Overlanding with Dragoman
Category: Dragoman | July 4, 2007 By ModeratorDragoman is considered to be an expensive but highly reputable overlanding company. Is the high cost justified considering recent reports of poorly managed trips, unjustifiable kitty increases and a discount structure which leaves a lot to be desired?
Would you pay a premium based on reputation?.
A bit of news from an insider: I worked for Dragoman for several years and yes, some of their tours are more expensive than other operators’. However, when things go wrong, they sort it all out properly. Thousands of GBP are being spent every year on the right insurance, and it pays off. If they have a breakdown, they do provide the back-up, not like other companies where the crew are just left to deal with it all themselves (I worked for other companies too).
If you’re not happy with something on your trip, I’d suggest contacting their office in the UK and you’ll get a personal reply straight away. Alternatively ask them for some of their clients’ email addresses so that you can get unbiased advice from people that have travelled with them.
Having been on a dragoman trip I found it hard to justify to myself the high cost considering your kitty practically covers your cost on the trip such as camping hotels food etc. So what you pay before you leave is transportation equipment and drivers. All the drivers we talked to said it certainly wasnt going on their salaries, I would be very surprised if the difference could be attributed to insurance.
On backup we certainly felt that the company relied heavily on there crew and did not provide the support that you would expect. Basic things like road maps, guide books or up to date notes were not available. Considering the number of times these trucks travel through the area you would expect some detailed information.
Luckily we did not have any major mechanical problem - well nothing the crew could nt fix - so that backup support was never needed but considering how details were not included I wonder how well they would have coped with a major problem.
Hi Claudia, it is good to have a view from an insider but I am not sure how many years ago you worked with them - things have changed!
How can anyone sort out any problem that comes up in the middle of nowhere? There was no mobile phone provided, no GPS for positioning not even an updated road map (!!) We spend many, many hours back and forth trying to find the correct route and had to rely to passangers’ maps for directions. There was no backup in the sense that you imply and the one provided certainly does not justify the cost. Out of date trip notes also made the trip a bit more difficult, which is a type of support that you also expect if you are paying a premium. I could go on and on about Dragoman’s performance on an organisational level ( I spend 4 months travelling around S.america) but that should not reflect back on the fantastic (and sometimes impossible) tasks the drivers are left to do!!!
Hi Alexianna & Steve,
Sorry to hear that your trips weren’t what you expected. I left Dragoman 3 years ago. Just a suggestion: contact them with what you were not happy with, that gives them a chance to explain their side of the story. Alexianna - hope South America did live up to your expectations though? Did you do the Inca Trail? I nearly died getting up to Dead Woman’s pass but the view from the sungate made it all worth it, didn’t it?
Cheers - Claudia
I travelled with Dragoman in 2006 in Africa and have to say that I didn’t think they lived up to the hype either. The crew were very personable and helpful (if a little too fond of a drink) but the standard of equipment did leave a great deal to be desired.
According to our crew, the truck we were on had been converted to an overland truck back in the 1980’s, and it showed! Although I have no complaints about the design of the truck (despite being 20 years old it still held its own in terms of the layout and alleged facilities), its condition was far from satisfactory. Please see below:
a) The engine had obviously been round the clock numerous times as it was vastly underpowered. We were overtaken on both the flat and hills by the newer trucks of several other overland companies (very demoralising on long drive days). Not only this but I know these companies to be cheaper than Dragoman! So why on earth was I paying a premium to travel in a knackered old truck???
As the crew pointed out the vehicle was regularly serviced by them (I did see them doing this) as per company regulations. However, if a vehicle’s engine has been round the clock so much that it is internally worn out, no amount of oil changes is going to bring it back to its old self. It would seem the premium I paid to Dragoman certainly wasn’t being invested in new trucks, although they had given it a nice new lick of paint in the new company colours recently. Note to Dragoman Head Office: Paint doesn’t make a truck work more reliably or go faster!
b) The fridge was totally unreliable. One of the reasons I paid the extra to go with Dragoman was for the fact their trucks had fridges, as it’s nice to have cool drinks and vegetables etc. However, it packed up on numerous occassions causing food to spoil and the truck to end up smelling of rotten meat. The crew said the fridge had been like that since they took the truck over several months beforehand and was down to a faulty motor. Dragoman head office had allegedlly told them they’d sort a new motor out and ship it to Cape Town, but despite the crew making this request several times (according to them), no action had been taken. If it had broken on the trip for the first time, then I’d be more forgiving, but several months to replace a part that you know is faulty, come on Dragoman! What was I paying for again???
c) Upon arriving at our designated camp sites we would often arrive to be greated by the trucks, tents and passengers of other overland companies. That’s right, the ones that had not only overtaken us earlier in the day, but had also had a lie-in that morning before getting up and overtaking us and then arriving well before us. This meant they were not only better slept, but also had the luxury of having eaten and washed up and hit the bar before we’d barely arrived at camp. I didn’t pay to Dragoman to get up at the crack of dawn, be stuck on a hot truck all day and then have the fact rubbed in my face by the passengers of other companies who’d paid less!!!
d) Did I mention the tents? All the other overland compaines we saw had lovely brand new South African-made two man dome tents that you could stand up in and were a breeze to put up. We were so jealous. We had to make to with old A-frame tents that looked and smelled like they were about 10 years old. Not only were they a fiddle to put up but they smelt musty due to the age and the number of people who had slept in them over the years. The crew said they did clean them at the end of each trip (I saw this too) but no amount of cleaning will ever truely get out the built-in grime of years of use. The crew did say that they had pointed this out to head office as a regular complaint from passengers. Well why was no action taken? What is Drago doing with all the extra money its clients are paying!!! If the other companies have new tents then why don’t you??? How difficult can it be to buy some new tents???
One final complaint is that Dragoman sell their trips as being lead by experienced tour guides. As the crew pointed out to us on numerous occassions, they were actually employed as ‘leaders’ not ‘guides’ and the two are very different things. They told us a ‘leader’ is responsible for ensuring the trip and truck run smoothly whereas a ‘guide’ is someone with a great deal of local knowledge. The crew did exhibit a pretty good knowledge of many things and places we went to and saw, but they had their limitations as they were not ‘trained guides’ as I was lead to believe. This meant we were often left wanting for further explantion of many of the things we saw. I was lead to believe I was paying for ‘guides’ who had all the answers, but I was mislead.
In summary, had I not paid the premium to travel with Dragoman I would I would have been far happier with things. I just can’t see how they justify it based on the experience I had. I don’t know if things are getting any better since I travelled with them. If things are the same as when I went, it would seem all you’re going to get for the premium they charge is the nice smell of all that fresh paint they put on all their old trucks to make them look much better than they really are!!!
