Expertise and Specialisation
We started in 1990 with one office in Zimbabwe and through many years of hard work and perseverance have grown to our current size. We believe our success and growth has been down to the fact that 90% of the people who work with us as road crew and in the office and workshop staff are African. These are the people of Africa, showing you their Africa. Our management team have had years of experience as road crew, and have enjoyed the excitement of life on the road and exploring this magnificent continent.
Licences and Associations
All our vehicles have full passenger and company liability insurance underwritten by Lloyds of London. We belong to the following associations: SATSA, Tasa, ISIC, atta, ASTA, Zimbabwe Tourism Authority & BSA. We are also SATSA Bonded.
Responsible Travel
We believe in showing our clients a real and authentic experience in Africa that also benefits the environment and the local people in the countries we travel through. We do this by supporting local community projects, using local operators for our optional excursions, buying provisions that are produced locally and respecting the environment. We are sensitive to local cultures and our crew are at hand to advise on appropriate behavior and dress where relevant.
Scheduled Overland Trips
Season: Year round
These are guaranteed departures in both a north and southbound direction through southern and eastern Africa varying from 3 to 63 days in length. We provide overland participation camping trips for groups of up to 30 people and supply all necessary camping and catering equipment (except for a sleeping bag and mat) for the duration of the trip. We operate these trips with our custom built overland trucks and stay at various camp sites either inside national parks or at selected highlights along the way.
Charter Trips
Season: Year round
We offer tailor made group charter trips in Southern and Eastern Africa. We can design a tailor-made itinerary that will take you exactly where you want to go and give you a fully equipped vehicle and crew.
Free Trips
Season: Year round
For any trips that are 10 days or longer in length and Start or Finish in Victoria Falls, Nairobi and Cape Town, you are entitled to a Free 3 Day Hwange Community Experience (from Victoria Falls), Free 3 day Masai Mara Safari (from Nairobi) and Free 3 day Cape Town City Package (from Cape Town). The Local Payment still applies and is to be paid at pre-departure meeting.
Free Masai Mara Safari (NN3) departs ex Nairobi on the Thursday before the Overland Trip departs Nairobi and Sunday after the Overland Trip arrives in Nairobi.
Free Hwange Community Experience (VV3) ex Vic Falls departs on the Thursday before the Overland Trip departs Vic Falls and the Monday after the Overland trip arrives in Vic Falls.
Free Cape Town City package (CC3) ex Cape Town on the Thursday before the Overland Trip departs Cape Town and on the Saturday that the Overland trip arrives in Cape Town.
Please advise upon booking if you wish to add the Free Safari to your Overland Trip!
Food and Beverages
We supply meals as specified on our daily itineraries. Our scheduled departures have a safari cook who does the shopping and the meal planning and cooking. As these are participation trips, travellers help with the meal preparation on a rota basis and the cook supervises to check that hygiene standards are upheld. Meals are varied with cereals and toast with spreads each day and a cooked breakfast a few times a week.
Lunches are usually taken while in transit to the next destination and lunch stops are in scenic spots in rural areas along the way. Dinner is a cooked meal and varies dependant on what is seasonally available. The cook ensures that the meals are balanced and we are able to cater for vegetarians and travellers with food allergies. Our trucks carry water tanks with drinkable water for the duration of the trip.
Accommodation
All our trips are camping trips and travellers must bring their own sleeping bag and mat to sleep on. We supply 2 man dome tents with sewn in ground sheets and mosquito netting. Each tent has a ‘fly-sheet’ to divert water in the rain.
Transport
Travellers are transported in our custom built Mercedes Benz or MAN overland trucks that carry all camping equipment, catering equipment, food supplies, luggage and passengers. They are designed so that different parts of the truck have a different section for storage (kitchen is separate to tents etc). Our trucks have mostly forward facing seats, with some having inward facing seats and a small table. Each carries a ‘cooler box’ for drinks and almost all have glass sliding windows to ensure good visibility of the scenery while travelling.
Local Guides
Our Trip leaders are very knowledgeable and have full training before being put in charge of their own trip. Where possible, we use local guides for excursions as we believe this benefits the local communities and gives the traveller a more enriching experience.
Age Restrictions
We have no upper age limit on our trips with a minimum age of 18 except on our family trips and departures where the minimum age is 6 years.
What to Bring
All travellers require a sleeping bag and mat, passport, visas, spending money for optional excursions (see end of each trip dossier for price guide), both warm and cool clothing, a small first aid kit, a rain jacket and personal effects. Travellers should refer to the pre-departure information and money guide before their trip to ensure that they have prepared properly.
