Adventure Truck trip: Cape Town to Victoria Falls

The itinerary as described below is based on the program including the activity package. If you do not book an activity package, the travel schedule will therefore deviate from the schedule described below. We recommend that you purchase the activity package prior to your trip (when booking) to avoid disappointment on the spot. If you book the activities in advance, you are assured of participation.

Travel schedule

Inclusive meals: B= breakfast, L= lunch, D= dinner

Day 1: Cape Town – Cederberg (D)
The journey starts at 7 a.m. in the center of Cape Town. Make sure you are present 30 minutes before departure. We recommend that you stay in Cape Town prior to the trip so that you can explore the sights in and around the city prior to this trip. Ask us about the possibilities with regard to accommodations, transfers and excursions.

Day 2: Namibia – Gariep (Oranje) River (B, D)
Today you travel further through the Northern Cape province and Namaqualand where you stop in Springbok for a few purchases. If you travel in the months of July to September, you have the chance to see the beautiful sea of flowers in this area. Many tourists come here in the South African spring for this colorful spectacle of wild flowers. In the afternoon you cross the border to Namibia where you will spend the night on the Gariep River (also known as the Orange River). This river is the natural border between South Africa and Namibia and your accommodation is on the river.

Day 3: Gariepriver – Ai-Ais (B, L, D)
In the morning you have the opportunity to canoe on the Gariep River (not included) or to relax and enjoy the view from the accommodation. The Gariep is the longest river in South Africa and has its origins in part of the Drakensberg in the kingdom of Lesotho. The river was originally named after the Dutch royal family (Orange), but nowadays the name Garieprivier is usually used. You can experience the beauty of this area by canoe. After lunch, the journey continues in a northerly direction to your next accommodation address: Ai -Ais.

Accommodation: Ai Ais Resort (double room with private bathroom, or similar )
Optional activity: Half day canoe trip

Day 4:  Fish River Canyon, Quiver Tree Forest, Giant’s Playground (B, L, D)
Today you get up early and drive to the edge of the impressive Fish River Canyon. The gorge has a total length of 160 km, a maximum width of 27 km and is up to 550 meters deep. A beautiful sight when the sun rises and lets its rays shine over this huge gap. There is an opportunity to walk along the gorge and take beautiful pictures. The truck then continues in a westerly direction to Keetmanshoop.

At about 14 kilometers from Keetmanshoop are two special and photogenic places that you will visit this afternoon: Giant’s Playground and the Quiver Tree Forest. The former is also referred to as the “Garden of the Gods” and is a piece of land strewn with boulders in bizarre shapes and formations, which most of all looks like a giant playing with blocks. Quiver Tree (Kokerboom) Forest is a special natural phenomenon as these trees can normally be found lonely in the desert steppe and not with several in the same place. This tree was useful for the bushmen because of the hollow branches that they used to make the sleeves for their arrows. Tubular trees actually always grow on or against a piece of rock, the rock absorbs the warmth of the sun during the day and releases it at night so that the tubular tree can grow in a more constant temperature.

Day 5: Namib-Naukluft Park (B, L, D)
The adventure continues to the Namib-Naukluft National Park, this is truly one of the gems of Namibia. The large sand dunes around Sossusvlei sometimes reach a height of up to 3000 meters. Beautiful pictures that radiate peace and space with colors ranging from yellow, pink, orange to red and everything in between! Today you have a long day in the truck ahead of you, but tomorrow you will be able to enjoy the sights in this area. Along the way you enjoy the fascinating landscape that changes from grasslands in the east to the red sand dunes in the west. You drive through sparsely populated areas on dusty roads where you will hardly find anyone else. You spend the night on the edge of the dune area.

Day 6: Namib-Naukluft National Park (B, L, D)
The day starts early so you can climb to the top of Dune 45 before the heat of the day makes this virtually impossible. This is the best known dune in this area and from the top you will enjoy a fantastic view and you can take the most extraordinary pictures of the red sand dunes. Especially during sunrise and sunset you can see the different colors of the dunes well. After your climb on Dune 45 you will receive a well-deserved breakfast. Then you will be taken to Sossusvlei where a 4×4 vehicle will take you deeper into the desert. Sossusvlei and Deadvlei are also special areas where you can take beautiful pictures. When you return to the lodge you knock the sand off your shoes and enjoy a special day.

