Top five tips for overland travel

[Sam Ward]

Overland expeditions allow you to travel far and wide in Africa, taking in several countries over one or possibly two months.  This means you need to be prepared on the visa, vaccination and passport front, but you might also want to prepare yourself for what lies ahead so you can make the most of the trip.

1. If it’s your first time to the continent it’s worth signing up to Twitter and making time for #Africhat, a regular tweet up held every third Wednesday of the month at 4pm GMT (or 12pm ET).  On April 16^th the topic will be “planning for Africa”.  The blog editors of Getting Stamped will be co-hosting the event, as the couple are about to embark on an overland expedition with Acacia Africa on 04 May.

 

2. Overlanding is a participatory form of travel and that means pitching in!  You’ll be putting up and taking down your own tent, learning to cook local delicacies, shopping for food in local markets and cleaning the truck.  It’s a team effort all the way, and it’s a great way to break the ice and make friends quickly - a huge plus for solo travellers who want to buddy up in Africa.

3. When you’re on safari in Africa you can expect to be up and at ‘em in the early hours as this is when the majority of the wildlife will be at their most active.  Be prepared for a 5am wake up call and if you’re not a morning person have everything organised in one bag so you’re ready for the off at any time of day. (image (c) Gareth Clarke)

 

4. You could be overlanding with around 20 new faces. Most overland tours are no single supplement so there will almost certainly be solo travellers in the group and usually a varied mix of nationalities from Asia to Europe and beyond. There will plenty of opportunity to mingle both on and off the truck, but don’t be afraid to take some "me time," whether it’s kicking back in a café and watching the world go by or immersing yourself in a good book en route to your next destination

 

5. Be prepared to go basic.  While some campsites will have more than the basic facilities including a pool and bar, other unfenced wilderness areas could be quite the opposite.  On the upside you can expect some great game viewing, but making sure you have all the essentials from baby wipes to talcum powder will ensure you’re comfortable wherever you pitch your tent.