AfricanOverlandTours.com BLOG

For anyone heading into Cape Town I have a great adventure combo for you. Yesterday I spent just over 2 hours on the most amazing experience.

It was a combo adventure experience of going up in a helicopter for exhilarating ride over Signal Hill, past Lions Head down to Sea Point and along to the coast to Clifton and Camps Bay, followed by an hour extreme boat ride out in the ocean.

For someone like myself that isn’t the biggest fan of flying it was AMAZING being up in the helicopter. I don’t do height extremely well… but the only time I felt a little uneasy was when the pilot took a sharp turn and I felt my stomach drop. I had the words of donkey in Shrek going through my mind ‘I’m looking down!!!’

All in all the flight took 15 minutes and was a once in the lifetime experience that I will always remember.

After that, we head on a high speed inflatable boat (with 2 x 250 HP motors) out to sea for an amazing 1hr trip to Camps Bay and Clifton. All I can say is that I wanted the controls! it was a great adrenline rush with us all jumping up in the air with every wave we ramped!

The photo angles that you get looking back at the city and the Atlantic Seaboard are spectacular. Pulling up to Clifton beach is epic.

These trips can be booked from any of the operators at Quay 5 at the V&A Waterfront.

Enjoy the ride

Andrew

PS. I will add some pictures up on the facebook group escape 4 africa

www.africanoverlandtours.com

I spent the whole of Saturday in the Umfolozi /Hluhluwe Park ..its only 1 ½ drive from Richards Bay and we were there just after they opened the gate for the day. The weather was nice and cool unusual for December in Zululand . We saw everything except any of the big cats and elephants.The park is the greenest I’ve ever seen it and puddles of water to be found around every corner …..a beautiful site especially during one of the warmest and most humid months of the year. The Hluhluwe – Umfolozi Park lies in the heart of the Zulu Kingdom , where ancient trails lead through the thornveld and along the mighty rivers of Africa’s oldest established Wilderness area. This rich tapestry of natural cultural history still beats with the rhythms of Africa .

The Hluhluwe section in the North is characterised by towering grassland hills and diverse terrain and vegetation and is exceptional for its rich variety of bird and animal life . The Umfolozi section in the south is also a natural treasure store for fascinating fauna and flora , with species including the big five – lion , leopard, elephant , buffalo,black and white rhino , as well as blue wildebeest , zebra , giraffe, impala , waterbuck , reedbuck , nyala , kudu , bushbuck , steenbuck , duiker , warthog , cheetah , wild dog , hyena and many others . Over 300 bird species have been recorded here .

We stopped at Hilltop camp for some refreshments and although I am familiar with the view from Hilltop camp it still remains a breathtaking sight every time I see it. There is a lovely restaurant the only one in the park. They cater for breakfast , lunch and dinner however bookings are recommended …a meal with a view apopular outing amongst tourists and the local Zululanders. There is a curio shop with a wide range of curios , books , gifts, refreshments , snacks .

We packed a picnic basket and enjoyed a delicious brunch at Sontuli Picnic spot which overlooks the Black Umfolozi River. There are 4 picnic spots in the park Umbondwe – offers a view of the Black Umfolozi, Umgane – also offers a view of the Black Umfolozi. Mpila picnic site is situated within the camp surrounds where there are braai and toilet facilities .

This is a wonderful park for day visitors or for those looking to spend a couple of nights in the park itself. Umfolozi /Hluhluwe Park has the highest population of white rhino in Southern Africa you are almost guaranteed of seeing rhino each time you go on a game drive. Check out www.kznwildlife.com for more details.

Gelle

www.africanoverlandtours.com 

Great news,

Nationwide Airlines is slowly but surely beening reinstated back into the service. This has been wonderful news for travel in Africa.

We are so happy about the news. It means that we have better flight prices for some routes. In particular one of my clients had a quote of over 8000 ZAR for the Johannesburg to Livingstone Route from a carrier and now with Nationwide back up we could find the same route of 2600 ZAR return.

Here is the latest updates that we have recieved from Nationwide.

• The 767 operated well and as scheduled over the weekend - 1x JNB-LGW r/t and 1x JNB-CPT r/t

• I understand Safair have cleared all the 737s already so just waiting for the SA CAA to do their bit and release them for flying again. Some flights are scheduled to operate tomorrow and more flights will resume operations as the week goes on.

The details for some of this week’s flights as best as I’ve been given them are as follows although more flights are planned and I’ll update you as soon as I’m informed:

JNB-DUR resumed 12 Dec

JNB-LVI resumes 14 Dec

Great news all round!

Andrew

www.africanoverlandtours.com 

I have to tell everyone about a great company in Cape Town that organises internships for foreigners in South Africa (http://www.allinterns.co.za).

So often in the travel industry do we get enquiries from people that are coming out to Africa and are looking to spend some time out here. In fact the travel industry often has people who are doing internships before they depart on an overland tour.

This company www.allinterns.co.za is based in Cape Town and run by a friend of mine, Richard Rubenstein. Richard is well known in Cape Town and has subsequently developed great relationships with companies that are looking for interns.

