Questions asked about overland: Communications

Posted on December 27th, 2019 by Overland Africa

Questions asked about overland: Communications

 

Can my family reach me while on tour?

Please keep in mind though that this is an adventure tour and that there still might not be reception in a lot of the areas we travel through. Although you may not be able to contact the outside world easily while you’re on tour, we track you constantly and are always able to find you. Feel free to provide your family with our contact details and should there be an emergency of any kind at home we will be able to contact you almost anywhere. Please inform your families that although we can find you – it must be a real emergency – as we will not be sending one of our local contacts 500km over terrible roads to remind you to change your underwear regularly! We advise that you should also contact family and friends before leaving and tell them that you are on an adventure tour and that you will probably be out of contact for that time.

There are telephones in some places but do not count on these being all that reliable! In East Africa you can expect to pay up to USD 3 per minute for a phone call. E-mail facilities can be found in major towns and city centres, but it is often very slow and expensive.

 

Do mobile phones work in Africa?
Yes, there is extensive coverage throughout Southern and East Africa. In some countries, this may be primarily in and around major urban areas. However, in South Africa, networks cover all national roads, towns and cities. Before traveling, ask your mobile phone service provider to open your phone to allow international roaming.

 

Is there internet in Africa?

Certainly. Most city hotels will have either internet connection in the bedroom, or a business centre where you can spend time online. Some safari lodges and camps in South Africa also offer this facility. In remote areas, however, there is no internet.

 

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Questions asked about overland: Is it safe to drink the water in Africa?

Posted on December 27th, 2019 by Overland Africa

Questions asked about overland : Is it safe to drink the water in Africa?

It is safe to drink the tap water in most African countries. Tap water in hotels and at other lodges in Southern and East Africa is also safe to drink, but bottled water is available in shops if you prefer. If you are ever in doubt, stick to bottled water. Bottled water is supplied at all the main camps and lodges.

 

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Questions asked about overland: Health requirements & Travel Insurance?

Posted on December 27th, 2019 by Overland Africa

Questions asked about overland: Health requirements & Travel Insurance?

What are the health requirements?

All people who join an adventure tour need to be in good health. Medical facilities are not always available. If you have a specific medical condition it is compulsory for you to advise us before departure.

Is it safe to drink the water in Africa?

It is safe to drink the tap water in most African countries. Tap water in hotels and at other lodges in Southern and East Africa is also safe to drink, but bottled water is available in shops if you prefer.

If you are ever in doubt, stick to bottled water. Bottled water is supplied at all the main camps and lodges.

Do I need travel Insurance?

YES! Make sure your insurance covers being airlifted in case of serious illness/injury as good hospital facilities are often a long way from where our tours travel.

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Questions asked about overland: Is Africa safe? How does tipping work?

Posted on December 27th, 2019 by Overland Africa

Questions asked about overland: Is Africa safe? How does tipping work?

Is Africa safe?

The most visited countries in Southern and East Africa like – South Africa, Swaziland, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Mozambique, Madagascar, Malawi, Tanzania, Kenya, and Ethiopia are safe to visit.

 

If you adhere to the basic principles of navigating any large city anywhere in the world: do not carry valuables in plain sight, keep cameras hidden and do not walk alone at night. Make use of hotel safety deposit boxes.

 

Travellers with tour operators are the least at risk and self-drive clients are advised to plan what routes they wish to travel, and to get all their destination information ahead of time.

 

If travelling by car, make sure the doors are always locked and that no bags or purses left on passenger seats – and in the bush the only danger you will encounter are wild animals. African culture is gracious and hospitable. So, you will be in good hands.

 

How does tipping work in Africa?

In Africa tipping is not compulsory. Tipping in restaurants is usually 10% for good service and more if you feel that you received exceptional service.

Our guides do work hard, but they are also paid industry standards for this work. Our Crew can be tipped if you feel that they have done a good job and/or gone above and beyond the call of duty.

The best way to arrange tips is to elect one person in the group to collect the money.

We recommend USD2-3 (or about R25-R30) per day per person, per guide as a fair tip.

So if you have 3-crew on a tour, we would recommend that 3 envelopes are used and each crew member’s name written on one.

Place what you feel is fair into each envelope and the elected person can give these to the crew at the end of the tour. If you do not feel that the crew deserve a tip, please, do not tip them.

Please remember that tipping is only for exceptional service and is not at all compulsory or expected.

 

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When is the best time to travel Southern Africa & Eastern Africa

Posted on December 27th, 2019 by Overland Africa

When is the best time to travel Southern Africa?

