You depart Nairobi heading south and almost immediately find yourself in hot savannah grasslands with thorn trees and acacia providing the only shade. There are often opportunities to see game here, usually giraffe and zebra. After crossing the border into Tanzania you bush camp on the Athi Plains, listening to the cacophony of natural noise that is Africa by night.

You arrive at Arusha the following morning and it is from here that you use a local safari company to guide you through the massive extinct volcano known as the Ngorongoro Crater. On the crater floor you can spend the day viewing a variety of wildlife including elephant, lion, cheetah, white rhino, hippo, antelope, crocodile and pink flamingos.

From here you have to choice to visit the Serengeti for an extra day and overnight, and see vast herds of Wildebeest roam the plains. Your busy time in the game parks is usually ended off with a well deserved barbeque and cold beers. During your time in Arusha you have the option of visiting a local Maasai Village on foot, as well as seeing various craft stalls selling locally made batiks and ebony carvings.

A 1-day drive passing through small towns and villages as well as the base of Mt. Kilimanjaro, brings you to Dar Es Salaam. Here you base yourself at a beach campsite just outside Dar. From here most people take the ferry out to Zanzibar for the full 4 days and venture into the narrow bustling streets of Stone Town with its exotic spice markets, old slave forts and dungeons. There is also ample time to relax on Zanzibar's famous white beaches, try scuba diving and snorkeling, view stunning coral and fish, or swim with dolphins. On returning to the mainland you enjoy a seafood barbecue back at your camp.

After Zanzibar you begin your journey through the hinterland of Tanzania. You pass through the peaceful national park of Mikumi where it is possible to see elephant, giraffe, zebra and antelope from the roadside. Passing rivers and lush mountains you enter Malawi, which is dominated by its large freshwater lake.

You spend several days at small laid back campsites on the edge of the lake. Most people choose to relax on the sandy beaches or try their hand at snorkeling or windsurfing as you follow the lakeshore south. You also have the opportunity to buy some locally crafted wooden carvings along the way.

Leaving the lake you continue to Blantyre in the south of the country, where you stop for 2 nights and organize your Mozambique visas.

From Blantyre you cross the border into Mozambique. You follow the infamous and historical 'Tete Corridor' which was well known in the days of Mozambique's long running civil war as the 'Gun Run'. You then enter Zimbabwe and travel to Harare, the capital, where you spend 2 nights.

Continuing to Gweru you visit a privately run horse and game ranch where you can go game-viewing on elephant and horseback. There is also the rare opportunity to go walking with lion cubs that are up to 10 months old. From Gweru you then travel to the Great Zimbabwe Ruins, once the greatest medieval city in Sub-Saharan Africa and from where the name Zimbabwe is derived. In Bulawayo you have the option of leaving the truck for a day and using a local safari company to venture into Motobo National Park for a chance to see the elusive Black Rhino and other game. There is also the opportunity to visit Cecil Rhodes's grave and Worlds End viewpoint before catching an old colonial-style sleeper train to rejoin the truck at one of the adventure playgrounds of the world - Victoria Falls.

For some Mosi oa Tunya 'The Smoke That Thunders' is the highlight of their trip. When you first see Victoria Falls you are surprised at its enormity. Over one mile wide and hurling over 5 million cubic meters of water a minute into the Zambezi Gorge below, this is the setting for the most awesome of grade 5 white water rafting in the world. There is something here for everyone - canoe trips above the Falls, the Flight of Angels, sunset cruise on the Zambezi, one of the world's highest commercial bungee jumps, plus jet boating, gorge swings, abseiling and more.

After such an adrenaline-filled experience you head into Botswana where the tranquil Chobe National Park is your first stop. Here it is possible to take a cruise on the Chobe River and view much of the shyer wildlife, particularly the hordes of elephants, from the non-intrusive quietness of water. Next you drive to Maun and it is from here that you organize your trip into the Okavango Delta.

You will have the chance to go on a 3-day Mokoro (dug-out canoe) trip, usually 2 people per Mokoro with guides poling you around silently. This is the best way to explore the extensive waterways of this unique desert wetland. Here you will have the chance to take several game walks where elephants, crocodile and hippo are often seen. The Okavango Delta is one of the world's largest wetlands, providing a magical experience of serenity and quietness.