They offer a great service from helping you with matching the perfect internship to your CV/desires, visa’s, accommodation, transport, pick up from the airport, maps, sim card for your mobile and many more! Have a look at http://www.allinterns.co.za/onoffer.htm and see all they offer.

They have a great additional website (www.stufftodo.co.za) which gives information on what is going on in Cape Town. Very USEFUL.

At any one time they have over 50 interns working in South Africa. So if you are looking for a very different experience before or after your overland why not try it out!

Hope this is useful to some of you.

Andrew

www.africanoverlandtours.com 

How do you decide on an Africa overland tour?

I know what it is like, like you I also took a long time before I decided on the trip to do. I remember looking through tons of brochures and websites and feeling overwhelmed. You probably have loads of questions, that is why we are here to assist:

I hope some of these points assist you in deciding on the Africa overland tour.

1. How much time do you have?

Trips vary in length with the average trips being 3 weeks. There are however short 4 day to long 200 plus day trips. Most popular routes are the Cape to Vic route and then the Vic to Nairobi route (in both directions).

2. Where or what do you want to see?

Animals, bush, beaches, particular game reserves (i.e. Masai Mara, Serengeti or Kruger) or specific countries.

3. Do you want a rough experience or a more comfortable route?

Southern Africa compared to East Africa is a bit more comfortable experience with most properties or campsites with swimming pools. Shops are more frequent with your usually snacks. East African roads and infrastructure is a bit more wild.

4. Do you want to camp or share accommodated rooms?

Accommodated trips are extremely popular due to having a bed at night to sleep in. You must bear in mind that you might need to share a room with other travellers. If you prefer to camp then there are times that you might be able to upgrade to a room if you are tired of camping. This is all dependent on availability.

5. Are you looking for budget tours with more travellers or smaller trips?

Some trips have higher number i.e 26 people while others have 4 or 6 people. The higher the number the more budget the trip.

6. Is the tour operator reputable?

Ask your travel agent who will be running the tours and how long they have been running for, you can then look on forums to see if they are good or not. There are about 30 – 40 different overland operators at any time. Some are very small and other bigger. All have their good and bad points and it all depends on what you are looking for. The operators that we use have been choose from years of experience in the industry and from there track records. The most important feedback we get is from our clients and forums.

If you have any questions please feel free to email us on info@escape4africa.com or visit www.africanoverlandtours.com to look at tours!

Happy searching!

Andrew

www.africanoverlandtours.com

The Cape to Vic Falls overland tours are without a doubt one of the best and most popular trips to go on. They give a variety of experiences from wildlife, cultures to scenery. The route has is a bit of everything.

Widlife:

If you are looking for wildlife then there are a number of opportunities to see great game on the Cape Town to Vic Falls overland. Generally the most visited reserves for wildlife are Etosha National Park, Namibia; Okavango Delta, Botswana and Chobe National Park, Botswana. There are numerous parts that you will drive along where you will see other animals.

Scenery:

You are going to see a wide diversity with too much to mention. My top scenery sites have to be the Fish River Canyon (http://www.africanoverlandtours.com/african-overland-destination/southern-africa/namibia.php#fishrivercanyon) just over the South Africa and Namibia border. It is the 2nd largest canyon in the world after the Grand Canyon in the USA. It is an amazing place to sit and what the sunset.

Other top areas for me have to be the Sousesvlei dunes. They are huge…AMAZING. Climbing them is a rush and a definite must. Etosha in the north has a lot of diversity from hardy bushes in the south to parse vegetation further north. This is just a few great scenic spots in Namibia but there is just so much more like the Skeleton Coast and the mountains around Spitzkoppe (great for rock climbing).

Botswana has some great scenery with the most visited areas of Okavango and Chobe offering diversity from the waterways and lush bush of the Delta to the more dry region around Chobe (when there is no rain).

You will see some much from mountains, to wetlands, to deserts, just bring enough film or memory on your cameras.

Adventure activities along the Cape Town To Vic Falls route:

Their are tons on offer so budget for them as you will end up doing loads on your Africa overland. For me personally quad biking in the dunes of Namibia brought the biggest smile on my face. I have actually used some of my photo’s of me quad biking as it really is one of my top activities. Other people rave about flying over the Delta (it is expensive but if you can get a few travellers to do it will reduce the per person cost). Vic Falls is by far the mecca for adrenaline sports so brace your self. Loads of people go white river rafting on the Zambezi (http://www.africanoverlandtours.com/adventure-activities.htm#zimbabwe). I have had loads of clients rave about flying over the falls in the micro light. I haven’t done it as I have a bit of a thing about heights but they all rave about it.

Shopping on the Africa overland trip:

Hands down the best value for money has to be in Vic Falls for African crafts. The markets are large and have great gifts on offer. The great thing is also that you can ship your stuff home from there. It is cheap to send.

What to pack on your Africa overland?

For this trip it is dependent on the time of the year. For winter months it can be very cold at night and in the mornings while in summer it will be hot during the days. It is quite simple. Pack for hot and cold and simply bring layers. You can always just add or remove. I would recommend not to wear white clothes as they will get dirty. It is going to be dusty. Bring some comfy trainers or hiking boots as you will be walking in the bush and the shoes will take a beating.