Southern Africa is a year-round destination as different regions are spectacular at different times.
Winter months are between May and September. These months are often popular for game viewing, as it is dry and the wildlife is much easier to see and it is also cooler.
In summer, the temperatures can reach between 30 and 40 °C. But in many countries, summer is the best time to visit beautiful beaches and coastal resorts. Summer often coincides with the rainy season, resulting in lush, green countryside and lovely scenery.

When is the best time to travel East Africa?

It is a safari destination and the best time to travel is during the dry months. The rainy season is from April to June – and there are short rains from late November through December. It is often less expensive to travel during the long rainy season.
Dry season offers excellent game viewing and more reliable road conditions. Wildlife gathers around the limited water sources, making it easier to spot animals.
July and August are generally extremely busy months in East Africa, offering comfortable temperatures in addition to being a popular travel time worldwide. It is important to book in advance.

 

 

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Frequently asked questions about overland safaris

Posted on December 27th, 2019 by Overland Africa

Are there ATM machines to draw money?

Most people choose to travel with a Credit or Debit card but this should not be relied solely upon. VISA is the most widely accepted card and is recommended. Mastercard and American Express are accepted only in selected locations. Some providers charge high fees for using Credit and Debit cards. Please note that all ATM’s will ONLY dispense cash in local currency. You will only be able to draw US$ cash from ATM’s in Zimbabwe. Most activities are payable by credit card (surcharges will apply).

What currency must I bring?

Bring most of your spending money in cash as USD, Sterling or Euro. Generally, US dollars are the easiest to exchange. If your tour remains within Southern Africa – South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zambia, Swaziland, Lesotho, and Mozambique – you may opt to bring all your spending money in South African Rand and you can change the money before you leave your own country. If you carry US dollar bills in East Africa, please ensure they are clean, un-torn and issued post-2009. Anything else will incur a poor exchange rate or might be refused. Your guide can advise you where it is best to change money into the local currency on your tour and how much you are likely to require. Some tours may require you to have money already changed after arrival at the airport.

 

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Questions asked about overland: Baggage & Clothing?

Posted on December 27th, 2019 by Overland Africa

Questions asked about overland: Baggage & Clothing?

 

What kind of bag can I travel with?

Baggage & Clothing? Try to keep your luggage to a minimum and remember to keep to your airline’s weight restriction (normally 20kg or less). Note some tours have luggage weight limits.
Your luggage will be dependent on the type of trip you are taking but a holdall backpack, a soft bag or rucksack are ideal for adventure travel when luggage is stored in vehicles. As a rule, no hard cases are allowed.

What clothes must I pack?

Baggage & Clothing? You will receive a pre-departure booklet that will have a suggested packing list for you tour. Most people make the mistake of bringing too much! The clothing you bring should be easy to launder and hard wearing. There will be an opportunity to do washing at most campsites.

 

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2 Questions asked about when you do a overland Safari?

Posted on December 27th, 2019 by Overland Africa

Questions of Overland Safari

 

Do I have to do chores on tour?

 

Most overland tours are limited participation tours and your participation in chores is limited: taking turns to assist with washing-up duties, putting up and taking down your tent and loading your bags.

 

What meals do we get on an overland tour?

 

We cater for vegetarian, halaal and other dietary requirements in Southern and East Africa. Just let us know in advance and we will be able to organise your preferred meals.

Tour guides are trained to cater for different types of tastes. This is a unique adventure in itself where you get to dine under the stars with your newfound friends and experience the real sights and sounds of Africa!

They do have meal plans which they should stick to, to ensure that there is variety on a day to day basis.

Breakfast:

As breakfast is served very early in the morning (if there is driving or activities to be done) it is a simple but filling breakfast: Tea and coffee, breads and spreads, cereals, yogurts, fruits and on occasion, when there is time for a later breakfast, guides will serve a hot breakfast of scrambled eggs, porridge, bacon or beans.

Lunch:

Lunch is generally served at a picnic spot next to the road en route to a destination. As the guides only have approximately 45 minutes to get everyone off the truck, prepare lunch and then get everyone back on the truck again.

Lunches consist of sandwiches and salads (rice salad, pasta salad, tuna salad or green salad) which are quick and easy to prepare but which are quite filling.

Dinner:

This is when the guides get time to prepare a delicious meal and they focus on a substantial protein, vegetable and carbohydrate dinner. We serve traditional cuisine consisting of braais (BBQ), potjie (stew), bobotie (mince), spaghetti and fish and chicken dishes.

 

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Questions asked about overland: Is overlanding for me?

Posted on December 23rd, 2019 by Overland Africa

Questions asked about overland: Is overlanding for me?

 

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 the crew and the companionship of the group, means you’ll always have backup.

 

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!

 

 

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Questions asked about overland: Which is better, camping or accommodated?

