30WINTER2008/ 09 www. travelmood. com Simon Capstick- Daleboarded a safari truck for an exciting journey across a swathe of Southern Africa I t's a glorious autumn morning in Cape Town and a group of intrepid travellers is watching the last of their bags being loaded into the belly of the ' cheetah' – the English translation of Dindingwe. After being briefed by tour leaders our 12- strong group is finally ready to embark on a 3,231- mile journey from Cape Town to Zimbabwe via neighbouring Namibia and Botswana. As the last traveller steps aboard the safari truck Que, our driver, flicks the ignition. With the help of Blessing, our guide, Que is about to make our dream African dream holiday a reality. First stop is the beach at Table View for a final goodbye to South Africa. Is there a better place to say goodbye to what is arguably the most beautiful city in the world? I doubt it. With sand in our shoes we make tracks for Citrusdal, gateway to the Cederberg, where Dindingwe will take a well-deserved rest ahead of her journey across the Namibian border the following morning. Tents up, we take a hike through the magnificent Cederberg Mountains to work up an appetite for supper at Macgregor's, the camp restaurant. After a good night's rest we're ready to hit the road for the long haul to Felix Unite Camp, just past the border separating South Africa and Namibia. Our first destination is Namibia's largest national park – the Namib- Naukluft. We venture down into the Sesriem Canyon where, more than 10 million years before, gravel and sand were cemented together with limestone to form this magnificent canyon teaming with exotic birdlife. That evening we gawk at the sunset from an upstairs terrace at the Agama River Camp, toasting the canyon's sandy peaks with a cool Windhoek Lager. In Sossusvlei, Namibia's dune wonderland, we see our first game of the trip – oryx, ostrich and zebra. We make a stop to climb the infamous Dune 45, and while I try to fathom this extraordinarily vast desert landscape of rolling sand dunes scattered with Acacia trees and Nara plants I can't help but think that our journey has truly begun. After a dune breakfast we embark on a tour of Sossusvlei stopping at Dead Vlei – the bleak and dried out pan that resembles the surface of the moon. Next morning Dindingwe is headed for Swakopmund, a German- settled town nestled between desert and sea. Here, we spend two nights in Swakop Lodge Aroadless

adventures www. travelmood. comWINTER2008/ 09 31 The writer's 20- day Dunes, Delta and Fallstrip is a classic overland journey taking in the highlights of Southern Africa including Cape Town, Fish River Canyon, the Namib Desert, Etosha National Park, Okavango Delta, Chobe and Victoria Falls. Costs £ 945. Trek through the forests of East Africa on a 16- day Gorillas and Gametrip to Kenya and Uganda. The holiday combines gorilla tracking with wildlife safaris including a visit to the Masai Mara – one of the best places to see lions, leopard and wildebeest. Costs £ 1,055. Experience traditional rain dances, warrior singing, herbalism and spiritual healing and take a safari in the world renowned Ngorongoro Crater and Serengeti National Park on the 15- day People of Africatrip. Interact with Maasai pastoralists, Hadza hunter-gatherers, Chagga farmers and Swahili tribal people before finishing with a visit to the Indian Ocean beaches of Zanzibar. Costs £ 1,055. Hone your survival skills on a 14- day Game Ranger Adventure. Track wildlife on foot, enjoy classic day and night safaris in search of the Big Five, establish your own bush camp in Tsavo East National Park, and assist in the refurbishment of a rural school. Finally, relax and enjoy a well- earned rest on the Kenyan Coast. Costs £ 1,055. ( Prices exclude flights). reacquainting ourselves with cotton sheets, porcelain plates and mobile reception. Quad biking, sand boarding, skydiving, hot-air ballooning and dolphin- spotting are just some of the thrills on offer in this quaint, attractive town. Greener pastures signal our approach to Etosha National Park, and cameras click into action as we're greeted by herds of zebra, giraffe and springbok. That evening we rest our weary heads at Etosha Safari Camp – where 22 en- suite safari bungalows are set among the dense mopane and commiphora trees – before setting off for Waterberg National Park. The Waterberg is a haven for Namibia's most endangered species and, with its forested mountains and delicate, flitting butterflies, the lush landscape here contrasts starkly with the typical Namib Desert scenery. Leopard, buffalo and the endangered roan and sable antelope can be viewed here, and we embark on a leisurely afternoon hike before returning to our camp for dinner. Located conveniently close to the border at Botswana, the Zelda Game and Guest Farm is a sanctuary for leopard and cheetah, and offers guests an opportunity to relax on a Namibian cattle ranch. There's plenty of game in the 10,000 hectares of bushveld, but the highlight of our stay was observing a leopard and cheetah feeding. Next morning we set off for Maun, gateway to the renowned Okavango Delta. After a soft landing at Island Safari Lodge, we travelled by boat to the mokoro station where we are each assigned a ' poler' – a personal guide and helper for our voyage into this ecological paradise. Our polers manoeuvre our luggage- loaded mokoros ( traditional canoe hollowed out from the sausage tree) through the shallow waters of the Delta to the camp where we will spend the next two nights. We take our time, spotting wildlife on the plains and marvelling as our narrow boats part the reeds that cram the meandering channels and tributaries of the Okavango River. Next stop, Chobe National Park. This vast reserve houses a huge elephant population, and in the afternoon we set off on a romantic cruise. As the sun plops below the horizon our eyes are drawn to the banks of the Chobe River, which teems with wildlife. In the cold morning air we make tracks for Victoria Falls, the last leg on our African journey. As we approach the falls a looming mist thickens and the tremendous sound of crashing water crescendos to a thundering roar. A curtain of water above the falls gives rise to the most glorious rainbow and, as I walk along the paths of the surrounding rainforest to observe it from different angles, it's hard to comprehend its iconic might and beauty. Under a full moon that evening, and with the soothing sound of an African marimba filling our ears, the group clinks glasses as we sit down to our last meal together – raising a toast to Que and Blessing, and our unforgettable African adventure. Dead Vlei, Namibia Etosha National Park Victoria Falls Looking for something out of the ordinary? Try one of these Africa holidays – and book before March 31 to receive a free guidebook to Africa. Quote ' Africa Magazine Offer' at time of booking. Contact our adventures team on: www. travelmoodadventures. com or 0800 2989 811 BOOK IT NOW travelled