You went out and whipped up that amazing overland trip special discount quicker than you can say Cape Town to Victoria Falls. Good on you! But now what? To help you plan your trip, we’ve put together a list of expenses you’ll need to plan your trip smoothly.

1. Flights

Unless you are already in Victoria Falls before your Victoria Falls adventure begins, you’ll need to purchase flights to see your safe arrival at least a day before your trip commences in order to make the pre-trip meeting, if your adventure has one. Similarly, if your trip doesn’t end in the city you live in, you’ll need to book yourself a ticket home. If you want to go home.

2. Airport transfers

Once you have arrived at the airport in the country your overland trip commences from, you may need to book an airport transfer to your night’s accommodation if it is not included in your overland trip price. An airport transfer is the transport getting you to or from an airport.

3. Trip cost

This is the amount you paid to your OverlandingAfrica.com consultant for your overland trip in Africa. Luckily you raked up a great deal, so you end up saving on your total expense.

4. Local payment

The local payment is cash you hand over to your overland crew before you start your overland trip. This money goes towards expenses like National Park fees, activities and food. Local payment is usually required to be paid in US Dollars. The crew may kit our their overland trip with all things you could possibly need on a trip into Africa, but a credit card machine and bureau de change aren’t one of them. Cash is king.

5. Pre and post accommodation

Most trips have a pre-departure meeting the day before the overland trip commences. Some trips include a night’s accommodation in the overland trip price, some don’t. Unless you’re the kind of person who gets a thrill from last minute couch-surfing host hunting, we suggest you book accommodation in advance. After your trip has come to an end, it is often recommended that you spend an extra two nights in the area. This gives you even more opportunity to explore the area and enjoy the destination at your own pace. A Cape Town to Victoria Falls adventure will leave you in the perfect place to explore more of both Zambia and Zimbabwe; something an extra two days can help you accomplish. Didn't get time to do the elephant back safari? Now's your chance!

6. Trip Activities

On your journey there will be a huge amount of optional activities available to you. Some overland trips include a variety of activity, where as others leave it up to travellers to decide whether they would like to experience something while they are travelling, and then pay for themselves when they are there. You will need to pay for these activities. Keen to go white water rafting, bungee jumping or on a scenic flight while on that Victoria Falls adventure? Kaching! You’ll need cash.

7. Health

You want to make sure you stay healthy when you travel in Africa. This will mean that you may need to get a yellow fever vaccination or take malaria prophylactics, depending on the areas your overland trip route takes you through.

8. Insurance

Travel insurance is oh-so important! You’ll need to pay a once off travel insurance premium to ensure that you are covered for every possible mishaps you could endure for the entirety of your travels. Missing luggage? No problem, you’re sorted! Flight changes? Book another! Broken ribs? That camel was higher than it looked! Getting comprehensive travel insurance will cover everything.

9. Spending Money

When you are travelling through Africa there may be curios you wish to buy, food you’d like to try or souvigniers you wish to purchase, you’ll need dough for all that. It is recommended that you take approximately $25 per day with you on your overland trip for these extra expenses. Trust me. Now that you're sorted to effectively plan your budget overland trip, good luck, and take loads of photos! BOOK an overland trip now.

Checklist image from Fanginhoon

What is Yellow Fever?

Yellow Fever, also known as “Yellow Jack" in slang, is a mosquito-borne viral disease, spread by the bite of female mosquitoes. Just in case there are any doctors in the house, in technical terms, Yellow Fever is an acute viral hemorrhagic disease that is a 40 to 50 nm enveloped RNA virus with positive sense of the Flaviviridae family. Check out the funny educational YouTube video below to better understand Yellow Fever, it's symptoms and how it can be prevented.

When is Yellow Fever Prevalent?

The majority of the little suckers are fussy with the conditions they live in. Therefore Yellow Fever is most common at the end of the rainy season in West and Central Africa which is July to October.

How Can I Get Yellow Fever?

