Frequently Asked Questions

You will need a Yellow Fever vaccination and will need to produce documentation to prove it. Hepatitis A & C immunisations are recommended and you may need some anti-malaria drugs depending on where you are travelling to.

Consult your GP or tropical health expert BEFORE you travel. Some Malaria treatment must be started before you leave home.

Your crew are experienced at what they do but are not doctors. There is a first-aid box on board that can be used temporarily for major problems but you need to bring your own small first aid kit for day to day mishaps.

The overland crew have an good knowledge of tropical diseases and are aware of where the closest hospitals are. They also have your Travel Insurance details.

If you do get sick on tour then inform your crew immediately. If you are sick upon return to your home country then consult your doctor and make them aware of what tropical diseases you have been exposed to.

Yes you do. Without it you will not be allowed to depart on tour.

Make sure your Travel Insurance covers you for all of the adventure activities you wish to try as well as comprehensive medical and repatriation cover. These things are far more important than your clothes and toiletries!

Cover provided by your Credit Card company is not sufficient.

Yes, it is. The trucks are all inspected and maintained before departure and while on the road. Crew are experienced and know the environment. Everything you need is on board and the crew will never put you in any unnecessary danger.

Should any conflict erupt within a country or town you are going to travel to while on tour, 'Plan B' will take effect to divert your trip if necessary.

Different tours include different things. Your more luxury tour will have more adventure activities or hotel accommodation included in the cost whereas the budget tours you can pick and choose which activity you want to do and accommodation is mainly camping.

Some or all meals are included as well as your transport and services of the Crew. Your itinerary will have all of these details.

There are safes on most of the trucks which are locked at all times. It is always important to insure your valuables just to be certain.

You are ultimately responsible for your own money and valuables and their safe keeping.

Yes, the terrain that overland trucks cover can be rugged and you can never be too certain about what happens when you are out in the wilderness! Your camera could get stolen, get wet or caught in a dust storm.

It is best to book as early as possible to ensure you get a seat on the trip that you prefer.

If you are thinking about travelling during the peak tourist seasons it is best to book a few months beforehand.

The kitty or local payment is a portion of your total tour cost which gets paid directly to your Crew at the beginning of the tour. Not every tour has a separate local payment fee.

Mainly it just saves the logisical nightmare of getting cash to your Crew for grocery shopping and some pre-booked activities/park fees.

Overlanding groups range from 12 people to about 24 people.

Group size all depends on the type of tour that you choose, where you choose to travel to and the season you travel in.

Overlanders are usually aged between 18 and 50 and are relatively fit and healthy. Exceptions are made to the age bracket for those over the age of 50 who are healthy and young at heart.

The minimum age for a standard overland tour is 18 years.

Family tours have a minimum age of 6 years.

Anyone and everyone. People from all walks of life. Students, corporate business people, retired folk and basically anyone that has an interest and passion for experiencing Africa.

Most of your overland trip will be spent in or around the truck, which is why it is so important to read through the overland truck section so that you have an understanding about the vehicle you choose to travel in.

Drive days can range from being very short (a couple of hours) to pretty long (all day). Usually long drive days are followed by 2 or more days staying at the same spot.

Each tour, country, area and region is different and the weather can play a big part.

Overland tours are mostly camping based. In certain areas you will stay in hostels and on certain trips full hotel or lodge accommodation is included.

Your tour itinerary will give you a breakdown of the style of accommodation for your tour.

A fully equipped and purpose built Overland truck is used.

Some overland trucks have windows, others have a cover. The truck is geared towards covering all different types of terrain and is safe in extreme conditions.

There are a number of different types of overland trucks that are used for different trips and some activities involve using bigger or smaller vehicles as the need arises.

Almost anything you can think of! Types of food will include the local cuisine of the country you are visiting. At times when you stay in a hostel breakfast is included and occasionally you might go out for a group meal.

If you have any special dietary requirements then you need to let us know when you book.

On some overland tours there will be a cook who will deliver a host of culinary delights. On other tours everyone will take turns to cook.

No. Vegetarians, Vegans and anyone with allergies or special dietary requirements can be catered for as long as you tell us in advance so we can let the Crew know and they can shop accordingly.

Keep in mind that your favourite foodstuffs you can purchase at home are not always (if at all) available in Africa.

All visa's are solely your responsibility.

Most African visas can be purchased at the border posts or in the countries you travel into however some can not.

When you book you should check out which visa's can be purchased at the African borders on arrival, and which can't.

At least a month in advance you should check with Overlanding Africa or your closest African embassies to see if any changes have been made to visa application rules.

Allow at least 1 full page per country you will be travelling to, plus 2 full pages for South Africa and 2 full pages spare.

South Africa requires that you have two blank pages (alongside each other) in your passport.

If you don't have enough space in your existing passport then it is a good idea to get a new one.

Temporary or emergency passports are not accepted in many places.

No they are not.

We can help you find the best deal – ask any of our travel consultants.

Overland trips in Africa are not all about camping. There are also accommodated versions of the same trips for those who don't want to sleep in a tent.

Check out the details on our Camping vs Accommodated page.