Specials (between 10% and 20% discount off the tour price) on some really awesome tours that you might want to look at.  (Normal local payments apply)

Seats will sell fast, so don’t miss out on these amazing discounts.Send us an enquiry or feel free to email us on: info@escape4africa.com

20 Day Cape To Vic Falls Camping

Cape Town to Vic Falls Accommodated Overland

14 Day Discover Mozambique

BOOKING SPECIALS!

The photos tell the whole story, but you can also read the full article here.

Malaria is transmitted from person to person through the bite of a female Anopheles; a species of mosquito prevalent throughout sub-Saharan Africa and considered to be the most dangerous.

Only a small proportion of malaria infections are fatal, but children under five and pregnant women are particularly vulnerable due to their weaker immune systems. Malaria experts estimate that 1 to 2 percent of cases lead to fatalities.

But the figures are still astounding if you consider this:
Malaria kills over one million people each year. Each year there are over 300 million clinical cases of malaria, that is five times as many as combined cases of TB, AIDS, measles and leprosy. Malaria is responsible for one out of every four childhood deaths in Africa.

The high overall number of deaths from malaria reflects the regularity with which Africans, particularly the poorest segments of society, contract malaria. While the majority of healthy adults (who might be bitten up to twice a day by malarial mosquitos in the rainy season) withstand the malaria parasite, many children are hospitalized.

Distribution:

Accurately identifying malaria transmission areas is difficult. Within countries and even within regions in those countries, there are often malaria risk areas and other areas that may be free from malaria. Malaria risk areas are not static and may change with time, depending on factors such as rainfall and migration of infected individuals.

The below map is fairly accurate though.

Malaria distribution in Africa

Transmission also depends on the time of year, as many areas have seasonal malaria (including South Africa).

The most reliable way of preventing malaria is to avoid mosquito bites. It is more important than using preventive drugs. Malaria carrying mosquitoes feed between dusk and dawn both indoors and outdoors.

The following is advised:

• Remain indoors between dusk and dawn if possible, otherwise cover up.
• Wear long sleeved clothing (preferably light coloured), long trousers and socks.
• Apply insect repellent to exposed skin, repeat as recommended on the container label.   Avoid eyelids, lips, sun burnt or damaged skin, do not spray on the face and do not overdose young children.
• Cover / close doorways and windows with screens, and the same goes for your tent, keep the netting over the door and windows.
• Ceiling fans and air conditioners are very effective.
• Use a mosquito-proof bed net over the bed, with edges tucked in under the mattress.   Ensure that the net is not torn and that there are no mosquitoes inside. Essentially your tent can act as a big mosquito net, but then you must keep the tent flaps closed.
• You can spray inside the house / tent with an aerosol insecticide  (for flying insects) at dusk or burn mosquito coils if you are not 100% sure that you effectively kept them out.

Is prophylaxis necessary?

If an individual is travelling to a malaria area, it is important to determine whether he / she requires prophylaxis, or whether adequate protection can be provided by the regular use of personal protection measures as discussed above.

The decision as to whether prophylaxis is necessary is subjective.  It depends on the areas to be visited and the risk that the traveller has of being exposed to mosquitoes and of developing malaria.  The greater the traveller’s risk of contracting malaria and developing complications, the more likely it will be that prophylaxis will be necessary.

One of the following 3 regimes is currently recommended for use in South Africa:

•  Mefloquine (weekly).  Start at least one week before entering a malaria area.
•  Doxycycline (daily).  Start one day before entering a malaria area.
•  Chloroquine (weekly) PLUS proguanil (daily).  Start at least one day before entering a malaria area, but preferably a week before.

These regimes must be taken for FOUR weeks after leaving the malaria area.

List of resources:

• http://www.doh.gov.za/docs/factsheets/guidelines/malaria/prevention.pdf
• http://www.malaria.org.za/Malaria_Risk/General_Information/general_information.html

The town is surrounded by the Namib Desert on three sides and the cold Atlantic ocean to the west. Swakopmund enjoys a temperate climate and the average temperature ranges between 15°C (59°F) to 25°C (77°F) throughout the year. Rainfall is less than 15 mm per year (insanely little, hence it is a desert I guess), making gutters and drainpipes on buildings a rarity. The cold Benguela current supplies moisture for the area in the form of fog that can reach as deep as 140 km (87 mi) inland. The fauna and flora of the area have adapted to this phenomenon and now rely upon the fog as a source of moisture.

