Kermit Rainman says:
What a GREAT trip! As an American, I'd never even heard of the concept of "overlanding" trips until I started researching travel options for Africa. Steve Murphy in the US office was very helpful in answering my questions about what to expect and "selling" me on the tour. I do have some input, though, which may be helpful for you all to consider: 1) On the northbound Cape Town - Vic Falls tour, your website should clearly state that the 1/2-day Orange River canoeing optional excursion is not available. Many of us (including myself!) were very interested in doing this, but the day we arrived, we learned that only those on the southbound routing get to do this. We were told that in order for the northbound tours to do it, it means arriving at the next campsite too late in the day. I still think we could've worked it in, but apparently that's not the case. 2) A quick stop at the famous meteorite just outside of Grootfontein, Namibia, would be worth it. I think you should consider making this part of the itinerary. 3) Similarly, a quick stop at the "White Lady" rock painting in the Brandberg Mountains near Uis, Namibia, should be included. It's a shame to be so close and not take a look -- particularly since the Kumuka tours don't include Spitzkoppe (which also features rock art) and many other overlanding tours do. 4) Not sure how to get around this, but it seemed like every time our tour hit "civilization," it always coincided with a weekend or a holiday and the stores and shops were often closed. For example, our tour started on New Year's Day, which is kind of odd in and of itself. That crimps one's ability to go out and ring in the new year, and then everything is closed for the holiday on not only that day but also the next day as New Year's this year fell on a Sunday. Because of this, for example, there was nothing open in Stellenbosch and we had to put off the wine tour until the next day and do it in the Klawer Valley near Citrusdale as opposed to Stellenbosch. Beyond this, it seemed like every time we hit a major town -- even Swakopmund -- everything was closed. However, if the tour would've started on Jan 2nd instead of the 1st, much of this would've played out differently. Hope this input helps! Kermit Rainman
I had no idea there were so many companies doing overlanding tours until we were seeing the various other trucks along the route. And after seeing them and meeting lots of travellers on other tours, I wouldn't've been happy on any of the other tours except this Kumuka tour. From the guide and driver to the other people on this particular Kumuka truck, it was a perfect fit all around. It was a trip I will fondly remember forever.
Everything was amazing! It's hard to break out highlights when everything was great, but I'll try. First off, Namibia is off the charts! Fish River Canyon is very impressive; Sossusvlei, Deadvlei and Dune 45 are incredible; skydiving in Swakopmund was fantastic; the cheetahs at the farm near Etosha were stunning; and Etosha was wonderful. In Botswana, the Okavango Delta bush camping was a highlight; Chobe is spectacular. And of course, Vic Falls can not be missed! Africa is off the charts!As someone who had previously never heard of "overlanding" as a way to travel -- and who had a lot of reservations about camping in tents and cooking our own food as a group -- I can honestly say that the 21-day overlanding tour I did with Kumuka was off-the-charts amazing! From the guide, to the driver, to the itinerary, to the food, to the campsite, to the other passengers on the truck, it was a fantastic experience all around. I highly recommend Kumuka!