AfricanOverlandTours.com BLOG

Zambia Visa Requirements

Zambia Immigration documentation has confirmed that a Statutory Instrument on the new visa fees has been signed following the decision by Government to reduce these fees.

This welcome and positive move for tourism in Zambia means that all nationality categories who are required to pay for a visa to enter into Zambia will all now pay a standard rate rather than the previous tiered rate which was more expensive for some nationalities than others.

Good news is that the Zambian government has also re-implemented the day entry visa whereby any person who is required to pay for a visa to enter Zambia and wants to visit for the purpose of day touring (i.e. going from Chobe, Botswana into Livingstone, Zambia for an elephant experience or from the Vic Falls, Zimbabwe side to the Falls, Zambia side etc), can now do so at a cost of US$20 per person. 

Please note: that Multiple entry visa’s are only issued at the Immigration Department’s headquarters in Lusaka and the following consulates abroad: London, Pretoria, Lubumbashi, New Delhi, Beijing and Lilongwe.

Update compliments from Wilderness Safaris

Hi there,

We have just added a new feature to our site to help you find 2009 tours best suited to your dates. It currently has over 140 tours listed and over 3000 departures on it but we are adding more as the 2009 dates are released. The tours are all for 2009 and 2010.

We hope that you this will help you see what tours are departing around your days.  I personally quite like the idea that you can click through the months and see what trips are departing when.

http://www.africanoverlandtours.com/africa-overland-calendar-search.php 

If you have any questions you can always email on info@escape4africa.com

Cheers

Andrew

HAPPPPPPPY BIRTHDAY MADIBA!

Mr Mandela is 90 today and we are just so proud to have had him bring South Africa to were it is today!

Thank you Madiba for making this country such a beautiful place.

Best wishes for the year ahead!

From the team at Escape 4 Africa and www.africanoverlandtours.com

FERRY SCHEDULE (Dar to Zanzibar and vice versa)

Ferries (Daily departures from Dar es Salaam)  Time

From DAR to ZNZ

Flying Horse and Aziza                              1230 (slow ferry 3.5hours)

Sea Bus                                                    1400

Sea Bus                                                    1600

Sea Express                                              0730

Sea Star                                                    1030

Mega Speed                                               0730

Mega Speed departs 0930 HRS on Sundays from Dar.

Ferry Times as follows:

1^st Ferry leaving at 07:30 hrs be there at the port 30 minutes before departure times…speed ferry taking 2 hrs time…not less 40 $.

2^nd Ferry leaves at 10:00 hrs ..2 hrs time across.

3^rd  Ferry departs at 12:00 hrs…slow ferry…3 and half hrs time to Zanzibar.

4th’ Ferry departs at 14:00 hrs…2 hrs time across.

5^th  ferry departs at 16:00 hrs…2 hrs time…and this is the last ferry for the day.

Ferries (Daily departures from Dar es Salaam)  Time

From ZNZ to DAR

Flying Horse and Aziza                                2200

Sea Bus                                                     1400

Sea Bus                                                     1600

Sea Express                                               0730

Sea Star                                                     1030

Mega Speed                                               1400

Flying Horse and Azizi depart 2200HRs arrive Dar 0600HRS the following morning.

Price of the ferry from Dar es Salaam to Stonetown, Zanzibar: non-residents $20 inclusive of tax $5 for the slow ferry. The fast catamaran: $40 and $5 tax

Hope that helps with planning your Zanzibar arrival and departure.

Andrew

www.africanoverlandtours.com

Due to recent travel warnings over the political stablity of Zimbabwe ATC and Wildlife Adventures have diverted all departures and arrives in Vic Falls, Zimbabwe to over the bridge in Livingstone, Zambia.

The trips will be departing from the Zambezi Waterfront (contact +2603320606 or waterfront@safpar.com.

For all clients still flying in or out of Vic Falls, transfers can be arranged for the price of 30 USD per person. If clients prefer to skip Livingstone (due to the visa costs) then the alternative is to get transfered to Kasane, Botswana.

If you need advice simply contact info@escape4africa.com.

We will advise once the situation changes.

Andrew

www.africanoverlandtours.com

Great news, We have got the first lot of Africa overland tours that end or finish around the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

Just imagine starting or ending a trip at the height of all the activities of World Cup Soccer.  The tournament is being held between the 11 June - 11 July and located all around South Africa.

