West Africa Overland: Cape Town to Accra (Self-Launched)
18 days · West & Southern Africa
G Adventures charges £6,000
No-markup version: ~£1,875 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched, land-based take on G Adventures' Cape Town to Accra expedition cruise — same sweep of the Atlantic seaboard (Cape Town, Namibia, Angola, Congo, São Tomé, Benin, Togo, Ghana), done independently by budget flights, buses, shared taxis and local guesthouses. Skip the ship's price tag and build the route yourself, pausing where it suits you. Costs are approximate per-person estimates in GBP.
Day-by-day
Arrive Cape Town
Cape Town, South Africa
Land at Cape Town International and take a MyCiTi bus or Uber to a hostel in the City Bowl or Green Point (dorm ~£12-18). Wander the V&A Waterfront, grab a bunny chow or a braai plate, and sort your onward transport in the evening.
🚌MyCiTi bus or Uber from airport (~£12)
🛏Hostel dorm, City Bowl / Green Point
- →V&A Waterfront stroll
- →City Bowl orientation walk
Table Mountain & the Cape Peninsula
Cape Town, South Africa
Ride the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway first thing to beat the queue (~£20 return, cheaper if you hike Platteklip Gorge free). Afternoon: use the City Sightseeing bus or a shared tour to hit Boulders Beach penguins (~£8 entry) and Cape Point. Seafood lunch at Kalk Bay or Hout Bay harbour.
🚌City Sightseeing bus / shared tour (~£20)
🛏Hostel dorm, City Bowl / Green Point
- →Table Mountain cableway or Platteklip Gorge hike
- →Boulders Beach penguin colony
- →Cape Point
Cape Town to Windhoek (flight) or overland start
Cape Town → Windhoek, Namibia
The cruise skips ashore to Lüderitz; independently the fastest realistic move is a budget flight Cape Town to Windhoek (~£90-140 one-way on FlyNamibia/Airlink). Alternatively begin an overland leg via the Orange River. Settle into a Windhoek backpackers (dorm ~£12).
🚌Budget flight CPT–WDH (~£110)
🛏Backpackers dorm, Windhoek
- →Flight to Windhoek
- →Windhoek orientation
Windhoek to Swakopmund
Windhoek → Swakopmund, Namibia
Take the daily Intercape or Welwitschia Shuttle bus to Swakopmund (~£18, 4-5 hrs). Check into a coastal backpackers, then walk the German-colonial streets and the jetty. Book a sandwich-harbour kayak or dune-boarding session for tomorrow.
🚌Intercape / Welwitschia Shuttle bus (~£18)
🛏Backpackers dorm, Swakopmund
- →Scenic bus to the coast
- →Swakopmund town walk
Namib Desert & Walvis Bay
Swakopmund / Walvis Bay, Namibia
Join a self-bookable half-day Namib Desert tour via GetYourGuide — 4x4 dune driving, Sandwich Harbour lagoon and Walvis Bay flamingos (~£60). Afternoon free for the Swakopmund museum or a coastal cycle.
🚌Included in day tour
🛏Backpackers dorm, Swakopmund
- →Namib Desert 4x4 & Sandwich Harbour tour
- →Walvis Bay lagoon flamingos
Swakopmund to Sossusvlei
Swakopmund → Sesriem, Namibia
Catch a shared shuttle or join a small-group overland transfer south toward Sesriem (~£50-70), gateway to Sossusvlei. Camp or hostel near the gate (~£15) so you can enter the dunes at dawn.
🚌Shared shuttle (~£60)
🛏Desert camp / hostel near Sesriem
- →Transfer south
- →Sunset over the Naukluft
Sossusvlei dunes at dawn
Sossusvlei, Namibia
Enter the park at sunrise to climb Dune 45 and walk Deadvlei's petrified trees (~£10 park entry + ~£10 shuttle into the pan). Back in the afternoon for the drive back north or continue your route planning toward Angola.
🚌Self-arranged shuttle into the pan
🛏Desert camp / hostel near Sesriem
- →Dune 45 sunrise climb
- →Deadvlei walk
Windhoek repositioning day
Sesriem → Windhoek
Return north to Windhoek (~£35 shuttle) to position for the flight north. The cruise corridors here are pure ocean days — use the time to rest, do laundry and pre-book your onward regional flight.
🚌Shuttle back to Windhoek (~£35)
🛏Backpackers dorm, Windhoek
- →Return transfer to Windhoek
- →Errands & trip planning
Fly Windhoek to Luanda
Windhoek → Luanda, Angola
Book a budget regional flight (TAAG/Airlink, ~£180-260 one-way) to Luanda — the biggest cost of the overland version. Note Angola's visa is fiddly and often needs arranging in advance; budget for it separately. Evening in a Luanda guesthouse (~£30).
