Johannesburg to Gorillas

52 Days | An epic northbound journey in search of Africa’s wildest wildlife

5 out of 5 based on 2 reviews submitted.
Overland
Wildlife
From
GBP £7,902
View dates and book

Africa’s all about the outdoors – rainforest, national parks, waterways, coastlines and a whole load of savanna. See the best of Africa’s natural attractions on a 52-day adventure from Johannesburg to Nairobi. Witness the power of Victoria Falls and the sprawling plains of the Serengeti, have close encounters with mountain gorillas and be warmed by the welcoming hospitality of locals in Malawi. Camp on balmy beaches in Tanzania, trek through steamy rainforests and mokoro down the Okavango in search of unique wildlife. Whether you’re spotting the Big Five, lazing on Zanzibar’s idyllic shores or interacting with Maasai warriors, this all-encompassing African journey will immerse you into the wild lands of Africa.

Trip overview

Map of Johannesburg To Gorillas including Botswana, Kenya, Malawi, South Africa, Tanzania, United Republic Of, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe
Start
Johannesburg, South Africa
Finish
Nairobi, Kenya
Theme
Overland, Wildlife
Destinations
Botswana, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Zambia, Uganda, Malawi, Kenya
Physical rating
Indicates how physically exerting a trip is, and how fit you will need to be to enjoy it. More info on physical ratings
Style
Basix
Ages
Min 15
Group size
Min 1 - Max 22
Trip code
UBODC
This trip generates 20 kg of CO2-e per person per day.
We offset these emissions on your behalf. But we know that is not enough, so we also have a carbon reduction target.

Why you'll love this trip
  • Support local conservation efforts by visiting the Khama Rhino Sanctuary, the only place left in Botswana where both black and white rhinos reside.
  • Go wildlife-spotting with your small group and expert guides in Chobe National Park, South Luangwa National Park, the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater. The Big Five have never been so close!
  • Camping on a remote island in the heart of the Okavango wilderness is an experience you’ll never forget. As the sun sets and night falls, the sounds of Africa come alive.
  • Journey from the interior plains out to some idyllic Indian Ocean hotspots. Take a stroll along the shores in Dares Salaam and consider strolling through spice plantations in Zanzibar.
  • With permits included in the price of the trip, take a trek through Uganda's steamy forests to seek out rare mountain gorillas and spend an unforgettable hour in their presence.

Is this trip right for you?
  • This is an overland trip. That means you’ll be travelling with a group in a purpose-built vehicle, visiting remote communities, setting up your own tent, occasionally roughing it in the bush with no facilities, and getting the best possible views of the Big Five. While the trucks don’t have air conditioning, they do have sliding windows which let in the breeze and make it even easier to take spectacular snaps of the local wildlife. The drive days can be long, but it’s as much about the journey as the destination, and half the fun is the camaraderie. For more info on this style of travel, see our Africa overland page: https://www.intrepidtravel.com/africa/overland
  • Tracking gorillas in the dense forest can sometimes be wet, muddy and uncomfortable. The terrain is by no means easy either, so it can be pretty strenuous and often humid. The sheer thrill of coming across a habituated group of gorillas, dominated by a great male silverback, more than outweighs any difficulty. You need to be prepared and fit enough to walk up to 4 hours up and downhill. A top tip is to pack some gardening gloves to assist in any uphill climbs. See https://www.intrepidtravel.com/au/gorilla-trekking for more information.
  • We use mokoros (small dugout canoes) to pass through the shallow waterways of the Okavango Delta to get to our campsite for the night.
  • Camping out in the Okavango wilderness means digging a bush toilet and going without a shower. For most travellers this is a small price to pay for such a gorgeous remote island location.
  • The African wild comes alive at sunrise, so there will be some early starts. The thrill of spotting your first lion or rhino is well worth any loss of sleep.
  • Camping in the Serengeti National Park with no barriers between you and the animals is amazing, but it's important to heed the safety advice of your leader. You will be briefed as a group on arrival.

Itinerary

This itinerary is valid for departures from 01 January 2025 to 31 December 2025.

View the itinerary for departures between 01 January 2024 - 31 December 2025

Map of Johannesburg To Gorillas including Botswana, Kenya, Malawi, South Africa, Tanzania, United Republic Of, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe

Inclusions

Meals

49 breakfasts, 33 lunches, 43 dinners

Transport

Overland vehicle, 4x4 Safari Vehicle, Mokoro, Ferry, Minibus

Accommodation

Camping (with facilities) (39 nights), Bush camp (no facilities) (2 nights), Hotel (3 night), Bunglow (2 nights), Camping (with basic facilities) (4 nights), Hotel with shared facilities (1 night)