Wow John you sound like you had as good a trip with them as I did! The truck I was on was certainly knackered. I was in South America with the for the Rio carnival and boy what a load of sh..t the woman from the uk office talked, she said that the trucks are rotated and brought back to the UK or something and that they were going to be changed or some such clap trap, excuses after excuses just like the driver and co driver on my trip. No way am I going with them again mind you the way the trucks and equipment is I should think they are going under anyway. Oh and by the way dont bother ringing to complain, guess what..excuses and yep more excuses!! CB
What a bunch of sharks, no f…ing way i would tell my worst enemy bout this lot sh.t lorry was crap driver a drunk whenever he could be and the cooking standard was worse than my brother. Watchout a rip off. 07856-453321 I had no luck when I tried to compain they had so many reasons and an offer of a discount on another trip, ha i would not go if they PAID ME forget it. James
To take up some of these points.
I worked for 5 years as an overland driver. And no, not for Dragoman before you think Im here to back them up. It was for Af Trails.
Alot of what is being said here is not exclusive to Dragoman. They are problems for the Overland companies as a whole. Its just unfortunate that you have experienced them with that particular company.
1. One of you mentioned the driver being a drunk. Every company has drivers who are a bit too fond of the drink at times. This really is not solely a Dragoman problem. You will find this with every company. I know, Ive seen it for 5 years. You were just unfortunate that your driver that time was a ‘drunk’ as you put it.
2. One of you mentioned that you were lead to believe that the crew were ‘tour guides’. I just looked on the Drago website and at their brochure and find nothing to suggest they are ‘guides’. If a place visited is deemed that interesing often a local guide is provided. This is the case with all the maor overland companies I believe.
Local guides have years and years of knowledge and experience, more than a crew member will ever know in their short career as an overland driver, plus the companies are re-investing your money into local pockets to provide this service. All companies have a very high turnover of crew, most of whom are changing continents every year and satisfying their appetite for travelling to new destinations. It would be impossible for them to have the knowledge to credibly be called ‘a guide’. They know the basics, or should do at least…….but they are already a driver, mechanic, accountant, diplomat, and agony aunt….that is why they are called ‘leaders’, not guides.
3. Many mention ‘knackered’ old trucks. Well, I can tell you that I have helped fix a few Drago trucks over the years! Yes they are old, and that is the beauty of them. They are easy to work on and easy to fix. I much prefer them to those modern trucks, as do all the local ‘bush mechanics’. Even alot of the drivers say that yeah, Drago/Kumuka/Exods trucks are ld, but boy hen the shit hits the fan they would prefer one of those old Merc/Mann trucks than the nice shiney new modern beast they have. Those modern trucks are not suitable for alot of the trips what Dragoman do. They are heavy on the electrics, which is not suited for the dusty muddy damp off roading that Dragoman and others pride themselves on.
I also worked for Tucan in S America for a short while (very short while!)….the ENDLESS problems with electrics….endless problems…and the modern air sprung suspension…forget it. Its all nice and well on tarmac highway, but you will have serious problems if you take that thing off road for any length of time. Some of their trucks dont even have diff locks! I remember one of the Budget drivers (part of Tucan) had to ask the Kumuka driver to move his truck in a campsite…..why? Cos he didnt want to risk getting bogged in this muddy puddle as he didnt have a diff lock!! We’re bloody overlanders!
Same with Rotel Tours (didnt work for them but saw them on the road many times, often moaning about the electrics).
Though old, Drago/Exodus/Kumuka trucks are actually, to my mind, perfect for those real off road areas. Altiplano in S America, jungles of Cameroon, dirt roads in Mali like Dogon country, Tmbuktu etc etc….
4. Another complaint about Overland trucks….why arent they 4wd?? Listen, can we get this straight, 4wd in sand is really not much of an advantage. Believe me. I have driven 4wd and 2wd, and if anything it causes the wheels to dig in more. It is all about gettng the correct lower tyre pressures and keeping the momentum up to clear the sand. Only driver experience can get that right, it has little to do with the truck. That is a fact. Nobody can teach you this, it takes experience. Ive seen rusty old Citroens and Peugeots zoom through sand whilst Landcruisers get bogged….its all down to tyre pressure and speed….only experience teaches you that.
Hit deep soft sand and all vehicles get stuck, not just Kumuka, AF Trails and Drago trucks! Ive even seen a unimog get stuck in sand before, and those things are the rolls royce of the overlanding world!
Its all about driver experience, not having 4wd.
Agreed, in the mud 4wd does help, but if you assess the muddy stretch properly first a 2wd truck will get you through if you get the lock on in time. And if you do get stuck, WELL, isnt that what you are there for?? A bit of adventure, a bit of fun? Youre in Africa, get out and get dgging, its all part of the experience!
5. To my mind, and please correct me if i am wrong, Dragoman are the only company that require their drivers to run tachographs? Please correct me if I am wrong. They are limited, their crew tell me, to 90kmph.
So remember that. When you see a Tucan truck zooming past at 110kmph, bear that in mind. As a pax Id feel safer in a Kumuka or Drago truck pulling along at 90kmph than one of those 220horsepower Drifters/Tucan ‘buses’ doing 110kmph.
Why woud you want to fo faster than 80-90kmph anyway?? In Africa, Asia etc, anything can happen! You know how animals run out in front of you, kids the same, and as for other drivers…not to mention the countles police stops. Slowng a truck down is not like drivng your Vauxhall or Ford, it does take alot of time to slow it down safely. Bear that in mind. And there is always that hidden pothole ahead, sometimes big enough to break a spring or roll a truck over…..be sensible with speed, it is NOT a race to se which company gets to cap first, this is when accidents can and WILL happen. Tose old Drago trucks are fine, they do 80-90kmph…thats all you want believe me.
What I will say against them is that the more modern trucks come into their own on the hills. That is very true and this is where the older companies like Guerba and Kumuka and Drago struggle. They dont have the HP to get up there as quickly. That is when it can be demoralising for the pax…but he, quit maoning, gives you a chance to get that photo out the window as you hear the driver change down gear again and again!!
7. Smebody said the cooking was worse than my brother. Can Dragoman really be blamed for that? Im sure every company has had some bad cooks. If you knew how little these guys got paid you might realise why the food was bad.
8. Dragoman have now replaced all their A Frame tents with the modern dome style ents. I know, I saw one of the Drago boss’ in Africa recently and he offered to sell the old A Frames to me! No chance!
