Kigali to Cape Town Overland Tours

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Price

£2635
+ Local Payment US$950
(local payment explained)

What's Included
• The Serengeti
• Ngorongoro Crater
• South Luangwa National Park
• Matopos
• Etosha National Park
• Namib Naukluft National Park
• The Grumeti Reserve
• Great Zimbabwe Ruins
• Bushmen visit
• Sossusvlei Dunes
• Africat Carnivore Care
• Cape Cross Seal Colony
• Spitzkoppe or similar
• Fish River Canyon
• 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
• 1 night Ashanti Lodge, Cape Town
• Further 5 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
African Drums from Kigali to Cape Town
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

Meet up in Kigali, Rwanda's capital city, transfer to Kisoro.

Optionals: Coffee tour or Pygmy (Batwa) village visit 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

Kigali

Optionals: Basket weaving. Banana beer making. Genocide Museum and Memorial, Nyamata Church Memorial

Days 6 - 11
RWANDA - TANZANIA

Rusomo Falls, Mwanza, Bunda, The Grumeti, Game drives in the Serengeti, with guided game drives in Ngorongoro Crater, evening celebratory barbecue on our arrival in Arusha.

Optionals:  Hill walk, Balloon safari, Maasai Village.

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: Kilimanjaro day hike, Marangu day tour, four night stay on Zanzibar Island from 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, horse riding, village walk, wood carving lesson. 

Days 25 - 30
ZAMBIA - ZIMBABWE

South Luangwa National Park, Lusaka, The Zambezi Valley and a relaxing few 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 game drives.

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: 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, Makgadikgadi Pans, Maun.

Optionals: Chobe National Park, game drive and game cruise, Okavango Delta guided mokoro safari, Flight over the Delta.

Days 44 - 48
NAMIBIA

Morning and afternoon game drives with entry and two nights camping in Etosha National Park, visit to Africat Carnivore Care, Spitzkoppe or similar.

Optionals: Bushmen visit, 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.

 

African Drums - detailed itinerary

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Budgeting Summary

Kigali to Cape Town Budget

The costs to consider when travelling overland are:

What's included

Your safari price and local payment covers:

OVER FIVE CORE GAME PARKS & OTHER HIGHLIGHTS including:

* The Serengeti
* Ngorongoro Crater
* South Luangwa National Park
* Matopos game drive and rhino trek
* Etosha National Park
* Namib Naukluft National Park
* Mikumi National Park
* The Grumeti Reserve
* Kigali - Genocide Memorial
* Lake Victoria
* Lake Malawi
* Great Zimbabwe Ruins
* Bushmen visit
* Africat Carnivore Care
* Sossusvlei Dunes
* Cape Cross Seal Colony
* Spitzkoppe rock formations or similar
* Fish River Canyon

- 48 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 night 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

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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 (July 22).

PAID BEFORE DEPARTURE
Mountain gorilla trekking permit, (not including transfers), from £650 to £680
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
Visit to a local orphanage (transport) US$10
Lake Mutande incl. canoeing US$10
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
Horse riding through Malawi village (1 hour) US$35
Horse riding through the village and in Lake Malawi (2 hours) US$70
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 (3 hour guided game cruise) US$50
Chobe National Park - combo game drive and game cruise US$90
Flights over the Delta, 1 hour (min 5 people) US$125
Okavango Delta guided mokoro safari (two nights) US$185
Tandem sky dive, Swakomund US$260
Sandboarding (approx 5 hours) US$50
Quadbiking 60km route (approx 2 hours) US$46
Township tour, a guided tour visiting the homes 3 local tribes (4 hours Incl. lunch & refreshments) US$40
Open sea fishing in the Atlantic waters (5 hours Incl. licenses, lunch, refreshments & whatever you catch) US$115
Desert tour, a guided tour discovering the secrets of the local dune belt (5 hours Incl. lunch) US$57
Canoeing on the Orange River US$34
Wine tour, Stellenbosch,visit 4 local wineries and a cheese farm (7 hours Inc. wine tasting, cheese tasting and lunch) US$28
ALSO TO CONSIDER DURING YOUR TOUR
Balloon safari in the Serengeti £455
TO CONSIDER AT THE END OF YOUR TOUR
Special discounted offer: Add-On Garden Route Tour when booked with this tour £1380
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
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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

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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.