Activities
  • Khama Rhino Sanctuary - Sunset Game Drive Open Vehicle
  • Okavango Delta - Mokoro safari
  • Okavango Delta - Sunrise Walk
  • Okavango Delta - Brewery Tour
  • Nata - Makgadikgadi Salt Pans 4x4 Excursion
  • Chobe National Park - River Cruise
  • Victoria Falls - Visit to Victoria Falls Wildlife Trust
  • Matobo National Park - Rhino Tracking, Park Visit & San Rock Paintings
  • Masvingo - Great Zimbabwe Ruins guided visit
  • South Luangwa - Anti-Poaching Jewelery Project
  • South Luangwa National Park - 4x4 Afternoon Game Drive
  • South Luangwa National Park - 4x4 Dawn Game Drive
  • Mikumi National Park - 4x4 Game Drive
  • Irente - Lushoto hike
  • Irente - Local lunch
  • Ngorongoro Forest - Elephant Cave Trek
  • Karatu - Home-Cooked Dinner
  • Karatu - Coffee Farm Tour
  • Ngorongoro Crater - 4x4 Game Drive
  • Serengeti National Park - Morning 4WD Safari
  • Mto Wa Mbu - Village walk & local dinner
  • Lake Nakuru - Overland Vehicle Game Drive
  • Lake Nakuru - Morning Overland Vehicle Game Drive
  • Queen Elizabeth National Park - Overland Vehicle Game Drive
  • Bwindi National Park - Mountain Gorilla Permit & Trek
  • Kericho - Tea plantation visit
  • Masai Mara National Reserve - 4x4 Game Drive
  • Loita Hills - Maasai Village Visit
  • Masai Mara National Reserve - Full Day 4WD Safari
Add on activities
  • Okavango Delta - Helicopter Scenic Flight - USD280
  • Victoria Falls - Victoria Falls Entrance Fee - USD50
  • Chobe National Park - Open Safari Vehicle Morning Game Drive - BWP580
  • Victoria Falls - Sunset Cruise - USD50
  • Victoria Falls - Canoe trail (full day) - USD185
  • Victoria Falls - Helicopter Flight of the Angels (12 mins - Excludes US$25 fuel surcharge and NP fees) - USD150
  • Victoria Falls - Helicopter Flight (25 mins - Excludes US$30 fuel surcharge and NP fees) - USD284
  • Victoria Falls - Rafting & river boarding (half day) - USD218
  • Victoria Falls - Village & township tour - USD61
  • Victoria Falls - Canoe trail wine route - USD55
  • Victoria Falls - Victoria Falls entrance - USD50
  • Bulawayo - Railway Museum - USD5
  • Balawayo - Natural History Museum - USD10
  • Harare - National Archives - USD3
  • Harare - National Botanical Gardens - USD5
  • Harare - National Gallery - USD10
  • South Luangwa National Park - Game Walk - USD50
  • Lake Malawi - Guided village walks - USD15
  • Lake Malawi - Bike Hire - USD25
  • Lake Malawi - Snorkelling - USD25
  • Stone Town Tour - Dharajani Market, Joseph's Cathederal, Palace Museum, Forodhani Food Market - USD20
  • Zanzibar - Prison Island Tour - USD25
  • Stone Town - Handicraft & Music Urban Adventure - USD50
  • Zanzibar - Spice tour - USD25
  • Zanzibar - Snorkelling - USD50
  • Zanzibar - Dhow Trip - USD35
  • Stone Town - Culinary Urban Adventure - USD29
  • Serengeti National Park - Balloon Ride (from price) - USD745
  • Nairobi - City Experience Urban Adventure - USD55
  • Kalinzu Forest - Chimpanzee Trekking - USD205
  • Queen Elizabeth National Park - Kazinga Channel boat cruise - USD30
  • Kisoro - Golden Monkey Trekking - USD160
  • Kisoro - Rwanda Day Excursion - From - USD75
  • Kisoro - Batwa Village Visit - USD35
  • Kisoro - Coffee Farm Tour - USD35
  • Jinja - River Nile whitewater rafting (full day) - USD140
  • Jinja - Nile Boat Cruise - USD40
  • Jinja - Source of River Nile tour - USD45
  • Masai Mara National Reserve - Balloon ride (from price) - USD625

Dates and availability

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Important notes

1. A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip. The single supplement applies to all nights of your trip and is subject to availability. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.
2.This trip requires a higher non-refundable deposit (AUD 1000, USD 1000, EUR 800, NZD 1250, GBP 650, CAD 1000, ZAR 8000, CHF 900) in order to secure the included gorilla permit. Please note that we need to confirm availability of a gorilla permit if you are booking within 45 days of departure. The additional deposit paid at time of booking will be credited to the final balance of your booking.
3. Optional sunrise balloon rides in the Serengeti National Park and Masai Mara National Reserve are possible on this itinerary. Please see the itinerary above for full details of this activity. As the balloon only holds 16 people, places are limited and we recommend you book in advance. Please inquire when booking your trip to book this optional activity.
4. This trip is a combination of UBOO,YXOS,YXON,YXOQ and YXOG our most popular itineraries. As such the make up of your group and your leader may change on days 10,26,29 and 37.
5. The Zanzibar portion of your itinerary may have more passengers than the maximum group size of 22 as we have a crossover of trips starting and finishing in Zanzibar.
6. This trip finishes upon arrival in Nairobi on Day 52. Please do not book any flights until after 10 pm this evening.
7. Border crossing delays in the region have been sporadic and difficult to predict. What takes an hour one day may take four hours the next. This may affect the order of activities in the itinerary. We understand this uncertainty can be frustrating, and we strongly recommend packing a bit of patience and flexibility.
8. Some governments currently have increased foreign travel advice around security in place for Queen Elizabeth National Park in Uganda. Please check your government’s foreign travel advice before departure and ensure your travel insurance covers all destinations and activities on your itinerary.

Essential Trip Information

Want an in-depth insight into this trip? Essential Trip Information provides a detailed itinerary, visa info, how to get to your hotel, what's included - pretty much everything you need to know about this adventure and more.

Read Essential Trip Information

Reviews

5 out of 5 based on 2 reviews submitted.
Reviews are from travellers who have completed their trip and want to share their experience. We show all reviews, but may remove any that include profanity or inappropriate content, are unrelated to the trip or reveal personal details.

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Alexandra · Traveled August 2023
Fantastic way to explore Africa! Felt very safe, the food was incredible, learnt a lot about culture, wildlife, and local ways of life.
Review submitted 09 Oct 2023

Jordan · Traveled July 2023
This trip will test you in so many ways but it will be one of the best experiences of your life. You truly experience Africa and the amazing people and animals!
Review submitted 10 Sep 2023
Johannesburg to Gorillas
From
GBP £7,902