9. Somebody else mentioned a fridge problem. Hee hee, if only you guys knew. I have been on so many trucks and fridges are the biggest pain EVER. Believe me, it is not a Drago problem, it is a problem with many companies. They often need re-gassing, but finding an agent who can re-gas them is not easy…oten you are weeks away from somebody who can do it for you.
Just te thoughts of an ex-overland driver.
The moans you guys put up there……they are not Dragoman issues exclusively, they are issues for many of the Overland companies. Im not here to defend Dragoman, or Exodus (no longer operating), or umuka, or Tucan, or Af Trails…..just ant you punters to look at those coments in a balanced light.
Mike P
100% Mike P!!!
I can clarify the tacho thing for you too… Drago run them in Africa as company procedure I understand (good on them!). They are the only company that I am aware of that do. Tacho’s are not required by law in Africa although all companies running in the Middle East run tacho’s in the countries that require them, (ie: Turkey).
Can I risk my neck and add that most of these issues become ‘complaints’ because the expectations of the client could be incorrect, not enough research done, questions asked, forums read? If overlanding was as bad as it is laid out to be (above) it surely wouldn’t have been running 100’s of trucks for over 30 years with thousands of departure dates (one of my suppliers runs over 1100 dep’s per year by themselves with bums on seats every time!) if it was so terrible…. a sense of adventure, sense of humor and a ‘come what may’ face = one hell of a memorable time!
Hi Mike, as an ex Dragoman passenger in South America I would agree that the old trucks have character and they can go places which the newer trucks like Tucans could not. But in terms of comfort they have a great deal to be desired, long drive days were very hard indeed when the trucks were 3/4 full. However on one leg 3-4 weeks the truck was full and this made it an endurance event !!! Unacceptable for the price you pay - and if you consider the local transport was more comfortable and cheaper!
If on an operational level the old trucks have advantages then they should be run but with fewer passengers and little more time built in and then at least drivers and passengers would be happier.
Overlanding was an experience which on many occasions we enjoyed enormously but…Tania I wonder how many people who overland go again?
Fair question Alex….. and the answer will vary depending on which trip people book in the first place. For example; someone who came out to Africa and travelled the main routes on a 63 day trip from Uganda to South Africa, is not likely to come back for quite a while, if at all. These days the trend is to do shorter trips that fit into annual leave allowances - leaving more opportunity to come back.
As to whether they come back to overlanding as their preferred mode of travel…. some figures for you…
- 87% of our ‘off line’ enquiries and 14% of our ‘on line’ enquiries are generated from people whose friends/family/work mates have been overlanding and liked the sound of it so much they want to go too.
- 16% of total enquiries (on line and off) are from previous clients, (you will find that is incredibly high for niche market tourism), and 92% of them will confirm. (And that does not include the people who email me directly as they have my email address from a previous booking).
- 91.2% of feedback received from clients in regard to their trip is rated ‘good’ to ‘excellent’ (out of a scale of 5).
Obviously these figures are my company statistics and I can’t speak for tour operators or other companies as a whole but I would say that the trend is similar in most cases.
I hope that helps.
A lot of valid points made both for and against Dragoman’s operations and as a past passenger I did have some positive experiences with them. But I would also argue that even if Dragoman’s trucks are more reliable, as far as electrics are concerned anyway, and therefore more easily fixed if a breakdown occurs, customers are still paying too much for what the company offers in comparison to other overlanding companies. Especially if you consider that it certainly can’t cost more to maintain an existing fleet from cheaply available cannibalised spares than having to fork out hundreds of thousands of pounds to completely replace a fleet with new trucks, like many overlanding firms that charge customers less have done in recent years.
Personally, as a veteran of overland trips with several companies I can say the following:
1. A lot depends on the quality of the crew. If you are unfortunate enough to get a driver who is a heavy drinker, and from my experience the overland crew community does spend a lot of its spare time in bars, then you’d be right to complain. This sort of problem and others, happens across all overlanding companies, so it really is pot luck what crew you get and how good they are, e.g. how experienced, how knowledgable, how polite, how helpful etc.
2. There are those people who book on trips who haven’t properly researched what they are paying for and think there are going to visit half a continent in 2 weeks and then get fed up most of the time is spent driving - that’s why they call it overlanding! When these people turn round and complain, about how they hate camping or long drives for example, then I have no time for them. Their complaints don’t belong on this site.
3. The Dragoman trip I went on, quite some time ago now as it was one of my first, met my expectations at the time. However, having been on several trips with other companies in the years since then I can say that Dragoman might be a reasonable operator overall, but pound for pound and like for like, they do seem to charge a considerable premium over their competitors. In the past this may have been justified, but with the major improvements made by competitors and increased competition in recent years, this no longer seems the case. It seems to me that Dragoman are trading on past glory, due to their long standing presence in the market, but apart from this there is little to justify the high prices in my view. However, if Joe Public is still willing to pay then why not charge high prices? Having said that, the last Drago truck I saw, whilst travelling independently as it happens, only had 2 passengers on board (that looked like a fun trip for them - hope those two got on!) so maybe many people do think they overcharge…
Hi there
Although this thread dates back a bit I would still ike to put in my tuppence worth!
I joined Dragoman last year on a tour of South America. I have to say I was extremely disappointed with the whole experience as my research into Dragoman had left me with the impression that this would be suitable for me. To start with the truck was very clichey when I arrived. The driver had decided that t shirts would be made up for all the crew who had began a month ebfore on the journey, which served to immediately divide the newcomers from the old comers of the group. On top of this the old comers appeared to have claimed their seats and the newcomers were relagated to the front of the bus not at the 2 tables whereby folk could more easily talk and mingle. The driver and his co driver had also their favrouties on board and in my mind should have kept more of a professional distance instead of getting involved in petty disputes taking sides.
I really believed that I would be joining a touring company with an open minded outlook and be able to meet and mingle with adventurous travellers as advertised. However it turned out to be more of a school Coach Trip full of wining clichy kids, but on a much more uncomfortable truck and with no air con!
I would not recommend Dragoman to anyone with any intelligence.
Dear Anon
I think youre failing to look at the experience in a bad light. You had a bad group and perhaps the leader did not do enough to mingle the old lot with the new lot.
Does that make Dragoman a bad company to travel with? i think not. This could have happened with any company, its hardly a reflection of Dragoman who run trips in a many more places than most other truck based overland companies……..Im sure your 1 ad trip would be over-ridden by another 15 or 20 positive ones,
Brian K
Sorry that should have read “a balanced light”, not a bad light!
For what its worth I have just returned from a dragoman trip, and I have to say here and now I was really unhappy with the way it was run. It seemed that the crew were drinking alot and that the result was we perhaps missed stuff. Although we got to where we should that was about all. The general atmosphere was by the second week very tense. I would have left but needed to get to the end so I could meet up with some friends. There was a near fight and when we tried to explain to the crew they were un helpfull to the point of apathetic.
