Find out why solo womads are changing the world of travel at Acacia Africa and how to do Mozambique on the cheap; watch out for the summer launch of the safari specialist's “family friendly” East Africa Accommodated Overland Collection and with voluntours getting the royal seal of approval, learn how to make a real difference in just one day. Acacia Africa is also offering a 2-4-1 deal on selected camping overland and small group itineraries if booked before 09 July.

Solo “Womads" Are Changing The World Of Travel: Female travellers are clearly taking the lead when it comes to solo travel, women with wanderlust or “womads” outnumbering the men on Acacia Africa's camping overland tours 3:1.

Caroline Tinsley, Sales & Marketing Manager at Acacia Africa comments "Women have always been adventurous, but we're much more connected these days. We're less reliant on traditional media when it comes to our decision on destinations and travelling alone. We're looking more towards social media, taking the lead from other “womads” and making many of our travel arrangements based on the feedback we receive online.”

Acacia Africa's camping overland expeditions are ideal for singles covering countries where transport can be tricky and those who are globe trotting for longer periods can take their foot of the gas for a while and let a tour leader do the leg work.

Kristin Addis, a former Los Angeles-based investment banker and Editor of Be My Travel Muse, comments “ After eight years I chose to truck it around Africa for 35 days. Generally everything I do is solo and independent. I don't like tours and am really not a fan of excessive hand-holding. What I liked about this overland safari was that it wasn't an air conditioned “fancy resort" fake experience. It would involve pitching tents, avoiding scorpions, running barefoot in deserts, and seeing lions from a big truck as we powered through Southern and Eastern Africa. In short, it was an unexpectedly sublime adventure with a few awesome 20-something girls and guys. I got along with each person, and honestly loved finally letting someone else do the planning for a while. As you may have noticed, solo travel was starting to ware on me and I needed a little break.”

Kristin travelled on the 35 day Cape Town to Zanzibar. Game drives in the Chobe, Etosha and South Luwangwa National Parks feature on the itinerary, along with mokoro safaris in the Okavango Delta, optional dive safaris at Lake Malawi and a beach stay on the Spice Island of Zanzibar. From £2,455pp (no single supplement) including transport, camping accommodation, local payment most meals and services of a tour leader/driver. Excludes return flight. Year round departures. Starts Cape Town - ends Zanzibar. 18-39 years.

http://www.acacia-africa.com/acacia_overland/cape_town_to_zanzibar_.php.

SAVE £975 on a 2-4-1 deal: Want a free front row seat to the Mara's annual migration? Take advantage of Acacia Africa's two for one offer and experience this amazing wildlife spectacle with a friend. The 13-day Kenya & Tanzania Adventure also includes game drives in the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater, the camping overland expedition ending with a beach stay on Zanzibar. From £975pp with two booking including transport, accommodation, most meals and services of a tour leader/driver. Excludes local payment from £844pp and return flight. Departing 09 August and 16 August. Offer also valid on all September & October 2015 departures. Starts Nairobi - ends Dar es Salaam. Full tour price £975pp. Subject to availability. Book before 09 July. 18-39 years. Acacia Africa (020 7706 4700; acacia-africa.com) 

http://www.acacia-africa.com/acacia_overland/kenya_and_tanzania_adventure_.php

2-4-1 offer: http://acacia-africa.com/blog/?p=3569

Want to head overland, but don't fancy pitching a tent?: Book a seat on one of Acacia Africa's Accommodated Overland expeditions and stay in local B&Bs, cool backpacker lodges and ready made campsites. The tour operator's East Africa collecton will launch this summer so you'll have the chance to catch sight of the annual migration. The new five day Kenya Lakes and Mara features game drives in Kenya's premier game reserve and wildlife viewing at Lake Nakuru and Lake Elementaita. From £901pp (two sharing) including transport, accommodation, local payment, most meals and services of a tour leader/driver. Excludes return flight. Departing year round from 16 August. Starts Nairobi - ends Nairobi. From 8-years.

Arno Delport, Sales & Marketing Manager at Acacia Africa comments, “We take up to 18 people on our Accommodated Overland tours and our expeditions are open to adventurers from eight years so they are ideal for multi-generational travellers. Single parents who don't want to go it alone also benefit from the group experience, couples, seniors, and other families joining our trips.”

