AAVE Trip BLOG » 2007 » May
May 16, 2007
Africa summer camp Q & A
Posted by Jenny at AAVE in : Africa, General AAVE Trip BLOG , add a comment
Many families have concerns about the safety and security of AAVE’s Africa program. Below are frequently asked questions and answers that address these concerns about this safe and successful trip:
1) The camp sites safety
Q: Are the campsites you are staying at guarded?
A: Yes all camps have 24 hrs security to protect from wild animals and any uninvited guests.
Q: I understand you have tents that fit two to three students. How can you guarantee safety?
A: We work in partnership with a local, South African tour company to offer the Africa trip. As they have been leading trips in the region for 11 years, experience has taught them to form a “larger” with our tents with girls tents forming one half of the circle and boys tents the other half and our guides tents on the outside of the circle with a campfire going the entire night. With more than 3000 participants in their programs they have never had an incident in any of their camps.
Q: Are the tents protected from the insects, do they have mosquito nets? Are the tents waterproof?
A: All our tents are manufactured in Africa for Africa conditions, which means they are insect proof, they do not have mosquito nets but are themselves protection against mosquitoes. We teach the students how to handle the entire mosquito situation.
2) Water and food safety arrangements
Q: How are the food and drinking water arrangements during the trip?
A: The areas we visit are frequented by millions of tourists each year hence large commercial shopping facilities have invested millions in building facilities for the ever increasing self catering travellers. About 90% of all the fresh fruit and vegetables in these shops are imported from South Africa. We have standing accounts with these companies and pre-order all our food requirements to be supplied as we go along the journey. Bottled water is now freely available in 100% of all the places we visit.
Q: What water are you using for table ware and dishwashing?
A: All camps sites visited are provided with purified water from the local municipal water supply.
Q: With respect to the food, is all food that you provided cooked? In particular the vegetables?
A: All vegetables are cooked.
Q: What kind of fruit do you provide and is it washed with drinking water/mineral water? Can the fruit be peeled by the participants directly so it can be safer?
A: Yes if they wish to peel all their fruit they can do this or even wash it in mineral water.
Q: What kind of diet arrangements do you have and how many meals per day do you provide?
A: We have always prided ourselves in the meals we offer, they will have cooked breakfast on most occasions when in a base camp, and when on route a nutritional packed breakfast will be made. In Africa our main meal is supper, so they end off the day with a well balanced hot meal & hot chocolate.
3) Political safety
Q: Could you please elaborate on any political instability or terrorist threats in the area?
A: Once again we have carefully selected the areas we visit because of their safety and the Director of our South African partner company visits these areas on a regular basis to ensure the level of safety has improved and does not deteriorate.
4) Mokoro trip - Okavango delta overnight stay and Chobe river
Q: Are the waters dangerous and will the teenagers be allowed to swim?
A: Safety has always been a priority with our group tours. Swimming is only allowed at the campsite in the swimming pool provided.
Q: I understand they will be sleeping on an island in the Okavango delta, is this area safe and are there any crocodiles. How will you deal with food supply and drinking water?
A: This experience is offered to millions of tourists each year. The island has a camp with toilets and all our own food is taken with and our chef does all the catering. Wild animals do live around these areas but tend to avoid the noise of humans. The local people have camp managers and guides to secure the area for temporary habitation.
5) Swimming pools
Q: Are the swimming pools you may be using at the camping sites sufficiently chlorinated and treated, not to represent a health hazard?
A: Yes, they all use modern day chemicals to keep the water nice and bright blue with no germs.
6) Malaria
Q: Do you recommend that student take anti-malaria medication before the trip?
A: We always recommend that clients take anti-malaria drugs, however the risk is lower during the winter months which is when we will be visiting.
7) Food and waterborne diseases in rural areas
Q: What health safety precautions will you take to shield the teenagers from any possible food and waterborne disease in rural villages?
A: Once again, our South African partner company has been running these tours with thousands of youth for the last 11 years in these areas. To date they have never had any problems with these sicknesses. We carry all our own food into Caprivi and Okavango which would have been purchased at the main shopping centres in Maun. We have cold storage on our trucks to keep the food fresh for many days.
The ATV adventure
Q: You mention you sleep under a blanket of stars. Can you elaborate, what exactly do you refer to and what are the sleeping arrangement and how safe are they?
A: This area is uninhabited by humans and dangerous wild animals and has been declared a reserve. The wind blows constantly and there is no water in the area so no threat of mosquitoes. Just for one night we set up camp in the salt pans (similar to the salt pans in USA where they have the high speed car races, just more tranquil and quiet). The pans are 120,000 sq kilometers and we visit a small section. We have support 4×4 vehicles that carry in the food and water and we take tents for those who wish to sleep in tents, however the experience is amazing and very safe. You could see a person or ostrich approaching from 10km away in any direction.
