Bukima Adventure Overland - adventure holidays, travel, and tours general Info.

Bukima General Information & Booking Conditions:

Welcome to Bukima Adventure Travel General Info page. Please take the time to read the following General information; it will help you prepare for the trip of a lifetime. The information provided here is a guideline and should be used as such, if you need further information please feel free to email us or contract your travel agent.
Running overland tours in for over fourteen years, Bukima believes that because of our knowledge and understanding of the industry we can deliver service second to none. We believe that today the customer demands Smaller Group Sizes and a product with NO hidden costs, and as such we list all larger optional excursions available in detail on each tour and what you do and don’t get when you book with Bukima.

Pre tour Accommodation and Airport transfers for Budget Africa Safari tours. >>>More info here
ATM, Visa card + other helpful travel advice for your Budget Africa Safari tour. >>> More info here
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Our tour price includes:

All transport including road taxes and tolls
Use of comprehensive cooking and camping equipment
Services of 2 Professional crew
The main sites listed in each trip brochure

TOUR PRICE DOES NOT INCLUDE:

Local Tour Payment
Visas
Optional extras
Travel Insurance
Flights not included in trip price
Vaccinations
Transfers
Personal spending money tips & Gratuities
Customs and/or immigration taxes
Night before and after tour accommodation

LOCAL TOUR PAYMENT

Your Local Tour Payment includes:

All camping, Lodge, Hotels & Hostel costs from the commencement date of your tour until the final night prior to your tour finishing
3 meals a day (while onboard safari vehicle)
All National Park and Reserves listed in your tour itinerary
The occasional group meal in local restaurants

Your Local Tour Payment is payable to the tour leader at the beginning of your tour in US$ cash (mixed denominations). This is a non-refundable payment as it is part of your overall tour price.

Camping
Camping is always great fun and our vehicles are loaded with all the first class equipment needed. Campsites vary from established sites with all facilities to the occasional roadside stop or free camp. We use large two person tents. Don’t worry if you plan to travel alone, we’ll team you up with another group member.

Participation
With Bukima Adventure Travel, participation is essential. On tours of this nature it is expected that you join in and become part of the team. A successful and smooth tour depends very much on everyone taking part in the duties that a rise i.e. cooking, vehicle cleaning, food shopping and security. With this in mind your Tour Leader will organize groups on a rotating roster. Experience has shown that the most successful tours are those where everyone becomes involved as much as possible. These are not luxury tours, so join in! In the end the more you put in the more you get out.

Cooking
When camping, cooking is usually done on a roster basis with 2 - 4 people cooking each day. This means each expedition member only takes part in cooking every 4th or 5th day. Food is bought in the local markets by the cooking teams, which is a great way to meet the local people. Charcoal, wood or gas burners are used for cooking and are supplied along with pots, baking trays, frying pans, woks, lighting, campstools and cook tent. Eating utensils are also provided.

SECURITY
Travelling overseas can be a bit daunting especially if it is your first time. In general travel is safe and group travel even more so. Here are a few ideas to help you out.

Take the same precautions you do when travelling around your own country
Never flash wealth around, people WILL be watching.
Listen to your crew’s advice when entering a new area.
Be careful placing valuables when relaxing or in Internet café as this is were lots of tourist flock and so do the people who live of them.
In the end don’t worry yourself sick be prudent and keep you valuables in safe secure places.
Use the safety box that is bolted into the truck to store your important documents while travelling.
Bukima vehicle is lockable for extra security.

Note. Bukima takes no responsibility for loss or damage to personal effects.

LUGGAGE
Remember your bags are your responsibility it is up to you to collect all your belongings and carry them to and from the tour vehicle. It is not the job of the crew to carry or to look after your belongings they have their own rolls to play and their own things to look after including the rest of the group. So if you cannot carry it yourself you shouldn’t bring it.

1 Duffel bag or backpack preferably with an internal or removable frame
Day bag
Sleeping bag
Sleeping sheet
Sleeping mat or self-inflatable mattress
Good torch and spare batteries
Pocket knife (Swiss army or Leatherman)
Sun glasses
Writing material and diary
Mosquito Net
Toiletries + contraceptives
Washing line & soap
Water bottle (max 2 litres)

CLOTHING
We would always stress that most people tend to bring along too much clothing. Remember you will need a certain amount of spare space when leaving for souvenirs purchased along the way. 20kg/23kg is the normal limit for hold luggage on most airlines.