Africa Travel Co Ltd (Reg No. Z-47841), hereinafter referred to as ATC, accepts bookings subject to the client agreeing to the conditions set out below:
1. A booking will be accepted when ATC has received a non-refundable deposit of GBP150, a completed booking form, and have issued a confirmation. Any monies paid to an agent of ATC does not guarantee the booking, should that agent default in payment to ATC. ATC reserves the right to decline any booking.
2. The deposit will form part payment of the trip cost. The balance of the trip cost is due 56 days prior to departure. ATC reserves the right to treat any arrangements as being cancelled by the client if ATC or their agent does not receive such payment. ATC is not obliged to issue or deliver tickets, vouchers or documents until full payment has been made by the client or agent to ATC. The Local Payment must be paid in US$ dollars cash to the Trip Leader on the day of departure.
3. ATC has no intention of making substantial alterations or of cancelling any arrangements booked for a client, but in the event that this is deemed necessary prior to departure, and taking into account the interest of the client, ATC will promptly send out notification of such changes or cancellation.
4. ATC may cancel, suspend, alter or withdraw the booking at any time prior to the departure date when final payment of the trip cost is due, in which case the Company’s liability will be limited to refunding all monies received from the client for land travel only.
5. At any time ATC may cancel, suspend, alter or withdraw the booking in the event or force majeure, in which case the client will be refunded monies received by the Company, less any deductions for reasonable expenses incurred by the Company.
6. ATC waiver (shown as on page 2) of the basic trip cost for the three day Masai Mara Safari (page 5) and or the 3 day Hwange Safari (page 10) is only offered when the booking is made at the same time for the Tanzanian Game Parks and Zanzibar, Gorillas and Game Parks, Gorillas Game Parks and Zanzibar, Victoria Falls to Windhoek, Southern Adventure, Northern Adventure, Southern Sun, Southern Discoverer, Southern Safari, Northern Safari, Gorillas and Southern Discoverer, East African Discoverer, African Explorer, Southern Explorer, Southern Trek, Northern Trek, Grand Africa or the Great African Trek. It is not redeemable in any other form or at any other time other than specified by ATC. Local payment costs still apply.
7. Cancellation, transfers/amendments of a booking must be notified in writing to ATC. Should the client need to transfer the trip date, notification of the requested new date must be notified at the time of the transfer request.
(i) Cancellation charges will be levied as follows:
- Earlier than 56 days before departure, the full deposit will be forfeited.
- Between 55 and 29 days before departure 35% of the trip cost or deposit whichever is the greater, will be forfeited.
- Between 28 and 14 days before departure 75% of the trip cost or deposit whichever is the greater, will be forfeited.
- Between 13 days and day of departure 100% of the trip cost will be forfeited.
(ii) Transfer/Amendment charges will be levied as follows:
- Earlier than 56 days before departure: GBP 75
- Between 55 and 29 days before departure: GBP 125
- Between 28 and 14 days before departure GBP 200
- Between 13 days and the day of departure: 100% of the trip cost will be forfeited
If a client fails to join a trip, joins after the trip departure, or leaves before the specified arrival date, no refund will be made. No refund will be made in respect to any part of the trip, including the Local Payment contribution. Clients are advised to arrange travel insurance on booking in order to provide cover for these charges in the event of cancellation or delay.
8. Before accepting booking, ATC reserves the right to alter published prices. After confirming a booking ATC will only alter prices to take into account factors beyond its control, such as currency fluctuations, surcharges or other transportation or accommodation costs. Local Payment contributions are based on prices at the time of printing and price increases after this time may make it necessary to vary the Local Payment prior to departure. Any increase will not exceed 20% of the published Local Payment contribution.
9. It is the responsibility of the client to ensure that they are in possession of valid travel documents, including passports, visas, health certificates, etc. ATC cannot accept any liability for incorrect documentation.
10. Trip bookings are only valid for the dates and routings specified thereon unless otherwise specifically authorised.
11. Clients are advised that in many countries there is no free health service, and that local vehicle insurance is of limited value. Clients must obtain personal travel insurance and are urged to ensure that this is adequate for the full duration of the arrangements, particularly in respect to accident, medical and repatriation expenses. If the client has dependants, insurance to cover these responsibilities is also recommended.
12. The client accepts that all trips are of an adventurous nature and involves an element of personal risk, and that neither ATC not its agents can be held liable for any injury, damage to property or loss of life caused. The client accepts responsibility for all risks involved.
13. The client agrees to indemnify ATC in respect of any accident, personal injury, loss of life or damage to property caused by the client during the course of the trip.
14. The client agrees to comply with the laws and regulations of all the countries visited on trip, and comply with all reasonable instructions of the Trip Leader relating to the safety and organisation of the trip.
15. This agreement between the client and ATC is made subject to and shall be interpreted and construed in an English court of law.