Camping & Hiking

camping in south africa..what do i need?

hi, next July im going to South Africa.
i’ve been given a kit list, and im now searching for the best deals for it all!
ive been told that the insect repellent must be natural, but i want to get the best possible one, even if it isn’t natural. any ideas of very effective natural ones, or should i definitely just stick to deet based repellents?
i also need a light weight sleeping bag that is also cheap and affordable, but wont fall apart as soon as i get in it. any good places people know of to get this?
has any one else been to africa? would be great to have some advice from people
thankyouu
i think its near too johannesburg – kruger national park. and also Mozambique

Loads of links and info on this I did for a lady a few days ago for Madagascar but everything applies to South Africa too.
I’ve had some very happy days camping out there and in hostels and you’ll have plenty too I hope.
You only need to worry about malaria in wet areas. Without water mossies can’t breed because the larvae live in water till they get to adults..
You do have to worry about Aids though, and some other ‘orrible bits, but it’s not like living in Borneo or the deepest jungles of Congo!. It’s a good place, mostly pretty safe for diseases if you take normal care, same as at home.
Just have some sense about personal safety like anywhere else and don’t be bothered by all the scaremongers….there’s even one on here already…pathetic!.
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AufzItRHIVekuRGnLWpEeqXty6IX;_ylv=3?qid=20091002134326AAnCvrm&show=7#profile-info-nMUoerYNaa . . . .

This one has the embassy link and links to Q’s about SA safety, insect repellent warning, washing in camp, etc
Have a great time…..
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20091005081844AATeakS&r=w#QcB4WTPtAzM.RIIlTUUbltk_YGK5ogJrypVK3VBzy_BifLe8eF.A . . .

Safety one here…loads of girls are travelling around SA, no problems at all.
We never hear good news. It doesn’t sell newspapers.

http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AiSEQ67NPCxKIPUkbPB4Ma8hBgx.;_ylv=3?qid=20081207013731AAYSAZY&show=7#profile-info-cEp5p1feaa..

South Africa is very cheap. Best thing is to take the bare minimum and get stuff there. You’ll look better dressed in local stuff, not look like a rookie (apart from the tan,haha), and you’ll have a nice wardrobe at home later.
You can get loads of equipment there as well much cheaper than at home and it’s stuff that suits South Africa.
Last trip, I went with a shoulder bag, nothing else. Same to Chile and Peru. Fill up there very cheaply and bring lots of goodies home with no extra baggage to pay.
Have a good time…..

EDIT: Haha, missed the sleeping bag.
There is a very suitable range from Vango and lots more firms.My Vango Ultralight has been with me to South Africa and India and loads of Europe trips over the years and there’s hardly any wear in it at all after over a dozen washes.
I always use a silk sleeping bag liner that’s easy to wash and dry. Even in UK wild camping on the hills it’s no problem.
On rainy days it dries inside the tent while I’m out walking.
Silk is far better than cotton for liners.
Even SAS Forces use silk bag liners…and silk long johns too, for arctic climates…it’s standard issue…Sshhh!
Warm in the cold and cool in the heat…silk is brill.
Got my Vango from Millets but loads of places sell them and similar models. Useful in winteer too on the Alps, when it goes inside another sleeping bag for a super-warm one.
Sort of double duvet delight.
The Ultralight 200 or 300 will do you a treat.
You can sometimes find them for £25 or less in sales..
Anything by Vango is good. They’ve got a top reputation to keep.
http://www.nevisport.com/catdetail-4-catdetail1_id-72-catdetail2_id-360-product_id-441018 . . . .
You’ll only need a super-warm one if you’re going up in the Drakensburg where it can get pretty rough or plan on sleeping on top of Table Mountain or similar.
Right down around the Cape it gets pretty windy which cools things a bit…it’s called the Cape Doctor cos it blows all the muck away out to sea,haha…..but it’s warmer in winter than most UK summer evenings.
I sleep out in UK with that Vango Ultralight through the summer. A thicker one is too hot.

