We wave the basic trip cost for the three day Masai Mara Safari and or the 3 day Hwange Safari when the booking is made at the same time for the Tanzanian Game Parks and Zanzibar, Gorillas and Game Parks, Gorillas Game Parks and Zanzibar, Victoria Falls to Windhoek, Southern Adventure, Northern Adventure, Southern Sun, Southern Discoverer, Southern Safari, Northern Safari, Gorillas and Southern Discoverer, East African Discoverer, African Explorer, Southern Explorer, Southern Trek, Northern Trek, Grand Africa or the Great African Trek. It is not redeemable in any other form or at any other time other than specified. Local payment costs still apply.

WHO IS THE OPERATOR?

We use an African based adventure safari company, who have been in operation since 1990.  They specialise in overland camping tours throughout Southern and Eastern Africa  and are the only overland company with operational bases in three major centres throughout Southern and East Africa.

OVERLANDING IN AFRICA

Travelling by overland truck is considered to be the safest and most economical ways of seeing the African continent and what it has to offer.  From country to country and region to region, the areas we travel through have varying cultures, tribes, wildlife, climates and topography, which make overlanding a trip of a lifetime.  Overlanding is not just seeing the mountain gorilla, lion or elephant, for yourself.  It is not just saying you have photographed the Masai in Kenya.  Or saying you’ve climbed the Uhuru Peak on Mt Kilimanjaro or crossed the Namib, the oldest desert in the world.  Overlanding is all this and much, much more.  It is about feeling the rhythm of the people, the places and the wildlife.  It is an experience of a lifetime!

WHY COME WITH US?

• We use an African based company, which means we have “hands on” knowledge of what’s happening in the countries we travel through.  In five of the ten countries we travel in, we are a registered company.

• We use the ONLY overland tour operator to have three operational bases in the major centres in Southern and East Africa – one in Nairobi, Kenya, one in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe and one in Cape Town, South Africa.  This means that we have unparalleled support to all our passengers and crew, should it be required.

• Our management have all travelled extensively through and all live in Africa.  This means the trips they have co-ordinated are based on their personal experience, which ensures you get the most out of each trip.

• We employ local staff in our offices and on the road.  This contributes to the local economy of the countries we operate in, as well as providing our passengers with a better insight into African culture.

• We use Mercedes Benz and MAN trucks, individually designed for comfort and space.  Their height provides excellent game viewing and a spacious interior ensures comfort.  All our trucks are fully equipped for each safari.

• All our vehicles have full passenger and company liability insurance underwritten by Lloyd’s of London.

• We have 30 scheduled trips to choose from, ranging from 3 to 63 days and covering a variety of highlights throughout Africa.  We therefore have something that will suit every passenger’s adventure travel needs.

• We have an enormous frequency of guaranteed, scheduled trips operating in both a Northbound and Southbound direction.  This means that you’ll be able to find a trip that suits your time of travel.

• Our trips are great value for money with out giving away quality.

• We offer a wide range of excellent discounts for passengers booking our trips of 10 or more days in length.  These include a FREE 3 Day Masai Mara Safari, 3 Day Hwange Safari or 3 Day Cape Town City Package for all trips that begin or end in Nairobi, Victoria Falls or Cape Town. 

• All of our trips are accompanied by three crew members - a mechanically Sound Driver, an enthusiastic and knowledgeable Trip Leader and a Safari Chef with an extensive and varied menu.

• We do not have an upper age limit and will happily carry any client suitably fit for adventure travel and camping.

• We pre-book our gorilla permits up to 1 year in advance for all our scheduled Gorilla Safari departures.  You are therefore guaranteed a chance to see the gorillas when doing a Gorilla Safari with us.

OUR CREW:

We are one of the few overland companies that have three crew members on all our scheduled trips.  Most of the crew have spent quite a few years travelling through Africa and therefore have an extensive knowledge of the countries you’ll be visiting, but all have a passion for these areas and showing our passengers what makes these places so special.  This translates into them making your trip unforgettable.  While we employ three crew, these trips are of a participatory nature.  So, while the Driver does all the driving, there may be very rare occasions where you’ll be asked to help with changing a tyre.  The Trip Leader is there to ensure the smooth running of your trip and is well equipped for any situation that may present itself.  They will look after all the campsite bookings, game park entrance fees, etc and help with border controls, booking of optional activities, etc.  However, you will have to put up and take down your own tent, watch the truck during your city visits, etc.  The Safari Cook does most of the buying and cooking of the food.  However, you are required to help in the preparation of the meals.  Fresh produce is bought from many markets and road stalls along the way and this is supported by a bulk buy of food prior to departure.  You will be amazed at the variety of the meals on your trip!!!  All of your duties are done on a rotational basis, so you won’t always be watching the truck when we’re in the cities and you won’t always be chopping the veggies while everyone else is enjoying a cold drink after a long day.

