a Ndebele Village.
Days 35 - 37
ZIMBABWE
Action packed days in Zimbabwe's adventure capital, Victoria Falls.
Optionals: Rainforest Walk. White water rafting, river boarding, bungee jumping, gorge swin, flying fox and zip line, ‘Flight of the Angels’, canoe trip, horse riding, sundowner cruise.
Days 38 - 43
BOTSWANA
Chobe National Park for a game cruise, Makgadikgadi Pans, Maun.
Optionals: Chobe National Park game drive, Okavango Delta two night guided mokoro safari, Flight over the Delta.
Days 44 - 48
NAMIBIA
Rundu, Bushmen visit, morning and afternoon game drives incl. entry and two nights camping in Etosha National Park in our large overland truck with elevated all round windows and the assistance of our trained tour leader. A visit to the Africat Foundation.
Optionals: Bushmen guided tour, night game drive in Etosha
Days 49 - 52
NAMIBIA
Cape Cross Seal Colony, three night lodge stay in Swakopmund.
Optionals: Quad biking, sand boarding, skydiving, go-karting, open-sea fishing, desert tours, township tours, horse riding, seal and dolphin cruise, sea kayaking.
Days 53 - 56
NAMIBIA - SOUTH AFRICA
Sossusvlei in the Namib Desert, Namib Naukluft National Park, Fish River Canyon, Ai Ais, Orange River.
Optionals: Visit to Sossusvlei, Canoeing on the Orange River.
Days 57 - 60
SOUTH AFRICA
Stellenbosch, Cape Town.
Optionals: Wine tour. Robben Island, Table Mountain, shark diving, Cape Point tour, open top bus tour.
Please note safari itineraries are given as a guide only. A safari is a journey and true journeys in Africa unfold and are of an adventurous nature. The unexpected can arise, so do allow for this.
Feel free to give us a call about your safari plans. We look forward to your further enquiries.
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Budgeting Summary
Kigali to Cape Town Budget
The costs to consider when travelling overland are:
- Safari price £3095 and local payment $950 USD
- Optional excursions
- Personal spending money
- Visas
What's included
Your safari price and local payment covers:
OVER FIVE CORE GAME PARKS & OTHER HIGHLIGHTS including:
* Serengeti National Park for game drives
* Ngorongoro Crater for game drives
* South Luangwa National Park for game drives
* Matopos game drive and a rhino trek
* Chobe National Park for a game cruise
* Etosha National Park for game drives
* The Grumeti Reserve
* Africat Carnivore Care
* Cape Cross Seal Colony
* Namib Naukluft National Park
* Kigali - Genocide Memorial
* Lake Victoria
* Lake Malawi
* Great Zimbabwe Ruins
* Maasai village visit
* Bushmen visit
* Sossusvlei Dunes
* Spitzkoppe rock formations or similar
* Fish River Canyon
- 50 breakfasts and 48 dinners whilst travelling on the truck, including some local meals & pre-prepared barbecues and a contribution to the final group meal.
- 43 nights camping and nine nights in dorm accommodation in a lodge or similar, including three nights in Swakopmund and the final three nights in Ashanti Lodge in Cape Town.
- A fully equipped and dieselled expedition truck/vehicle including all camping and cooking gear, a fridge, gas cooker, tents, sleep mats
- The services of a driver and safari leader
- The ongoing advice and back up from The Absolute team
- All road tolls and taxes are paid
Optional excursions
A recommended typical budget for your optional excursions that you might pay for once in Africa would be: US$750 - US$1500
Some clients spend more, some less. The above is a typical estimate selecting from the following main choices during this tour. Do re-check your budget looking at what might tempt you. A friendly reminder as well that the below list provides an approximate guide only for the most popular excursions currently available for this tour. Excursions are operated by local operators and authorities and their pricing is out of our control (January 25).