………………………EDIT…………………..
Mozambique is beautiful but has big problems. Lots of people are very very poor and some of the sights were heartbreaking.
At the other extreme there are some super-luxury places to stay.
I had a fantastic time at Zongoene (Pronounced Zongwenee), in a lodge that would cost over a thousand a day in UK if we could actually get the weather to run it in.
Cost? Around £150 a day and eating fabulous gourmet meals and lots of it.
Superb accommodation and fabulous furnishings all made on site to suit.
The veranda of the private bungalow they call a room was swept free of sand three times a day. Twelve paces from the beach fence.
The beaches are incredibly beautiful and clean…pure soft sand and glorious scenery.
Quad biking through the forest and onto the hills….great.

That was the luxury bit. The rest of it was in a tent,haha.
Some tips here, especially concerning the airport and cash.
http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20081002132554AAML6zC . . . . . .

Kruger is fine..cool at night but feels colder than it is due to the heat of the day.
Still warmer in reality than in my garden right now…at 1pm in the north west….(Isle of Man)
Also has great lodges for top luxury if you want, some cheaper ones, and some protected sites for camping.
Individual wild camping is strictly not allowed!
The Park is divided into north, central, and south Kruger for admin and general ease of description..
It’s a few hours drive east from Jo’burg on the N4 to the southern edge of Kruger and rather longer going north east on the NI past Pretoria to Pietersburg and on to the northern end for the Limpopo River which just cuts across the top by the Zimbabwe border, or turn east from Pietersburg straight across to the Park.
On the way past Pretoria shout a huge happy greeting to The Loftus, Versfeld Stadium, home of the South African God of Sport (haha,sorry folks,,,) and what amounts to a National Treasure.
Birds dip their wings in salute as they fly over it, passing cars dip their headlights with no assistance from the driver….
Lions in the Kruger National Park lift their ears to hear the roar of fans in the Stadium as the Springboks score another winning try…..and celebrate with a rugby tackle on a poor innocent antelope…oh well…time to cheer up.
A stop in Pretoria is great…see the zoo and the gorgeous Botanical Gardens.
Both are magnificent!
It’s a very scenic trip to Kruger all ways, and there is a named Panoramic Route across to Central Kruger.
The eastern border of Kruger is the western border of Mozambique for the whole length of the Park, but Mozambique extends further north and south of it.
There’s a small airport just west of the park both north and south.
Directly south of Kruger is Swaziland, where the Reed Dance is held every year.

SURVIVAL-my survival kit ( backpack)

Sawyer Premium Permethrin Clothing Insect Repellent Trigger Spray (24-Ounce) $12.99 The Sawyer Premium Insect Repellent offers superior protection from disease-carrying biting insects, the active ingredient, Permethrin, is a synthetic molecule similar to those found in natural pyrethrum, which is taken from the Chrysanthemum flower, single application lasts 6 washings and is odorless when dry, will not stain or damage fabrics. (24oz. Trigger spray). Mfg Item Number: SP657…

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SE 6-1 Camping S. Steel Detachable Knife 4 Body $3.44 New camping utensil set. This sturdy tool is made of high quality stainless steel. It includes a sharp knife, fork, spoon, corkscrew and bottle opener. A great tool for weekend camping! The tool even separates, so you can use the knife and fork in different hands. It comes with its own storage bag. Folded length: 4 1/2″ Weight with bag: 5.3 oz…

Gerber 31-000699 Bear Grylls Survival Series Fire Starter $7.28 The product of collaboration between Gerber and survival expert Bear Grylls, the Survival Series Fire Starter is a must-have for scouting, camping, and hiking expeditions. Small and compact, this fire starter offers years of use. Watertight construction keeps tinder safe and dry, so when you need it, you can trust that it’s ready to use.Survival Series Fire StarterAt a Glance:Compact fire starter …

Emergency Sleeping Bag, Survival Bag, Emergency Zone® Brand, Reflective Blanket $3.99 Emergency Zone® Brand. The Emergency Sleeping Bag is made of the same Mylar material as our emergency blanket but is formed into a sleeping bag to prevent heat loss even more efficiently. The bag retains 80 percent of body heat and is wind and waterproof. The bag measures 36 x 84 inches….

Zippo All In One Kit (Lighter/Fluid/Flints) $12.18 All In One Kit Street Chrome…

Adventure Medical Kits Pocket Survival Pack $35.71 Adventure Medical Kits offers a collection of survival tools in a small package….

Johnson & Johnson First Aid Kit, Safe Travels (Pack of 2) $9.95 Portable Travel First Aid Kit…

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