Skydiving airplane

Swakopmund is Namibia’s adrenalin capital, and offers a wide range of adventure activities from sand boarding and quad-biking to skydiving and camel riding; here are a few of our favourites:

Quad-biking – Professional guides will lead you toward the dune belt. The beginning of the trip is easier riding that gives you time to get used to the bikes. Then starts the exhilarating passage through the dunes towards the western side. The stark and savage beauty of the dune belt is captured in the 2 hour trip on our way to the “Sunset Dune”. The view over the Atlantic Ocean is stunning and offers  spectacular photo opportunities.

Sand boarding – Stand-up and Lie-Down sand boarding the African way is something of a MUST in Swakopmund. Speeds of up to 80km/hr can be reached!  All necessary equipment provided.

Sky diving – Once in the plane you will enjoy a 30 minute scenic flight. After exiting the plane at 10,000 feet, you will experience a 30-35 second free-fall at 220km/hr before the parachute is deployed. Another 5-8 minute glide follows whilst  descending to a tiptoe landing at departure point.

The Living Desert Tour – Top rated by many visitors! A unique 4×4 adventure drive through the dunes outside Swakopmund, Namibia. Just the drive in the dunes is an amazing experience, but will be shown you a lot more than sand. The tour takes you from the vegetated, life-rich eastern side of the dunes, right through the dunes to the Atlantic Ocean on the western side of the dune belt. Find out how the area’s plants and small animals survive the harsh climate, and how they obtain water for life. You will also track a FitzSimon’s Burrowing Skink across the dune face, in hopes of catching this legless lizard. At the end of the tour, weather permitting, you will experience a ‘roaring’ dune.

Sidewinder Snake

Welwitschia Moon landscape Tour – Explore the rocky granite valley, known as “The Moon Valley”, approximately 30km east of Swakopmund. This amazing landscape was carved out by the Swakop River over time and offers vast ever-changing landscapes.  Witness all the different features of interest including the desert adapted plants and any small creatures to be found along the way.

Eat, drink & be merry - Or simply just park yourself off at one of the many restaurants, cafes or bars and enjoy some truly unique Namibian and German food.

The Portuguese was first lured to the palm fringed shores and colonized the country in 1505; and the Gorongosa National Park became internationally famous during the 1960’s for its great game viewing and beautiful scenery.  But the long fought civil war, which began in 1977 and ended in 1992, claimed the lives of over 900,000 people, left 5 million civilians displaced and meant the country disappeared off the tourist beat.

Since peace and stability has returned to this beautiful country, it has lured visitors back from all over the world due to the warm and sunny climate, beautiful palm fringed beaches, untouched coral reefs and sleeply little fishing villages!  It makes for a great escape if you want to combine some of the National Parks of Africa with a beach destination all in one tour.

Have a look at our Facebook page (click here) for more photos and information on Mozambique.

Some of our favourite tours travelling to Mozambique are:

• 14 Day Discover Mozambique Camping Overland (Johannesburg to Johannesburg)

• 14 Day Beach & Bush Accommodated Safari (Johannesburg to Johannesburg)

• 17 Day Mozambique Transfrontier Camping Overland (Johannesburg to Johannesburg)
  This tour is for the adventurous as you travel through some of the more remote areas of Mozambique.

• 24 Day Southern Circle Camping Overland (Johannesburg to Johannesburg)
  The nice feature with this tour is that you get to see Botswana, Victoria Falls, Zambia and Malawi as well – an action packed itinerary.

But this photographer captured the full effect when you hike Lions Head at full moon.  Click on the link and drag your mouse around to get the full effect.

For some more recommendations on what else to see and do in Cape Town, have a read here.

“This is perhaps the funniest moment of my trip. We were on a safari at Chobe in Botswana. It was a lazy day in the park and there were a bunch of elephants roaming around and all of a sudden we see this “well hung” elephant march from across the field towards this other elephant. Little did we know that Mr. Elephant was trying to get his game on…. You’ll have to watch the video to find out if he succeeded.

Luckily, Daniel managed to get some of it on video and posted it on you tube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pC8Wnladbys

Enjoy.“

“Captain Adele Myburgh said the man was riding a bicycle to work on Tuesday, when the leopard attacked him on the Dikololo-Assen road.

He fought for his life and managed to scare away the leopard, which ran off towards the direction of a nearby game reserve.

“The victim was taken to Brits Hospital for medical treatment and discharged on the same day,” she said.”

Read the article here.