Please dont misunderstand but I was led to believe the company was a leader in the market, certainly thats what the sales girl told me, I was not told about the shoddy trucks or the fact that they were so old and uncomfortable. The seats and the kitchen stuff i.e plates cups etc were so old as well it was such a shame as the trip could have been great. I did get some amazing photos and memories but what an expensive lesson. Take my advice, try another. Sorry Dragoman but you have to listen to someone sometime.
Hi,
I’ve been looking into applying to work for Dragoman. I’ve thought about it a lot and I really want to work for some sort of overlanding company and Dragoman looks the best. I just can’t stand the idea of getting a office job and only travelling 3 weeks a year! I know it’s been a while since they were on here but I really like to hear from anyone who has worked for Dragoman or other Overlanding companies. I’m wondering how much support do the crew get on the road? Do you get many days off or are you on the road constantly? Is there a good atmosphere and commaraderie between the crew both on trips and in general? Roughly how much do you get paid? The money doesn’t bother me, I just want to know if I’ll come out even. Are you allowed, within reason, to choose where you want to go and when you’d like to relocate?
Thanks for all your help!
Interesting reading for an ex driver such as myself and it seems not much has changed since my time which was from 1987 to 1991. I would like to make some general comments
on various points made above.
1. Drivers. Drinking- nothing has changed there then. Bear in mind that it’s a stressful job and I think many drink to relieve that stress (waste of time of course) In my day many of the campsites gave the driver free beer which didn’t help either. Also many drivers are pretty inexperienced and they fail to differentiate themselves from the customers when it comes to having a good time. It’s not helped by the fact that the job is presented as, among other things, a travel experience and the wages are(used to be) abysmal.
I have seen drivers let the job go to their head as they were suddenly catapulted from being the average Joe or Jill to being the big boss on a macho looking overland vehicle driving across Africa. Many of the men behaved like the dominant male in the pride and had seen the inside of quiet a few tents before the trip was over. I know of one guy who returned to overland driving because he couldn’t get a girlfriend back home.
Many have had little or no previous leadership experience and don’t stay above the fray when it comes to the truck politics. Apart from the Drago Girls most drivers were male in my day.
2. Current maps and notes. As most of you know that having current notes is down to the previous driver and to the company who has to insist on timely updates. I had to post them but with email this should be very easy now. However I found many drivers couldn’t be bothered making notes (but would complain about the notes they had) and with the high turnover of drivers they would disappear off into the sunset before the company could pries any updates out of them. The driver should have the freedom to buy whatever maps are necessary and it surprises me to hear that companies don’t supply a GPS. Surely this is basic nowadays?
3. Trucks. I agree that trucks packed with electronics are not suitable for over landing. Toyota do an ‘Africa Spec’ Landcruiser which keeps electronics to a minimum and hopefully some of the truck companies will do the same. When there is a breakdown it’s up to the driver to deal with it and they must have the mechanical skills to do so. Some blame the head office when they come up short.. A good spares supply on the truck is also very important and must be updated by the driver. With many different drivers on the truck this job often falls through the cracks. Drivers always have to have a plan B up their sleeve. That’s why they are called leaders.
4. John above complained about the slow trucks but only because it meant he wasn’t the first to get washed and claim the best seat at the bar. Every overland driver spends time muttering ‘why the hell are you on this trip’? As for the fridge - I would suggest that the companies dump them as a malfunctioning one gets everyone moaning while it’s possible to get by without one. I disagree with the person who wrote that having a 4WD is not the issue but the driver’s experience. I disagree - both are an issue. Any experienced Sahara driver would still prefer to have the extra dimension a 4×4 gives. However except in certain countries in Africa I think it’s unnecessary on most overland trips.
5. Many companies compete for customers. In trying to get one over on the opposition they sometimes present unrealistic itineraries that contain a long list of places to visit. I personally experienced this having to get up at 4 am every morning on a three week intensive trip in South Asia. In the end the clients said we should have cut some stuff out but on the other hand they booked with us because they would see more. A bit of self-regulation is needed.
Hi Katherine,
I don’t know if you’ve made your decision yet, but if not and you’re checking back maybe I can help as an ex-drago driver with mixed experiences of the company, as I can give you both sides of the story:
1. Firstly, YES! Do become an overland driver, offices suck, you’ve made the right career choice. I left an office to work for Drago and didn’t regret it, in that respect, for one second.
2. Let’s talk pay and lack or rather lack of it. You’ll be paid a subsistence wage, overlanding is a lifestyle choice not a career choice I’m afraid. I think I earned about 250 quid a month, this was about 3 years ago. I’m afraid I can’t be more accurate than that because the pay was so low I didn’t even bother counting it properly! It was enough to pay for a few beers on the road. Don’t believe the tales you’ll be told by operations staff that you’ll return to find you’ve saved a few grand at the end of your tour of duty, thanks to the generous bonus scheme. The bonuses are pretty minimal and if, like me, you’re bonus was cynically penalised for restocking your truck’s out of date first aid kit with the correct medicines (as per company regulations), then you’ll fare even worse. Outrageous behaviour in my opinion. I mean surely crew and passengers should expect emergency malaria medication to be in date, wouldn’t you?
3. Do crew get much support on the road? Generally with Dragoman it was ok, although I did have to deal with totally unjustified bad attitudes from Operations staff on a couple of occasions. The OPS staff in question are gone now I believe, so things will have hopefully improved, but Pam, if you’re reading this, I don’t think requesting a passenger list for the third ******* time, the last just 12 hours before my trip is due to begin, is being unreasonable, but hey, maybe I’m wrong?
4. Do you get many days off? Not really, you occasionally get a few days lay over between trips, but you’ll spend most of that servicing your truck. If you’re working for Drago and you want it to work you will anyway! In that respect the job can be pretty full on. Mind you, I had a trip cancelled and had 3 weeks off. By the end of it I was dying to get back on the road, being stuck in a campsite/hostel gets pretty boring pretty quick.
5. Can you choose where you go? You can express a preference, but at the end of the day it’s the company’s decision and that depends mainly on where they need trainees next. A tip though, if you’ve got your eye on South America get yourself on a short evening course, or have a bit of private tuition or just get a CD and learn the basics of Spanish/Portugese before you apply. If you can ask directions, book a hotel room, count etc. then you’re very likely to get sent there rather than elsewhere, as you can hit the ground running.