What not to forget about?

• Bank cards (there are ATM’s but just don’t use them in Vic Falls).
• Malaria tablets (a must from the north of Namibia to Vic Falls)
• Visa’s (all though saying that depending on your nationality visa’s can be got at the borders www.projectvisa.com)

Sense of humour as some people might annoy you.

Your adventurous spirit and that you are in Africa (some things don’t run to plan).

Sit back and enjoy the ride!

I just have tell everyone about a little place 2 hours from Cape Town called Beaverlac. We went to it this weekend and loved every moment.

I first heard about it from my dad who took my brother there about 20 years ago. It is a camping area located high in the Cedarberg mountain near Piketberg. The campsite is divided up into about 4 areas (so plenty of room). There is a shop that sells ice, wood, booze, etc which is great when the nearest shop is about a 30 minute drive away.

The big selling point to the area are the mountain pools with waterfalls that you can swim in. The first pool is only a 3 minute walk from the campsite and simply amazing. It is deep, has a 3 m waterfall that you can jump off and simply beautiful.

The area also has numerous hiking routes which lead up along the river. We walked for about an hour or so up the mountain and found numerous pools to swim in.

The place is perfect if you are looking for a quite weekend of swimming and hiking.

Getting There:

Drive out on the N7 from Cape Town. At Piketberg turn right onto the Porterville Rd. Drive to the end of the road (it’s a T junction). Turn left at the T junction and drive for around 2 km’s before turning right at the Cardow turn-off. The road will bend to the left and follow the base of the mountain. Turn right at the Dasklip Pass. Drive over the pass and turn left at the sign down to Beaverlac. (the road is gravel which adds to the adventure).

PS. There are huts to rent if you aren’t into camping.
PPS. Have a look at the Facebook group Escape 4 Africa for some great stories from Facebook travellers.

When I was growing up my father used to tell us about his life in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) and how he used to cycle on dusty dirt roads down to his favourite river for a day of fishing and other stories about him camping out in the bush. These stories painted vivid images in my mind. I can remember saying to myself that I have to see Africa.

Growing up in Cape Town, South Africa we would go on holidays to the bush or along the coast but for me countries like Tanzania and Malawi were always in my mind and they were the ‘real Africa’. I remember thinking, ‘Everyone says Malawians are so friendly, is that true?’ and ‘I would love to wake up on the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater and watch the sunrise’. I love sunrises..

Well, I would like to paint a picture (hopefully as vivid as my fathers stories) about a place in Africa that I call heaven on Earth. It is the Ngorongoro Crater and it is situated in Tanzania on the border of the Serengeti National Park and just down road from Kilimanjaro. It was a dream of mine to visit it and when we drove up the winding dirt road and saw the first glimpse of the vast floor of the crater I was simply blown away. Goosebumps and all.

The crater is called the 8th wonder of the world and it is easy to why. The entire conservation area is 8300 sq km and houses animals, grasslands, forests, Masai villages and the Oldupai Gorge (cradle of mankind). I am not going to go in all the facts and figures of the area, what I would like to tell you is about my experience.

The evening before we entered the floor of the crater we pitched our tents on the rim. It was an awesome experience to be setting up camp high above the crater floor and watching all the animals below while the sun was setting. When you look into the crater there is an amazing diverse eco system. It has a forest area for the elephants to rub their backs and eat the leaves; grasslands for the cheetahs to blend in; marsh areas for hippos to wade with their babies and last but not least a salt pan perfect for the migrating flamingos.

In the morning we woke up before the sun and made our way down the steep winding road to the floor of the caldera. It was AMAZING! The sun was only rising when we hit the floor and almost immediately we were all ‘professional game spotters’. For the males in the 4×4, the competition was on to spot the animals first! We saw everything from Lions, a lone Cheetah hiding in the savannah grasslands, elephants, wildebeest by the hundreds, hippo’s with their pink belly babies, small antelope, big antepole to tigers (only joking on the tigers)!

I have to say the saddest moment was when I spotted a baby wildebeest being hunted by a pack of hyenas. It was a powerful moment to see nature at work. In the distance we could see commotion and as we drove the landy over the hyenas dispersed only to see a baby wildebeest get up and run over to our truck. The poor animal was alive but barely. As we watched the animal walk off each of us was willing it not too, the hyenas pounced on him..

After an experience like that you simply sit back and have to accept life and nature with its beauty and pain.

For me the highlight of the crater has to be its diversity. To see so many different types of animals all living together in one area is phenomenal. You simply have to go there and experience that sunrise..

Hi there,

Welcome to our dream of creating an place where people can share their amazing experiences in Africa which will enthuse you with the same love and wonder that we have for this vast beautiful place we all call Africa.

Tell us about your favourite places, events that are occuring or post some questions on your upcoming adventures or any africa overland tours.

All we can say to people that haven’t been here is: Keep a open mind, come to Africa and let it change your life..

You can email your stories at info@escape4africa.com or simply comment on the stories.

Best wishes from

Andrew and Gelle