Seeing as the disease is passed on from infected mosquito to human, the infection happens when someone is actually bitten by an infected Aedes aegypti mosquito.

How Can I Avoid It?

If you’re planning to travel to a country affected by Yellow Fever, you will need to get a Yellow Fever vaccination and the subsequent Yellow Fever vaccination certificate which verifies that you have received the immunisation. A Yellow Fever vaccination certificate is valid for 10 years. When entering an affected area you will need to present your vaccination certificate. Officials will not let you into a country without it. Kapeesh? As a further safety precaution (because getting bitten by any mosquito isn't fun) it's advised that you wear long sleeves and long pants and use an insect repellent containing DEET when out in the evenings. Sleeping under a mosquito net decreases chances of getting bitten by mosquitoes, also, staying in rooms with air-conditioning or a fan helps. At night you will find that burning a mosquito coil proves to be very effective at deterring mosquitoes.

Above: mosquito by Zoran Ozetsky

Where is Yellow Fever Prevalent?

The Yellow Fever virus is found in tropical and subtropical areas in South America and Africa, but not in Asia. As far as white coats know, the only hosts of the virus are primates and several species of mosquito. What countries require you to have a yellow fever certificate? Check out the World Health Organisation's country list of yellow fever vaccination requirements and recommendations.

Symptoms of Yellow Fever:

If you only have a mild infection your symptoms will be one, or a few, of the following: fever, headache, chills, back pain, loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting. Mild infection often only lasts for three to four days. Fifteen percent of these cases lead to a toxic phase with recurring fever, this time accompanied by jaundice due to liver damage, as well as abdominal pain. Other symptoms include bleeding in the mouth, the eyes and in the gastrointestinal tract which causes blood to appear in up-heaved vomit. Not fun.  Only about 20% of cases where infection has led to the toxic phase prove to be fatal. If you survive a Yellow Fever infection you will have life-long immunity to the disease. Luckily there usually isn’t any permanent organ damage from getting Yellow Fever.

Treatment of Yellow Fever:

In the case of Yellow Fever, prevention is better than cure, seeing as there isn’t an effective treatment against the Yellow Fever virus. The flu-like symptoms you get after first contracting the virus is treatable with acetaminophen. Serious infections need medical attention as soon as possible, making hospitalisation one’s best bet. With a simple Yellow Fever vaccination, you will be happily protected against Yellow Fever and are free to travel in affected areas without hassle.

There are all kinds of motivations for going to a third world country, or even just a highly rural area. Whether it’s a service-based mission trip or a study abroad experience, there are additional precautions everyone must take when they travel to Africa, to ensure a safe and enjoyable trip. Here are a few quick tips to keep that holiday in Africa, a holiday in Africa.

Image by Aleksandra P

Before you travel to Africa

1. Insurance

Call your health insurance companies. Besides the simple tips in this post, they have dealt with enough cases and are concerned enough about your health to offer anything you’d ever want to know about travelling to Africa.

2. Drug Mule

Get prescriptions from doctors for your prescription drugs. No one wants to be convicted of dealing drugs on their holiday!

3. Medical travel kit

Load up a travel kit full of over-the-counter medications like ibuprofen, aspirin, antibiotic ointment, band-aids and antacids.  They’ll be a huge help, and I would think anyone would be at a greater peace of mind knowing they already have these things on hand.

4. Vaccinations

Get your vaccinations! The four necessary ones are Hepatitis A & B, yellow fever, and typhoid, but you also should consider other recommended vaccinations as well when you're planning to travel to Africa.

During travel in Africa

5.  Use sun protection!

Wear sunscreen - anything over 30 SPF is recommended to avoid sun burn and blisters. Besides neck protection, a wide-brimmed safari hats plus polarized sunglasses protects the eyes too.

6. Stay hydrated

It’s been noted that physical and mental capabilities decrease drastically as you become more dehydrated. Keeping that water level up will have you feeling lively and give you the strength to outrun those lions and gazelles - that's a joke.

