Adventure-focused operator Drifters is venturing into Angola for the first time with the launch of a 19-day tour starting from May. The company will also launch a new 10-day, small-group Botswana safari with departures between June and November.
Operated in custom-built overland trucks, the Angola Pioneer Tour takes guests through the Southern African country’s remote and rugged landscapes. Highlights include the Kalandula and Binga Waterfalls, the dramatic Serra da Leba Pass and the Namibe Desert. The trip includes encounters in remote coastal towns, working farms and nomadic communities. The journey ends with visits to Etosha National Park and the Ruacana Falls in neighbouring Namibia.
Guests will mainly camp with select nights in accommodation facilities. Eight departures are planned for the year, starting on May 16.
“Angola is a truly exciting destination and represents a return to Drifters’ roots. In our early days, Drifters was all about bold, unpredictable journeys driven by curiosity and the pure thrill of discovery,” said Janine Bunsow, Drifters GM: Sales and Marketing.
“By launching this tour, we want to give our guests the rare opportunity to explore a destination that remains genuinely untouched while reconnecting with the pioneering spirit that has always defined Drifters,” she said.
Personalised taste of Botswana
The Botswana Discovery Safari offers a more luxurious experience while remaining true to Drifters’ philosophy of adventure.
Operated with a maximum of seven guests travelling in a 4x4 Land Cruiser, led by a Drifters guide, the tour will take guests to famed Okavango Delta regions, such as the Moremi and Khwai Concession, with accommodation at intimate tented lodges and camps.
Activities include game viewing, mokoro outings, cultural encounters with local communities and San Bushmen in the Kalahari as well as a charter flight over the Delta.
Strong demand for adventure
Bunsow said demand for adventure tourism, particularly experience-led travel, has rebounded strongly in the past 18 months.
“We’ve seen this reflected in overall industry trends and in demand for Drifters products with a noticeable increase in forward bookings and enquiry levels. There is strong demand for small-group travel, destinations that feel authentic and less commercialised, and journeys that offer genuine connection to landscapes, wildlife and local cultures,” she added.