32 Day Journey to the Cape (Johannesburg to Cape Town) Overland Afria Tour

• 19-May-10 19-Jun-10
• 16-Jun-10 17-Jul-10

21 Day Cape to Vic Falls -Southern Sun Overland Africa Tour

• 20-Jun-10 10-Jul-10
• 4-Jul-10 24-Jul-10
• 18-Jul-10 7-Aug-10

21 Day Vic Falls to Cape Town-Southern Sun Africa Overland Tour

• 27-Jun-10 17-Jul-10 
• 11-Jul-10 31-Jul-10

11 Day Northern  Adventure (Johannesburg to Vic Falls) Africa Overland Tour

• 16-Jun-10 26-Jun-10

11 Day Southern Adventure (Vic Falls to Johannesburg) Africa Overland Tour

• 25-Jul-10 4-Aug-10

We are over the moon to be able to be offering these tours. There are more to follow!

Kindest regards

Andrew

www.africanoverlandtours.com

part of Escape 4 Africa Travel (SATSA Bonded)

Every week we have a number of questions from clients regarding vaccinations and travel health information through Africa. Generally speak some form of malaria protection is vital in most countries in East and Southern Africa bar Namibia and South Africa (bar the north of Kruger National Park). A Yellow fever certificate is vital for leaving Tanzania.

I have found an awesome site that has a great interactive map that tells you the situations for each African country.

http://www.fitfortravel.scot.nhs.uk/destinations/maps/africa.htm

Andrew Walton

www.africanoverlandtours.com 

We have great news, we have been received our SATSA Bonding. Out membership number is 1712.

SATSA is the Southern Africa Tourism Services Association and is the driving force behind improving standard of tourism in South Africa. The bonding scheme is a protection for clients against companies going into liquidation.

“Our bonding scheme is a kind of insurance policy which covers inbound foreign tourists against a possible loss of deposits paid to SATSA members – tourism operators, car rental companies, service providers, accommodation providers and the like – should such a member go into involuntary liquidation,” says Tatalias. He added that without such a bond in place to protect a clients deposits, clients could lose substantial amounts
of money.

Says Tatallias, So far tourism bonding schemes in existence abroad are all government sponsored and are designed to protect the interests of tourists who contract with outbound travel agents. The South Africa bond covers both members of the public and any SATSA member who places business with any other SATSA member. Payments may have been in the form of paying a deposit, for accommodation, car rental or for a tour with a SATSA member.

“Should a SATSA member who is a South African tourism business operation run into financial problems, the bonding scheme allows the client to claim back his deposit without having to prove in a court or to the liquidator whom or what he paid, but simply to produce the relevant documentation to SATSA.”

The SATSA bonding policy carries an indemnity of R1 500 000 per premium cycle (per premium year or part thereof) limited to a maximum of R300 000 per incident. The scheme is underwritten by Lombard Insurance and certain underwriting syndicates at Lloyds of London and is administered by SATSA.

More than ever before it is important to make use of the bonded services of SATSA members for secure holiday bookings in South Africa.

Andrew Walton

www.africanoverlandtours.com 

We just received an update on gorilla permits for Uganda, Rwanda and the DRC.

Due to migrations of gorilla families between the Magahinga & Bwindi NP’s in Uganda, the Ruhengeri  NP in Rwanda & the Virunga NP in the DRC, gorilla trekking permits have had to be re-issued as some family groups that previously inhabited parks on one side of a country’s border, moved.

Below is an update on the current costs of the Gorilla Trek Excursion:

The last 2 weeks have been an embarrassment for all South Africans. A few so called ‘South Africans’ have shocked the hearts of our country. 

They have embarrassed the nation and the freedom fighters that sacrificed their lives for freedom. President Mbeki spoke to the nation last night and hit it home when he mentioned about South Africa’s example of Ubuntu (working together) that we have shown the world. This has now been left in taters.

Our economy has been built on foreigners in our mines and without them we would be not have the largest economy in Africa. 

Thankfully it seems to be calming down but largely due to the police patrolling the township hot spots. On the positive side the country has pulled together to support the foreign nationals. 250 people have been arrested in the last week and we hope many more. Thankfully the government and the leaders have stood up against it.

In my opinion it has been opportunistic people jealous of the success that the foreign immigrants have made for themselves rather than waiting for the government handouts. Unfortunately a small group of people feel that they are owed something from the country.

We will keep you updated

 Andrew Walton

www.africanoverlandtours.com