Don’t let those punctures leave you stranded

On our recent seven month, 33 000km return trip from Cape Town to Ethiopia, we punctured four rear tubeless tyres, all in the first 17 000km. On one day alone Pete had to use 20 plugs on two tyres and we arrived at our destination well after dark! Next time we go on an overland trip, we’ll go even better prepared…

From personal as well as other people’s experience we have learnt that the risk of punctures increases on gravel roads, where it seems to be a matter of (bad) luck. Various theories exist regarding the best tyre pressure to use but the bottom line is: if there is a sharp object in the path of the tread (possibly made to stand up by the passage of the front tyre or by rain) then there is a chance that it will penetrate the rear tread. No tyres are immune! Continue reading Don’t let those punctures leave you stranded

Why the T4A Overland Navigator app works offline

People often wonder how it is possible to use the Tracks4Africa Overland Navigator App off-line (without an internet connection) on their iPad/iPhone, Android phone or tablet. This app is the Android and iOS versions of the Tracks4Africa GPS maps which has been used by travellers for more than a decade to safely navigate them across Africa. It covers the whole of Africa.

Unlike online services such as Google Maps, where you constantly require an internet connection to download the maps as you drive, the T4A apps make use of offline maps. In other words, the maps are installed onto your device;  hence you do not need an internet connection to download maps as you drive. Continue reading Why the T4A Overland Navigator app works offline

You can overland solo off the beaten track

Many people would like the freedom of travelling on their own but don’t feel comfortable exploring Africa solo off the beaten track. Travelling in a group can give you a false sense of security and if you are cautious and keep a few basics in mind, there is no reason why you cannot travel Africa in one vehicle. Continue reading You can overland solo off the beaten track