It has been said that the average person lives a life of quiet desperation, but there are those who now and then, feel the need to break free of those bonds and seek adventure. Explore uncharted territories. Discover wild and remote places, where each dawn and sunset heralds a new experience.
The only way to truly appreciate Africa is to sleep on its earth, bake in its sun, touch its grass and be doused in its water. If you want scented paper towels - stay in the city! Allow
AFTours adventures to help you live the great outdoors of Africa....
Africa Adventure Tours are for people who love life and want to embrace it with a passion, who care about culture, people and wildlife. As all of our scheduled departures are participation trips, it is very important that travellers have a positive attitude and are prepared to put in their fair share towards various everyday camping activities. Joining in is what turns a great trip into an unforgettable journey. With the right attitude we can guarantee that travellers will get the most out of their overland experience!
Our belief is that it’s not so much just the arrival at a destination, but the total experience of the expedition that is important. We travel together, learn from each other’s cultures and form a strong, supportive and fun team. Although our guides are FGASA registered, they are not “heroes” and won’t pamper you. They are, however, enthusiastic and ready for anything and will always get you through the tough times with a smile.
For a successful expedition, all we need is space under the stars and your eagerness to join in! A typical day with us starts when the sun comes up - we live by nature’s timetable and use as many daylight hours as possible. If you are camping, tents are set up by nightfall, kettles are boiled, the smell of cooking fills the air and we sit around the campfire chatting about the happenings of the day and the excitement of tomorrow. For those on the accommodated option, the only difference is that you sleep on beds. Evenings are for writing diaries, playing cards or board games, or just listening to the African night. Every single trip is different - we like it that way!
Be ready for the experience of a lifetime as Africa does not tick like clockwork, so be prepared to pack your sense of humour as there are sure to be a few surprises, which is why Africa is so endearing... We’ll show you the way!
WHO IS SUITED TO UNDERTAKE AN OVERLAND EXPEDITION ?
Our groups generally number around twenty people, from all walks of life, and of various nationalities: most of our passengers are from Australia, New Zealand, UK, Europe, North and South America. Although there are often couples and groups of friends who have booked together, most travellers are single and the male-female mix generally works out about even.
The nature of overlanding tends to attract a certain age group, and experience has shown us that our camping trips are unsuitable for the majority of travellers outside the 16 to 65-age bracket. We do however accept a limited number of people older than 65 years on trips because we believe it’s about being willing and able to join in.
On our Accommodated tours we welcome anyone with the right attitude! However, if you are older than 65 you will need to provide us with a letter from your GP to say that you are fit enough to handle the extremities of Africa.
Suitability for our trips is not just about fitness it’s about being able to take the rough with the smooth - whether you’re up to your elbows in mud rescuing your sinking truck, climbing the nearest tree in an attempt to escape from charging buffaloes or searching for the only bush in the desert to squat behind - expect the unexpected!
WHAT ARE ADVENTURE TOURS?
These are group tours aimed at experiencing the people, places, animals and adventure that Africa has to offer. AFTours take away the hassle of organising the complex logistics of an adventure holiday by yourself. This allows you to simply focus on enjoying your time in Africa. All our tours are 'off the beaten track' and the focus is on the journey, not the destination.
WHO SHOULD GO ON AN ADVENTURE TOUR?
Africa Adventure Tours are for people who have a passion for life and a zest for adventure. If you have an interest in people, places, animals and adventure, then these tours are for you. It is very important that travellers have a positive attitude and are prepared to contribute their fair share towards everyday chores. Joining in is what turns a great trip into an unforgettable journey. Adventure Tours have changed enormously over the last few years and Africa is now accessible to a far greater range of people. Almost anyone can go on an overland adventure tour.
WHAT TO EXPECT...
Each day in Africa is new and exciting. A proportion of each day is spent travelling from one place to another. The tours can cover large distances and include plenty of highlights. A typical day with us starts at sunrise - we make the most of every day. Lunches are normally informal affairs on the side of the road, or a local picnic spot. Evenings are spent socialising and relaxing in camp.
Who will you travel with?
Our groups average around 18 people, from all walks of life, and of various nationalities. Although there are often couples and groups of friends together, most travellers are single and the male-female mix generally works out about even. The nature of an adventure tour tends to attract a certain age group, and experience has shown us that our overland trips are unsuitable for the majority of travellers outside the 16 to 65 age bracket. However, we do accept people older than 65 years because age is a state of mind.
Participation
On our tours our guides do most of the work. Your participation in camp chores is limited: taking turns to assist with washing-up duties, putting up and taking down your tent (on a camping tour) and loading your bags. We do the rest.
Food and Meals
Included are three hearty meals a day, (unless otherwise specified). Vegetarians are easily catered for and they're always impressed by our varied menu. Our guides can produce miracles on a camp-stove. We can accommodate kosher, halaal, and gluten free diets by special request.
Accommodation
You will be staying in two-man dome tents on the camping tours. We supply a mattress but a sleeping bag is required on these tours - we do rent them. The accommodated tours stay in traditional huts, permanent tented camps and hostel-style rooms.
PRE TOUR PREPARATIONS
This is a brief overview of the essential information in your tour dossier and pre departure booklet. Please ensure you read them both carefully.
Health
All people who participate in an adventure tour need to be in good health. Medical facilities are not always available. Please ensure that you advise us of any medical conditions before your departure.
Malaria
Malaria is a real concern in many areas of Africa, especially during the rainy season. Our advice is simple, prevent getting bitten by using an insect repellent and use an effective prophylactic. Speak to your doctor before selecting your Malaria prophylaxis.
Vaccinations and Medical Insurance
Please ensure you have the relevant vaccinations and medical insurance is compulsory on all our trips. Credit Card travel insurance is often inadequate.
Indemnity
All travellers will be required to sign our indemnity form on departure. Any person refusing to do so will not be allowed on the tour.
Currency, Money and Banking
This is covered comprehensively in the pre-departure dossier. However, a combination of Rand, USD and credit cards works best. We have a safe on the vehicle for secure storage of cash.
Age restriction
Passengers under the age of 18 must have signed permission from a parent or guardian. Passengers over the age of 65 require a medical clearance certificate from their GP.
What to bring
A sense of fun and a flexible attitude! A full checklist of essential items is included in the pre departure information document.
What to leave behind
Your watch, cell-phone, laptop, work, stress, concept of time, pre-conceptions about anything and any attitude that is not pure adventure.
Changes to routes schedules
Although we will do our best at all times to ensure that the tour remains on schedule the company reserves the right to occasionally alter the itinerary due to unforeseen circumstances or changing conditions.
VISAS AND PASSAPORTS
Check all the visa requirements for all countries that you will be travelling through. Please note that visas are the responsibility of the traveller and that
AFTours will not be held responsible for clients being denied entry should they not be in the possession of the relevant visas.
Very important! As visa requirements vary considerably, please contact the various embassies or a visa service agent for, and to re-check, visa requirements at least 4 weeks prior to departing.
All travellers must be in possession of a valid onward/return air ticket or proof of other means of transport enabling the traveller to leave the country in which your overland expedition terminates. Alternatively you must have proof of sufficient funds (e.g. credit card) enabling you to purchase an air ticket to leave the country. Should the overland expedition you are joining be re-entering a country, be sure to have a multiple entry visa that enables you to re-enter the country.
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