Tent - Info for trip around Southen africa
- Thread starter Carts
- Start date
You could always try a Durston X Mid 1 or 2. Instead of walking poles take a couple of small lightweight telescopic poles instead. You can get a fully mesh inner tent to keep the biting bastards at bay but still have the benefit of a proper tent. I have an X Mid 2 Solid ( half mesh ) and it’ absolutely superb. Very lightweight and packs away tiny, especially the 1 person version. Still a big sleeping area too. 
durstongear.com
This is mine in Scotland last year.
Durston Gear
Durston designs premium ultralight outdoor gear in the heart of the Canadian Rockies. With our award winning X-Mid tents and Kakwa packs, we create highly functional gear that genuinely improves your backcountry experience.
durstongear.com
This is mine in Scotland last year.
Like anything there are all sorts of preferences and experiences. Watch "On her bike" episodes in Africa on YouTube and she camps a lot. I'd take one, I've camped a lot in Namibia, Malawi, South Africa, etc, mix of campsites and bush. I've also been attacked by hyenas (Namibia) camping in a remote spot without a tent, wouldn't have happened if I'd been in a tent.
I'd say it depends what you prefer as tent or room are both possible. Using rooms can restrict you to areas of civilisation but, again, that's up to you. Have a search for campsites in say Malawi, Namibia, Zambia and see what you find and if they look good, you can decide.
Edit to add an example of camping options
www.africantrails.co.uk
I'd say it depends what you prefer as tent or room are both possible. Using rooms can restrict you to areas of civilisation but, again, that's up to you. Have a search for campsites in say Malawi, Namibia, Zambia and see what you find and if they look good, you can decide.
Edit to add an example of camping options
Campsites on route in Africa - African Tours with African Trails
Campsites we stay at while on safari in East and Southern Africa. From Nairobi to Cape Town. Kenya to the gorillas and parks and Namibia to South Africa.
www.africantrails.co.uk
Last edited:
Ow, like that was what i had in mind, ThanksYou could always try a Durston X Mid 1 or 2. Instead of walking poles take a couple of small lightweight telescopic poles instead. You can get a fully mesh inner tent to keep the biting bastards at bay but still have the benefit of a proper tent. I have an X Mid 2 Solid ( half mesh ) and it’ absolutely superb. Very lightweight and packs away tiny, especially the 1 person version. Still a big sleeping area too.
Durston Gear
Durston designs premium ultralight outdoor gear in the heart of the Canadian Rockies. With our award winning X-Mid tents and Kakwa packs, we create highly functional gear that genuinely improves your backcountry experience.
This is mine in Scotland last year. View attachment 300930View attachment 300931
I once promised faithfully to follow Mrs G to the tent without delay. We were somewhere in the Delta. Unfortunately I was quite delayed drinking beers and Old Brown Sherry around the campfire with my mates (in farness to myself it WAS a lovely star filled night)! When I shone my torch towards our tent a little later, there were 2 sizeable hyaenas sniffing around the entrance.
To say I was a little unpopular for a day or two is an understatement!
We bought a smalll can of fly killer in SA. A quick squirt into a room & bathroom and wait a minute and all the Mozzies were either dead or in a death pirouette. I also dont recall a room either not having good screens on the windows or mozzie nets or both. But the fly killer got rid of anything else that snuck in. I left the can handy and if I woke up at night with buzz in my ear just dabbed the aerosol for a sec and it all went quiet.
Useful in Scotland and Scandinavia too.
Don’t overthink things in advance. Go and work it out afterward. They’ve got shops , water electric and everything down there you know. Most of all though they’ve got ingenuity and know how to fix problems if you talk to the locals.
Useful in Scotland and Scandinavia too.
Don’t overthink things in advance. Go and work it out afterward. They’ve got shops , water electric and everything down there you know. Most of all though they’ve got ingenuity and know how to fix problems if you talk to the locals.
I’d be more worried about mosquitoes biting me if I stopped in the daytime than at night where you can use a net or spray the little bastards. Check your route doesn’t take you into areas where malaria is a problem and take anti malaria tablets before setting off because the ones you take at short notice used to have nasty side effects and might still do so.
Thank both, will go to local travel Clinique and get booster injections if any required and tablets for malaria. Having taken them before i am aware of the various thoughts on the issues with both sets of tablets. I agree you can over think things at home. I'm usually more happy when actually on road and believe you can over plan things, that said some people enjoy the planning phase, i don't.
The malaria tablets question is one that’s a bit divisive, when I lived there we were told by work not to bother even in high risk areas, when my wife and I went on holiday we were advised to take them and to start the course before going then continue for about a week after our return and we had no side effects, when I’ve been to the region leaving at short notice I’ve always been told to take Malarone and they’re evil things that left me feeling sick for about 2hrs after taking them in the morning. After using Malarone for either 3 or 4 work trips I refused to go back unless I was given sufficient notice to take something different.
Vaccinations vary according to where you’re going but I’ve always had cholera, tetanus, Hepatitis (both types) and yellow fever. If you’re going to camp I’d probably have a rabies one as well
Vaccinations vary according to where you’re going but I’ve always had cholera, tetanus, Hepatitis (both types) and yellow fever. If you’re going to camp I’d probably have a rabies one as well
Yep had all those injections already, ill talk again advise from travel Clinique had malaria tables before with no side effects. cant remember which of the 2 type thoughThe malaria tablets question is one that’s a bit divisive, when I lived there we were told by work not to bother even in high risk areas, when my wife and I went on holiday we were advised to take them and to start the course before going then continue for about a week after our return and we had no side effects, when I’ve been to the region leaving at short notice I’ve always been told to take Malarone and they’re evil things that left me feeling sick for about 2hrs after taking them in the morning. After using Malarone for either 3 or 4 work trips I refused to go back unless I was given sufficient notice to take something different.
Vaccinations vary according to where you’re going but I’ve always had cholera, tetanus, Hepatitis (both types) and yellow fever. If you’re going to camp I’d probably have a rabies one as well
Similar threads