| PAID BEFORE DEPARTURE | |
| Mountain gorilla trekking permit, (not including transfers), from | £705 |
| Zanzibar including return ferry, 4 nights B&B shared accommodation, transfers from Stone Town to the beach and return, and a Spice Tour | £295 |
| PAID IN AFRICA | |
| Lake Mutande incl. canoeing | US$25 |
| Morning safari Serengeti in 4x4 vehicle ( min 5 people) , from | US$170 |
| Scuba diving (single dive) off Kendwa | US$65 |
| Snorkelling (3 hours) off Kendwa | US$15 |
| Jozani Forest, half day excursion to see the red colobus monkeys incl entry and transfers, from | US$40 |
| Prison Island with the aldabra tortoises | US$25 |
| South Luangwa Extra Game Drive | USD45 |
| Houseboats on Lake Kariba incl. Matusadona National Park (2 nights) | US$170 |
| Victoria Falls National Park - Entrance and Rainforest Walk to see Victoria Falls | US$50 |
| Bungee jump at Victoria Falls | US$160 |
| Combo deal, half day adrenaline (gorge swings, zip line, flying fox) | US$158 |
| Gorge Swing - (1 jump) | US$103 |
| White water rafting The Zambezi | US$120 |
| Helicopter flight over Victoria Falls (15 minutes) | US$150 |
| Sunset cruise on the Zambezi | US$55 |
| Chobe National Park - combo game drive and game cruise | US$90 |
| Flights over the Delta, 1 hour (min 5 people) | US$150 |
| Okavango Delta guided mokoro safari (two nights) | US$228 |
| Tandem sky dive, Swakomund | US$260 |
| Sandboarding (approx 5 hours) | US$50 |
| Quadbiking 60km route (approx 2 hours) | US$46 |
| Township tour (4 hours ) | US$40 |
| Open sea fishing in the Atlantic waters (5 hours) | US$115 |
| Living desert tour (5 hours) | US$57 |
| Canoeing on the Orange River | US$30 |
| Wine tour from Cape Town | US$95 |
| ALSO TO CONSIDER DURING YOUR TOUR | |
| Balloon safari in the Serengeti | £480 |
| TO CONSIDER AT THE END OF YOUR TOUR | |
| Special discounted offer: Add-On Garden Route Tour when booked with this tour | £1550 |
| Table Mountain, return cable car | US$27 |
| White Shark Cage Diving - day trip inc. transport | US$185 |
| Robben Island boat transfer & guided tour | US$40 |
Spending Money
You will need spending money to cover drinks, lunch, souvenirs and some small incidental costs whilst on tour such as cheap excursions costing under U$20. Other costs to note are for those times where meals and/or accommodation are not covered, as well as money for tips, extra transfers and accommodation upgrades.
Be aware during the trip there are times we dont cover meals and/or accommodation when some of the group are away from camp doing their own thing on excursions, and it becomes impractical to cover. In general in regard to meals when the truck parks up for a few days at specific activity locations, do budget to cover your meals for these days. For the African Drums tour you should budget to cover for the days we are in Victoria Falls, Swakopmund and Stellenbosch, as well as for the overnight excursions listed below including meals whilst on Zanzibar Island. In particular be aware that spending money is needed to cover accommodation and some meals on the off-chance you choose to stay back and not participate in any of the overnight excursions. The overnight excursions on this tour are: the Zanzibar Island break (x4 nights), the houseboats on Lake Kariba (x2 nights) and the mokoro safari into the Okavango Delta (x2 nights).
Note for some excursions extra transport occasionally is needed to get to the start point of the excursion too eg to the gorillas, and so do have some aside for these times.
Tipping is customary in Africa, so budget for gratuities if you wish for guides or drivers who provide good service such as for the gorilla trek, for the guide who takes you down into Ngorongoro, and on the houseboat tour. And again whilst tips are at your discretion, your tour leader and driver also appreciate a tip to acknowledge their hard work during your tour.
And lastly remember some campsites en route have simple huts or chalets on site. If you think you might like a break from camping and youd like to upgrade to have a bed at some point during the trip, it is well worth having money for this so again budget accordingly.