Day 7: Swakopmund (B)
Today is your last day in the desert and this morning there is another interesting excursion in which a local guide tells you more about the ecosystems in the desert and the way the Bushman survived here. On the way to your next accommodation you pass the Capricorn circle where you will of course stop for a photo. Arriving at the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, make a short stop at Walvis Bay lagoon hoping to see the many flamingos. Later in the you arrive in the ‘adventure town’ Swakopmund where you can already have a look around. Swakopmund was part of the German colony and you can clearly see this in buildings, street names and condiments (buy a German delicacy and cup of coffee here). You will be informed about the many optional activities that you can participate in tomorrow, such as sand boarding and quad biking in the desert. Lunch and dinner are for your own account, you can use the restaurants in Swakopmund.

Accommodation: Stay @ Swakop (double room with en-suite bathroom), or similar
Activity Package: Desert walk with guide
Inclusive Activity: stop at the Capricorn Circle and in Walvis Bay

Day 8: Swakopmund (B)
The seventh day is a day with unprecedented possibilities. You have time to walk through Swakopmund and view the buildings from the German colonial era. You can have lunch at your leisure, do some shopping or visit the beach. Do you want to do something active? Take a dolphin cruise on the ocean or go quad biking in the desert. The daredevils today have the opportunity to go sand boarding or skydiving.

Accommodation: Stay@Swakop or similar
Optional activity: Quad biking, Sand boarding, Sky Diving, Scenic Flights, Dolphin Cruise etc.

Day 9: Spitzkoppe – Brandberg (B, L, D)
After breakfast you drive towards Brandberg and on the way you stop at the massive granite rock formation with the name Spitzkoppe. The granite rocks with a height of 1728 meters above sea level contrast impressively with the flat desert environment around. The highest point is approximately 700 meters above the desert surface. Here you can find many rock drawings from the San Bushmen and a local guide will tell you more about it.

Day 10: Brandberg White Lady (B, L, D)
The Brandberg is the highest mountain in Namibia and the name refers to the sometimes “glowing” color that the mountain has during sunset. The famous rock drawing in this area is the “White Lady” of more than 2000 years old. This morning you take a walk / hike to these and other petroglyphs (wear sturdy footwear). You then travel further to the Kamanjab region where you will spend the night.

Day 11: Etosha National Park (B, L, D)
Wake up early and head to Etosha National Park for spotting wild animals! From the large windows of the adventure truck you have a beautiful view of the landscape. Etosha means ‘large white spot’ which refers to the salt pan that occupies 25% of the park (the salt pan is so large that it can even be seen from space!). This park is one of the largest and most famous national parks in southern Africa and is especially known for the large numbers of game that can be spotted there. You arrive at the park in the afternoon and immediately make a game drive with the truck while you drive to the camp. Because you are high up, you can see and photograph the game well. The accommodation for the coming days is located in the park near a drinking place with (soft) spotlights. In the evening you can sit here and wait for animals to quench their thirst. You may hear a hyena or a lion from your bed tonight!

Accommodation: Halali Rest Camp (double room with en-suite bathroom), or similar.
Route: Kamanjab – Etosha N.P.
Included activity: afternoon game drive through the park in the truck.

Day 12: Etosha National Park (B, L, D)
Even today, the focus is on spotting wildlife. Again you go on the road with the truck hoping to see game drinking at one of the pools or just along the road while you drive by. No day is ever the same in the bush and the idea that wild animals can appear everywhere makes it an exciting experience. At the end of the afternoon you drive to your next accommodation in the park.

Accommodation: Okaukuejo (double room with en-suite bathroom), or similar
Included activity: Full day game drive through the park in the truck

Day 13: Windhoek (B)
Again an early start to the day! Today you drive to the capital of Namibia: Windhoek. Upon arrival in Windhoek you will take a city tour on foot along the most famous buildings / sights in this city. Here too you will find German origin. Lunch and dinner are for your own account today. You spend the night at a lodge just outside the city.

Note:if you have chosen the ‘Okavango Upgrade’, you will be taken to the airport and board a small plane that will take you to the heart of the Okavango Delta. You spend two nights in the Delta and can experience the area in a more intensive way. On day 17 you will join the group again in the morning. Costs for the Okavango Upgrade: R13200 per person.

