Anticipation: A Tour of South Africa, Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe with Nomad Tours

Hitting the road with Nomad Tours

Tomorrow I leave for a twenty-day camping tour (Cape Town to Victoria Falls) of South Africa, Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe with Nomad Tours.  I am pained with excitement.

This is the first time I’ve joined an organized tour in eleven months of traveling.  I’ve feared tours because I don’t like being confined by schedules and I don’t like feeling trapped should the worst occur and I find the people incompatible.  However, when I realized the difficulty of traveling solo to Namibia, the option looked more appealing.  Plus, the itinerary looks amazing.

• • Day 1: South Africa – Cederberg Mountain Region
  • Day 2: Namaqualand – Gariep (Orange) River (South Africa)
  • Day 3: Namibia – Gariep (Orange) River – Fish River Canyon
  • Day 4: Namib-Naukluft National Park (Namibia)
  • Day 5: Sossusvlei Dunes – Namib-Naukluft National Park (Namibia)
  • Day 6: Swakopmund, Namibia
  • Day 7: Swakopmund, Namibia
  • Day 8: Spitzkoppe, Namibia
  • Day 9: Himba Tribes (Namibia)
  • Day 10/11: Etosha National Park (Namibia)
  • Day 12: Windhoek (Namibia)
  • Day 13: Botswana – Ghanzi (Botswana)
  • Day 14: Maun (Botswana)
  • Day 15/16: Maun – Okavango Delta (Botswana)
  • Day 17: Nata (Botswana)
  • Day 18: Botswana – Chobe National Park
  • Day 19: Zimbabwe – Victoria Falls
  • Day 20: Victoria Falls

The total distance is 5616 kilometers (or 3490 miles)!  The route is shown on my Travel Map.

If all goes well, this tour will offer me a “vacation” from the daily planning required when traveling solo.  I am looking forward to being cared for and having someone else organize my life for a bit.

I’m guessing that the success or failure of the tour hinges on the dynamics and personalities within the group.  As a part-time misanthrope, I worry about who I’ll meet tomorrow.  In my perfect world, I would prefer to go on tour with twenty Labrador Retrievers.  That would be a guaranteed good time.  But people?  I am hoping for the best.

I hope you’ll join me on this journey through Africa.