7. Watch what you drink

Staying hydrated is important, but equally important is how you stay hyrdrated. According to a Blue Planet study, contaminated water accounts for 80% of diseases in developing worlds. If you don’t like the 4/5 chance of getting sick, boil your water, use purifying tablets, and stick to bottled water when travelling in Africa.

8. Don't shower with your mouth open

Keep your mouth closed in the shower (think Sex and the City: The Movie) and brush your teeth with purified water. It’s not always easy, but try to confirm if your food was washed with purified water.

9. Be fussy

Be aware of street vendors and strive for food cooked in front of you. Otherwise, there’s no telling how long your meal had been sitting under a heat lamp baking in bacteria. Otherwise, go vegan for a safer bet.

10. Sanitise

Bring hand sanitizer and work it into your hands for at least 20 seconds to ensure all the doorknobs, handrails, and market items you’ve touched stay where they came from. You only want to bring the good things home with you! Now that you're clued up on what you need to stay healthy when you travel to Africa, it's time to book that safari in Africa!

About the author

Nate Schrader, writer for Travel Products enjoys learning anything about the world to help the confused traveler. When he’s not writing, he’s planning his next trip and one day strives to take a mission trip to those in need. Happy travels!

A trip to Africa can be the experience of a lifetime. Whether you're exploring the architecture and giant bazaars of Morocco, the pyramids in Egypt, or going on a safari in Sub-Sahara Africa, you are bound to have an unforgettable journey. Before you set out on your adventure, however, you should pay careful attention to which vaccinations are required. Some are mandatory and others are highly advisable, but the below breakdown tells you everything you need to know, when it comes to vaccinations for travel in Africa: Photo by Kurhan

Routine Shots

Most adults try to keep up to date on their standard vaccinations, including things like measles, chicken pox and influenza. While there are no laws (either in Africa or abroad) that require you to be up to date on these shots, it is a great idea to have them done before you travel. These diseases which are not considered relevant or life threatening in a Westernised country can become more dangerous when you travel to Africa.

Required Vaccinations for Travel in Africa

There is only one vaccination which is mandatory at selected border crossings in Africa, and that is a Yellow Fever vaccination. You can either get this injection vaccine before you go, or when at the border. However, if you wait until you get to the border, be prepared to pay over double what you would've paid at home. Other than Yellow Fever, there are no vaccinations you HAVE to take. Even malaria tablets are optional, however highly recommended. The most common optional, but important, vaccinations needed when travelling in Africa include immunisation against Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Typhoid and Tetnis. The Center for Disease Control also has an additional list which contains recommended or required vaccines for specific countries. Be sure to check this list and comply with the requirements well before visiting your intended African destination.

Is a Yellow Fever shot painful?

No. Yellow Fever shots are not painful. I heard horror stories about how the injection needed to be administered through the spine and was bone chillingly painful. I can safely tell you that this is absolute rubbish. I recently had the Yellow Fever and Typhoid injections in one arm, and the Hepatitis and Tetnis injections in the other.  There was a tiny prick of the needle and it was all over. The next day however there was a small bump where the needle went in, but this is completely normal and the lump eventually goes away, as does the slightly bruised feeling.

Plan in Advance

It is important not to leave your required vaccinations until the last minute. Many shots can be quickly administered, but take a week or longer to work effectively against a disease. Whenever possible, speak with your physician a few months in advance, and make an appointment to receive vaccinations 4-6 weeks prior to departing. Remember that if you require a series of shots, as is required for vaccines like those protecting against Hepatitis, you might need to have several shots, each a few days or weeks apart.

Bring Paperwork

Don't assume that since you have had vaccinations that you can forget about it during your vacation. Bring along medical documentation of the various diseases you are protected against, in case any government authorities or border patrols need to see it before allowing you entry. In particular, you will certainly need documentation of yellow fever vaccinations if you enter most Sub-Saharan countries, including South Africa.

