I have spent more than five years travelling around Africa. Two of these years involved backpacking Africa solo and the rest working as an overland tour leader. While the greatest period of personal growth happened on my solo trips, the overland tours were undoubtedly more enjoyable. I also say this because you still get time alone on a tour and encounter many of the same places or experiences that you might find when backpacking Africa alone.
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Meeting People is Easy on Tour
You will meet lots of locals no matter which way you decide to travel. However, it is rather difficult to meet fellow backpackers when you travel around Africa. This is largely because most people decide to join overland tours and the fact that Africa is not as well travelled as the likes of Southeast Asia. I think you should know that backpacking Africa solo will be quite lonesome at times, and you will definitely miss out on the camaraderie that you will find on an organised tour.
Related Blogpost: My Top 5 Overland Tours for Less than 30 Days
Cost of Independent Travel versus Joining a Tour
If you opt to travel independently, you can perhaps expect cheap bus tickets and cheap local meals. However, you will need to find your own way and the lack of tourist infrastructure means this isn’t always straight forward. It’s true that an organized tour in Africa will add to the cost of your trip but much of the transport and meals are included and some travel expenses are shared among the group. Unless you are adamant about backpacking Africa solo, I highly suggest joining a tour.
Think About the Importance of Comfort
I’m used to sleeping in lackluster places, but I would say my tolerance levels for discomfort is extremely high compared to most people. This simply means a lot of accommodation in Africa is not as clean or comfortable as you might like. Organized tours will ensure you stay at secure accommodation and receive fair value for whatever cost you pay for the tour.
PS. Overland companies require you take out a travel insurance policy to join a tour and you will need a policy for traveling alone. I always use the company below and you can get a quote for your trip in a matter of seconds…
Conclusion
You might pay more for an overland tour but if your time is limited, I highly recommend taking a tour instead of travelling alone. You will feel safer and more comfortable and not have to spend your time trying to get from one place to another. Meeting fellow travelers is also something to consider and another reason I believe an overland tour in Africa is a better option than backpacking on your own.