Waterproof jacket
Warm jacket or jersey
Socks
Trousers or jeans and track pants
T-shirts/shirts
Underwear
Cap
Shorts/dress
1 pair Hiking boots or good quality sandshoes/trainers
1 pair thongs/flip flops/jandals
1 Towel
Swimsuit
Smart casual attire for eating out

FIRST AID KIT

Antiseptic cream, Betadine is good
Sunscreen & lip cream
Insect Repellent
Cotton wool & sterile swabs
Dressing pads like melonin or telfa and adhesive tape
Bandages and Band-Aids
Pain killers – paracetamol /Panadol
Ear & eye drops
Butterfly tape (steri strips)
Tweezers and scissors
Water purification tablets
Rehydration sachets for diarrhoea

HEALTH & HYGIENE (GENERAL)
All passengers should have a complete medical and dental check-up prior to joining any of our tours, as it is not always possible to find good health care in some African countries. A comprehensive medical kit is supplied but it is only to be used in emergencies. Each person is responsible for his or her own medical kit as listed below.

MALARIA TABLETS (Africa)
In Africa you will be required to take malarial prophylactics for the duration of your tour. As the recommended prophylactics change from time to time we suggest that you consult your doctor or vaccination clinic. If you are feeling unwell while on tour immediately notify your crew. The best way to treat malaria is still prevention, covering up at sunset and using repellent every 3-4 hours. There is also available on the market a treatment for mosquito nets and clothing called ‘Permethrin’ which is quite effective

WATER PURIFICATION
In general we obtain water from known ‘safe water’ supplies although occasionally it may be necessary to purify the water. The most effective method is still hard-boiling the water for 10 minutes. Chlorine ‘T’ can be used but it does not kill amoebae, Iodine is also an alternative but some people are allergic to it rendering it unfeasible in a group situation. Diarrhoea is usually caused by changes in diet and/or changes in water supply that you are normally used to. You have two choices:
1. Get accustomed to it and take rehydration sachets should you get diarrhoea.
2. Drink only bottled water or use purification tablets and eat no raw food unless it can be peeled i.e. bananas. Use of drugs such as Imodium is not recommended.

ILLEGAL DRUGS
NO Drugs are allowed on or near our tours. In these countries that you are travelling through the law is very harsh on drug related sentences, the terms are long and the sentence hard and they not only convict the person in possession but those people that are around them, so with this in mind, the crew have been given the authorization to remove passengers from tours without hesitation or refund for such offences. The tour leader’s decision is final on this.

If you have a prescription drug you must carry that prescription with you. Info rm your tour leader as well that you are on a prescription.

PHOTOGRAPHY
A camera is an important part of your equipment whether it is an instamatic, SLR or these days a digital camera. A camera case or bag is necessary to prevent damage by vibration or dust. Zoom and wide-angle lenses are valuable accessories; combination lenses are a good idea for example 28mm - 70mm & 70mm - 200mm. Spare batteries for camera and flash are also advisable as well lens cleaning equipment. Purchase your film before arriving as it can be very expensive and you might not be able to get the ASA required. As a guideline, one roll of 36 exposures per week is average. Use different types of film depending on the conditions you are photographing in i.e. 400asa is good for photographing in low light or dense foliage and black and white film can make great portrait shots.

In some places it is forbidden to take photographs –

DON’T TAKE PHOTOGRAPHS IF THERE IS A SIGN SAYING NOT TO OR YOUR DRIVER ADVISES AGAINST IT.
Borders, government buildings, police and army personnel are to name but a few.
The result is likely to be loss of the film in your camera, if not your camera.

ITINERARIES

Tours do not always run like clockwork. You will need to be patient and philosophical about your travels. Each tour itinerary is a guideline only. There is no guarantee that all excursions will be available or that every place mentioned would be visited although every effort will be made to do so. Any changes known in advance will be advised. Conditions can change rapidly and changes to the itinerary may be necessary. Your Bukima crew will make every effort to accommodate the wishes of the group; however, any decision by the crew will be final. Please familiarise yourself with the booking conditions

TRANSPORT
Bukima uses many forms of transport. On our overland truck tours we use our own designed transport that has been developed over 14 years of overlanding to suit the needs of the travellers that venture into our world.

Note: Bukima reserves the right to surcharge for transport costs not specified in the brochure due to situations out of Bukima’s control. See conditions for further information.

