Guide

You will have a crew of 1 tour leader and 1 driver on this tour. On some tours we may also have a cameraman who is there to help market our tours and update our social media. Your tour leader will be in charge of routes, itineraries, food and accommodation and will ensure the smooth running of the tour. Your tour leader is not a tour guide and will not be giving you the history and facts of every place we visit, you can look up that information yourself or hire a local guide when you want to. Apart from the excursions that need to be organised by the tour leader in advance, we leave most of that for you to arrange yourselves, this way ensuring you get to do what you want at the price you are happy to pay. Your driver will drive and maintain the vehicle to a high standard but he/she is not a tour guide and may not know all the facts about the countries we travel through. Your crew will be hand-picked and trained by Madventure and will have experience of overland travel but they may or may not have done this tour before. They will, however, have detailed notes from previous tours and backup from the office in the UK. Tipping the crew at the end of your expedition is always appreciated if you feel they have done a good job. We recommend you tip your crew a minimum of $100 each at the end of the tour, thank you.

Others

Services of your Madventure tour leader and driver Transportation in our custom built Madventure overland truck Use of all equipment on the truck Diesel, mechanics, shipping and any other costs relating to the vehicle Local transportation costs (if required) Ferry tickets (when travelling together as a group) 87 breakfasts and 64 evening meals All accommodation costs (75% camping, 25% hotels, guest houses and hostels) National Park entry fees when we enter as a group with our vehicle

Accommodation

You will spend 75% of the time on this expedition in your tent camping. The other 25% of the time you will be staying in local hotels, guest houses and hostels. Quite often we will wild camp by ourselves out in the bush or in the desert and other times we will use designated campsites with amenities. The majority of our wild camp locations are usually very scenic and we always strive to find the perfect spot on the banks of a river, overlooking a canyon, behind a dune in the desert, on a remote beach, etc. but sometimes we just have to camp wherever we can find a spot. From past experience on expeditions of this length and nature we have found that people prefer to supply their own tents as they are then not forced to share and they can pick a tent that suits their needs. As a general rule, try and choose a good quality lightweight and waterproof free-standing tent that is easy to erect, take down and carry. At some of the campsites there are upgrade options available so should you prefer not to camp or you just want some time alone you can sometimes rent yourself a private room at your own expense. When we are not camping (usually in cities) we always try to use decent, clean local hotels, guest houses and hostels, however, taking into consideration the sometimes unpredictable nature of this expedition and the remoteness of some of the areas we visit, please be aware that in some circumstances we just have to take what we can get, good or bad. When staying in hotels, guest houses and hostels you can expect to share your room with other expedition members of all genders. There is usually an opportunity for anyone to upgrade to a single room or a superior room if they so wish. All accommodation upgrades are at your own expense.

Meals

Eating well is a very important factor on our expeditions and good food is vital for everyone’s health and well-being. When we are camping we usually cook breakfast and the evening meal using our kitchen on the vehicle. For lunch we usually stop at a cheap local restaurant giving you a chance to taste the local fare. Occasionally we may prepare lunch on the vehicle when we are in remote areas. When staying in hotels (usually in cities) we always strive to provide you with one healthy, wholesome and plentiful meal every day, usually breakfast at the hotel. Lunch and evening meals are at your own expense when we stay in hotels. Local food is generally very cheap so if you are on a budget then eat what the locals eat. Western restaurants tend to be more expensive. 87 breakfasts and 64 evening meals are provided during this expedition. When it comes to shopping and cooking while camping we will divide ourselves up into groups of 3 or 4 people (depending on group size) who will do their own fresh food shopping, prepare the day’s meals and clean up at the end. This will work out that you roughly get to cook once every 10 days (depending on the group size). Fresh food is generally available daily so when we are camping we try to eat meat and vegetables for every main evening meal. We do cater to vegetarians but we do not cater to vegans or fussiness. In these group situations everybody must appreciate we cannot cater to restrictive diets or individual likes and dislikes. Don’t worry if you are not a gourmet cook as your crew are also always there to give advice. Our vehicles are equipped with a small fridge which is used for the cook group’s breakfast and dinner food only. For personal food and drinks we have cooler boxes for everyone to use. Cleanliness plays an important role throughout this expedition and your crew will make sure an acceptable level of general hygiene is maintained throughout your journey to ensure the wellbeing of the group.

