A Plan Not To Plan

Upon arrival into Kenya, one thing was clear. We were, for the first time in five months of travel, ready to let someone else do the planning and take a break from the independent side of travel. It was a combination of fellow traveler recommendations and being unsure of independent travel in Africa, but doing an Overland trip with a tour company was looking like the best option.

The high council of the Gnomes was summoned in Nairobi, and the number-crunching game began. We researched numerous tour operators and the council reached a decision after four days of deliberation. The Gnomes would go on a 43-day overland tour from Nairobi, Kenya to Cape Town, South Africa, starting Oct 7 - Nov 18 with Acacia Africa. Let the African journey begin!

POST-ARRIVAL*: This post is a little outdated, but thought we'd include it anyway as an FYI when looking for an organized overland tour across one of the world's most intriguing places - Africa. Plus, it kind-of gives you a before and after take on the whole thing.

Meal Time in Botswana (Click pic to enlarge)

ITINERARY: NAIROBI, KENYA TO CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA 2012 | 43 DAYS

• OCT 7 - 13 (DAYS 1-7): Nairobi, Masai Mara, Serengeti Plains
• OCT 14 - 21 (DAYS 8-15): Dar es Salaam, Zanzibar, Malawi
• OCT 22 - 31 (DAYS 16-25): Lake Malawi, Victoria Falls, Livingstone
• NOV 1 - 7 (DAYS 26-32): Chobe National Park, Okavango Delta
• NOV 8 - 12 (DAYS 33-37): Etosha National Park, Swakopmund
• NOV 13 - 18 (DAYS 38-43): Fish River Canyon, Cape Town

LOGISTICAL STUFF:

FACTORS OF PICKING AN OVERLAND TOUR: 

Note:* The below info is from advice given from those that have already taken the plunge themselves, and what we learned through the booking process. We may alter these notes in the end - hopefully not.

1. PRICE - They all pretty much do the same itinerary, so pick one in between the highest and lowest price. Apparently, you get what you pay for and low may be REALLY low in regards to quality of guides and camping gear. Also, make sure you understand ALL of the hidden fees and additional costs, like admission to national parks, 3 day activities/treks/game drives in said parks, and more obvious add on activities that are truly optional. After adding these all up, the least expensive could very well become the most expensive in the bunch.
   *POST-ARRIVAL NOTE:  We went with 'Acacia Africa', which is in the mid price range. 
2. GUIDES - Some of the more inexpensive companies may provide guides that are more like "tour leaders," aka: logistical organizers, rather than actual guides that are also knowledgeable on the areas you are visiting. Additionally, check up on the general reputation of the guides at a particular company. If you want to get really specific, you can even call the company directly and find out who will be leading the tour on the dates you want. Then do some reconisance on his/her name via travel forums and the like. You have now entered an A.D.D. Wonderland.
   *POST-ARRIVAL NOTE: We had great guides - a married couple, Julianna and Riann, with 20+ years of tours (and catering...yumm) under their belts.
3. GROUP - Which leads me to the last point. You can also ask the company what the demographics are for the group, which is a nice way of asking, "What's the age range?" Now, we understand age is just a number and maturity (or rather, imaturity) can come at any age, but there are generalities to consider. Also, remember to ask how many people max would be on the bus.
   *POST-ARRIVAL NOTE: Our group ranged from 21 - 40 years old, with 12 - 22 people max, depending on which leg of the trip you're on. Something we didn't know beforehand - we booked from Nairobi to Cape Town, but some peeps on your tour may have only booked Nairobi to Zanzibar. Some Zanzibar to Livingstone. Others Livingstone to Cape Town or Livingstone to Johannesburg. So, you won't always be with the same 22 people during a 43 day trip. If you're joining in at a particular leg, you may find yourself to be "the newbie," welcomed by a 98% proof vodka shot as part of your initiation. Also, if you want to extend your trip to include the next leg, our company (Acacia) seemed to be flexible in accommodating your desire to keep on truckin'.