Malaria

While not technically a vaccine, it is wise to consider which preventative measures you can take against Malaria when visiting Africa. Understand what precautions you can take while there to avoid the disease, and take anti-malarial tablets before you depart, during your trip and possibly even after your return. Watch this YouTube video for more guidelines for how to survive in African Wilderness and what vaccinations you will need to travel to Africa: By following these guidelines, you will be ready for your safari in Africa! Remember that many vaccinations for travel in Africa are required, so be sure to plan for them during your vacation preparations.

On an overland trip can be delicious. Just because grandpa used to pack twelve cans of baked beans and play musical sleeping bags alone in his tent, doesn’t mean you have to. Sure, the whole ‘baked beans on toast’ meal is somewhat of a camping tradition, but we’ve evolved since then. Ah, sweet, sweet evolution. Check out the best camping breakfast ideas!

On-the-go Breakfast Ideas

Photo by Pontus Edenberg For mornings when you rise, shine and need to hit the road first thing, a quick fill-the-gap breakfast is needed to boost you all the way to lunch. Great, quick best camping breakfast ideas for a camping trip include:

• Option 1: Toast and spreads
• Option 2: Muesli and yoghurt
• Option 3: Fruit

Bacon and Egg Breakfasts

Photos by: Anna Moderska and Andrea Kratzenberg There are many variations to the winning combo of bacon and eggs. A few of these creative bacon and egg breakfast ideas include:

• Option 1: Paper Bag Bacon and Eggs
• Option 2: Eggs in a hat

Paper Bag Bacon and Eggs

• 2 strips bacon (thick)
• 1 paper bag
• 1 egg
• 1 stick

This is a real Huckle Berry Fin brekkie. Cut bacon strips in two, place at the bottom of the paper bag, covering the bottom. It is important that you have thick strips of bacon because thing ones will stick to the paper bag when cooked. Crack the egg and put it in the paper bag on top of the bacon. Fold the bag’s side down four times and poke the stick through from one side to the other and slide the stick through. So that the bag is hanging on the end of the stick. Hold the bacon and egg bag over the charcoal and watch the grease from the bacon protect the bag and cook the meal. After about 10 minutes when the meal is finished cooking, place on the table and slice the bag open. The bag has just becomes the plate! Simple and adventurous! Eggs in a hat

• 4 slices of your favourite bread
• 4 eggs
• 4 slices of ham
• 4 slices of cheese

(serves 4 dah!) Warm a greased skillet over a low heat. We’re not cremating anything here. Using a drinking glass, cut out a hole in the centre of your bread, taking care not to break the crust. Place the bread in the skillet and lightly toast it on both sides. Crack an egg into the hole in the bread and cook until the egg white is almost solid. Flip over and place a slice of cheese and then a slice of ham. Serve when cheese is melted. Anyone else here drooling?

Non-greasy camping breakfasts

Photo by Ivo Ruijters Non-greasy camping breakfasts are great for the heart and the hips and are therefore one of the best camping breakfast ideas.

• Option 1: Monkey Breakfast
• Option 2: Blueberry Maple Pancakes

Monkey Breakfast

• 1 banana
• 1 muffin
• 1 piece strog cheese
• 1 box juice

Blueberry Maple Pancakes The Dry Mix (pre-packed):

• 2/3 cup white flour
• 1/3 cup whole-wheat flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons sea salt
• Dash of fresh-grated nutmeg

In Camp Add:

• 1 cup milk
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 egg
• ½ blueberries
• Maple syrup to taste

On an oiled griddle, fry over the campfire over a medium-to-hot heat. Turn pancake once when the top has formed bubbles and the pancake surface has gone from shiny to dry. Baked beans is no longer one of the best camping breakfast ideas and I think you’ll agree that its time to kick it to the curb. Never have I seen the fear in a child’s eye like that of little Johnny sitting by the campfire innocently roasting his marshmallow, terrified grandpa will turn his back to the fire as that can of baked beans kicks in… turning grandpa into a human flame thrower. Bye-bye marshmellow. Bye-by eyebrows.

Photo by Karen Andrews