Transport

We will be travelling in a custom-built Madventure overland vehicle 100% of the time on this tour. A standard bus simply wouldn’t be able to tackle many of the roads we travel on. Our vehicle can accommodate up to 36 travellers and 2 crew. Comfort and safety is of course a big factor during expeditions of this length and nature so all our vehicles have high-backed coach seats with safety belts. The seating is on the upper level of the vehicle giving you an almost 360° view of the surrounding scenery. Our vehicles are designed to allow sufficient luggage storage and are also equipped with lockers to keep all your gear safe. Our long range diesel and water tanks ensure our self sufficiency in remote areas and the equipment we take with us is also of vital importance. In case of a breakdown we are equipped with a good selection of spare parts as well as a comprehensive tool kit to undertake any necessary repairs on our own as and when we need to. There may also be times when we get stuck in the sand or mud when travelling off road so all necessary recovery equipment such as sand mats, cables, ropes, shovels and pickaxes are also on board. We usually carry 400 litres of treated drinking water and we are equipped with a good kitchen which includes all cutlery, plates, cups, pots and pans, utensils, gas cooker, BBQ grate, tables, etc. Our vehicle is also equipped with a small fridge which is used for the cook group’s breakfast and dinner food only. For personal food and drinks we have cooler boxes for everyone to use. Comfortable fold up chairs are provided for outdoor seating and we also have a large tarpaulin to keep us dry on those rainy days. We carry a portable shower and shower tent so you can take a shower every day on this tour if you like, even when we are wild camping in remote areas. Our vehicles are equipped with USB charging points only so try and bring all of your important electronic devices such as telephone, tablet and head-torch to charge from a USB socket. We do not have a 120V or 240V power supply on the vehicle but you will have the opportunity to charge your 120/240V electronic equipment at the hotels and campsites we stay at. We carry a comprehensive first aid kit for emergencies but we do recommend you bring your own for general use.

Not included:

Insurance

It is compulsory that every person who travels with Madventure obtain travel insurance for the complete duration of the tour. Proof of travel insurance must be shown before joining a tour. You may be covered under your credit card’s travel insurance so it might be worth checking with your credit card provider first. There are various travel insurance companies to choose from and a Google search will bring up a vast selection but for people based in the UK seeking a comprehensive and reliable policy that includes Covid Cover and Medical Repatriation we recommend a London based company named Campbell Irvine, +44 20 7938 1734, http://www.campbellirvine.com/Madventure Campbell Irvine are familiar with what we do so if you mention Madventure and the tour you are travelling on they should be able to provide excellent cover for you. For people based in North America a company named Allianz offers good cover, +1 866 884 3556, www.allianztravelinsurance.com If you choose to obtain your travel insurance through another company please ensure you read the small-print and if possible make sure your policy includes Covid Cover and Medical Repatriation.

Flights

No flights included or expected during this tour.

Others

International and domestic flights (no domestic flights expected during tour) Airport transfers Personal travel insurance Personal spending money (£120 – £150 per week recommended) Visas (approximately £800 depending on nationality) Lunch and evening meals when in hotels, guest houses and hostels Lunch when camping Accommodation upgrades Entrance fees to optional sites and national parks Any optional activities and excursions Tent, roll mat, sleeping bag and pillow Tips (USD $100 per crew member recommended)

Optional

Below is a list of the most popular optional excursions along with the most recent prices. Prices can of course change and are not controlled in any way by Madventure so please use the list below as an approximate guide only. Prices are shown in EUROS. TOGO Museum of West African Arts €5 BENIN Lake Ganvie overnight boat trip €40 Tata Somba walking tour €5 Ouidah half day tour €15 NIGERIA Osogbo Sacred Grove Forest €5 GABON Reserve de la Lope guided walk/jeep tour €50 Reserve de la Lope river safari €40 Pongara NP day trip €50 REPUBLIC OF CONGO Conkouati-Douli National Park overnight tour €250 NAMIBIA Twyfelfontein €50 Skydiving €200 Sandboarding €40 Quad-biking €60 Game fishing €120 Hot air ballooning €360 Scenic flight, Sossusvlei €300 SOUTH AFRICA Cable car to Table Mountain €20 Abseil Table Mountain €80 Cage diving with Great White sharks €200 Robben Island guided tour €30 Stellenbosch wine tour €50

Start planning your experience

Day 1 Ghana
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Ghana

This tour starts in Ghana’s capital city of Accra which offers us a taste of big city life where you can enjoy the shopping malls, pubs and cafes that abound in this bustling town. The old district of Jamestown’s dishevelled colonial buildings and lively fishing port are also well worth a visit and an historic start to a true African overland expedition!

