Tourism Update shares the top six tips you can pass on to a foreign-language speaker embarking on a self-drive holiday in Southern Africa.
- Understand the strengths and weaknesses of a GPS
Tourvest Destination Management urges travellers to always ensure that they have a GPS. “It’s usually included when booking a vehicle for self-drive, but just double check your billing to ensure it’s been included.”
Cedarberg Africa adds: “If you are planning a more adventurous self-drive holiday or safari, you need to be more prepared. The GPS coverage on your rental car may not work in remote areas, or it may be faulty. So you need to have a good road atlas or directions (not just the one from the car-rental company) and know exactly where you are going.”
- Learn the local language
Esther Ruempol, Market Manager for the Benelux at Tourvest DMC, would encourage guests to embrace learning a few basic words in a local language. “The locals love this, allowing the traveller to make contact and navigate their way around the country more easily. Guests who can’t speak and understand English well should look at booking a private tour with a guide who speaks their home language to better understand different aspects of the rich historic and cultural context and background of South Africa.”
Fanie Van Zyl, owner of SA Coach Charters and Bus Rentals, says language is always a challenge for foreign-speaking, self-drive travellers. “I recommend travellers to get in touch with the Automobile Association and ensure that they can make contact with a foreign language interpreter if necessary.”
Alan Murphy, explorer of the Southern African region for SafariBookings.com, suggests that the traveller purchases a phrasebook. He says the traveller should be aware that “road rules and speed limits differ between Southern African countries, as do road conditions and signage”. “The traveller should have a clear understanding of the specifics for their route before they depart.”
- Manage your time
Janine Bünsow, Market Manager for Germany, Switzerland and Austria at Tourvest DMC, says longer itineraries are ideal for self-drive trips, particularly when the route is cross-border. “Ensure you plan enough time for crossing the borders and exploring the various areas of interest, instead of rushing through the countries and tourist attractions.”
Cedarberg Africa advises travellers against driving at night. “If people get to a hotel late, it’s usually because they only set off in the mid-afternoon. Invariably this leads to longer driving times as one drives much more slowly on unfamiliar roads at night. Sometimes travellers will even find it harder to locate their hotel, as road signs or landmarks are not so clearly visible.”
They both say, should a traveller realise they will arrive late, it’s always a good idea to call the hotel. “Let the hotel know what time to expect you and where you are now. Then no one will worry about you.”
- Carry a list of emergency contacts
Van Zyl advises carrying a list of contacts for all planned accommodation, the local tourism authority for each section of the route, and the contact details for emergency services. “Travellers should make contact with these people before they depart and keep them up-to-date on their movements. This way, someone will always know where they are and be able to raise the alarm if they do not arrive where they are next due.”
He says travellers should also download the safety apps that are on offer for each area and familiarise themselves with how to operate them in the case of an emergency.
Cedarberg Africa cautions that if the traveller breaks down in a remote area, assistance may not be able to get to them immediately. “The car-hire company will need to bring a replacement vehicle from the nearest depot, which could take a few hours.” It adds that travellers need to be comfortable changing a wheel and the tour operator must ensure that a spare tyre is on hold at the next port of call, and recommends carrying food and water in case travellers are stranded for a few hours in the heat of summer. “Some clients think we are exaggerating, but people have got into serious difficulties after being stranded in remote areas with no food or, more importantly, water.”
Tourvest Destination Management recommends having a family member’s number in your travel wallet. “Highlight their information in red so that they can be contacted in case of emergency. Ensure that you share your itinerary with this family member so that they are aware of when you are supposed to be where.”
Murphy echoes this, adding that travellers should rent a satellite phone and take out good travel insurance.
- Choose the right vehicle for the route
Bünsow says travellers should be realistic about which vehicle is the best fit for their route.
Cedarberg Africa says a common mistake of self-drive tourists is to select the cheapest vehicle rather than the best one for the job. “Our standard entry car is a Group C. This is a 1.6 Toyota Corolla or similar. It is not uber-powerful, but it’s fine for tar roads and easy trips, which is the norm for most of our self-drive routes. However, if the traveller is planning to do a self-drive safari holiday in South Africa or Namibia with quite a few kilometres on gravel, they should consider a high-clearance vehicle.”
- Know what you are looking for
Cedarberg Africa recommends that tour operators ask the following questions to determine the type of self-drive holiday travellers are looking for.
- How far do you like to travel (in terms of driving hours) when going from one destination to another?
- Do you like to meander from one destination for to another over the course of one or two, nights, with a relatively short travelling distance between, or would you prefer longer stays and a longer drive to the next destination?
- Would you like to break up the self-drive with some day excursions or transfers?
- Would you like to reduce the driving with a short flight?
- How comfortable do you feel in unfamiliar territory?
