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There are countless companies on many different scales operating overland tours and you may find that you are spoilt for choice. Here are the main points to look out for:
When you are checking value for money you must first make sure that the tour company will include entry to certain National Parks and Game Reserves. Even though it may say in the brochure, for example, that at the start of week 2 you will reach the Okavango Delta in Botswana - are they including a trip into the Delta or have you just booked yourself onto an incredibly cheap tour only to find that you are paying through the nose when you reach every site of interest along the way! Be wise!! It is also important to check what meals are included. Ideally they should all be included and should all come out of one big kitty (paid at the start of the trip to your driver). This way they will certainly work out cheaper for you in the long run as you they are bought in bulk for the whole group as you go along. Cooking duties will normally be shared amongst the group while someone else will be on the roster to clean up after you. This actually works out very well and surprisingly, the occasional gourmet banquet is created from the strangest of food combinations. (Some overland companies now include a local cook to help out with the meals on some of the shorter trips allowing you to rest in bed for that extra half an hour in the morning as you hear the sizzle of breakfast through the tent canvas!). One of the most important points to check is back-up. Travelling vast distances over such hostile terrain will inevitably take its toll on the trucks so adequate back-up is essential. This means that the driver (and co-driver) are fully trained and able to fix most minor problems en-route, but more importantly, spare parts should not be too far away - which either means other trucks racing out to you or else getting the injured truck to the nearest town where help is at hand. Most of the major companies also have emergency radio contact with their headquarters in the UK or elsewhere. It is also good to check how many drivers are on your trip. The better trips operate two - a driver and a co-driver - to alternate the driving and also in case one of them becomes ill (Yes, even the leaders can get Malaria!). Have a good read of the brochure and try and decide what kind of person or age group the trip is aimed at. Most companies say you must be between 18-40 years old. If you ask your travel agent or tour company they will generally let you know the average age of the people in the group on your truck.
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"This
book is mainly a guide to adventure travel around the world and is great
to use as a source of inspiration. It also includes contact details of
tour operators around the globe."
The Travellers
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