Please note that this tour departs Accra 2 days after the tour starts so if you would like more time here you may want to arrive a few days prior to departure.

Heading inland we visit the Tafi Atome Monkey Sanctuary where you have the chance to get up close and personal with Mona monkeys that will gladly sit on your shoulder as you feed them bananas.

Our last stop is at the beautiful Wli Waterfalls, the tallest in West Africa, where you have the day to hike to the falls and enjoy one of Ghana’s best natural sites.
Day 2 Togo
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Togo

Togo is only 50 km wide and on our first day we will visit the artistic town of Kpalime which is famous for its traditional crafts of woodcarving and batik.

We continue to the capital Lome where a day out can include visiting the bizarre fetish markets, marvelling at the displays in the Museum of West African Arts and exploring the labyrinths of the colourful Grand Market.

We now head north and wild camp in the heart of Togo before heading for Benin.
Day 3 Benin
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Benin

We enter Benin in the northern Tata Somba region, an area of traditional two-storey fortified huts where cattle are kept on the ground floor and grain is dried on the upper floor. Here you have the option to join a half day walking tour to explore the huts, visit a school and see a baobab tree.

We continue to Pendjari National Park where we wild camp in a remote corner of this unspoiled wilderness. Here we take a whole day game drive with a chance of spotting the elephant, lion, buffalo, hippopotamus, monkeys and various antelope species that inhabit the park.

The remarkable town of Abomey is our next stop where you can explore the ruined temples and palaces of the Dahomeyan empire.

Further south we camp on the shores of Lake Aheme and if our luck is in we will get the opportunity to watch the locals perform the traditional Zangbeto voodoo dance for us.

In Grand Popo you have the chance to witness a traditional voodoo ceremony and go looking for green sea turtles on the nearby beach.

In Ouidah we camp on a beautiful beach and you have the option to join a half day tour that includes visiting the forts, temples and museums of this historic region.

At Lake Ganvie you have the option to take a boat out to a village in the middle of the lake that is home to 30,000 Tofinu people who reside here in stilted bamboo huts. You have the option to spend a night here in the stilted village before returning to land and heading for Nigeria.
Day 4 Nigeria
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Nigeria

Abeokuta is our first destination in Nigeria where we visit the Olumo Rock formation, an historical natural fortress used during inter-tribal warfare in the 19th century.

In Osogbo we visit the Sacred Grove Forest to explore the sanctuaries, shrines, sculptures and artworks created in honour of Osun, the Goddess of Fertility.

In Benin City the national museum offers us an insight into the Benin Empire with a significant amount of ancient artefacts. For those more interested in modern art a walk down Bronze Casters Street will show you some fine bronze works of art.

In the southeast part of the country we find the lively colonial port town of Calabar where highlights include a visit to the Slave Trade Museum, National Museum and Drill Monkey Ranch.

Our journey now takes us through the highlands of Nigeria where we enter Cameroon at a remote border.
Day 5 Cameroon
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Cameroon

Our first stop in Cameroon is in Foumban where you have the opportunity to visit the Sultan’s Palace, a well organised museum symbolically shaped like a serpent and spider.

We continue inland to the capital Yaounde where you can visit the local markets and monasteries and enjoy one of west Africa’s most pleasant cities.

In Kribi we find one of West Africa’s finest beaches where we have time to enjoy the sand, surf and seafood that makes this area so unforgettable.
Day 6 Gabon
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Gabon

Situated on the equator we get a real taste of Africa at the Reserve de la Lope where we spend a couple of days in the reserve with the option of game drives or trekking through the forest in search of mandrills, forest elephants and buffalo.

In the capital Libreville the National Museum of Arts and Tradition will give you a good insight into local culture. If you are feeling more adventurous you can take a boat over to Pongara National Park, a beautiful mangrove reserve and favourite spot for nesting turtles where you also have the chance of spotting elephants, chimpanzees and buffalo.

In Lamberene we visit Dr Albert Schweitzer’s hospital which is now a museum where we can get an understanding of the Nobel Prize winning work he did here for the African community.
Day 7 Republic Of Congo
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Republic Of Congo

Our first 2 days in the friendly Congo are spent on dirt tracks which often turn into thick mud and test our vehicles off-road ability.

The small town of Dolisie is a welcome relief where we have a day to get a feel for the local culture and sample the delicious street food.

