South Africa: Hiking Nat'l Parks Crest to Coast to Cape Town
Andrea Deaton Christensen/Jon Christensen
SUMMARY OF TRIP INFORMATION
South Africa: Hiking Nat'l Parks Crest to Coast to Cape Town
Leader Andrea Deaton Christensen
Co-leader Jon Christensen
South Africa
September 19, 2015 to October 6,
Total # of days 18
2015
Backpacking
Bicycling-Mountain
Bicycling-Road
Title of trip
Leadership
Location(s)
Dates
Type of trip
check all that apply
Camping
Cultural
Family
Hiking
Paddling-Canoeing
Paddling-Sea-Kayaking
Skiing-CrossSkiing-Downhill
Snorkeling
Country (Nordic)
(Alpine)
Trekking (e.g., hutWalking
Other – please describe safari/game
viewing
to-hut)
Trekking (e.g., hut-to-hut)
Select one of those checked above.
Minimum 10
Maximum 12
Primary type of trip
Number of participants
(excluding leaders)
Advertised cost
Airfare range if not included
When should the trip notice be
published in AMC Outdoors?
Do you wish to have your trip
listed online before it is
published in AMC Outdoors?
Smaller trips and leader
subsidization
$ 3995 includes
Does it include airfare? Yes
No
internal airfare of
$200
$ 1450-1500
Will leaders assist participants with flights? Yes
No
First Appearance: Month July/Aug
Year 2014
Last Appearance: Month July/Aug
Year 2015
Note: AMC Outdoors is only published in Jan., March, May, July, Sept., Nov.
Yes
No If yes, please list the approximate month and year when it should
be posted on line. immediately
Is this proposal for a small group trip – i.e., less than 14 participants and 2
leaders or 7 participants and 1 leader? Yes
No
If yes, why is a small group proposed? The outfitter prefers to not take more than 10
people total since the hiking will be difficult to manage with a large group; however
we have talked them into taking more since we will have the two AMC leaders. Also,
the rules on one particular hiking trail (The Dolphin Trail) require no more than 12
total persons in a group; however we have talked them into the possibility of taking 14
(and are still waiting for a final answer on that). 16 would be too many.
If a participant fee increase of more than 15% is proposed, please explain why?
Although we want to keep a small group and it's suggested by the outfitter, and
possibly mandated by one of the trail operators, the leaders want to keep the price of
the trip down to less than $4000; therefore we are willing to personally pay with
having 10 to 12 participants.
LEADER AND CO-LEADER INFORMATION
Leader name
Leader address
Leader email
Leader phone
Wilderness first aid
training
CPR training
Form Revised February 2014
Andrea Deaton Christensen
PO Box 458, Moose, WY 83012
andrea.deaton@gmail.com
Home 307-201-5912
Work 267-738-8048
Cell 267-738-8048
WFA
AWFA
WFR
Expiration: 5/2014 will renew in June 2014
CPR
BLS
Expiration: 7/2015, will renew in June 2014
Adventure Travel Trip Proposal Form, page 1 of 7
South Africa: Hiking Nat'l Parks Crest to Coast to Cape Town
Andrea Deaton Christensen/Jon Christensen
Prior leading experience
Trip one
Trip two
Trip three
Other related trip
experience
If this is your first Adventure Travel trip as a Leader you must be present at the AMCATC meeting at which the trip proposal is considered.
Please list the last three longer (5+ day) trips you have led for the AMC including
destination, type of trip, dates and number of participants. Feel free to list additional
trips you have led, particularly if they demonstrate experience related to the trip you are
proposing.
Annapurna Base Camp Trek, 15 days, Nov. 2011, 13 participants
Costa Rica, hiking,15 days, April 2011, 9 participant
Hawai'i Backpacking, 17 days, Dec 2010-Jan 2011, 8 participants
other trips led: Patagonia backpacking Dec/Jan 2008-09, New Zealand backpacking
Dec/Jan 2007-08; Yosemite NP backpacking August 2007; Kilimanjaro summit & safari
Dec/Jan 2006-07; Colorado Maroon Bells backpack Aug 2006; Belize Multi-Sport March
2006; Wyoming (Grand Teton/Y-stone) backpacking August 2005; Tuscany cycling Sept
2004
Co-leader name
Co-leader address
Co-leader email
Co-leader phone
Wilderness first aid training
CPR training*
Prior leading experience
Trip one
Trip two
Trip three
Other related trip experience
Scouting
Have either of you led this trip
before or traveled to this area?
