Why not combine our popular Book Bus project with the ultimate exploration of Eastern Africa.
This amazing itinerary mixes the magical Book Bus project with an overland adventure from Victoria Falls to Kenya via some of East Africa's most impressive sights.
£3395 plus $350 Book Bus local payment - includes $500-600 Gorilla Permit (payable upon booking)
Book Bus volunteer with children
Your adventure begins in Livingstone with 2 1/2 weeks volunteering on the Book Bus. The Book Bus is a mobile library and book distribution service. To find out more check out our Book Bus Volunteer page.
After 2 1/2 weeks on board the Book Bus you will join an adventure tour travelling through Zambia, Malawi, Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda.
The Book Bus project is one of our more unusual ventures. It provides a unique opportunity to become part of the crew of the travelling Book Bus in Zambia, a very special service for children in remote villages in Africa. As a volunteer you will climb aboard the Book Bus and tour Zambian schools, hospitals and orphanages, promoting reading and storytelling. The bus has been hand-painted with drawings by much-loved children’s illustrator Quentin Blake.
After your 2 1/2 weeks of volunteering take time to relax beside the tranquil Lake Malawi before lazing on the sultry shores of tropical Zanzibar. Experience village life on Mt Kilimanjaro's scenic slopes.
Catch the intelligent gaze of a Rwandan mountain gorilla...a memory to last a lifetime. Explore the Ngorongoro Crater and Serengeti National Park spotting lions, antelope, elephants and rhino. See the source of the mighty Mile and be enchanted by Kibale's cheeky chimpanzees. Watch flamingo flocks on Lake Nakuru in Kenya.
Days 1- 18 The Book Bus project
Day 19
Leaving behind the natural wonder of Victoria Falls we begin our expedition. After Livingstone we journey towards the bustling Zambian capital of Lusaka. You will notice the vegetation becoming sub-tropical and the roads a little rougher.
Meals: Lunch, Dinner
Day 20 Chipata
Today is a long drive through lush country, crossing rivers en-route to Chipata, the gateway to the South Luangwa NP. Zambia is truly African and an adjustment from the more Western ways of Southern Africa.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 21 South Luangwa National Park
Early in the morning we drive from Chipata to the border of the South Luangwa National Park where we spend the next two nights right on the banks of the Luangwa River. You can often see hippos and other animals from the camp bar. This afternoon we enjoy an included sunset game drive in the South Luangwa NP.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 22 South Luangwa National Park
In the morning you have the opportunity to take another game drive, the park is known for its high concentration of leopards and hippos. After lunch we visit the community run tribal textile project and a local village. Optional Activities: Morning Game Drive and Game Walk.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Days 23/24 Malawi – Lake Malawi National Park
Today we enter Malawi and after a short stop in Lilongwe we travel south to Monkey Bay in the Lake Malawi National Park. This area has been designated a World Heritage site and the protected area has an abundance of aquatic life in clear, warm water. Snorkelling and scuba diving are both excellent here, but there are many other water activities, such as kayaking, to enjoy while not relaxing.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Days 25/26 Kande Beach
We take a scenic drive to Kande beach where there are many optional activities available such as horse riding and different water sports. On our second day here we have an included guided village walk in order to meet the local people and learn more about Malawian life. Optional Activities: Water Sports, Horse Riding, Craft Shopping etc.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Days 27/28 Northern Lake Malawi - Chitimba
We travel further north and spend our last 2 days in Malawi at Chitimba beach. For those that have had enough of beautiful lake views there is an overnight hike to the Livingstonia Mission Station in the highland area. This working mission was set up by Scottish Presbyterian followers of David Livingstone in 1894 and is 900m above the lake. There is also a shorter hike to the Manchawe Falls. Optional Activities: Hike to Livingstonia Mission, watersports, abseiling etc.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Kayaking on Lake Malawi
Day 29 Tanzania – Iringa
Today we leave Malawi and enter Tanzania. We ascend out of the Great Rift Valley through some spectacular mountain passes, passing vast tea plantations in the highlands before arriving at our camp outside Iringa. This evening our dinner is in a local Masai Hut where we enjoy a traditional Tanzanian evening.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 30 Dar es Salaam
Our journey today brings us out of the cool highland region of Iringa to the humid Indian ocean coastal city of Dar es Salaam. Meaning ‘house of peace’ in Arabic, Dar es Salaam is the economic and trade capital of Tanzania, but inland Dodoma remains the official capital city.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 31/32/33 Zanzibar
A local ferry will take us from Dar es Salaam (where we leave the truck) to Stone Town, the capital of Zanzibar. We spend the first night exploring the historical and unique architecture. There are also spice and seafood markets to be explored. The following day we take a transfer to the northern part of the island where we will spend 2 days relaxing on the beach. Optional Activities: Lunch & Dinner, Swimming with Dolphins, Scuba Diving, Snorkelling etc.