On the coast we visit the red Gorges of Diosso which are referred to as Congo’s Grand Canyon. The local museum is a quaint place that explains the area’s history.

In the town of Pointe Noire you have the chance to visit the African Circle Museum and also stock up on goods at a rare supermarket. From our base here you also have the option to visit the Conkouati-Douli National Park on an organised tour. This park is a highlight of the Congo where you have a good chance of seeing the thriving chimpanzee population that inhabit the area’s islands. The park is also home to elephants, leopards, turtles and gorillas.
Day 8 Democratic Republic Of Congo (& Cabinda)
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Democratic Republic Of Congo (& Cabinda)

We have a short day’s travel through the oil rich Angolan exclave of Cabinda before we reach the DRC and encounter more mud tracks on our way to the mighty Congo River.

Boma is a bustling little port where you will have the chance to get out and visit a true Congolese river town.

We cross over the Congo River via the huge Matadi suspension bridge and spend a day in Matadi town to sample the local fare and explore the bustling markets.
Day 9 Angola
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Angola

The town of Mbanza Kongo is the first Kingdom the original Portuguese navigators discovered here and today you can visit one of the oldest churches in sub-Saharan Africa as well as explore the Royal Museum.

The capital city Luanda offers us some modern convenience as well as a step back in time with wonderful colonial architecture and fabulous historical museums.

Travelling through scenic landscapes we arrive at the impressive Kalandula Falls. These falls are one of Africa’s largest waterfalls but because they are so remote they are also rarely visited by tourists so we will most likely have the place all to ourselves.

A brief stop in the town of Benguela will give you enough time to get a feel for this ancient slave port.

Our last stop here is at the cool and picturesque Lubango where Christ the King Statue overlooks the town and the surrounding mountains offer us spectacular views from the Tundavala Gap.
Day 10 Namibia
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Namibia

Our first stop in Namibia is one of Africa’s greatest wildlife viewing venues, Etosha National Park, where we spend a couple of days driving through the park’s desert and bushveld landscapes in search of lion, buffalo, elephant and giraffe, plus many of Africa’s other great mammals.

After exiting the park we will then visit a traditional Himba village and get an insight into these indigenous nomads’ way of life.

Near Kamanjab we will be visiting a Cheetah Park where we get to see these incredible animals up close and watch them feeding.

On our route to the coast you will have the option to visit a petrified forest with 45m long trunks and also take a guided tour around the bushman rock engravings at Twyfelfontein.

The Skeleton Coast is a desolate place and a drive through this wilderness will allow us to see an abandoned oil rig, numerous shipwrecks and a noisy seal colony.

Spitzkoppe is Namibia’s ‘Matterhorn’ and the sight of these bold granite outcrops rising dramatically out of the flat surrounding plains make it an awesome spectacle.

The adventure sports capital Swakopmund is where you will have the opportunity to go deep-sea fishing, quad-biking, sand-boarding, camel riding and skydiving, or just relax on the deserted beaches and enjoy the German influenced resort towns hospitality.

We now head to the iconic towering red sand dunes of the Namib Desert at Sossusvlei where you will have the option to climb the famous Dune 45 for sunrise. The more spirited ones can attempt the climb up the much more arduous Big Daddy dune to get a view over one of the driest landscapes on earth.

Our last stop in Namibia is at the awesome Fish River Canyon National Park where you will be amazed by one of Africa’s most incredible natural rifts.
Day 11 South Africa
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

South Africa

South Africa’s Western Cape coast is wine country and it is here at Highlanders Vineyard where we get a taste of SA’s famous wines and enjoy the beautiful views that make this area world-famous.

Cape Town is our last port of call on this tour. Before heading home we recommend you take time to relax and enjoy the area’s attractions such as the nearby penguin colonies, Robben Island, cage diving with sharks and the brilliant V&A Waterfront. Not to be missed is a day trip around the Stellenbosch wineries, a must-do for any wine lovers and a divine last taste of Africa!

This tour ends after breakfast on the last day of the trip so you can make your onward travel arrangements from here.

88 days tour

Ghana To Cape Town Group Overland Tour

This tour includes:

Not included:

Start planning your experience

Itinerary of your trip Ghana To Cape Town Group Overland Tour

Ghana

Togo

Benin

Nigeria

Cameroon

Gabon

Republic Of Congo

Democratic Republic Of Congo (& Cabinda)

Angola

Namibia

South Africa

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Accomodation level

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