Overland Travel in Africa

Hello from Neil and Dwayne in Gaborone, Botswana.

So what is it like travelling overland with GAP Adventures? Well, it is not for everybody, but we are both enjoying it.

Our vehicle is almost brand new. It holds about 20 people, but there are about 16 of us. We have a guide/driver and a cook (Wimpy and Yolandi). All the gear stores underneath, including our luggage, tents, pads, camp chairs, equipment and food. We share in some really light duties, but nothing hard at all. We are all great at pitching our tents, 5 minutes max, very easy. We each have a comfy pad to put our sleeping bags on. There is room in the tents for our packs too. Not bad, and they have proved to be quite waterproof during some brief rains.

Almost all of our meals are provided, and the food is camping style, but pretty good. So, where do we stay you ask? Well, it is nothing like we thought, we are definitely not on the open African plains. We stop each night (or second night) at a campground, typically surrounded by an electric fence. Usually the fence is so far away you are not aware of it (except for the fact we can sleep at night!). The camps have nice showers, sinks, toilets etc, and they all have bars (woo hoo) with really cheap drinks. A couple have had pools, but nothing I would put more than my feet in.

We started in Victoria Falls, then went south to Gweta, Botswana, crossing the border from Zambia on a barge. Our campground was Planet Baobab, with those fantastic trees all around us. We generally just got to know each other and bonded at the bar.

Next stop was Maun, Botswana, gateway to the Okavango Delta. We were disappointed that the only option was a flight over the Delta, as part of our group had stopped there for 3 days previously. We did visit a crocodile farm and saw thousands, including one huge one that was 80 years old.

It was on to Ghanzi, Botswana, and a very nice camp on the edge of the Kalahari Desert. We had a fantastic bush walk with a guide, and 7 tribespeople accompanying us. They demonstrated how they survive in the harsh desert environment, and showed us traditional medicines made from plants and roots. Was very well done - very memorable.

Sat by the campfire that night under the African sky, just chatting and drinking like we do at home - but it did feel different.

We had a long drive to Gaborone today, and are staying in a somewhat bizarre campground in the city. Like everything here, the campground is surrounded by barbed wire, and gated.

We are off to some serious animal viewing in South Africa tomorrow.

So far, only animal viewing has been on the highway. Dwayne is good, and so far we have giraffe, elephant (a huge bull), ostrichs, a poisonous spider, lizards and today, a hard working dung beetle.