VISAS:

For U.S. citizens, you only need to obtain VISAs for entry into Kenya, Tanzania and Zambia, all of which you get upon arrival for $50 - $100 USD each (depending on country).

*POST-ARRIVAL NOTE: If you're a U.S. citizen, don't be surprised if your VISA fees are a little higher than every one else in your group - the country you're entering is only matching what U.S. officials charge for their citizens to enter the U.S. - Only fair.

MUST HAVES:

• Yellow Fever Vaccination Certificate - Some countries will not let you into the country without it.
• Travel Insurance - Some companies will not let you on the bus without it.
• USD currency - Plenty to pay for the Local Payment, paid directly to the company when you arrive (must have USD cash in hand - will not except any other currency), VISAs on arrival, and any additional fees for activities, park admissions, snacks, drinks, etc. Zanzibar has ATMs and you can pay for things with Credit Card, if necessary. Also, some places will allow for local currency when paying for fun-in-the sun-type activities.
• Note: If you are booking your tour while in Africa, you probably don't have enough USD on hand. You should allocate a few days to take money out of ATMs in local currency and exchange them into USD. If you're from The States, seem's weird to convert from USD to local currency and then back to USD, but that's how it's done (so they say). OR, the company you're booking with may do you a favor and let you pay the Local Payment with Credit Card at a high exchange rate - 5% or more.
  *POST-ARRIVAL NOTE: You actually only need USD for the local payment and VISAs on arrival. All countries will take local currency for site activities and if they don't, they will be happy to oblige swiping your credit card - for a fee, of course. Also, you may be able to exchange local currency with your tour guides for USD if you absolutely need it. Bottom line - take some USD, but don't break the bank.
• Sleeping Bag / Pillow / Toilet Paper / Sunscreen / Detergent / Towel - They will NOT provide a sleeping bag for you. Check the overnight weather for the season to determine the weight needed.
  *POST-ARRIVAL NOTE: You really can take as many things as you want - within reason. Since your things will be stored on the bus the entire time, you don't have to worry about how much your bag weighs. This also means that you can buy as many curios (souvenirs) as you can carry back to the bus and then either post them home via good ole snail mail, or pack them in your carry-on for your flight home.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE PICS: Nairobi (place of planning for the overland tour)

Where Are You From?!

So far, all of our travel has been "independent."  We rarely book in advance and instead opt to show up at the bus/train station and figure it out there.  Though, here in Turkey, we've noticed things are a bit different.  There are numerous companies competing for your business and they go to great lengths to win you over.  "HELLO MY FRIEND.  WHERE ARE YOU FROM?!"  It's a bit abrupt at first, but you quickly learn that it's just how things go here and regardless if they get your business, the people are still very willing to help you find your way.
 
This whole idea of booking early really hit home for us when we attempted to score a last minute deal on a 4 day / 3 night 'Blue Cruise' in Fethiye (to Olympos) and found out booking ahead through a travel agent was actually cheaper. As fate would have it, we discovered a travel agent two hostels down because we needed to do laundry, and they were the only ones that could do it.  The hostel owner / travel agent, Omer Sherif, turned out to be the key maker that guided us into the tourism matrix, and offered to book us without commission.  We saved 100 Turkish Lira ($50) by not buying directly through the main boating office.  (Thanks, Omer!) 

Goes to show, there's no one proven formula for getting the best deal.  Turkey is definitely opening our eyes to at least some pre-packaging...and hey we'll take it.  A deal is a deal.

LOGISTICAL STUFF:
Many (and I mean MANY) hostels / travel agencies, especially in Istanbul, will offer package deals for your entire trip in Turkey. They may differ in price and length of stay, depending on your preferred flavor, but they all typically follow the same path. Even though we decided against the packaged deals (outside of the Blue Cruise), we happened to mimic the same EXACT route as many of the tour junkies. 

