Overland Travel Experts

She’s come face to face with mountain gorillas, canoed down the Zambezi River and camped from Cape Town to Arusha - when it comes to experiencing Africa, Gelle (pronounced Je Lay) has been there and done it.

Born and raised in Zululand, Gelle admits to being slightly obsessed with Africa. “Africa changes people’s lives - it’s a magical continent,” she explains, “and I’m never happier than when sitting around a campfire and swopping stories or lying in my tent at night listening to the calls of the wild.”

She also confesses to a deep love for overlanding and has been sending satisfied customers on African overland tours since 2003, whether it is to South, Southern or East Africa. “Let things run on African time and allow the African sunrise and sunset determine your day,” Gelle advises, adding that overland travel, while not super-luxurious, has become far more accessible, comfortable and user-friendly over the last decade.

“It’s still the most affordable way to experience Africa,” she says, “but you still get all the major destinations and highlights plus the chance to make friends and have an unbelievable amount of fun with like-minded people from all over the world - when you finally finish the tour, it’s like saying goodbye to your family!”

A final word of advice from Gelle - an African overland tour is an intense experience of vastly different destinations and cultures - take loads of photos. Just none of chameleons.

Gelle’s Favourite Tours:

- Cape Town to Vic Falls Grand Explorer
- Botswana Wild Parks
- Gorillas, Game Parks & Zanzibar Overland Adventure
- Uganda 13-day Overland Safari

When it comes to overland experience, nothing beats actually having been an overland guide - and that’s where Ingrid comes in.

Back in 2001 she discovered and fell head over heels in love with overlanding and threw herself - much to the initial disquiet of her family - into guiding. “After my first trip it goes without saying that I was hooked and realised how much there is to see of Africa,” she says, “it was an eye-opener to a whole new world and I loved it!”

She’s serious - we’re talking about someone who has been to Victoria Falls over 40 times let alone all the major destinations in South, Southern and East Africa. And although her guiding days are over, Ingrid has remained in the overland industry and even admits (with a smile) that her world, in many senses, revolves around African overlanding.

And her passion remains: “do it! Don’t think twice, just go for it!” is her advice for potential overlanders, arguing that overlanding today is no longer the preserve of twenty-something party animals but suitable for anyone between 18 and 50 with both a sense of adventure and humour. “Come with an open mind, be curious and ask loads of questions” she recommends, “and remember that overlanding is still the most authentic and affordable way to experience Africa,” And having covered the Cape to Nairobi and everything in between, we’re inclined to believe her.

Ingrid’s Favourite Tours:

- 21-day Southern Sun Cape to Vic Falls
- Cape to Nairobi
- 21-day Trade Route
- East Africa 12-day Overland Safari

Is there any part of Africa Emma hasn’t explored? She’s mixed it with the Maasai, gasped at gorillas, manoeuvred a mokoro through the Okavango Delta and danced on dunes in the Namib Desert - if you’re looking for someone who knows the continent backwards, you could do a lot worse than talk to Emma.

Born and bred in Cape Town, this keen photographer and outdoors-girl also knows overlanding. A veteran of a number of African overland adventures, Emma has extensive knowledge of the safari industry in both Southern and East Africa and is well placed to advise overland travellers about safari or beach add-ons.

“Overlanding through Africa is an affordable way to travel and will allow you to feel a part of something special,” she explains.  But there’s more to it than that: “driving across Africa’s huge landscapes is good for the soul; it gives you time to reflect and also have a break from your Blackberrys and busy lives.”

And Emma is big on Life: “take every opportunity to experience new things in life,” she smiles. “Travel, laugh, make friends and give a little bit back.” Good advice Emma - sounds a bit like overlanding.

Emma’s Favourite Tours:

- South African Explorer
- Botswana Wildside
- Tanzania Game Parks & Zanzibar Adventure