OUR VEHICLES:

We have over 30 vehicles, all of which are owned and operated by Africa Travel Co.  We use Mercedes Benz and MAN vehicles, designed, modified and built to ensure the safety and comfort of our passengers.  Our vehicles have between 27 to 30 seats and all carry full cooking and camping equipment, cassette players, exterior and interior lighting, lockers, long-range fuel tanks and 300 to 400 litre water tanks.  We have upgraded 90% of our fleet to fitted windows with only a few vehicles still having the roll up PVC sides.  We have also introduced a number of 4x4 Land Rover vehicles, which we use for our shorter small group safaris.

CAMPSITES, TENTS AND EQUIPMENT:

Our trips are camping trips.  We use two man dome tents with mosquito nets over the door and window areas, a sewn in ground sheet and a separate flysheet.  Most of the time we will be staying in campsites, which cater specifically for overland passengers.  All of the campsites we use have ablution facilities, although some of the East African campsite’s facilities are a little more basic than those in Southern Africa.

In the Trip Price, we include a fully equipped Mercedes Benz or MAN vehicle, all cooking and camping equipment, Driver, Trip Leader and Safari Cook.

All our trips have a compulsory communal Local Payment.  The Local Payment is quite high - a point we are proud of - as it’s the Local Payment that covers all meals per day (where stated in our itinerary), all the camping fees and all our game park fees - except on trips that go to Zanzibar.  Please note that the quoted Local Payment is published a year before your trip enters a particular area and it is therefore impossible to anticipate exactly how exchange rates, local inflation and price rises may change so far in advance.  It may happen that the Local Payment has to be increased, but this happens very, very rarely and if it does prove necessary, it is usually by only a few dollars.

Most of our trips are structured with Optional Excursions.  These are activities that you can decide to do, and pay for, whilst on tour.  The Optional Excursions are listed clearly in our brochure/website and are also sent to you along with your Travel Confirmation Voucher, so that you can budget for these excursions prior to departure.

OUR CLIENTS:

We have a selection of 30 trips covering a wide variety of destinations in Southern and East Africa that range from between 3 and 63 days. 

Our clients range in age and nationality, but all choose one of our trips as they have an adventurous spirit.  Even though we do have set itineraries for our scheduled safaris, a trip through Africa may have to be re-routed from time to time due to road conditions, weather, political situations and group decisions.  If overlanding is approached with a spirit of adventure and a positive attitude, you will get the most out of the journey.  (An afternoon spent waiting for a broken down truck to be moved off the road so you can pass, can turn into one of your most memorable days, as it was spent playing cards with the local school children!) 

Most of our passengers are aged between 18 and 35 years old.  We offer a few Family Trips where children aged between 6 and 17 years old are welcome to join our scheduled departures, as long as they’re accompanied by their parents.  The Family Trips are open to all, so parents must be aware that their children will probably be travelling with passengers who will be, predominantly, aged between 18 to 35 years old, and may spend each night enjoying a drink in the local bar.  As we’d like all our passengers to enjoy their trip, we obviously can not expect them to change their “normal” holiday behaviour just because there are children in the group.  We do NOT have an upper age limit.  However, due to the strength and stamina required for some of the activities and the daily routine of putting up and taking down your tent, packing and unpacking the truck and manoeuvring up and down the 4 rung ladder steps of the truck, you are required to be fairly fit and healthy.  For passengers over 60, we will therefore require a Medical Certificate from your doctor declaring that you will be able to participate in one of our trips.

OUR OPERATIONAL BASES:

Our offices are structured as follows:

South Africa - Cape Town.  This is our main reservations office and offers a full booking and information service to our passengers and agents for all the trips we offer as well as accommodation and airport transfers required before your trip.

Zimbabwe - Victoria Falls.  This office is conveniently situated in the town centre and our friendly staff will gladly assist you when booking activities in and around Victoria Falls before, during or after your overland trip.

Kenya - Nairobi: This is a full retail office specialising in flights and packages in and around East Africa.  Our staff have an extensive knowledge of East Africa and will gladly recommend a trip that suits your needs.

Each of our offices has depots with fully functional workshops staffed with qualified mechanics.  This is where our vehicles are serviced before and after each trip.  All vehicles and equipment are checked and cleaned, which ensures everything is ready to go before the departure of a trip.

OUR OPERATOR IS A MEMBER OF:    SATSA; ASTA; ISIC; BSA; ZTA; ATTA; CAPTOUR; TASA

Safari Njema!  (Have a good trip!)