Meals: Breakfast x 3
Day 34 Dar es Salaam
Today we leave Zanzibar and catch a late ferry back to Dar es Salaam and return to our truck and campsite. The evening can be spent reminiscing about our days on the island.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 35 Arusha
Today we take a long and scenic drive to Arusha, the safari capital of Tanzania and known for its authentic craft markets. On a clear day it’s possible to see Mt Kilimanjaro and Mt Meru. Arusha is home to some excellent craft shops.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Days 36/37 Serengeti and Ngorongoro Excursion
These 2 days are set aside for the optional 2-night excursion into the Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Crater. This area has one of the most densely inhabited large animal populations in Africa. The excursion is in open topped 4x4 safari vehicles in order to tackle the challenging side roads in the parks. For those not going to the parks, take this chance to absorb some of the fascinating local culture. Optional Activities: Serengeti & Ngorongoro Excursion.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Serengeti National Park
Day 38 Arusha
Today those that went into the Serengeti and Ngorongoro will return to Arusha where there will be time to share stories of the wonderful African animals seen in the park. In the afternoon we visit the local Masai Mara Museum and Snake Park.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 39 Kenya – Nairobi
After crossing the border into Kenya we continue to travel towards Nairobi. We can all go out for a group meal at one of Nairobi’s excellent restaurants. Optional Activities: Dinner out.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 40 Nairobi to Lake Naivasha Hell’s Gate NP
Leaving Nairobi we travel north to Lake Naivasha and then to Hell’s Gate NP. Here, one of the more popular optional activities is to go game viewing on a bicycle. Optional Activities: Cycle hire, High Tea at Elsamere.
Meals: Lunch, Dinner
Day 41 Masai Mara National Reserve
The Masai Mara National Reserve is the Kenyan side of the Serengeti NP (located in Tanzania). Today the tour will be entering this huge area of spectacular game viewing to photograph some of Africa’s most abundant wildlife. Famous for the annual migration of around 1.5 million wildebeest, the Masai Mara is also home to many other animals, including lions. Cultural interaction with Kenya’s native Masaai people will round off your experience.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 42 Nakuru National Park
This morning there’s more game viewing in the Masai Mara before we travel towards Lake Nakuru NP, a great place to spot flamingos. White Rhino also inhabit the transitional savannah area surrounding the lake
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 43 Uganda - Kampala
Leaving Lake Nakuru we drive to the Uganda border, and then stop for a photo at the equator. Later we arrive in Uganda’s capital and largest city, Kampala.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 44 Kampala Ngamba Chimpanzee Sanctuary
Although officially this day is set aside for everyone to explore Kampala, most people take an optional day trip to the Chimpanzee Sanctuary of Ngamba Island. This non-profit eco-friendly project was set up in 1998 to care for orphaned chimpanzees. Optional Activities: Ngamba Chimpanzee Excursion, Kampala Markets, Dinner Out.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 45 Lake Bunyonyi
Lake Bunyonyi is a small but attractive lake with steep sides and abundant birdlife. Ringed by mountains, the lake is best known for its dense Otter population and stunning scenery. We make use of this beautiful spot to relax the night before the final drive to the gorillas.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 46/47/48 Gorillas
The mountain gorilla is extremely endangered and while exact numbers vary it is widely assumed that there are only around 650 left. Visiting the gorillas is a great way to support their future on earth as the money spent on permits is used for their protection. An extremely important part of the future conservation of the remaining gorillas rests in the community development work – as local communities change their attitudes towards wildlife and start to protect rather than poach, the future of the mountain gorilla is assured.
As permits granting permission to visit the gorillas are extremely limited we require flexibility in both the tour itinerary and where we actually visit them. The home of the mountain gorillas is completely at odds with man-made borders and so their range encompasses Uganda, Rwanda and the DRC (Democratic Republic of the Congo). Whenever possible we choose to make use of the National Park in Uganda, but this depends on the availability of permits.
Should we not obtain permits to visit the mountain gorillas in Uganda then we will inform all passengers beforehand that the tour will travel to Rwanda or DRC.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Please note: Although there are 3-days allocated to Gorilla Trekking you will only spend one-day on the trek. The other days are there to provide a large enough window in which to obtain permits and to allow the entire group to trek if there are more than 6 of you on the tour.
Day 49 Queen Elizabeth National Park
Many game species are to be found in this wetland park including the (elsewhere elusive) giant forest hog, and the legendary tree-climbing lions of the Ishasha Sector. Optional Activities: Kasinga Channel Sunset Cruise.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 50/51 Jinja
The morning is spent on further game viewing and this afternoon we travel to Jinja. Jinja is Uganda’s second largest city and is famous as the point where the Nile (officially the Victoria Nile) flows out of Lake Victoria and begins the 6695 kilometre journey to Egypt and the Mediterranean. If you do not want to go rafting, why not volunteer for the day at Soft Power Education, a UK registered charity that is doing a wonderful job educating Jinja’s youth. Optional Activities: White Water Rafting, Soft Power Education Project.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 52 Kenya - Eldoret
Returning to Kenya we visit Eldoret, the country’s 5th largest city. The Great Rift Valley is still the dominant geographical feature of this region and the altitude at Eldoret is 2100 metres above sea level.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 53 Nairobi
Returning to Nairobi, the largest city in the East Africa region, there’s an optional dinner, where we can swap stories and exchange contact details. Optional Activities: Meal out in Nairobi.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
NB: The itinerary is flexible and can be changed without notice in order to accommodate the best possible viewing of the Gorillas. The Permit price to visit the Gorillas can also change without notice.
Please note: This tour is operated by Nomad Tours
Tour Dossier
Pre-Departure Information