Day 16: Maun (B, L, D)
The best way to experience the waterways of the Delta is by mokoro. These traditional canoes are silently sailed through the water by a poler with a long stick. Enjoy the green surroundings, the clear water with water lilies and reeds and the tranquility in this fascinating part of Botswana today. This morning you will leave early with a 4×4 car to the poling station where the mokoros and the polers are waiting for you, this ride takes about an hour. Make sure you protect yourself well against the sun today, because you spend the whole day outside. We moor at an island and you can take a walk with the poler. Later you will sail back to the 4×4 vehicles. Although this mokoro trip is not primarily meant to see wild animals, you still have to pay attention. Elephants, giraffes, kudus, impalas, zebras and many bird species live in this area.

Day 17: Nata (B, L, D)
After a quiet breakfast the journey continues, you will drive along the Makgadigadi Nxai Pans to Nata today. As you drive through this area, you will regularly see the striking and fascinating Baobab trees. Elephants or giraffes can also walk along the road as the wildlife parks of Botswana often have no gates. Participants in the activity package make a game drive to Nata Sanctuary in the afternoon, the breeding ground for many water birds including flamingos and pelicans.

Day 18: Chobe National park (B, D)
The tour continues towards the Chobe National Park. This National Park is located in the north of Botswana and has an area of no less than 11,700 km². The park owes its name to the always water-bearing Chobe River that borders the park on the north side. On this river where you can see buffalo, hippos and elephants, you will go on a cruise in the afternoon. After arriving at the accommodation on the river it is time to first explore the park by 4×4 safari vehicle in search of the many elephants. After the relaxed boat cruise, dinner is served around a cozy campfire.

Accommodation: Thebes River Lodge (double room with en-suite bathroom), or similar.
Route: Nata – Kasane
Activity Package: Chobe NP Boat Cruise and Chobe NP game drive

Day 19: Zimbabwe – Victoria Falls (B)
This morning you cross the border to Zimbabwe. Here on the border with Zambia on the Zambezi River are the impressive Victoria Falls. With a width of no less than 1708 meters and a maximum fall height of 108 meters, the rising mist can reach a height of more than 400 meters. The roaring sound of the water falling in the basalt gorges is very impressive.

Upon arrival in the village of Victoria Falls you will be explained about the many optional activities that you can book here. Then you will go to Victoria Falls National Park where you can admire ‘The Smoke that Thunders’, as the locals call it waterfall. In the afternoon adventurous travelers can opt for a flight above the waterfall, rafting on the Zambezi river, bungee jumping and many other activities (if time permits, otherwise you can book these activities for day 20). The small tourist village also offers plenty of shops and terraces for those who want to take it a bit easier.

Day 20: Victoria Waterfalls (B)
Your tour ends today after breakfast. The end of a great experience! You take a transfer to the airport and fly back to the Netherlands (transfer and flight not included) or continue your holiday in southern Africa. It is also possible to spend an extra night or more in Victoria Falls so you have more time for optional activities.

This trip is written based on participation in the activity package. This package includes the following excursions: visit rooibos tea farm, desert walk with local expert guide, visit Makgadikgadi Pans (Nata Sanctuary), Chobe N.P. boat cruise, Chobe N.P. game drive.

All information is subject to change. Accommodations or routes can be changed if necessary. When traveling alone, sharing a room is not possible.

Prefer a bit more luxury and personal attention? Then choose the luxury version of this tour. For these trips the group size is a maximum of 12 people and you always have a place at the window in the vehicle. The truck is equipped with 12 adjustable seats, air conditioning, TV and there is a toilet on board.

If you need advice or more information, please contact us.

Travel time: 20 days, 19 nights.

20% discount on the published price when you book in May before departure on 1 June 2019. 10% discount on the published price when you book in May before departure on 25 June or 27 August 2019.

Departure dates 2019:
August: 3, 6*, 10, 13, 17*D, 20, 27*, 31
September: 3D, 7*, 10, 14I, 17*, 24, 28*
October: 1, 5, 8*D, 12, 15, 22, 26D, 29*
November: 2, 5, 9*, 12D, 19*, 23, 26, 30*D
December: 3, 7, 10*, 17D, 21*, 24, 28, 31*

* = guaranteed departure, D = German-language translator present (guide is English), I = Italian translator present (guide is English)