WHAT IS OVERLANDING?

So you want to see Africa and all the wonderful things the continent has to offer, but the bank balance doesn’t quite stretch to that luxury safari!  Solution – Overlanding.  You get to experience this beautiful continent in a in a much more affordable (and fun) way.  But, what is it, exactly, and how does it differ from a regular safari?  Every year hundreds of overland trucks cross Africa between Kenya and Cape (or vice versa) on what has become one of the most popular and well established overland routes in the world.  Overland trucks are large, modified vehicles that seat 20 - 30 travellers and carry all the equipment necessary for camping and cooking on a trip that can last from one to eight weeks.  By using these vehicles, which are capable of travelling long distances and by camping, costs are considerably cheaper than a luxury safari that utilises flights and luxury lodges.  The wildlife experiences you will have in the game parks and reserves are no different than those you’d have on a luxury safari.  (In fact, with 20 pairs of eyes peeled for a glimpse of the rare wild dog, you may have a far more rewarding wildlife experience from the back of an overland truck than on a regular smaller safari.)  Then there is the added excitement of sleeping under the African sky with the far off roar of the lion.  The beauty is that you can share all these travelling experiences with like-minded travellers, many of whom will leave as friends.  Camping under the stars, cooking and washing up together, hiking, diving, abseiling, white-water rafting and sharing the odd cold beer or ten - it may not be a luxury holiday, but it’s undoubtedly a lot of fun.

IS OVERLANDING FOR ME?

If you’re the adventurous type who’d rather spend a night roughing it in a rain forest than luxuriating in a boutique hotel, then overlanding is for you.  With overlanding you experience Africa first-hand - buying and cooking food from markets then sharing a drink with villagers in a local bar.  It’s perfect for people travelling as a group of friends, a couple or alone.  Most things are done as a group and chores are shared, so everyone works and plays together.  If you’re a first-time traveller, joining an overland tour still gives you that sense of adventure, but a Trip Leader, Driver and Safari Cook and the companionship of the group, means you’ll always have backup.  Finally thanks to the purpose built trucks, most trips get well away from the usual safari circuits and you get to see Africa away from the armies of pop-up minibuses seen in the more popular game parks.  If you’re looking for a trip which goes beyond a mere holiday and gives you the opportunity to make a lot of new friends and see a lot of new places in a relatively short period of time, then overlanding is for you!

WHAT DOES IT INVOLVE?

Each truck carries everything needed to be completely self-sufficient.  It has a fully equipped kitchen, including food, cutlery, pots and pans and a gas stove.  All the day to day chores such as cleaning, washing-up, checking security and helping the Safari Cook shop and prepare meals are shared amongst all the passengers.  But, there’s still plenty of time for relaxation and sightseeing and itineraries build in chill out time, wildlife spotting and the various activities on offer.  Along the way there are also opportunities to upgrade to a room for the night or eat out in a local restaurant as a treat. 

WHAT CONDITIONS CAN I EXPECT?

Where once overland groups would camp in the bush each night, today there are a wide range of great campsites catering for overlanders and the vehicles - with activities, bars, restaurants and good facilities.  On the Kenya to Cape route (or vice versa), it is now possible to stay in a secure campsite every night and there are few nights when a shower or a beer are not available - whether they be hot or cold, respectively, is another matter!  Sometimes conditions can be challenging and if it’s raining you’ve still got to put up your tent.  Africa is a vast continent so some of the drives can be long and there are a few patches of bumpy roads.  There may be a few hiccups in the itinerary when a bridge is washed away or there’s a mechanical emergency.  But, none of these will spoil your trip if you approach them with the right attitude and a sense of humour.

WHERE WILL MY TOUR GO?

The classic Kenya to the Cape route (in either direction) has become an alluring expedition for many travellers and it’s the most accessible part of Africa.  Beginning in Nairobi (or Cape Town), this overland route crosses the mighty continent diagonally through some remarkable scenery until you reach the coast of South Africa, via Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia, and South Africa.  Highlights include enjoying an audience with a gentle ape in Uganda’s misty mountains, watching the Zambezi River tumble over the Victoria Falls, viewing the shimmering sand dunes and deserts of the ancient Namib, spotting the Big Five on the endless plains in the national parks and game reserves, and meeting a variety of diverse cultures from red-robed Masai warriors to the warm-hearted people of Malawi.  From Lake Victoria to Table Bay, there are game parks, beaches, deserts and wetlands waiting to be explored and the best and most affordable way to get to them is by overlanding.

