Trip Info

The Vehicles

For the Overland trips, the vehicles used by TIA Safaris are owned and cared for by Africa’s most well-known and largest Overland company, Africa Travel Co. With over twenty-five years experience, over 50 trucks on the road, and workshops in both Nairobi and Capetown, Africa Travel Co. has learned to customize its trucks for maximum comfort and safety. Most of the trucks we will be using are Mercedes Benz, MAN, and/or Tata all of which are diligently cared for and monitored during the trip. They are self-sufficient with cooking and camping equipment, long-range fuel tanks, 300-400 liter water tanks, exterior and interior lighting, windows and stereos.

For Charter trips, depending on the size of the group, TIA Safaris may use the same trucks mentioned above, or may use other trucks that best  meet the individual group’s needs and wants, i.e. Toyota Landcruisers for groups from 1-7 persons. For accommodated trips, there are several options including vehicles with other amenities such as air-conditioning, small refrigeration units, and/or outlets for charging.

The Crew

On our Overlanding trips, we have a three-person crew; your guide, a driver, who also serves as a mechanic, and a cook. The crew have an intimate knowledge and love for Africa and will seek to share that with you as you adventure with us. Their enthusiasm and passion will better serve to make sure your trip goes beyond your expectations.

Food

The safari cook generally does the cooking on the trip. We do ask that you help participate in the preparation of meals, as with other menial chores, on a rotational basis. Meals and menus will vary according to what produce is available locally, but three healthy meals will be provided each day for breakfast, lunch and dinner. In towns and cities there is the optional possibility of dining out in local restaurants.

 

If you have any special food needs or preferences please let us know before the trip begins or at pre-departure and we will try our best to accommodate them. There are times, however, certain produce and foods will not be available, and we will have to consult with you about what alternatives we may use.

Accomodation

On camping trips, we provide spacious two-person tents with a sewn in ground sheet and a separate fly sheet. Most of the evenings we stay in organized campsites. Most of these campsites have hot water showers and extra facilities like a bar, swimming pool, and recreational area. As this is Africa, we cannot promise that there will always be hot water!

It is not impossible that we may have to camp before we reach our pre-determined destination. In these cases, we will make a bush camp which can always make the trip that much more adventuresome.

On Accomodated trips, TIA Safaris has an array of possibilities from which to choose starting at 2 star on up to 5 star.

Pre-Departure Information

The Saturday prior to the Overlanding trips’ Sunday departure, we have a pre-departure meeting at 5:00 PM at the places from which we are leaving. In Capetown, we will leave from the Ashanti Lodge off of Hoff St. In Nairobi, we will be  leaving from the Comfort Hotel (or TBA) in downtown Nairobi and thus, have our pre-departure meeting there. Your guide will meet you at these locations at 5:00 PM and then provide you with pertinent information concerning the trip. It is recommended that you do not miss the pre-departure meeting, but if you cannot make it, the guide will provide you with this information the following day. It is recommended, for convenience’s sake, that you stay in or near these lodges when arriving in these cities, or at least the night before the departure date.

What’s Included