GROUP SIZE
Our group size is usually around the 7- 18 people but at the high times of the year we run trips with a maximum of

21(Africa)
20(South America)
26(New Zealand)
21(Central Asia)
12(Central America).

Even though this sounds like a lot we still find that we have enough room to move with heaps of leg space, we don’t want to turn your trip into a sardine tin experience. People that will accompany you are from all over the world and either single or come with others but in the end they have come to do the same as you making mixing easy.

TRAVEL DOCUMENTS
PASSPORTS
Your passport is the most important document you have when travelling. You should always keep it in a secure location, either in a safe at the hotels we stay in on the truck in the security box provided for them or in a protected and out of site money belt. Never leave your passport in your luggage. Your passport needs to be valid for at least six months after departure back to your country of origin and should have about one page for every country of entry. If you are one of those people with duel nationality be advised that you will find it almost impossible to change mid tour to the other passport to dodge visa costs, so the passport you start the tour on should be the passport you finish the tour on, but by all means bring your other passport in case of loss.
Pl ease remember that if you loose your passport it could take up to a week to get a replacement. This being the case it could spoil your holiday so look after your passport and other important documents.
Bukima accepts no liability for items mislaid or stolen while on tour or in safe deposit boxes in hotels. In the end it is your responsibility to look after your important papers and to make sure they are safe and sound.

Some countries require that a photocopy be taken of your entry; these are to be given to hotels. If this is the case your tour leader will advise you on entry.

TRAVEL INSURANCE
A requirement for all overland travel is that you have valid insurance cover for the duration of our tour. It must cover you against personal accident, medical, cancellation, curtailment and repatriation expenses , you should also make sure you are covered for hiking and other expedition activities or optional excursions that you intend to do. Your travel agent can advise you on the best cover for you and your specific holiday. You should purchase your travel insurance policy at the same time as you book your tour. Take care with backpacker’s policies, as some do not cover you against organised ground travel. Please remember to bring your policy with you.

FLIGHTS
Flights are not included in the tour cost or local tour payment, but are a part of your own personal expenses. If you are intending to book a return flight out of Africa after your tour finishes please remember some airlines require you to confirm your flight 72 hours prior to departure.

CASH AND TRAVELLERS CHEQUES
Anyone who has travelled before will recommend that you take all your spending money in traveller’s cheques, the exception being those who have travelled on overland adventures. Traveller’s cheques can be used, but the rate of exchange is usually lower than for cash and can take an extremely long time if you have to use a bank.

RECOMMENDED SPENDING MONEY:
We have included a list of the optional excursions for each country giving you prices for each activity. We feel it is better to give you a range of options rather than to include every possable activity in your tour price. This way you can do any number of the options available on your tour to suit your budget. We recommend an average of US$15 spending money per day. This should cover all your snacks, drinks and refreshments, laundry, postage, fax & e-mail and some souvenirs. You will need to bring extra money for your optional excursions that you wish to participate in and the more expensive souvenirs that you are likely to buy. You should take at least 50% of your spending money in US dollars cash and 50% in Euro or US traveller’s cheques. Please do not rely on your Credit Card for cash advances . Credit Cards can be useful to pay for some of the optional highlights on tour.

VACCINATION CERTIFICATE
You need to take with you an International Vaccination Certificate with the following vaccinations for entry into some of the countries:

Yellow Fever Valid for 10 years
Typhoid Valid for 3 years

The following vaccinations are recommended for travelling but are not required; please check with your GP or vaccination clinic, which are recommended for the areas you are travelling to:

Hepatitis A 2 Shots 2-3 weeks apart valid for 1 year
Tetanus booster
Polio booster
Meningitis

Your GP can arrange your vaccinations or you can go to a specialized clinic. Please ensure that you contact your clinic or GP at least a month beforehand as some vaccinations are completed in stages and can take a few weeks.

VISAS
Visas are not included in the tour price or recommended spending money. Please note that it is your responsibility to ensure that you have all the visas for your tour. Visa requirements do change at times so we advise you to check the current requirements before the commencement of your tour. Most visas must be used within 3 months (or less) from the date of issue so make sure you don’t apply for them too early. If you are doing a longer tour make sure your visa will be valid for the time when you are due to enter that country.

Please Note: Passengers on the following Africa tours will need to apply for a Double Entry Visa for Zimbabwe on arrival.

Southern Discoverer
African Adventure
Game and Falls
Northbound Explorer