ACCOMMODATION ON TOUR

Accommodation whilst on tour is camping.  Occasionally where possible you will have the option to upgrade to a dorm bed or single/double room.  Most nights are spent at campsites.  Bear in mind many of the campsites in Africa are very basic and have a great rustic “under African skies” feel.  The campsites have ablution blocks with hot or cold showers (sometimes cold only).  Some have flush toilets, some don't.  Some of them have electric points, some not, so you won't always have lights lighting up the campsites and facilities to charge your camera’s batteries.  We camp at our own campsite in the Masai Mara - Acacia Camp.  Some nights you will bush camp.  This means you are camping without ablution facilities and not at a campsite.  This occurs when in the Okavango Delta on the optional Okavango Delta Mokoro Excursion, in the Serengeti National Park, and at Lake Nakuru National Park.    The tents we use are two man dome tents, with mosquito nets over the door and window areas, a sewn in ground sheet and a separate flysheet.  You share a tent with a fellow traveller.  You need to provide your own sleeping bag and sleeping mat and a small pillow is always great for extra comfort!

TRANSPORT ON TOUR

Transport is in an overland truck.  Our trucks seat between 28 - 30 passengers.  They have either all forward facing seats or a combination of forward and backward facing seats with little tables between.  A few of our trucks have a few side facing seats right in the front of the truck, but the rest of the truck has forward facing seats.  Keep in mind bench seating often faces inwards, so you can communicate with your fellow travellers, but it’s not advantageous for game viewing and photography.  Our trucks have soft cushioned seats - remember you want a truck that has comfortable cushioned seats, as you do spend a lot of time in the truck between points (driving time can be up to 8 hours on long days). 

A NOTE FROM US

These days (unfortunately) not everyone has 6 weeks or more to travel, as in the early days of overlanding.  We at Africa Travel Co have therefore specifically designed, constructed and perfected our scheduled itineraries since 1990 to best suit the needs of every adventure traveller from all walks of life.  Whether you are a young professional wanting a 10 day break, a student wanting to combine a tour with their exchange program, a family wanting to experience Africa together, just wanting a bit of adventure or a die hard traveller … look no further, we have it all!!

COMMUNITY PROJECTS

In all of the countries we support numerous local communities, operators, guides and campsites that directly benefit the local people in each place.  In addition to these, we actively support the specifically chosen projects below.  If these interest you, they can be visited before or after your trip  and your involvement can be to what ever degree you wish.

Kenya - Nairobi:  Hope House Babies Home

Hope House is a children’s orphanage that was founded in April 2002 and provides a home to abandoned and orphaned babies until adoptive parents can be found.  The home opened with just two babies, but since then they have found loving and caring people to foster and adopt almost 60 babies.  The home completely relies on donations to ensure the babies get full access to medical aid, childcare, food and clothing.  There are many different ways you can get involved in helping Hope House, from volunteering at the home, donating goods such as nappies, food and milk or “adopting  a cot” to support the infants who are cared for in that cot, for which you will get regular reports on the resident baby.

Zimbabwe - Victoria Falls:  Anti-Poaching

The Anti-Poaching Unit in Victoria Falls was established in 1999, by local safari operators and lodges.  They work in close collaboration with the National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority and the Zimbabwe Police.  The unit patrols an area of fifty square kilometres surrounding Victoria Falls town.  To date they have captured several hundred mammal and wood poachers, and have removed over seventeen thousand snares from this particular area alone.  They further want to develop ways to involve the tourists to Victoria Falls in an education program regarding the importance of preserving and protecting the environment, and to establish Conservation Clubs at local schools.  Again they rely upon donations for support.

South Africa - Cape Town:  Footballs for Fun

Our office in Cape Town supports a well worthwhile project in a local township, where as in all of Africa, the children find recreation, interaction and lots of fun playing football. The game is especially popular in South Africa in the lead up to the 2010 Fifa World Cup. While in Cape Town, you are welcome to visit the township’s football pitch and meet the children, and why not help them out by supporting Footballs for Fun. This is a great project whereby you can buy a lightweight and easy to carry football from www.footballs4fun.org, before coming to Africa. The money you spend goes to a reputable children’s charity and you have the opportunity to make a child’s day by giving them a football. Help Footballs for Fun reach their aim of getting one million footballs to Africa by 2010.

Remember that in all of the African cities and towns your trip ends, your sleeping bags, old clothes and shoes will be much appreciated by those that are less fortunate than yourself.  If you’d like to donate these, but aren’t sure to whom you should give them, ask your Trip Leader as they will have a good idea of where to direct you.

Safari Njema!  (Have a good trip!)