The recommended typical spending money for The African Drums to cover the above is: US$1160-US$1400
Visa
Your passport needs to be valid for at least 6 -9 months after your trip finishes. Ensure also that you have enough pages in your passport for each country you visit. Up to 2 consecutive blank pages can be required when you enter South Africa at the end of your trip. As a guide then, for the African Drums you will need to have a minimum of 10 blank pages (sides).If you have dual nationality you can only use one passport for the entire trip, but bringing both passports is a wise back-up strategy. You can find more information in the different country listings on the FCOs website (www.fco.gov.uk) under entry requirements. Do be aware it can be illegal to travel in Africa on two passports.
For those nationals that need to pay for a Rwandan visa, it is recommended to purchase the East African Tourist visa on arrival at Kigali airport. This will save you time and money and allows entry into both Rwanda and Uganda.
For those passport holders not needing to pay for a visa for Rwanda, you will need to apply ahead of time to Uganda for an online visa.
For most passport holders, visas for Tanzania and Zimbabwe can be arranged en route at the relevant border.
Most nationalities do not need to budget for a visa for Malawi, Zambia, Botswana, Namibia and South Africa.
Note that visas on the ground can only be paid for in US Dollars cash.
Below is an estimation of current visa requirements and their cost. If your passport is not detailed please do not hesitate to contact the office if you would like further details of your visa requirements.
Be aware that entry requirements can change without prior notice. This information is given as a guide only. We recommended you also check your personal current visa requirements with the relevant embassies well in advance before you travel.
For all visas budget US$50 - US$230 depending on nationality.
| VISA CHART | Kenya | Rwanda | Uganda | Tanzania | Malawi | Zambia | Zimbabwe | Botswana | Namibia | South Africa |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PASSPORT | ||||||||||
| Australian | - | - | $50 | $50 | - | - | $30 | - | - | - |
| New Zealand | - | - | $50 | $50 | - | - | $30 | - | - | - |
| South Africa | - | - | $50 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Canadian | - | - | $50 | $50 | - | - | $75 | - | - | - |
| American | - | $100 | - | $100 | - | - | $30 | - | - | - |
| British | - | - | $50 | $50 | - | - | $55 | - | - | - |
| German | - | $100 | - | $50 | - | - | $30 | - | - | - |
| Dutch | - | $100 | - | $50 | - | - | $30 | - | - | - |
| Irish | - | $60 | - | $100 | - | - | $55 | - | - | - |
Other exciting ADD-ONs
We recommend
Pre and post safari please click here.
Remember you then need to budget for flights, insurance, vaccination costs and any equipment you might need such as a sleeping bag.
Any queries? Call our office on +44 (0) 208 742 0226, email us at absaf@absoluteafrica.com or skype us on skypeabsoluteafrica
Back to topDates
Kigali to Cape Town
| Start Kigali | Finish Cape Town | Price | Special Offer | Local Payment | Departure details | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wed 5 Feb 2025 | Sat 5 Apr 2025 | £3095 | US$950 | 0 Seats available | ||
| Thu 13 Mar 2025 | Sun 11 May 2025 | £3095 | US$950 | 4+ Seats available | Book Now | |
| Wed 7 May 2025 | Sat 5 Jul 2025 | £3095 | £2878 | US$950 | 4+ Seats available | Book Now |
| Sat 7 Jun 2025 | Tue 5 Aug 2025 | £3095 | £2878 | US$950 | 4+ Seats available | Book Now |
| Mon 7 Jul 2025 | Thu 4 Sep 2025 | £3095 | £2878 | US$950 | 4+ Seats available | Book Now |
| Tue 12 Aug 2025 | Fri 10 Oct 2025 | £3095 | £2878 | US$950 | 4+ Seats available | Book Now |
| Thu 11 Sep 2025 | Sun 9 Nov 2025 | £3095 | £2878 | US$950 | 4+ Seats available | Book Now |
| Tue 7 Oct 2025 | Fri 5 Dec 2025 | £3095 | US$950 | 4+ Seats available | Book Now | |
| Fri 31 Oct 2025 | Wed 31 Dec 2025 | £3095 | US$950 | 4+ Seats available
New Years in Cape Town. Note: 62 day tour |
Book Now | |
| Sun 21 Dec 2025 | Wed 18 Feb 2026 | £3095 | US$950 | 4+ Seats available
Xmas in Kigali. New Years Snake Park, Arusha |
Book Now | |
| Fri 6 Feb 2026 | Mon 6 Apr 2026 | £3095 | US$950 | 4+ Seats available | Book Now |
Before You Go
Kigali to Cape Town
Heh! Find below a link to the African Drums Pre-Departure booklet. This contains a whole heap of information to help you prepare for the trip of a life time from Kigali to Cape Town.