6. Is there a good atmosphere and camaraderie between the crew, both on trips and in general? Totally depends on who you have to work with I think. For me it didn’t work out so good. I’m a friendly, easy-going guy and expected working in overlanding to be similar to of the very friendly, easy-going, egalitarian world of back-packing that I had previously experienced. That’s not quite how it worked out. I worked with several drivers and cooks all with varying personality disorders, these were:
a) The fantasist and crook - told endless lies, stole my trip funds and was shortly sacked there after.
b) The lazy bullshit merchant - good laugh, but couldn’t trust him as far as you could throw the fat bastard and if there was a corner to cut, he’d cut it.
c) The mendacious rat - envious of me getting jiggy with a young lady he was lusting after, so made it his priority to undermine my reputation by lying about me not doing my job properly to anyone who would listen, so it would get back to the office (as I later found out - too late unfortunately), with very dire consequences for my career - mainly thanks to the lazy office staff who never bothered to check his lies against the hard facts of my paperwork.
d) The embittered alcoholic - generally got on ok with him, but he seemed to have a chip on his shoulder about life in general which didn’t always make him the easiest guy to work with.
e) The One who hated Africa and always thought she knew best - you can imagine can’t you? Total nightmare. Plus all she had on her Ipod was Bjork (the really nasty Icelandic experimental Bjork stuff it was), Cafe Del Mar and Manu Chao. Two months of listening to the same three rubbish albums every time she was driving, makes my head feel like it’ll explode just thinking about it.
f) The stoner chef - Didn’t tend to say a lot (funny that), when he did he was usually accusing me of farting when it wasn’t me, but he could cook pretty good.
g) The Grudge - A cook who didn’t speak to me for a flippin’ MONTH because of some light-hearted harmless comment I made, I eventually discovered when she started talking to me again. Talk about sense of proportion. No great loss though, she was hardly great company to begin with.
And don’t get me started on the passengers
I think I just had a real run of bad luck there as I normally get on very well with most people, hopefully you’ll be luckier with your crew.
So in summary, Drago aren’t a bad choice to work for, hopefully they’ve improved a few things since I left, like newer more reliable trucks, new equipment the pax won’t moan about etc., but I have no idea. Apply and go for an interview and see what you think though and try not to let ‘The Barns’ put you off, it’s only temporary…
Hi Katherine
I too have worked for Dragoman in the past for 5 years or so. Here’s my thoughts.
1. ‘Wages’ are indeed very poor, infact drago crew are quite possibly the worst paid out of all the companies. From an average 12 month contract you might come home with 3000gbp, including your bonus. Which is not that bad, just in comparison to alot of others this is quite meagre
But lets not forget you dont do this job for the money, if thats a concern then definitely dont do it.
The beauty of drago is that they do pay for your airfare out and back (providing you complete the contract), they pay for all visas, and medical care if necessary. They also pay for any accomodation costs during trip (if incurred) and will pay you for any loyover time during a contract including accom costs……many companies do not offer all of this. Drago are very good with this regard.
The other bonus of working for drago is that you get to go to so many places that other companies dont go. You could end up stuck on Quito to Santiago with Tucan or Nairobi to Cape Town with Accacia……..drago go to so many other places, your options are much wider for seeing the world with drago, so lower wages is a good compromise to achieve this.
2. Support from drago HQ is second to none I have no hesitation saying that. The ops team and director never failed me. I think there are a few disgruntled drivers (not ecessarily the above driver), who feel they dont always get the support they need, but in all honesty alot of the time the queries they email or phone about dont warrant a response, crew need to think for themselves a bit more at times. Ive worked in the office there for a month before and some of the things crew would badger the office about were RIDICULOUS. One driver phoned up the ops team in the UK to say the truck was bogged…..why call at all?? Just get on with it and get the thing out, there really is no need at all to call the office for something like this!
Some drivers never phoned up just got on with it, but some would phone up with the most basic problems they really should have had the initiative to deal with on there own (queries about the trip, pax, or truck)…..there were deifinitely some HOWLERS!
Remember Dragoman has 23 trucks or so with over 50 crew and dozens of trips in progress at any one time….a simple query will take alot longer to answer than 3 emergencies they have to work through that day.
I personally never had any issues with support, I compliment dragoman on that.
3. First contract you go where they tell you to go and you put up with it. After proving yourself after 1 contract you get much more of a say in where you would like to go. Asia runs are vey popular with the more experienced crew so fill up much quicker than africa or south america.
4. Generally good comaraderie between crew, I personally worked with 2 people I NEVER would again, but we never fell out or anything, just found their way of doing things not to my liking. A big part of your training is that they suss out your personality as much as possible so they try their best to match you a suitable fellow crew……doesnt always work, indeed been some disasters, but geneally works.
5. On a personal level, I had a great time working for drago, saw some amazing places, and made some life long friends. Its a tough job at times, and sometimes you think WTF am I doing this, but when you look out that cab window as you drive the Kharakorum highway or see Tuaregs on camels near Timbuktu or the history of Ethiopia or the beauty of Tierra Del Fuego, its all worth it.
i would only consider Drago or Oasis as overland companies to drive for.
Hope some of that helps.
Hi to one and all
Interesting reading about Dragoman. Wish I had read some of the comments before I had gone, but then I might never have gone, had I done so. Wishfull thinking now!
I have just returned from an “experience” in South America with Dragoman and may I start by saying outright that it is definitely not an experience I would like to repeat, and nor do I hate anyone enough to recommend it either. I also believe that “complaints” are fully entitled to be aired here as anywhere else, despite what some might think. As for expectations? We all have them, no matter what they may be, however in my case it is not so much the expectations that were not met, though in many cases they most certainly were not, but rather certain standards that I believe should be upheld by any self respecting travel company. I include in this, customer service, health and safety and personal pride in one’s chosen profession. By the way, I am a tour guide myself and have been for over 40 years.
I know nothing about Dragoman’s efforts in Africa, nor do I have any experience of them outside of this particular trip, so I shall endeavour to restrict my comments (complaints) to the specific rather than the general as best I can.
The truck: It was old, and yes old can mean character and may well have certain advantages over modern trucks when it comes to “bush mechanics”, I am not a mechanic and would have to leave this particular debate to those with more knowledge than I, however, it is not “character” that I expect to get me from A to B, rather a fully operational vehicle designed and built for the job. Now whilst it might be argued that this is exactly what these veterans of the overland trails were designed for, I think it’s fair to say that the operative word here is “were”. There are reasons why things are redesigned and why modern inevitably overtakes old, and it’s usually that progress bows to demand, or if you like, expectation. Long gone are the days when it was deemed reasonable to expect people to sit for long periods in abject discomfort. Quite simple, ergonomics were not fully understood. Today they are, and yet whereas most of us would not for one moment accept to be made to sit for long periods in back breaking seats at their office, factory (wherever!), we, or that should read Dragoman, appear to be quite willing to openly baulk this advance in anatomical understanding. Uncomfortable? You bet your sore back and bum it was!