Important Note:

The following information is not an official Zambian Department of Immigration circular and for more detailed information on travel to Zambia please refer to the official website: www.zambiaimmigration.gov.zm

Whilst every care has been taken in the preparation of this document, we will not be held responsible for any errors or inaccuracies which may inadvertently occur, or for changes made subsequent to the release of this document.

Tourists to Zambia:
Please find below the relevant regulations governing visa issues and associated costs.

Countries That Do Not Require Visas to Enter Zambia:
Nationals of all Commonwealth countries (See Appendix Two) do not require visas to enter Zambia EXCEPT for the following countries that need visas on a reciprocal basis:

1.            AUSTRALIA
2.            BRITAIN / UNITED KINGDOM
3.            CANADA
4.            GAMBIA
5.            GHANA
6.            INDIA
7.            NEW ZEALAND
8.            PAPUA NEW GUINEA

The following countries have signed visa abolition agreements with Zambia:

1.            IRELAND
2.            ROMANIA
3.            SERBIA-MONTENEGRO
4.            MOZAMBIQUE

Business Visitors:
Nationals of countries which require visas for business purposes can be issued with entry visas at port of entry EXCEPT those from countries as listed in Appendix One. A business visitor should produce a letter of invitation from the institution which invited him/her. A business visitor is entitled to thirty (30) days visit in a twelve (12) month period.

Transit Visitors:
Cost of Transit visa is the same as the single entry visa.  Transit visas are only valid for 7 days.

Day Trippers:
The Day-trip visa has been re-instated and is available at Port of Entry for a fee of USD20.00 per person (EXCEPT those from countries as listed in Appendix One). Please note that day trip visas are not available to persons in transit as they will only be issued to persons entering and exiting through the same Port of Entry on the same day.

Re-Entry Visas:
The re-entry visa system has been abolished at the end of January 2008. Persons wishing to leave Zambia and then return on the same or at a later date will now be required to purchase a NEW visa at port of entry, assuming all other previously issued visas have been utilized.

Visa Fees:

Visa Fees

** The above excludes persons from countries as listed in Appendix One and Two.

APPENDIX ONE

REFERRED VISAS

Nationals of the below listed countries will require visas authorised by the Chief Immigration Officer or stipulated missions abroad. Visas will NOT be issued at ports of entry.

Zambian Missions Abroad

•             London (U.K.)
•             Pretoria (South Africa)
•             Lumbumbashi (DRC)
•             New Delhi (India)
•             Beijing  (China)
•             Lilongwe (Malawi)

1.           AFGHANISTAN
2.            ALGERIA
3.            ARMENIA
4.            AZERBAYJAN
5.            BANGLADESH
6.            BENIN
7.            BURKINA FASO
8.            CAMEROON
9.            CENTRAL AFRICA REP.
10.          CHAD
11.          CHINA
12.          CROATIA
13.          EQUITORIAL GUINEA
14.          GABON
15.          GAMBIA
16.          GEORGIA
17.          GREECE
18.          GUINEA BISSAU
19.          GUINEA CONAKRY
20.          HAITI
21.          HONG KONG
22.          INDIA
23.          INDONESIA
24.          IRAN
25.          IRAQ
26.          ISRAEL
27.          IVORY COAST
28.          JORDAN
29.          KOREA – NORTH
30.          KUWAIT
31.          LEBANON
32.          LIBERIA
33.          LIBYA
34.          MALI
35.          MAURITANIA
36.          MORROCCO
37.          NIGER
38.          NIGERIA
39.          OMAN
40.          PAKISTAN
41.          PAPAU NEW GUINEA
42.          SAUDI ARABIA
43.          SENEGAL
44.          SIERA LEONE
45.          SOMALIA
46.          SRI LANKA
47.          SUDAN
48.          SYRIA
49.          TAJIKISTAN
50.          TOGO
51.          TUNISIA
52.          TURKMISTAN
53.          UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
54.          UZBEKISTAN
55.          YEMEN

