I am an advocate for independent travel, but sometimes it’s best to leave the planning to the experts. This was the case on my trip to South Africa. I knew I wanted to do a safari of some sort but after pricing and looking at the logistics of hiring a car by myself, I decided to go with an organized tour.
Many leave from Johannesburg and return to the same spot, but I was looking for one that would put me further south. I researched a number of companies but went with Acacia after I found them on Tourradar. I picked one that was a guaranteed departure because I wanted to make sure it wouldn’t get canceled by the time I arrived. There are fewer in low season but I found this to be a great time to travel.
This post contains affiliate links that can earn this website a small income. They will not cost you anything to use.
The Tour Itinerary
Glass blowing 
Dancing
Many of these tours have the almost exact same itineraries including the same stops for accommodation. All go through Kruger National Park. We saw the trucks for Nomad, Dragoman, and other companies. I chose the one that started in Pretoria and ended in Durban since I knew I’d have to get there eventually.
I also wanted one that would go through Swaziland so I could cross another country off my list. Highlights of the particular trip I went to were a stop at the Ngwenya Glass Factory, a village visit, a hippo cruise in St. Lucia, and traditional dancing in Hazyview.
Transportation
Acacia uses overland trucks to get around Africa. The truck stores your luggage in big lockers (so you’ll need a lock) as well as tents and other equipment. There are large windows to watch the horizon and seats have seatbelts for bumpy rides. They also had some paperback books and card games for us to play on long trips. There are also coolers for your food and drinks.
Food
Traditional meal 
Game meat dinner
Due to the camping nature of this tour, many meals are included, mostly breakfasts and dinners. The guide cooks the meals but the passengers are expected to help prepare and clean up. Most of the time it’s a simple affair like sandwiches, steaks, and toast for breakfast. They can accommodate dietary requests if you tell them in advance. The crew also makes stops along the way where you can pick up any snacks that you want as well as alcohol.
Accommodations
Permanent tents 
Swaziland huts
I booked the camping overland trip so there is a rustic element to it. The first few nights were at a campsite and the tour company provides tents and sleeping pads. We had a small group so each of us had our own tent and extra pads. But not all nights are camping.
In Swaziland, we upgraded to spend the night in a dorm-style cabin and in St. Lucia it was permanent tents with real beds and outlets. There are upgrades available for every place you stop so there are lodge-style rooms if you want added comfort.
Activities
In addition to the activities included on the tour, there are a number of optional add ons. Near Kruger, some opted to do a microlight flight over the area. We also did a night game drive, an added fee on top of our daytime safari. The guides can tell you what’s offered at the start of the trip so that you know how much cash to bring.
The People
I lucked out with an incredible group of people on my tour. We started bonding on our first night at the pre-trip meeting and we all decided to get dinner together. After the tour ended, we had dinner again and I spent the next few days with those who didn’t have to head home yet. We came from Australia, the US, Canada, and Scotland and ranged in age from 19 to 40. But it never felt cliquey. I couldn’t have asked for anything better!
What to Bring
In addition to what I brought for my South Africa trip overall, there are a few things I wanted to have or should have packed just for this trip. I didn’t really use my lock but had one anyway. I also brought a sleeping bag but ended up sleeping on top of it with my Turkish towel so check the weather before you go.
Definitely bring a book and some sort of entertainment like Uno. One of our people had a bunch of games that we played every night. There are limited outlets, especially at the beginning of the trip, so don’t plan on plugging in every night. Some campsites have outlets and there is also one in the truck. A solar charger is perfect for this type of trip.
PIN IT
Leave a Reply