I had been to Africa before and did Southern Africa in 2015, and as the saying goes - once you go to Africa you never go just once.
I went on this particular tour to tick off all the gems of East Africa in one go - and 36 days camping was unlike any other trip I had done before - and I was apprehensive to say the least.
However - it surpassed all expectations I had of a camping trip. The guides were so patient and helpful in getting you set up and feeling comfortable. The tents are simple to assemble, that even an inexperienced camper will feel like a certified explorer in no time.
This tour had amazing accommodation in Zanzibar - which was welcome luxury in the middle of the trip! You'll find yourself getting the best of all worlds on this trip - desert, beach and jungle!
You'll find the overland truck to be your huge and comforting second home - you'll spend some long days in there (a given of any Africa overlanding tour) getting cabin fever - but there's not much a deck or cards or a good book can't fix.
You'll also grow to love your driver and your guide like family - a huge shout out to Pete and Francis for being the power couple taking us through Africa - getting us through any terrain and any border crossing! Not only that but kept us incredibly well fed, with food that is better than any home cooking I've had before.
This trip had amazing game drives - highlights being the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater - where I saw a pride with 5 baby lion cubs that brought tears to my eyes. We saw the Big 5 as well, with multiple leopard sightings as well as some Chimpanzee spotting as well.
The Gorilla Trek was the biggest highlight of the tour - the 2hrs spent trekking in the Ugandan Jungle was rewarded with 45 minutes of quality time spent with a family of Mountain Gorillas - including the Silverback male of the group. Who showed us his brawn and strength when he charged at the group twice - but our certified guides didn't even flinch and assisted us in the difficult terrain when needed.
Over-all I would highly recommend this tour for anyone who isn't afraid of adventure and is willing to commit to the Africa experience. I highly recommend travelling between December and March as the campsites were more quiet - allowing no wait times for showers or toilets.
You never regret travelling to Africa - and you won't regret travelling with Acacia - the true experts in all things Africa. All guides are ethical and professional - whilst delivering on everything you'd want and expect from an African adventure. Thank-you Acacia, and I look forward to booking my next African adventure with you in the near future again soon.