Posted on December 23rd, 2019 by Overland Africa

Questions asked about overland: Which is better, camping or accommodated?

 

Which is better, camping or accommodated?

 

Our accommodated tours are here to fill the gap between a camping experience and an expensive lodge-tour while our camping tours allow you to have a truly African experience. We have both camping and accommodated guests travelling together.

 

Other than the tent that you pitch or the bed that you sleep in, everything else about these tours is the same. All meals are prepared at the truck, you have the same guides and the travel times are all the same so that literally is the only decision that you must make – a bed or a tent.

 

Camping gives you the freedom to build your own little home every evening. We provide you with heavy duty canvas dome tents which are standing height (unless you’re over 6 foot) and Approximately 2.5 x 2.5m across the base. On a camping tour, you need to provide your own pillow, sleeping bag and towel.

 

The tents are easy to put up and have flexible self-supporting poles and there are no unnecessary pegs to fight with. There is a flysheet provided for rainy weather and a built-in mosquito net which should always be kept closed. Please make sure that you pay attention when the guides explain the correct way of putting up and taking down your tent as the incorrect use can cause problems with the tent.

 

We also provide everyone with a sleeping mattress. Camping is more affordable, and you don’t have to rely on anyone for anything – only on the heavens when you ask them very kindly not to open on your tent! If you choose the camping option, when the tour gets to a major city, we will put you up in twin accommodation so that you can have the comfort of a bed for the evening.

 

At most places we visit, there is the opportunity to upgrade to accommodation if you’d like, but it is subject to availability. Please be sure to check the seasonal weather conditions when booking your camping tour as we can’t be responsible for mother nature (tents that get put up and taken down in the rain have a bad habit of being wet).

 

The tents handle a fair amount of rain but if there is a consistent downpour, the likelihood is that you will get wet. Most of the camp sites we visit have good toilet and shower facilities, but hot water is sometimes a luxury. Fortunately, most places we visit on tour are warm! Some places that we visit are bush camps where there are no facilities (for example, the Okavango Delta).

 

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Overland Africa has just returned from the most epic Botswana adventure and this is why we love Botswana so much ….

Posted on December 23rd, 2019 by Overland Africa

Epic Botswana adventure by Overland Africa

Epic Botswana adventure , Starting my safari in Maun we headed into The Okavango Delta which is one of the world’s largest inland deltas.

What makes the Okavango Delta unique is that while most rivers usually lead to an ocean, the Okavango River flows onto open land and floods the savannah plains. Mokoro’s – Dugout canoes are used to navigate past birdlife, hippos and crocodiles on waterways.

Moving north of the Okavango Delta into the Moremi Game Reserve, with several wildlife species, birdlife and a different landscape. There is no other place in Africa where so many ecosystems come together. There is no better way to start and end your days with an African sunrise and sunset!

Savuti is famous for it”s predators, especially it”s resident lion and spotted hyena populations. And here we were not disappointed! Lions and Lionesses came out in prides of 8-12 with as many as 8 cubs in a pride. “Leisha”Overland Africa Safari Expert

 

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Overland Africa can help you plan Botswana safaris

Posted on December 23rd, 2019 by Overland Africa

Overland Africa can help you plan the following Botswana safaris:

Camping or Accommodated
Big or Small Group Botswana safaris or why not get a group of friends together and we can help you plan your own private group safari
Mobile Botswana safaris with a bit more comfort

Have a look at just a few of our Top Botswana adventure tours on offer. We have access to a wide selection of fantastic tried and tested overland adventure tours . Ready to start planning ?

Best of Botswana Camping

 

Delta & Chobe Fully Serviced

Delta & Chobe Fully Serviced – Northbound, this safari is perfect for those wishing to visit the best wilderness areas in Botswana in very comfortable mobile camping safari style. Starting in Maun and ending in Kasane.

Botswana Classic

Botswana is considered Southern Africa’s premier game viewing destination. But it is also known as a very expensive destination.

Botswana Wilderness

This Camping Safari adventure safari is perfect for those with limited time still wishing to visit the best wilderness areas in Botswana.

Botswana Untouched Lodge Safari

Do this Untouched Botswana Lodge Safari because you start your tour by experiencing Marakele National Park, Khama Rhino Sanctuary and the Makgadikgadi Pans. See giraffe, elephant, zebra, lion and wildebeest in the Moremi Game Reserve but you get to see these from your open 4×4 vehicle. Discover the Okavango Delta in traditional dug-out canoes and enjoy Chobe National Park’s wildlife on a boat cruise on the Chobe River.

Northern Highlights

The best way to appreciate Africa is light of foot and in the thick of it. Our mobile safaris, run by some of the most experienced guides, will take you off the beaten track and show you true wilderness in unmatched style.

 

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