Overland Tour Operators in Africa are resilient to say the least. After all, in the wake of an economic down turn in 2008, most overland companies in Africa disappeared off the face of the earth. But how were some able to remain? These companies were savvy when it came to budgeting, online marketing and listening to their customers. I have worked for two of these tour operators and encountered every other company on the road. With this in mind, the following is a list of the overland tour operators in Africa and some statistics according to Tourradar :
Quick Answer: Top Overland Companies in Africa
G Adventures
Nomad
Oasis Overland
Absolute Africa
Acacia Adventure Holidays
Top Overland Tour Operators in Africa
1. G Adventures
Tour Radar Rating: 4.5/ 5Â
My Rating – 4.8/5
1- 15 Days:Â My Favourite Africa Overland Tours for Less than 15 Days
1 – 30 Days: My Favourite Africa Overland Tours for Less than 30 Days
30+ Days:Â My Favourite Africa Overland Tours for More than 30 Days
2. Nomad ToursÂ
Tour Radar Rating: 4.6/5Â
My Rating: 4.5/5
Nomad Tours have quite a big reputation around the globe and are now one of the biggest overland tour operators in the world. According to their website, they have more than 40 trucks and 40 monthly departures in Africa alone. I would agree that Nomad is a fantastic overland tour operator and best suited to those aged 30 upwards. They use the old school overland trucks and most of these trucks seem to be in reasonably good shape. While the equipment might not be on the same level as the previously mentioned tour operator, it is fit for purpose. I also believe they are careful with recruiting crew members and have a wide range of travel itineraries from which to choose. If you are concerned about joining a slightly younger age group with G Adventures, I would suggest you consider taking an overland tour in Africa with Nomad Tours.
3. Oasis Overland
Tour Radar Rating – 4.3/5 (Nairobi to Cape Town Trip)
My Rating – 4/5
Oasis Overland are another international company with a base of operations in the UK and they get a lot of business through referrals and word of mouth. In my opinion, this company is more for the ‘party crowd’ and budget minded people aged between 18 – 30. The trucks are in decent shape and the crew were typically from the west (as opposed to being local drivers/guides) until recent years. However, you should know these type of trips are more budget focused and this is sometimes apparent in terms of the condition of tents and equipment on board. The crew also has more freedom with day-to-day operations and head office doesn’t get involved much in terms of the running of the actual trip. This means the competence of your driver and tour leader is even more important and it is my opinion that the outcome is less certain than the two operators mentioned already. That said, if you cannot afford to travel with either Nomad or G Adventures, you might find a similar trip on a budget with Oasis Overland.
4. Absolute Africa
Tour Radar Rating: 4.5/5 (Only 150 reviews)
My Rating: 4/5
Absolute Africa is a budget tour company that offers a wide range of overland tours in Africa. They are often compared with Oasis Overland because they both use yellow trucks and offer no-frills trips that go to many of the same places as the other overland companies. I do think the rating for transportation is exaggerated on Tour Radar and the equipment is generally not as high quality as competitors. That said, Absolute Africa are lovely to deal with and if you get a good tour leader, it’s certainly possible to enjoy a budget overland tour. This is why I recommend Absolute Africa to people on a budget and those who do not expect any kind of luxury.
5. Acacia Review
Tour Radar Rating: 4.7/5 (267 Reviews)
My Rating: 4/5
Acacia have been around for a long time and seem to fall in the middle of the overland tour operators in Africa. That is to say, they are not exactly budget minded but they are not luxury either. Acacia have a wide range of options for their tours and plenty of monthly departures. In my experience, the passengers are usually aged between 18 – 35. I would rate the standard of their trucks as being average and the equipment similar to the two budget operators above. I would suggest Acacia if they offer an overland tour that you cannot find with any of the other overland tour operators on this list.