I think the rather spurious argument about increased safety at lower speed as opposed to the much faster, and perhaps, newer models of competing companies, is just that, spurious. A red herring thrown in to somehow justify the appalling state of these antiquated monsters. Sadly I do not buy into this. Speed is relative and relative to time spent in the vehicle. A slightly quicker pace over a long period can indeed mean arriving before the bar closes, though I do not necessarly hold this as a sufficient reason for a radical truck upgrade, but I do think that overall the less time spent inside the truck is of benifit to all, and to arrive at ones destination with enough of the day left to actually enjoy (?) it is more in keeping with the experience “expected”. In my case, as with another above, this was not to be the case. Our truck had such an antiquated braking system that it meant that every downward incline was taken at snails pace, and I’m talking non-Olympic snail too. Quite literally it would have been quicker to have walked, and in many instances, preferable too. OK, so it at least had brakes. So, in anticipation of the defenders of the ancient, I conceed, it is better to have than not to have. Pyrrhic victory indeed.
Fortunately our fridge did not break down. Small mercies are grately appreciated.
Tents: The tents we were expected to use were woeful. Old, dirty, smelly and leaky. The zippers did not work, which meant for some really cold nights, and when I first complained I was at first met with a look of resignation, then a look of “what the hell” and finally thrown a new tent. This too had a faulty zipper and I was eventually forced to use surgical tape to tape it up just to keep out the drought. The next one leaked in the rain and when I reported that one to our driver/leader, he again shrugged his shoulders. I did feel inclined, though perhaps I shouldn’t, to remind him that it wasn’t so much the now that mattered, but the future. He was going to have this same problem on the next trip, was he not? He muttered something about it not being easy to get anything done about it and that, to all intents (?) and purposes was that. Unfortunately I am inclined to think that this (preventable) episode is now being played out again somewhere else in South America and another unsuspecting customer is about to spend a freezing night in a shoddy, dirty tent.
Health: Travelling in South America can be a health risk at the best of times, and everyone should be responsible for their own health and safety. I accept this, however when I am expected to camp in what can only be described as a rubbish dump (I have the photos to prove it), and I am paying for the “privilege” I can only feel less than happy. Unfortunately this was indeed the case. Our campsite was strewn with dog shit, cow shit and even a dead sheep carcass just for good measure. The facilities consisted of a rundown old shed which was used for cooking and also for anyone who didn’t, or couldn’t stomach camping outside, toilets without water, and which had not seen anything resembling a cleaner for at least the last 20 years. For those who chose this as an alternative to the leaky tents, they had the luxury of a cold concrete floor for their respite.
Add to this is the fact that many of the old plates and cups we were expected to use were broken, some with huge lumps missing. And yet these potentials for the spread of all manner of diseases were expected to be “cleaned” in cold dirty water time after time. This I found this unacceptable on the grounds of duty of care regarding the health and well being of your customers.
Now I should point out that as I mentioned above I have been a tour guide for over 40 years, and most of these I have spent leading groups into remote areas. I do know the difference between “bush/wild camping” and a bloody rubbish dump. At any bush camp I wouldn’t expect there to be toilets and a shed to cook in. But this wasn’t bush camping, it was being dumped along with the rubbish. And guess what? I get to pay for it. Who’s the lucky one then???
Professionalism: It may be somewhat old fashioned but I do actually believe that one should take a degree of pride in the profession they have chosen. Sadly our “leaders” lacked this quality. They never communicated with us about anything. They were simply drivers and all we did was look at the back of their nodding heads for 3 weeks. Customer service was an anathema to them both, although similar to that mentioned above they did play favourites and if you weren’t in the “crowd”, you most certainly were out of it, and make no mistake. Simple politeness was none existent and woe betide anyone who crossed our “trainee” leader first thing in the morning. And by cross I mean say “Hello” or manage to bag the choco-pops (or whatever they were called) before she did. She could kill at a 1000 yards with but a single glare.
Not fulfilling ones allotted “duties” was a capital offence and God help anyone who put a plate in the washing up bowl. I’m not so sure that public executions weren’t discussed at some stage! Despite the fact that I had dietary needs that meant no red meat, the alternative on most ocassions was usually pasta which I had also told them I didn’t eat. I actually lost 8kgs in the 3 weeks (perhaps not such a bad thing!).
We got lost more times than you can poke a stick at and both of our leaders spent endless hours looking at the Lonely Planet guides just trying to find somewhere for us to stay each night. It was like a magical mystery tour, only without the magic.
So what does all this boil down to? In my opinion, and yes, it is only my opinion, it boils down to a poorly organised tour led by poory trained leaders who, either through no fault of their own, or even worse, inadequate training in all aspects of tour leading and not just truck driving, were charged with the health, well being and in some respects though not all, the “happiness” of customers who have paid dearly for their help and expertise. If these are “expectations” then so be it, I have certain expectations which were not met. However, as I said at the begining, I believe these are standards, standards of care, respect and above all personal pride. All sadly lacking.
I would never EVER go on, or recommend Dragoman to anyone.
Normie. You seem to focus rather heavily on this bushcamp/rubbish dump. Im just curious, so to put things into perspective, I imagine the trip was at least 21 nights long. Was it just the 1 night that you experienced this rubbish dump or was it a one off? How were the other 20 odd nights accomodation?
Just that i remember a trip where our leader took us to what turned out to be a dogging site! But very unforseen because the border that day took rather longer than planned and the options for anywhere else to find whilst still light were impossible. Not a great night, but certainly not worth dwelling on.
It seems to me that I’m damned if I do and damned if I don’t. If I do mention what happened to me, then I’m accused of dwelling on it, and if I don’t then I cannot see the point of me, or anyone else for that matter, even being here. I thought it was about sharing your experiences, and not just the “good” ones?
Yes there was other accommodation over the 23 days. Some equally as bad and some slightly better. The point I tried to make is that whichever one we ended up in, it was more a matter of desparation than good forward planning.
Of course I appreciate that things can, and often do, go wrong and you have to deal with the situation as it arises, however this is usually because there is an unforseen problem with your original plan, as was the case with you Anonymous. This, however is a far cry from having no plan whatsoever. This was the case with us. When a dog earred copy of Lonely Planet becomes the bible of your trip you know your in trouble, besides which, if that’s the case and the entire journey is as a result of what’s in the Lonely Planet, why then would we need Dragoman in the first place?