Heading west, you now cross into Namibia for a 2-day drive to Etosha National Park. On the way you usually bush camp for a night in the expansive freedom of this semi desert area. The night sky ablaze with stars and the warm glow of your camp fire makes this an unforgettable camping experience. Etosha is recognized as one of the world's greatest wildlife viewing areas. Here you can experience the excitement of game-viewing by night at one of the floodlit waterholes as well as go on several game drives

From Etosha you visit a local Cheetah Park before continuing on to the Brandenberg Mountains in Damaraland and the Skeleton Coast. You visit the world famous Cape Cross Seal Colony where thousands of these mammals - and their accompanying odor - pervade the coastline. Then you make your way to Swakopmund where you spend 3 days. You now have the choice of a variety of activities to indulge in, including quad biking, dune sledding, deep-sea fishing, sky diving, horse riding or a desert flight. Swakopmund is also good place to relax and enjoy its colonial German cafés or interesting museums.

A 1-day drive takes you to the Namib-Naukluft Park, a vast expanse of desert which contains some of the highest sand dunes in the world. At Sossusvlei you stop and explore the area after watching the sun rise over the dunes.

Continuing south you enter the semi-desert, until you arrive at one of Africa's most sensational natural features, the Fish River Canyon. Camping next to the canyon, you then have the perfect base from which to hike, soak up the sun and enjoy the breathtaking scenery. A few hours' drive away you cross the Orange River and enter South Africa and visit one of the historic Cape Wineries near Stellenbosch, before reaching the vibrant, bustling city of Cape Town. There is plenty to do in and around Cape Town, from climbing Table Mountain to abseiling down it, shark diving (in cages), great shopping and nightlife, scuba diving courses, a tour to Robben Island - the list goes on. There is also a very good, reliable and frequent coach and train service to Johannesburg for those who are traveling onward.

Those on the 54 day trip finish here in Cape Town.

After experiencing the best Cape Town has to offer, you move on to the most southern tip of Africa at Cape Agulhas. Here Southern Right and Humpback Whales may be spotted along the coast. You then travel inland through the Outeniqua Mountains to the Little Karoo, where you visit the Cango Caves, recognized as amongst the world's finest network of Calcite caves. You also visit an Ostrich farm to learn more about the world's largest bird, as well as have the opportunity to ride one.

You spend the following 2 days winding your way along South Africa's famous Garden Route, visiting the Titsitsikamma Forest, where you will be able to hike along the coast and , if you are lucky, spot dolphins and whales. Optional excursions in this region include mountain biking, black water tubing, and the impressive bungee jumps at Bloakrans Bridge - the highest in the world at 216 meters.

You continue along the coast and stop at South Africa's surfing mecca, Jeffrey's Bay. In the afternoon you reach Addo Elephant National Park which has recently been extended to include part of the coast, now making it home to the 'Big 7' - lion, rhino, elephant, leopard, buffalo, whale and shark. Driving to the beautiful and remote wild coast, you enjoy 2 nights next to the Indian Ocean. The inhabitants here are mainly the Xhosa people, who live in rural settlements of brightly painted kraals, and can be seen herding their goats and cattle on the wide pasturelands.

Heading out of South Africa, you drive north for a day, until you enter the mountain kingdom of Lesotho - often referred to as 'the kingdom in the sky'. You spend 2 nights at Malealea Lodge, Lesotho's most famous countryside retreat tucked up high in the mountains. Here you can enjoy isolated waterfalls, cool rock pools ideal for swimming, and peaceful hikes in the surrounding hills. This is also a great place to try pony trekking. Driving down through the lowlands you visit Thabo Bosiu with a local guide. This mountain strong-hold was the home of Chief Moshoeshoe, the founder of the Basotho nation.

You re-enter South Africa and spend the night camping in the Golden Gate National Park on the edge of the Drakensberg Mountains. This area of green grasslands, caves and cliffs is set against a backdrop of dramatic sandstone formations that are illuminated into a golden spectacular at sunset. You spend the next couple of days exploring the Royal Natal National Park, a dramatic region of the Drakensburg Mountains and a UNESCO world heritage sight. Situated beneath the famous Amphitheatre - a massive wall of rock with over 4kms of sheer cliff face, this venue is awe-inspiring.

Johannesburg is a short drive away, where you stay in a backpackers lodge for 2 nights. There is plenty to do and see in Jo'burg, including a trip to Soweto where modern African culture is at its most vibrant and intense. Visit one of the local shebeens (pubs), drop into the former home of Nelson Mandela, visit the powerful Apartheid museum and take a tour down a 700ft goldmine at Gold Reef City.

Those on the 71 day trip finish here in Jo'Burg.