Bus Services Expanding in Southern Africa

Affordable hop-on, hop-off backpacker bus transportation services are continuing to expand around the world, including in Africa.

Truck About is a new transportation service that is scheduled to begin on June 1. The company, which markets itself to travelers ages 18 to 40, will offer transportation from Nairobi, Kenya, with a guide along three routes, using five 24-seat trucks. The service is geared to travelers who want independence and flexibility but don’t want to rely on local transportation.

The Red Route will be the longest of the Truck About routes. Travelers can take it from Nairobi to Harare, Zimbabwe, and include a visit to Victoria Falls. This route winds through Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Botswana. If you choose to take up to six weeks to complete the trip, the fare is about $565. For nine weeks it’s $785.

The Blue Route Pass provides transportation through Kenya and Tanzania. It starts in Nairobi and makes stops in Arusha, Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar, Tanzania, before returning to Nairobi via Arusha. You can take up to four weeks to complete the trip. The fare is $160.

The Green Route Pass is valid for four weeks and provides transportation from Harare through Zimbabwe, Zambia and Botswana and back to Harare. Guests also stop at Victoria Falls. The fare is $322.

The company suggests that you budget for meals plus $7 to $20 per night for accommodations, or $2 to $5 per night for camping. Breakfasts and dinners are included on overnight transits. Truck About literature includes suggestions and prices for optional activities ranging from camping safaris and visiting game parks to climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro, flying over Victoria Falls, white-water rafting, canoeing and riding elephants.

Truck About will operate from June until March, with stops once or twice per week. Travel insurance is compulsory for passengers.

For more details, contact Truck About Ltd., 4 Barnfield Place, London; telephone 011-44-171-536-9316, fax 011-44-171-515-6969.

The South African backpacker bus service Baz Bus has just extended its service to Victoria Falls. The Baz Bus hop-on, hop-off service provides transportation (with pickups and drop-offs at any of 200 hostels along its routes) through five countries in southern Africa. You can, for example, travel from Cape Town, South Africa, to Victoria Falls via Swaziland for $180 one way, $275 round trip. There is no time limit for completing a journey.

For more information, contact Baz Bus at 8 Rosedene Road, Sea Point, Cape Town 8005, South Africa; tel. 011-27-21-439-2323, fax 011-27-21-439-2343, Internet https://www.bazbus.com.

Safety and health are two important concerns when traveling to Africa. Make sure you get advice from a specialist in travel medicine. U.S. State Department travel warnings are published on the Internet at https://travel.state.gov.

If you prefer sticking with the same group and leader, here are several companies that market tours in Africa internationally:

Contiki Holidays offers a variety of South Africa, East Africa and Egypt programs ranging from seven to 12 days. Accommodation is in tents, safari lodges, hotels and houseboats. Brochures are available through North American travel agents, or take a look on the Internet at https://www.contiki.com.

Roadrunner Worldwide Hostelling Treks is operating three camping tours in southern Africa that range from 11 to 14 days ($999 to $1,599, land only). Maximum group size is 13. For details, contact USA Roadrunner/AmeriCan Adventures, 9741 Canoga Ave., Chatsworth, CA 91311; tel. (818) 721-6000.

African Routes caters to travelers ages 18 to 35 with camping adventure tours in groups limited to 12 to 18 passengers. For details, contact African Routes, P.O. Box 1835, Durban 4000, South Africa; tel. 011-27-31-569-3911.

While in South Africa keep your eyes open for the free “Jungle Traveler Guide” booklet. Found at hostels, it’s a compact source of information on budget accommodations, adventure activities, travel tips and emergency contact numbers. Publisher John Harmon says that there are now more than 80 hostels in the Cape Town region.

For information on the Hostelling International hostels in South Africa visit the organization’s Internet site at https://www.hisa.org.za.

General South Africa information is available from South African Tourism, 500 Fifth Ave., Suite 2040, New York, NY 10110; tel. (800) 822-5368 or (212) 730-2929, fax (212) 764-1980.

If you are traveling to South Africa via London, a branch of the South Africa Adventure Travel Centre (there are five in South Africa) has just opened at Shop 20, Station Parade, Willesden Green, London NW2 4NH; tel. 011-44-181-830-6162.