Whilst what happened to you was indeed unfortunate I would suggest that as an experience, and provided you didn’t actively participate, then the risk to your health and well being was minimal. Unfortunately this was not the same with us. It is all about having a duty of care towards your customers and not deliberately putting them at risk. It’s standard working practice in most industries and especially the adventure tourism industry. Look it up……but try not to dwell on it!
This place has turned into a bloody school yard. I was once under the impression that overlanding community was exactly that - a place where people who love overlanding come to share their experiences. When was the last post about a great joys of trucking across a continent and meeting local people, getting away from mainstream tourism and taking your time to understand a region - all the things that make overlanding great. Sure there are bad bits, sure sometimes campsites aren’t great, sure sometimes their are long driving days but hey if that’s too much to handle I would suggest an all inclusive package at a 5* hotel in Cancun.
Are they any overlanding fans still out there?
Normie, you are not damned if you do or damned if you dont, its great to hear good and bad experiences on this website. Thats what its here for.
I was simply analysing one of your comments you made about camping in a rubbish dump as it souned like you tarred the entire trips accomodation based upon one dreadful camping night.
Bu if you want to get all defensive, then Ill pick apart your whinging and moaning.
1. “Yes there was other accommodation over the 23 days. Some equally as bad and some slightly better”
So for a 23 day trip in south america, you are saying that all your accomodation was equally as bad as a rubbish dump, or slightly better than a rubbish dump?
Cmon Normie, get real!
I know dragomans itinerary in South America very well as I did the full loop with them, so please mention what trip you were on and I will go through each nightstop with you and tell you if they really are as bad as a rubbish dump or only slightly better. I really think you are exaggerating here. Sounds like you had 1 night in a rubbish dump and youre failing to look at the whole 23 night trip in a balanced light.
2. “When a dog earred copy of Lonely Planet becomes the bible of your trip you know your in trouble”
Normie, Dragoman have been running the same trips in South America since the mid-1980s. All drivers have detailed route notes based upon tried and tested trips. The route is no way determined by the LONELY PLANET, it is entriely determined by the route notes.
Now, if you saw your crew using the Lonely Planet to read up on history or culture, and relay that information to you, then fine….they are overland drivers and trip LEADERS……they are NOT tour guides with indepth knowledge on history and culture etc. Maybe they used it to find an alternative hotel or restaurant when the usual Dragoman hotel was full?
I seriously doubt they based the trip upon the Lonely Planet….there is no need to as everything is pretty much set in stone with the trips as you have to follow a fairly structured itinerary as sold in the brochure. Hotels and activities are based upon driver route notes, not the lonely planet, unless the usual supplier is not available and the drivers have to find an alternative.
3. “Whilst what happened to you was indeed unfortunate I would suggest that as an experience, and provided you didn’t actively participate, then the risk to your health and well being was minimal”
Well i can say Normie that the dogging site I stayed in had used syringes on the floor in places and used contraceptives….but so what?? I put my tent where there werent any. Problem solved. Never moaned, just got on with it. Quite likely a health risk there but hey, it was what it was.
But i suppose your campsite was so covered in rubbish there literally was not ANYWHERE you could put a tent without being on top of a pile of rubbish?
4. “Look it up……but try not to dwell on it!”
Ive taken note Normie. Thanks for the tip.
PS… VERY WELL PUT BUMPY ROADS!! Could not agree more.
And I shoukd bow to your words? You were not there I was. I’ve tried to get my point across about certain standards and duty of care but it boviously makes no difference as you simpy fail to recognise them for what they are and continue with this accusation of whinging and moaning. I really don’t know why I bother. You’re obviusly a staunch supporter of Drangoman, possibly a current or ex-employee, and either way I really don’t give a rats arse. I know what it was like, what happened and why. You don’t, so get off your cruisading high horse and just listen. I don’t ask that you agree with me, like it or think I’m mad, all I ask is that you understand that this was my experience, not yours. And despite your infinite knowledge of Dranoman routes in South America, well just maybe you don’t know everything.
I didn’t write about my experience to influence you or anyone else, nor did I expect you, or anyone else to waste their time trying to prove that I was wrong or overexagerated. All this get real shit. What the fuck do you think I’m writing about……….it was fucking real………..that’s the whole point.
Happy to camp in a dogging site with it’s obvious health risks are you? Well it seems to me that you are, and I have no problem with that. It’s your choice and shows what standards of health and safety you are prepared to accept. I’m not. I value my health even if Dragoman doesn’t. My concern, and this is another point that appears to go so far over your head it’s unreal, is that this may be, and quite possible is, going to happen again. If I can in anyway prevent this then I have a moral obligation to try and do so. You, it seems, on the other hand appear not to care about anyone else. If you can put up with it, so can (must) others. Well done you!
Normie.
You have completely misunderstood the meaning of my original post and as youre responding in an agressive way Ill try to refocus the thread.
I will quote my original post again:
“Was it just the 1 night that you experienced this rubbish dump or was it a one off? How were the other 20 odd nights accomodation?
Instead of answering the question in a balanced way, you stated it was all “equally as bad as a rubbish dump, or slightly better than a rubbish dump”.
Complete nonsense Normie and you know it. I state again, tell me what trip you were on and I will go through each nights accomodation and prove otherwise. To say ALL nights were as bad as a rubbish dump or slightly better………..complete nonsense. That is not a fair statement for a 23 night trip.
Now, issues as broken plates, unprofessional crew etc…..I did not once challenge you on those issues. Its obviously irritated you and you are quite right to bring these issues up here, thats what this forum is for.
Im not here to rubbish your views and experiences, I was merely stating that your comments about accomodation are entirely unbalanced.
Read through everything I have written and that is what you wil find.
Personally i was not happy about camping in a dogging sight but we all made the best of a bad situation. Nobody died, nobody got ill, everybody was ok. I still had a great trip and practically every other nights camping was awesome, really great locations.
Nope I dont work for Dragoman but have done quite a few trips with them as well as other companies. Enjoy overlanding immensely and have had some good trips and some bad ones.
I have said what I have said and have no intention of churning over old ground ust to please you. Yes I am defensive, and yes, I am pissed off by your sanctimonious attitude: “tell me what trip you were on and I will go through each nights accomodation and prove otherwise. To say ALL nights were as bad as a rubbish dump or slightly better………..complete nonsense” You weren’t there, I was, so how are you to prove me wrong other than to call me a liar?
