The wide open plains of the Serengeti, green after the rains, brown and burnt in the dry season and home to thousands of hoofed animals and fierce predators, is perhaps the quintessential image of Africa. Flat and rolling with long grasses, the plains get its name from the Maasai word siringitu, "the place where the land moves on forever". 

Game viewing in the Serengeti is amazing and as you camp out at night, don't be surprised to hear lions in the distance as you recount your amazing sightings from during the day. The Serengeti plains usually live up to every-one's expectations - the classic East African scenery of rolling grasslands dotted with acacia trees and teeming with lions, leopards, elephants, giraffes, buffaloes, gazelles, impalas, cheetahs, warthogs, hyenas, vultures, hippos, zebras, wildebeest, and much more!

For those who really want to spoil themselves with the ultimate game viewing experience, an optional balloon ride over the Serengeti at sunrise will leave you with some unforgettable memories. Please note that this must be pre-booked in advance through the Dragoman Sales team.

The lively town of Victoria Falls is located right on the border with Zambia, and is the gateway to the magnificent Victoria Falls, situated just a short distance further up-river. The falls themselves are one of Africa's most spectacular and recognisable icons! They comprise of an enormous curtain of water about a mile wide, falling 108m into a narrow chasm below.

In the wet season, the falls create an impressive raging torrent and creates a spray that can rise an incredible 400m and can be seen from miles away. The locals call the falls "Mosi oa Tunya", which means "the smoke that thunders" - a fantastic description of this magnificent sight. In the dry season the view of the falls is less obstructed by spray, and it's also possible to see the little islets in the river below. Whichever season you choose, you are sure to be blown away by this awe-inspiring spectacle!

As well as enjoying the falls, there are a whole host of other activities you can do here - so if you are starting or finishing a trip at Victoria Falls it is well worth allowing a bit of extra time here. Options to choose from include white water rafting, canoeing, horse-riding, abseiling or even bungee-jumping from the bridge across one the cataracts! Please be aware that many activities may need to be booked in advance to avoid them being booked up (especially if you are starting your trip in Victoria Falls) - please see the website of our approved activitiy supplier in Victoria Falls, Adventure Zone, to see what options they have available and to book any that you wish to do before your trip starts - http://www.adventurezonevicfalls.com/ 

Responsible travel note: During your visit to the Victoria Falls area you may notice businesses offering an optional "Walk with the Lions" experience. We recommend that travellers bypass this activity, as it is contrary to our Responsible Travel ethos. Professional wildlife conservation organisations, including Born Free and the World Society for Protection of Animals (WSPA), advise that habituating lions to humans can shorten their life and may result in lion-human conflict issues. Whilst there is some merit in the argument that the money that you pay for the activity goes towards lion research, we feel that the negative impacts on the lions' rehabilitation far outweigh this.

The exotic spice island of Zanzibar is filled with idyllic beaches, winding cobblestone alleyways and fragrant bazaars, and its rich history involves everything from slave traders to Arabian sultans and fruit exporters. The sight of traditional dhows sailing along the coast makes it easy to imagine what the island was like back in the days of David Livingstone.

Stone Town is the old port town of Zanzibar and is one of the most atmospheric old towns in Africa - the best way to experience the city is on foot, exploring the bazaars, shops, mosques, palaces, courtyards and intricate alleyways. When the sun is setting, you can enjoy a sundowner from a bar overlooking the seafront, before trying one of the island's local seafood curries for dinner at one of the town's many restaurants.

The famous spices are grown in plantations outside of Stone Town which we will visit on our trips. This tour will also includes a local meal and a tour around the main sites of Stone Town to learn about the history of its former slave market. In the spice plantations you will have the opportunity to touch, smell and taste various spices such as cinnamon, vanilla and ginger, and teas made with these spices. At the end of the day there will also be an opportunity to buy some of the locally-grown spices.

The other major highlight of Zanzibar is of course its world-famous beaches. The northern beaches boast beautiful white sand and sparkling blue seas - displaying the Indian Ocean at its very best. Try snorkeling or diving, eat sumptuous seafood, or simply relax in a hammock underneath a coconut tree with a good book - Zanzibar is a paradise in every sense of the word!

Situated on the banks of the River Nile on the edge of the Nile Delta, Cairo is one of the largest cities in Africa. Built near the remains of the ancient Old Kingdom capital of Memphis, the modern capital is a colossal buzzing metropolis which is the world's centre of Arabic culture, music and art.

There are countless highlights and activities to see and do in Cairo, such as exploring the narrow cobbled streets and ancient churches of the Coptic Christian sector, visiting the Saladin-era Cairo citadel, and discover some fantastic art in the Museum of Islamic Art.

Whilst in Cairo, we take an unforgettable tour around the sites of Giza - these include the ruins of the Old Kingdom capital of Memphis, the ancient Step Pyramid of Djoser at Saqqara (built all the way back in the 3rd Dynasty in approximately 2650 BCE), and the Red Pyramid of Sneferu at Dahshur (built in the 4th Dynasty between 2613 and 2589 BCE). This tour culminates in a visit to the world-famous icons of Ancient Egypt - the Great Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx! Built as the tombs of the Pharoahs Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure between 2570 and 2510 BCE, the pyramids are truly a masterpiece of ancient engineering and ambition - the pyramid of Khufu was the oldest of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World and is the only one that still stands today!

Another massive highlight of Cairo is a visit to the Egyptian Museum in the central Tahrir Square. The museum is one of the most incredibly well-stocked collections of ancient treasures in the world, and contains the horde of phenomenal art and gifts that were uncovered from the tomb of Tutankhamun in 1922, including the Pharoah's iconic blue and gold funerary mask. The museum also contains a fabulous collection of other artifacts and the mummies of several important Pharoahs, making a visit absolutely essential while you are in Cairo!

The town of Ruhengeri (also known as Msanze) is the gateway to the famed Volcanoes National Park. The region is incredibly beautiful, with stunning verdant mountains cascading down the shores of Lake Kivu on the Congolese border. The park itself protects an area which is part of a chain of eight volcanoes running along the western branch of the Great Rift Valley.

These spectacular mountains and the nearby Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda are the last refuge of the mighty mountain gorilla. A trek out into the park in search of the gorillas is the experience of a lifetime. The pungent aromas of wet mountain vegetation will fill your senses as you trek through the forest following the local trackers, the sides of the mountains often shrouded in mist. The muddy and wet terrain is by no means easy, so it can be pretty strenuous and it's often very humid too - but the sheer thrill of coming face to face with a group of gorillas, dominated by a great male silverback, more than makes up for the difficulties of the trek. The animals are surprisingly placid and gentle, and having the privilege of being able to watch their movements at close range is the ultimate wildlife experience.

There are several habituated groups inhabiting different areas of the forest and involving different lengths of trek to typically find them - you could be walking for 2 to 7 hours depending on where they are that day.