Compare Desert Tracker (25 days) by Acacia Africa

Day 1 – 3: Cape Town – Western Cape – Gariep (Orange) River - Fish River Canyon

We begin our tour with a fascinating tour of Cape Town’s townships and a traditional lunch before travelling north through the citrus area of the Western Cape to semi-desert of Namaqualand and our camp on the banks of the Gariep (Orange) River. Crossing into Namibia, our first stop in the country is at the dramatic Fish River Canyon – in some places 500m deep and over 160km long, this almost rivals the Grand Canyon for its breathtaking views.

Day 4- 7: Namib Naukluft National Park - Solitaire - Swakopmund

Continuing north, travelling through some very barren but extremely scenic areas, we arrive at the Namib Naukluft Park. The Namib is the world’s oldest desert and home to the world’s highest sand dunes (up to 300m). We climb to the top for a panoramic view of sunrise over the vast sea of sand. We continue to Solitaire then on to Swakopmund, a coastal resort town sandwiched between the desert and the ocean. Relax in one of the town’s many cafes or enjoy one of the thrilling adventure sports on offer, from deep sea fishing to skydiving and sand-boarding!

Day 8-10: Spitzkoppe – Etosha National Park - Windhoek

Turning inland, we travel into Damaraland to the eerie and spectacular Spitzkoppe. We continue onto the Etosha National Park, a reserve of over 20,000 sq. km surrounding a central salt pan, which features 114 mammal and 340 bird species. We take morning and afternoon game drives and camp for two nights near floodlit waterholes for some exciting night viewing. We continue to Windhoek, Namibia’s pleasant capital city, before heading to Botswana

Day 11 – 15 : Ghanzi - Maun - Okavango Delta

We skirt the northern reaches of the Kalahari Desert and join local Bushmen for a desert walk before continuing to Maun, gateway to the Okavango Delta. Here we explore amongst the giant lily pads, tall grasses and labyrinthine channels in search of hippo, crocodile and a variety of birds. We travel on foot and by mokoro (dugout canoe) and stay at our tented camp for a night on one of the river islands. The Okavango is a very unspoilt area and spending time out amidst the wilderness and the rivers listening to sounds of the African night is an unforgettable experience!

Day 16 – 20: Elephant Sands, Nata - Chobe National Park - Victoria Falls, Livingstone, Zambia

We turn towards the northern corner of Botswana, stopping at Panet Boabab, Gweta en route. Chobe National Park is home to some of the largest elephant populations anywhere in Africa as well as lion and abundant birdlife. We take an afternoon Fish Eagle Cruise in search of elephant and hippo. From Chobe, we cross into Zambia and drive to our relaxing riverside camp in Livingstone. Why not try one of the many optional activities around Victoria Falls, including white water rafting, canoeing, bungy jumping, horse riding or a scenic flight over the Falls to name but a few. We also visit the ‘Falls’ themselves.

NB For the sake of practicality, meals in the Livingstone/Victoria Falls area are restricted to breakfasts. This allows you to take on half day or full day activities (some of which include lunch) without having to be back with the group at mealtimes. The Waterfront camp restaurant overlooks the Zambezi River and offers a good selection of reasonably priced meals and snacks throughout the day (allow US$15 -$30 per meal). Relax and enjoy these few days at your own leisure. Alternatively, take a taxi into Livingstone to try local fare.

Let's save the rhino! Check out what Acacia has been up to in Livingstone, Zambia on thisYoutube video.

Day 21 – 22: Livingstone - Bulawayo, Matobo National Park, Zimbabwe

We cross the border to Zimbabwe and make our way to Bulawayo and on to our camp in the Matopos area. With fascinating scenery, the area is littered with giant granite boulders making all manner of different shapes of formations. Enjoy a morning game walk with a resident ranger to explore and perhaps spot some of the resident rhino on foot.

Day 23 – 24: Bulawayo – Tshipise - Kruger National Park, South Africa

Leaving Bulawayo, we continue south to the border at Beitbridge. Completing formalities we cross the Limpopo River -the second largest in South Africa and an important water source for this arid region. From here we visit southern Africa’s most famed national park - Kruger. The fences between the private game reserves on the fringes of the park, and the park’s borders with adjoining Mozambique and Botswana, have been taken down to form Greater Kruger and the park’s animals are free to roam the whole area. Kruger and Greater Kruger cover over 24,000 sq km and is home to an incredible wealth of African animals from the dwarf mongoose to Africa’s ‘Big Five’ (leopard, lion, elephant, rhino, buffalo). There is also an incredible diversity of birdlife and flora to be discovered. We spend two nights within the Kruger area and take game drives across the savannah to glimpse some of the wildlife that inhabits the park.

Day 25: Johannesburg

On the last day of the tour, we travel via the Panorama region of Mpumalanga with its beautiful scenery and dramatic escarpment views, to Johannesburg where our tour ends. Also known as the ‘City of Gold’, it is one of the most cosmopolitan cities on the African continent.