And don’t patronise me either, I am not some dunderhead that knows nothing about camping and the asociated hardships involved. Allow me a slight blowing of my personal acheivement trumpet in an attempt to enlighten you as to why the reasons I am concerned about the standards and duty of care of Dragoman have nothing to do with my ability to adapt and adopt to unforseen circumstances. I have, as I said earlier been leading tours for many, many years. Most of which have been camping trips to remote areas in Scotland, Wales, The Alps, Pyrenees, Picos de Europa, Polish Tatras, New Zealand and the Himalaya. Personally I have summited four 8000m peaks including Everest, Annapurna I, Broad Peak and CHo Oyu. I’m not saying this to impress, and I hope it doesn’t come across that way, but merely to give you some indication as to my experience of camping in harsh conditions. I accept this when on an expedition. I don’t accept this when I am on holiday and paying for it. Nor do I expect my wofe to have to put up with it either. I have a duty of care for her health and well being, equally Dragoman has a duty of care for ours.
Make what you will of what I have said and no doubt turn it around in an attempt to make it other than what I genuinely intended it to be.
As for not challenging me on the broken plates ect? Should I be greatful? Is it your job to challenge my, or any others views? Are you a representitive of Dragoman? And do you honestly believe that you have tome sort of moral duty to challenge people who’s opinions you disagree with? If so, why?
Normie.
This is a public forum for discussion. That is why Im writing on here. Why did you write on here in the first place if you didnt want anybody to respond to your comments?
Let me once AGAIN say the original point I raised was to challenge your totally unblanced comment that out of 23 nights on a trip with Dragoman, all the nights were “equally as bad as a rubbish dump, or slightly better than a rubbish dump”.
If I can not challenge such an unbalanced statement and you refuse to answer my question about what trip you were on then I shall write no more. TO say I hav a sanctomonious attitude in challenging your statement is a little rash i think.
I just want other readers to note that such a comment really should be taken with a pinch of salt. Even though I was not there, youre quite right, I simply do not believe your statement to be a fair comment so decided to seek your clarification on it. But you have responded in a very negative way to that and it is clear you wont address my original statement.
That is my only point of contention in what you wrote.
Im not here to back Dragoman up. I read a comment you made and thought it sounded a bit unbalanced. But you seem to have taken it the wrong way.
No trumpet blowing going on Normie well done for your achievments. I have personally driven across Zaire for 4 months during Mobutus days, been through Afghanistan during Taliban times, and spent several months in the Amazon rainforest. Ive also done work for various agencies in conflict zones in Sierra Leonne, Liberia, and Sudan so I also know what to expect.
I really don’t see the point of continuing this discussion. I doubt that we could agree on much and really wouldn’t see eye to eye if our noses were touching. I don’t believe I have to answer your questions any more than I have done in order to justify myself to you or anyone else. I really don’t care if you believe me or not, however I do object to be called a liar for not agreeing to the third degree.
You have your opinion and I respect that. You have other ideas. FIne, live with them.
This conversation is at an end as it is becoming rather tedious and really quite boring.
You have your opinion too Normie and good for you. Just not sure why you wrote what amounts to a complaint letter on a public forum and then not expect any debate on the points you raise. Seems a little odd to me.
Listen, sorry you didnt have an enjoyable trip. You raise some issues that clearly need addressing.
For the record, I never once called you a liar, you simply never backed up your killer statement that out of “23 nights on a trip with Dragoman, all the nights were “equally as bad as a rubbish dump, or slightly better than a rubbish dump”. I just find it very odd that the other 22 nights were so terrible that they could be called “slightly better than a rubbish dump”.
Hope you have a better trip next time on your travels.
Phew! I’m glad that’s over.
Right can we please move on. Will someone please start a thread to discuss the ‘people’s best moments when overlanding?’ (I’m not quite sure how to on this site)
Let do what this site is all about, share stories and inspire one another to overland. Please can someone start a new thread and let’s stop the negativity
Cheers Bumpy Roads
You really haven’t got a clue what forums are all about, have you?
Hi……….. I’m on Drago for the Vic Falls to Capetown in Jan-2010. I’m totally pumped for this and it will be my first ever organized tour! All previous ‘walkabouts’ have been self-organized (trans-sahara/West Africa/ North Africa/ Arabian Penninsula) I just don’t have time to buy vehicles/ maintain / etc I’ve finally learned that the experience is worth it - I ‘ve driven within a few miles of world-class sites etc without knowing they were there because I was ‘wandering’ new territory. My only concern is …..Will the Drago trip be too organized/ set in stone……… do the passengers really have a say in deciding the pace…… g
Hi Bumpy Roads,
I just happened upon this site to get some information about the 57 day overland from Nairobi to Cape Town. There are numerous companies and prices with an incredible variety of options and comfort zone ammenities. I am 63 (in great physical condition) and will be 64 this summer when I want to take the trip. I would rather go with people closer to my own age rather than “very young”. Any kind of info I could receive on the different companies would help. The choices are amazing. I have looked at Africa In Focus with interest because it looks like an outfit with comfort in mind. At this point I think comfort for an 8 week trip will be important to me understanding that there will always be unexpected incidents. (Sure glad that catfight is over. Could not believe what that turned into. Wonder if either of them realize how personal it became
I take it by “Them” you are referring to myself and Annon? I didn’t take anything ‘personally’ rather considered it an exercise in a frank and honest exchange of ideas, opinions and experiences, and whilst I may have disagreed with Annon on a number of points I do, however repsect that each has something to contribute. What I do dislike is those who jump on the bandwagon without really having anything meaningful to add.
Hi Richie,
Thanks for the question. And it is a relevant one. How do you pick a trip that will put you with likeminded travelers of a similar age? My personal advice would not be to use price as your number 1 consideration (the younger the traveller, generally the less deserning more likely to pick the rock bottom cheapest) and, look at the companies with the longest histories (and thus experience) , call a few us one the phone (or email if you are out of the UK) ask them if they train their own crew, if they own and maintain their own trucks and most importantly pick a departure and ask them the to tell you the ages of the people on the trip.
Good luck and let us know who you pick
Wharf Rat, to answer your question you probably won’t have too much say as the route is so popular and your crew should have done the route a fair few times so will have worked out the best pace etc. But in my experience you get out what you put in. Offer to help with the cooking, collect the water, set up camp and you will soon start to feel like you are helping to run the trip rather than just be a mear passenger… plus the hard working crew will appreciate you help. I hope you have a great time!
Hi Bumpy Roads,
Thanks for the reply. I did look into some of the items you mentioned. In the end I imagine when you book online with a company several continents away you can never anticipate everything. Which makes the excursion the adventure it should be!!
Hi thanks for that, what has become clear though through all of the exchanges here are that with all trips different personalities may at some stage clash. For a very relevant illistration of this point, imagine bumpy roads and me on the same trip!! What a bloodbath, what a fool. So you really are taking ‘poy luck’ on whomever you choose. I think the condition of the vehicle Has to be a consideration.