African Drums - pre departure packWe hope you will find the information we have compiled through 30 years of experience overlanding helpful.
There is information regarding flights in to Kigali, Rwanda’s capital, as well as pre tour accommodation options.
When planning the end of your tour, it is worth noting that Cape Town is a city with lots to see and do. We arrive in to Cape Town to stay at Ashanti Lodge on the last night which is included in the price. Ashanti Lodge is a fun and friendly backpackers - set at the foot of Table Mountain and within walking distance of the city centre. We tend to find that most people like to stay at least a few extra days to get the most out of the ‘mother city’ and we are happy to extend your booking at Ashanti.
African Drums will give you the chance to really get into the vibe of Africa. Experience gorilla trekking in the Virungas or Bwindi, the savanna plains of the Serengeti and the tropical paradise of Zanzibar.
Many of the highlights of the tour are included from game drives in Ngorongoro Crater and the Serengeti, through to rhino trekking in Matopos, and two nights in Etosha National Park in Namibia.
There is also a good range of exciting optional activities for you to get involved with on the tour from the gorilla trek, to adrenaline pumping adventure activities at Victoria Falls and Swakopmund. And if you want to try some actual drumming to get some African beats try interactive drumming on a night out in Victoria Falls!
We are here to help you through all stages of the booking and planning of your trip, so please feel free to give us a call, skype or email at any stage.
We recommend once booked on a trip that you periodically check back here as this information is regularly updated.
It is also a good idea to keep an eye on the news area of this site. Touch base with other travellers on the trips in the ‘meet others section’ @ on Facebook. Check out our Facebook page, listen out for our tweets and stay in touch with the day to day world on the road with the big yellow trucks through our blog posts.
Overlanding in Africa is a very different experience from your usual package holiday, so if you have any questions or concerns then please do get in touch, we are more than happy to help.
We look forward to planning your African Drums Safari with you. Get with the beat of the African continent!
.jpg "Lion cub Serengeti National Park")
Book your Kigali to Cape Town Safari
| Start Kigali | Finish Cape Town | Price | Special Offer | Local Payment | Departure details | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wed 5 Feb 2025 | Sat 5 Apr 2025 | £3095 | US$950 | 0 Seats available | ||
| Book Now | Thu 13 Mar 2025 | Sun 11 May 2025 | £3095 | US$950 | 4+ Seats available | |
| Book Now | Wed 7 May 2025 | Sat 5 Jul 2025 | £3095 | £2878 | US$950 | 4+ Seats available |
| Book Now | Sat 7 Jun 2025 | Tue 5 Aug 2025 | £3095 | £2878 | US$950 | 4+ Seats available |
| Book Now | Mon 7 Jul 2025 | Thu 4 Sep 2025 | £3095 | £2878 | US$950 | 4+ Seats available |
| Book Now | Tue 12 Aug 2025 | Fri 10 Oct 2025 | £3095 | £2878 | US$950 | 4+ Seats available |
| Book Now | Thu 11 Sep 2025 | Sun 9 Nov 2025 | £3095 | £2878 | US$950 | 4+ Seats available |
| Book Now | Tue 7 Oct 2025 | Fri 5 Dec 2025 | £3095 | US$950 | 4+ Seats available | |
| Book Now | Fri 31 Oct 2025 | Wed 31 Dec 2025 | £3095 | US$950 | 4+ Seats available
New Years in Cape Town. Note: 62 day tour |
|
| Book Now | Sun 21 Dec 2025 | Wed 18 Feb 2026 | £3095 | US$950 | 4+ Seats available
Xmas in Kigali. New Years Snake Park, Arusha |
|
| Book Now | Fri 6 Feb 2026 | Mon 6 Apr 2026 | £3095 | US$950 | 4+ Seats available |