Johannesburg to Gorillas (40 destinations)

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.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/overlandTracking 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.