Getting organized
| Affliated Websites |
| Apus Peru Adventure Trekking Specialists (South America) |
| Safari Salama (West Africa) |
| World Travels - stories and adventures from around the world |
| Explore Central America - adventures to far away places |
There is a lot to think of when you are getting ready for your trip of a lifetime - this page is designed to make things easier for you.
| "Every morning in Africa, an antelope wakes up. It knows it must outrun the fastest lion, or it will be killed. Every morning in Africa, a lion wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the slowest antelope, or it will starve. It doesn't matter whether you're the lion or an antelope - when the sun comes up, you'd better be running." - African Proverb |
| Visas |
Depending on
your nationality, many of the countries we visit will require visas. Exact
prices seem to vary from different embassies so we can not give you an
exact price.
Please refer
to the individual trips for an approximation of visa costs. We will usually
buy visas along the way in the preceding countries. We will do everything
in our power to help you with visas and we will usually organize them
along the road or help you to organize them.
(If in the
rare occasion that you are refused a visa due to nationality you may have
to fly over and meet us at your cost)
Make sure your passport is valid for the duration of the journey and for the Trans Africa you have at LEAST 25 free pages.
| Flights |
You will have
to buy a flight (or make your way overland) to the start of the trip.
For the Trans Africa this will be Malaga, Spain. Easyjet and Ryanair offer
cheap flights to Malaga and Algeciras. We may be able to make more suggestions
closer to the date of departure.
You are responsible
for all your flights before and after the trip. When booking your flight
after the trip - allow time after the trip ends in case of any delays
we may encounter…. WE CANNOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR MISSED FLIGHTS
EVEN IF THE TRIP IS RUNNING LATE DUE TO POLITICAL OR ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS.
Please ensure that the date is changeable on your flight.
Again, travel insurance can cover some of these problems but you need to read the fine print.
 |
| Visas |
| Flights |
| Health |
| Insurance |
| What to pack |
| Spending money |
| List of Health Clinics |
our passengers like to mingle with the locals
| Health | |
|
Inoculations
are required for yellow fever (you will receive a certificate which
you need to display for certain countries - don't forget it!). You
should consider vaccinations against Typhoid, Rabies, Hepatitis
A/B/C, Tetanus, Polio and Meningitis - but don't take our word for
it - GO TO A TRAVELLER'S HEALTH CLINIC. It is a good idea to consult
your traveler's health clinic about all aspects of travel in Africa
before you depart; they have a lot of good information available.
We carry drinking water on the truck - but it is up to you if you
want to treat it. It is normal to experience a few tummy upsets
along the way as your body adjusts to the different foods and conditions. While
we don't have any age restrictions on our trips, a reasonable level
of fitness is essential. If you have any medical problems that may
affect your health on tour then you must advise us prior to booking
the trip. Mental health is paramount - you must be ready for an
adventure and be able to keep a positive attitude in trying conditions. * Please
talk to your doctor about side affects of Larium based anti-malarials
if they are prescribed to you. |
The things you encounter on the road in Serengeti |
| Medical Kits | |
| A comprehensive medical kit is on the truck; however it is necessary for each person to bring a personal medical kit with them, especially if you have specific medical needs. |  |
| Malaria | |
| The risk of contracting malaria in certain parts of Africa is high. Anti-malarial prophylactic tablets are often advised by doctors although none are 100% effective. Please consult your Doctor regarding anti-malarials specifically for you. In conjunction to anti-malarials, you are advised to cover up after dusk and before dawn, use a strong repellent (containing DEET, also please be advised by your health clinic about DEET) and impregnated mosquito nets. |  |
| HIV | |
| HIV is not just prevalent in Africa it is rampant. Abstinence is the best policy. Most hospitals in Africa now use clean syringes however it is recommended that you have some in your personal medical kit. (As do we in the truck medical kit) |  |
| Insurance | |
|
Insurance
is compulsory for all countries you intend to visit; including personal
accident, medical expenses and repatriation is advisable. We also
recommend insurance for your personal belongings (such as cameras,
music players and personal items of value). We will
need a photocopy of your insurance at the pre departure meeting
on the first day of your trip before you can commence the tour. We highly
recommend insurance is taken out UPON BOOKING of the intended trip
to cover non refundable deposit and/or flights if you are not able
to take the trip due to extenuating circumstances. (Please read
fine print of your chosen policy) |
Camel riding Timbuktu, Mali |
| Spending Money | |
|
Spending
Money = £40- 65 Sterling per week This
is very individual and varies greatly from person to person. Spending
money should include money for optional excursions, snacks, alcohol,
souvenirs and additional extras. We will have an occasional group
meal not included in the local payment. We recommend that you budget
more for the section Cape Town to Nairobi than for our other African
stages as this is on the established "Overland trail"
and there are many more optional excursions and activities available. You
should bring a good amount of cash to get started and then a mix
of credit cards and travelers cheques along the way. |
Room with a view, Cameroon |
| What to Pack | |
|
Most
Airlines offer 20 kgs so this is a good figure to start with. (many
people end up with a backpack full of souvenirs by the end of the
trip) So if you have any left over clothes there will always be
someone to donate them to. Bring a backpack not a suitcase. These
are more practical and pack better in our trucks. A 40 to 60L backpack
is usually suffiecient for all the clothes you need. (people have
done the whole trip in the past with a just few shorts and shirts!!
) Bring a good rollmat and sleeping bag . We will experience some
cold nights so it is best to buy a sleeping bag that covers a wide
range of temperatures . Many people buy or make a sleeping bag liner
that is great for keeping your sleeping bag a bit cleaner and also
doubles as a sheet in warm weather. For trips in South America and
Asia it is recommended that your sleeping bag is rated to -10 If you
have any special medication then bring enough for your intended
period of travel. many drugs are available over the counter in these
countries but they are often of generic brands. Bring any name brand
toiletries that you specifically use as they may not be available.
But if you are not fussy then shampoos, soaps, razors etc of reasonable
quality will be available all the way. We will
experience more warmer wheather in Africa than cold so pack accordingly
but always bring wet whether gear and a good jacket. In South
America and Asia we will experience many extremes of weather often
with very cold nights and clear bright days. If you
need more information on weather then www.wunderground.com
is a useful reference about specific locations. The
trip is pretty rough and ready so designer labels can be left at
home! |
Cheetah park, Namibia
"Big Millies", Ghana |
| List of Health Clinics | |
|
Inclusion in this list is not considered a recommendation or endorsement by Safari Salama. Health
Clinics in London Travel
Clinic for Hospital of Tropical Diseases First
Contact Travel Clinic Health clinics in Australia MELBOURNE
/ CAULFIELD SYDNEY DICKSON BRISBANE TOOWOOMBA SURFERS
PARADISE DARWIN EAST
PERTH WEST
PERTH
|
Lake Bunyoni, Uganda
Serengetti
Elmina, Ghana
lion, Zimbabwe
|
{text2}{photos2}
| Home | Top of Page | Privacy |