ISTANBUL >  SELÇUK / EPHESUS > PAMUKALLE > FETHIYE > (Blue Cruise) > OLYMPOS >  GÖREME (CAPPADOCIA)

Istanbul

Selçuk

Pamukalle

Fethiye

Blue Cruise

Olympos

SUGGESTED ITINERARY: 
So alas, there may be something worthwhile in at least considering a package, even though we didn't. However, it's important to mention, that quite a few people we spoke to who did do a tour wished they had stayed longer in certain places, and shorter in others. So, we thought we'd put in our two cents on what spots we felt deserved a little more attention, and which can be enjoyed as a day trip.
Note: These are minimum days suggested. We stayed longer in some cases.

• ISTANBUL (4 nights) - Massive city. New Mosque, Blue Mosque, Aya Sofya, and so on - too many attractions to name.
• Overnight bus from Istanbul to Selçuk
• SELÇUK / EPHESUS (1 night) - Small town. Arrive in Selcuk around 6am. If it's a Saturday, go to the enormous farmers market. If you like ruins (and you probably do since you're here), you'll want to visit St.John's Basilica, then around 4:00pm (after all the large tour groups/cruise ships are gone) take a Dolmus (minibus) to Ephesus. After entry, make a beeline to the Terraced Houses (extra ticket cost - last entry at 6:30pm) and view the enclosed area almost entirely alone. Then make your way around Ephesus and end at the Roman Theatre (next to the entrance) right as the sun is setting. Must be out by 8:00pm.
• 3 hr bus from Selçuk to Pamukalle
• PAMUKALLE (Day Trip) - Arrive in Pamukalle around noon. All the attractions here are included in a one day ticket to the National Park, which has the famous Cotton Castle, Ancient Roman Bath, Roman Theatre and various other ruins. Last bus to Fethiye leaves around 5pm. If you want to stay another day to see more of the park, you will have to buy another entrance fee.
• 4.5 hr bus from Pamukalle to Fethiye
• FETHIYE (2 nights) - Small boat town with cool Lycian tombs carved in a cliff. There are all sorts of day trip cruises to surrounding attractions, like Butterfly Valley and the like, but we opted to take this time to relax from the very fast-paced last few days. 
• Blue Cruise (3 nights / 4 days) - Sailboat with no sails - only engine used. Not a must. So, Lonely Planet notes this as one of the most memorable things you can do in Turkey. We wholeheartedly disagree. If you want to soak in the sun, relax and read a book, than this is for you. If you want to take in the Turkish culture, pass and save your money for something else (like a balloon ride in Cappadocia).
• OLYMPOS (2 nights) - "Treehouses" and Roman ruins.  More tourists than Turkish in this area. Treehouses is a term to be used loosely - these are more like cabins, so think along the lines of camping. Again, nothing to really do here, but chillax and enjoy the pebble beach. Only real attraction are the naturally occurring Chimera flames, which are totally worth seeing (even if it costs 25 Turkish Lira to do so at night).
• Overnight bus from Olympos to Göreme (make sure your ticket says Göreme not Cappadocia)
• GÖREME (3 nights) - Small town. First: Hot air balloon ride over valleys and fairy chimneys. If all else fails, this will make your entire trip to Cappadocia, however short, worthwhile. Bus picks you up at 4:30am. You'll be back by 7:30am. Second: you will be offered the 'Green Tour' or the 'Red Tour' by your hostel when you arrive. If you are staying for one night only, take the green tour. It includes our favorite three attractions - *Derinkuyu Underground City, Ihlara Valley (4km hike) and *Selime Monastery. (*Bring a torch with you.) Red tour includes Rose Valley. If you are staying longer, try renting a scooter. Basically, the colored tours all start and end at the same time (9:30am - 6:00pm), so each attraction is swarmed by tourists, like locusts attacking this summer's crop, at exactly the same time each day. With your own transport, you'll get to spend more time at the places you want, when you want.  If you wish to see Selime Monastery deserted, than go before 2:30pm - when the first tour bus arrives. You'll need at least 1.5 hours to really enjoy the place. Derinkuyu is clear around 12:00pm. Ihlara around 4:00pm.

Click Here For More Pics: Main Gallery