APPENDIX TWO

COMMONWEALTH AND ABOLISHED VISAS

1.            ANTIGUA & BARUDA
2.            BAHAMAS
3.            BARBADOS
4.            BELIZE
5.            BOTSWANA
6.            BRUNEI
7.            CYPRUS
8.            DOMINICA
9.            FIJI ISLANDS
10.          GRENADA
11.          IRELAND
12.          JAMAICA
13.          KENYA
14.          KIRIBATI
15.          LESOTHO
16.          MALAWI
17.          MALAYSIA
18.          MALDIVES
19.          MALTA
20.          MAURITIUS
21.          MOZAMBIQUE
22.          NAMIBIA
23.          ROMANIA
24.          ST. KITTS & NEVIS
25.          ST. LUCIA
26.          ST. VINCENT & GRENADINES
27.          SAMOA
28.          SEYCHELLES
29.          SINGAPORE
30.          SOLOMON ISL.
31.          SOUTH AFRICA
32.          SWAZILAND
33.          TANZANIA
34.          TONGA
35.          TRINIDAD & TOBAGO
36.          TUVALU
37.          UGANDA
38.          VANUATU
39.          ZIMBABWE

APPENDIX THREE

COUNTRIES THAT CAN OBTAIN VISAS AT ANY ZAMBIAN MISSIONS ABROAD OR PORT OF ENTRY.

1.           ALBANIA
2.            ANDORRA
3.            ANGOLA
4.            ARGENTINA
5.            AUSTRALIA
6.            AUSTRIA
7.            BELARUS
8.            BELGIUM
9.            BHUTAN
10.          BOLIVIA
11.          BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA
12.          BRAZIL
13.          BRUNEI
14.          BULGARIA
15.          BURMA (MYANMAR)
16.          BURUNDI
17.          CAMBODIA
18.          CANADA
19.          CAPE VERDE
20.          CHILE
21.          COLOMBIA
22.          COMOROS
23.          CONGO D.R.
24.          CONGO BRAZAVILLE
25.          COOK ISL.
26.          COSTA RICA
27.          CUBA
28.          CZECH REPUBLIC
29.          DENMARK
30.          DJIBOUTI
31.          ECUADOR
32.          EGYPT
33.          ERITREA
34.          ESTONIA
35.          ETHIOPIA
36.          EYREM
37.          FINLAND
38.          FRANCE
39.          GERMANY
40.          GHANA
41.          GUATEMALA
42.          GUYANA
43.          HAWAII
44.          HUNDUROS
45.          HUNGARY
46.          ICELAND
47.          ITALY
48.          JAPAN
49.          KAZAKHSTAN
50.          KOREA SOUTH
51.          LAOS
52.          LATVIA
53.          LIECHTENSTIEN
54.          LITHUANIA
55.          LUXEMBOURG
56.          MADAGASCAR
57.          MECEDONIA
58.          MEXICO
59.          MOLDOVIA
60.          MONACO
61.          MONGOLIA
62.          NAURU
63.          NEPAL
64.          NETHERLANDS
65.          NEW CALEDONIA
66.          NEW ZEALAND
67.          NICARAGUA
68.          NORWAY
69.          PANAMA
70.          PARAGUAY
71.          PERU
72.          PHILLIPINES
73.          POLAND
74.          PORTUGAL
75.          PUERTO RICO
76.          QATAR
77.          RUSSIA
78.          RWANDA
79.          SAN MARINO
80.          SAO TOME AND PRINCE
81.          SLOVAKIA REPUBLIC
82.          SPAIN
83.          SURINAME
84.          SWEDEN
85.          SWITZERLAND
86.          TAIWAN
87.          THAILAND
88.          TURKEY
89.          UKRAINE
90.          UNITED KINGDOM
91.          UNITED STATES
92.          URUGUAY
93.          VATICAN
94.          VIETNAM
95.          WESTERN SAHARA

Today, Tuesday 1st of February (which will be the eighth day of the demonstrations) protesters are planning a ‘March of Million‘ and all eyes are on Cairo / Egypt to see what will happen.

But to answer the question on what impact it will have on overland tours in Africa; 99.5% of 300 plus tours that we offer to travellers will NOT be impacted at all, and as it stands not one single traveller we have in Africa is being affected what so ever.

All tours (apart from one or two) we promote run in East, Central and Southern Africa (Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Malawi, Zambia, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia and South Africa) and the direct distance between Cairo (EGYPT) and Nairobi (KENYA) is approximately:

Miles:                   2200
Kilometres:        3600

The distance from Cairo (EGYPT) and Southern Africa (Victoria Falls, Botswana, Namibia and South Africa) is approximately:

Miles:                   4000
kilometres:        6400

The impact that the situation in Egypt / Cairo is having on us is absolutely nothing; so you do not have to be alarmed on joining one of our tours at all.  You will have a great time experiencing the magic of Africa and will, without a doubt, return home with lots of happy memories and great photos.

We hope to see you in Africa soon then!