Visas for most passport holders can be arranged in Africa en route with the exception of the East African visa. Rwandan immigration require you to pre apply and pay for the visa online, you will be sent instructions on how to apply.

Visas bought on the ground can only be paid for in US dollars cash.

Below is an estimation of current visa requirements and their costs. If your passport is not detailed please don't hesitate to contact us for further details of your requirements.

Visas are not normally required for most passport holders for Botswana, Namibia and South Africa.

Be aware that visa requirements can change without prior notice. This information is given as a guide only.

For all visas budget US$255 - US$355 depending on nationality.
VISA CHART Kenya Rwanda Uganda Tanzania Malawi Zambia Zimbabwe Botswana Namibia South Africa
PASSPORT
Australian - - $50 $50 $75 $50 $30 - - -
New Zealand - - $50 $50 $75 $50 $30 - - -
South Africa - $100 - - - - - - - -
Canadian - - $50 $50 $75 $50 $75 - - -
American - $100 - $100 $75 $50 $30 - - -
British - - $50 $50 $75 $50 $55 - - -
German - $100 - $50 $75 $50 $30 - - -
Dutch - $100 - $50 $75 $50 $30 - - -
Irish - $60 - $100 - - $55 - - -
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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

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Dates

Kigali to Cape Town
Start Kigali Finish Cape Town Price Local Payment Departure details
Mon 12 Jun 2023 Thu 10 Aug 2023 £2635 US$950 0 Seats available Fully Booked
Wed 12 Jul 2023 Sat 9 Sep 2023 £2635 US$950 0 Seats available Fully Booked
Fri 11 Aug 2023 Mon 9 Oct 2023 £2635 US$950 0 Seats available Fully Booked
Thu 7 Sep 2023 Sun 5 Nov 2023 £2635 US$950 8+ Seats available Book Now
Sat 7 Oct 2023 Tue 5 Dec 2023 £2635 US$950 8+ Seats available Book Now
Thu 2 Nov 2023 Sun 31 Dec 2023 £2635 US$950 8+ Seats available
Christmas at Orange River and New Years in Cape Town.
Book Now
Thu 21 Dec 2023 Sun 18 Feb 2024 £2635 US$950 8+ Seats available
Christmas in Kigali and New years upon coming from the Tanzanian parks
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Tue 6 Feb 2024 Fri 5 Apr 2024 £2635 US$950 8+ Seats available Book Now
Wed 6 Mar 2024 Sat 4 May 2024 £2635 US$950 8+ Seats available Book Now
Wed 8 May 2024 Sat 6 Jul 2024 £2635 US$950 8+ Seats available Book Now
Mon 10 Jun 2024 Thu 8 Aug 2024 £2635 US$950 8+ Seats available Book Now
Wed 10 Jul 2024 Sat 7 Sep 2024 £2635 US$950 8+ 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 pack

We 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!

Book your Kigali to Cape Town Safari

Start Kigali Finish Cape Town Price Local Payment Departure details
Fully Booked Mon 12 Jun 2023 Thu 10 Aug 2023 £2635 US$950 0 Seats available
Fully Booked Wed 12 Jul 2023 Sat 9 Sep 2023 £2635 US$950 0 Seats available
Fully Booked Fri 11 Aug 2023 Mon 9 Oct 2023 £2635 US$950 0 Seats available
Book Now Thu 7 Sep 2023 Sun 5 Nov 2023 £2635 US$950 8+ Seats available
Book Now Sat 7 Oct 2023 Tue 5 Dec 2023 £2635 US$950 8+ Seats available
Book Now Thu 2 Nov 2023 Sun 31 Dec 2023 £2635 US$950 8+ Seats available
Christmas at Orange River and New Years in Cape Town.
Book Now Thu 21 Dec 2023 Sun 18 Feb 2024 £2635 US$950 8+ Seats available
Christmas in Kigali and New years upon coming from the Tanzanian parks
Book Now Tue 6 Feb 2024 Fri 5 Apr 2024 £2635 US$950 8+ Seats available
Book Now Wed 6 Mar 2024 Sat 4 May 2024 £2635 US$950 8+ Seats available
Book Now Wed 8 May 2024 Sat 6 Jul 2024 £2635 US$950 8+ Seats available
Book Now Mon 10 Jun 2024 Thu 8 Aug 2024 £2635 US$950 8+ Seats available
Book Now Wed 10 Jul 2024 Sat 7 Sep 2024 £2635 US$950 8+ Seats available