🚌Regional flight WDH–LAD (~£220)
🛏Budget guesthouse, Luanda
- →Regional flight
- →Luanda Marginal waterfront walk
Luanda & the Atlantic coast
Luanda, Angola
Explore the Fortaleza de São Miguel and the Ilha do Cabo Peninsula's beach bars by shared taxi. Angola is expensive — eat at local cantinas to keep costs down. Alternatively position for onward travel toward the Congo border.
🚌Shared taxi (~£5)
🛏Budget guesthouse, Luanda
- →Fortaleza de São Miguel
- →Ilha do Cabo beach bars
Luanda to São Tomé (flight)
Luanda → São Tomé
Fly Luanda to São Tomé (~£200-300 one-way) to replicate the cruise's island stop. São Tomé is small, lush and low-key — guesthouses from ~£20. Afternoon swim at Praia Lagarto.
🚌Regional flight LAD–TMS (~£250)
🛏Guesthouse, São Tomé town
- →Flight to São Tomé
- →Praia Lagarto swim
São Tomé island day
São Tomé and Príncipe
Hire a shared taxi to explore the Boca do Inferno blowhole, the old roças (colonial plantations) and rainforest birdwatching trails. The island's endemic birds mirror the ship's naturalist sightings.
🚌Shared taxi / guided day (~£40)
🛏Guesthouse, São Tomé town
- →Boca do Inferno viewpoint
- →Roça plantation visit
- →Rainforest birdwatching
Fly São Tomé to Accra
São Tomé → Accra, Ghana
Regional flight to Accra (~£220-320 one-way via connections). Ghana is the final anchor. Guesthouse in Osu (~£20) and dinner of jollof and grilled tilapia at a local chop bar.
🚌Regional flight TMS–ACC (~£270)
🛏Guesthouse, Osu, Accra
- →Regional flight to Accra
- →Osu neighbourhood evening
Accra city & Jamestown
Accra, Ghana
Walk Jamestown's colonial-era lanes and the lighthouse, visit the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park (~£3) and the Makola Market. Shared tro-tros make getting around cheap (~£1 a ride).
🚌Tro-tro / shared taxi (~£5)
🛏Guesthouse, Osu, Accra
- →Jamestown walk
- →Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park
- →Makola Market
Cape Coast Castle day trip
Cape Coast, Ghana
Day trip to Cape Coast Castle, a UNESCO site and powerful heritage stop (~£10 entry). Return by intercity bus or tro-tro (~£8 each way).
🚌Bus to Cape Coast (~£16 return)
🛏Guesthouse, Osu, Accra
- →Cape Coast Castle
- →Kakum canopy walk (optional)
Accra to Lomé (overland)
Accra → Lomé, Togo
Cross into Togo by shared taxi or bus via Aflao (~£15, allow a few hours at the border). Lomé is a relaxed capital with the Grand Marché and its famous Nana Benz cloth traders.
🚌Shared taxi / bus Accra–Lomé (~£15)
🛏Budget hotel, Lomé
- →Border crossing at Aflao
- →Grand Marché, Lomé
Lomé to Cotonou (overland)
Lomé → Cotonou, Benin
Continue west along the coast to Cotonou by shared taxi (~£12). Visit the Dantokpa Market and, if timing fits, the stilt village of Ganvié on a local pirogue (~£20). This mirrors the cruise's Benin stop.
🚌Shared taxi Lomé–Cotonou (~£12)
🛏Budget hotel, Cotonou
- →Transfer to Cotonou
- →Dantokpa Market
- →Ganvié stilt village pirogue
Cotonou to Accra & onward
Cotonou → Accra, Ghana
Return east to Accra by bus/shared taxi (~£18) to close the loop and fly out, or continue your own route north through Benin's voodoo heartland. Buffer day for onward flights and admin.
🚌Bus/shared taxi Cotonou–Accra (~£18)
🛏Guesthouse, Accra (if overnighting)
- →Return transfer to Accra
- →Departure or onward route
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,875 | £6,000 |
| Duration | 18 days | 18 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £4,125 per person (69%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,875
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
Customise with Tour BusterCreated by
Travel Crew
0 trips
Frequently asked questions
How much does West Africa Overland: Cape Town to Accra (Self-Launched) cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,875 per person for 18 days in West & Southern Africa. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with G Adventures?+
Yes — G Adventures charges around £6,000 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,875 — a saving of roughly £4,125 (69%) per person.
How long is the West & Southern Africa trip?+
This itinerary runs 18 days, covering 18 day-by-day stops through West & Southern Africa.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a adventure, culture, backpacker trip through West & Southern Africa, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
Drop your comment below — if you've done a similar route, tell us what worked, what you'd add, or what you'd skip.
No comments yet — be the first to share your take.
Sign in to leave a comment.