9) Tuli Conservation area
Q: You mention you sleep in the bush camp, and you do game walks with armed rangers. How many rangers will protect the group? Is the bush camp guarded by armed rangers during the night?
A: The bush camps in Africa are very modern but are stuck away in the bush as many tourists enjoy this tranquility. The owner and senior ranger is a very good friend of the director and led game walks in the famous Kruger National Park for 11 years where there are 10 times the amount of wild animals. The tents are built permanently on a concrete structure and there is a ranger on duty the entire night.
10) Johannesburg
Q: What safety precautions do you make for Johannesburg?
A: Our South African partner company has organized trips in Johannesburg for the last 11 years and are aware of the dangers that exist in the city and plan their tours accordingly. Johannesburg is only a very small part of the Africa itinerary and they have never had any problems in the city.
11) Weather and temperature
Q: Can you tell us what exactly will be the night and day temperatures expected during the trip? Also what is the forecast for the rain in the region?
A: This period is our winter, not normally our rainfall season. Temperature are 70-80 degrees F in the daytime and can drop to 50 degrees F some nights.
12) Insect repellents
Q: What insect repellents shall we use? With the current flight luggage restrictions, are insect repellents something one can bring to SA or shall we buy it in SA?
A: As we have been dealing with these problems for centuries I suggest you purchase in South Africa where we have the most advanced selection of insect repellent including soaps, etc. that will ensure an insect-trouble free tour.
13) Emergency management/procedures
Q: Can you please describe what are your emergency procedures?
A: All our guides are well equipped to handle emergency situations. They carry “air casavac” numbers, local police emergency numbers, and are also in contact with the South African and Colorado offices 24 hours a day where possible.
May 14, 2007
AAVE mentioned in NY Times Travel Section
Posted by Chris in : General AAVE Trip BLOG , add a comment
AAVE Teen Adventures is mentioned in today’s New York Times Sunday Travel section (Page 2)! http://travel.nytimes.com/2007/05/13/travel/13transteen.html
“Summer Camps Take Teenagers Around World”
By JENNIFER CONLIN
Published: May 13, 2007
If the thought of a traditional summer camp — complete with canoeing and marshmallow roasts — makes your teenager yawn, why not try a more adventuresome approach? According to Peg Smith, chief executive of the American Camp Association, there has been a 59 percent increase in travel camp programs since 2000.
“Parents want to introduce their kids to new cultures and ideas now that the world is more global,” she said. “On these programs, they can experience new life skills in a nurturing camp environment.”
A search on the association’s Web site, www.acacamps.org , reveals 282 travel-tour camps. They include AAVE Teen Adventures, based in Colorado (www.aave.com), which offers an array of trips, like a 21-day trip to Australia, departing July 1 and July 23. Activities include scuba diving in the Great Barrier Reef, dirt biking in the Outback and surfing in Byron Bay, (See photo). Open to 14- to 18-year-olds, the trip costs $4,888 (not including airfare).
Teen Adventure in the New York Times!
Posted by Chris in : General AAVE Trip BLOG , add a comment
Congrats! Your camp deserves wonderful accolades! You did a great job with my shy daughter! She enjoyed her trip to Australia last year a great deal and has never been the same - she is much more sure of herself and knows what direction she wants to head in life!
Take care!
Kim Farnes
Some Africa Details
Posted by Chris in : Africa, General AAVE Trip BLOG , add a comment
FOOD:
We carry all our own food into Caprivi and Okavango which would have been purchased at the main shopping centres in Maun. We have cold storage on our trucks to keep the food fresh for many days.
We have always prided ourselves in the meals we offer , they will have cooked breakfast on most occasions when in a base camp, and when on route a nutritional packed breakfast will be made. In Africa our main meal is supper, so they end off the day with a well balanced hot meals & hot chocolate.
WHERE WE GO:
Just for one night we set up camp in the salt pans (similar to the salt pans in USA where they have the high speed car races, just more tranquil and quiet). The pans are 120000 sq kilometres and we visit a small section, of course we have support 4×4 vehicles that carry in the food and water and we take tents for those who wish to sleep in tents, however the experience is amazing and very safe. You could see a person or ostrich approaching from 10km away in any direction.
The bush camps in Africa are very modern but are stuck away in the bush as many tourists enjoy this tranquillity. The owner and senior ranger is a very good friend of the director and led game walks in the famous Kruger National Park for 11 years where there are 10 times the amount of wild animals.
WEATHER:
This period is our winter not normally our rainfall season but with global warming we have seen major changes in weather recently. Temperature can sometimes be extreme with daytime peaking at 28-32 degrees C and nighttime dropping to 10 degrees C