Karin Bradbury, a recent family traveller on one of Acacia Africa's Southern Africa tours comments "I think travelling with children is of great benefit. The kids get to see that their little world at home is only one part of a much greater world, and adults benefit from travelling with children because children tend to notice things and ask questions that adults can completely miss…I think it was quite an eye opener for our children to see that there are people who really do still live in huts made of sticks, mud and straw, or the shanty towns outside Cape Town. Travelling in Africa also comes with it's own surprises. We spotted lions at the side of the road one morning on the way from Kasane to Elephant Sands in Botswana. We were just driving along, not on any kind of game drive. The early sunlight falling through the grass and onto the lions was magical. These types of trips are the ones that will stay in our children's memories, as they have enriched their awareness of the world around them.”

http://www.acacia-africa.com/accommodated_overland/kenya_lakes_and_mara_accommodated_.php.

Dive Into Mozambique On The Cheap: Mozambique is still one of Africa's best kept secrets, the country's southern coastline a major draw card for those who want to flipper up. From Vilankulos to Xai-Xai the shimmering turquoise waters are literally teeming with marine life; giant manta rays, turtles, reef sharks, dolphins and the rare dugong on the list. If you don't have a five star budget, why not hit the road on a new camping overland expedition with Africa experts, Acacia Africa.  

Arno Delport, Sales & Marketing Manager at Acacia Africa comments "Even in the emerging tourist hubs Mozambique is still undeveloped so this is the best time to see the country on a shoestring, absorb the culture and experience its unspoilt beaches and islands.” 

The 14 day Mozambique & Zimbabwe Explorer itinerary goes north and southbound and includes optional underwater safaris at Xai-Xai, Tofo and the Bazaruto Archipelago; the diving in this unspoilt paradise said to rival that of the Red Sea. From £1,201pp (no single supplement) including transport, camping accommodation, local payment most meals and services of a tour leader/driver. Excludes return flight. Departing 23 July (starts Victoria Falls - ends Johannesburg) and 03 September (starts Johannesburg - ends Victoria Falls).18-39 years. 

http://www.acacia-africa.com/acacia_overland/mozambique_and_zimbabwe_explorer_northbound_.php. 

http://www.acacia-africa.com/acacia_overland/mozambique_and_zimbabwe_explorer_southbound.php

Voluntours Get The Royal Seal of Approval: Prince Harry is about to embark on a three month volunteer stint, his chosen project concerned with saving Africa's endangered black rhino. The younger royal's commitment to wildlife conservation will no doubt encourage more travellers to give back this summer, organisation's across the continent benefitting from the active involvement of paying volunteers. 

If you want to make your holiday count book a seat on Acacia Africa's 14 day Gorilla Encounter. The camping overland expedition includes an opportunity to volunteer for one day at the SoftPower project in Uganda, the organisation helping to build and renovate local schools. Chimpanzee viewing in the Queen Elizabeth National Park and gorilla trekking in the Bwindi Impenetrable Park also features on the itinerary. From £1,276pp (no single supplement) + gorilla permit from £450pp including transport, accommodation, local payment, most meals, most meals, and services of a tour leader/driver. Excludes return flight. Year round departures. Starts Nairobi - ends Nairobi. 18-39 years.

http://www.acacia-africa.com/acacia_overland/gorilla_encounter_.php

Arno Delport, Sales & Marketing Manager at Acacia Africa, comments “We visit various wildlife projects on our overland expeditions and small group safaris and while not voluntours it's important to remember that you are making an essential contribution to conservation simply by going on safari. The entry fees to the national parks and reserves have a huge impact on the welfare of the wildlife so every traveller in Africa is making a real difference.” 

The real benefits of short term voluntourism: http://www.thetravelword.com/2014/09/02/voluntourism-community-giving-back/

Acacia Africa (020 7706 4700; info@acacia-africa.com; acacia-africa.com) ATOL No. 6499 and ABTA No. W4093 PROTECTED. SATSA membership No. 1931 and members of AITO.