Languages
Does either the co-leader or
leader speak the local language?
Couples
Do the leader and co-leader
have a significant personal
relationship?
Private trips Do either of you
lead trips that are private - not
sponsored by the AMC?
Jon Christensen
PO Box 458, Moose, WY 83012
jlcnpsla@netscape.net
Home 307-201-5912
Work
Cell 307-690-1869
WFA
AWFA
WFR
Expiration: 5/2015
CPR
BLS
Expiration: 5/2015
If you are a new co-leader you must submit an application to be an Adventure Travel
leader or co-leader prior to submitting this application. Also, it is strongly
recommended that you be present at the AMC-ATC meeting at which the trip proposal
is considered.
Please list the last three longer (5+ day) trips you have led for the AMC including
destination, type of trip, dates and number of participants. Please indicate if you were
the leader or co-leader.
proposed Thailand: Culture, Coral, and Cooking, December 2014, co-leader
White Mountain Hut to Hut trip June 2012, 15 participants, co-leader with Andrea
Yellowstone trip, August 2012, helped with trip leading for 3 days with Roger Scholl
and Barb Dyer who were trip leaders. 16 participants
Grand Teton family trip, July 2012, helped with trip leading for 3 days with Heather &
Steve DePaola; 12 Adult plus Child participants; graduate of AMC Mountain
Leadership School, June 2012
Yes
No
If yes, please describe below:
For below: English is one of the 11 official languagees of South Africa and most
people speak English, so the language barrier should not typically be a problem.
Co-leader: Yes
No
Leader: Yes
No
Not applicable:
Yes
No
If yes, please list who has agreed to be your back-up in case one or
both of you need to drop out. This is required for approval!
Sam Jamke and Merri Fox have both independently offered to serve as a backup
leaders. The trip could be led with just one leader.
Yes
No
If yes, please note that you cannot advertise AMC and private
trips together unless there is a clear distinction between the two in any materials
you send out.
LOGISTICAL DETAILS OF TRIP
Summary
Form Revised February 2014
This trip spends the majority of its time hiking in the national parks of South Africa: the
Adventure Travel Trip Proposal Form, page 2 of 7
South Africa: Hiking Nat'l Parks Crest to Coast to Cape Town
Andrea Deaton Christensen/Jon Christensen
Please provide a description
of the trip and the activities
planned. If available, please
include or attach an itinerary.
Accommodations
Please describe your plans for
accommodation(s)
Meals: Please describe your
plans for providing meals. If
the budget includes any funds
for leader meals not shared
with the group please justify.
Local Transportation
Please describe your plans for
local transportation
Will leaders or participants be
drivers of motor vehicles?
Permits or permissions
Does the trip require special
permits or permissions?
(required on many U.S.
federal lands and national
parks)
Drakensberg Mountains (South Africa's highest mountains), and along the Garden Coast
on the Dolphin Trail in Tsitsikamma National Park. The hiking will primarily be
trekking type hikes where we go from one lodge to another and stay overnight, or once
we get the lodge do dayhikes from there. In addition, there will be cultural opportunities
such as tours of the cities of Durban and Cape Town. Our wildlife/safari viewing will be
at Addo National Park, which does have all of the "Big Five" game. We will have stops
along the way to visit villages and have a port and cheese tasting, finish our trip with a
day hike of Table Mountain--the mountain right in Cape Town, a tour of Robben Island
(where Mandela was emprisoned) and leisure time in Cape Town. Private extensions
can be added by participants to extend for trips to Kruger National Park or to wine
country near Cape Town.
We will be staying in 3-star city hotels in Durban, Port Elizabeth, Oudtshoorn, and Cape
Town. The remainder of lodging will be in national park lodges or private lodges on the
border of national parks. All will be shared accommodations with either 2 or 4 in each
room.
Our meals will be a variety of restaurants and meals at park lodges. While in
Drakensberg (2 of the 5 nights) and Addo National Park (game safari) we will have
chalets that are self-catering where we will cook our own meals (food purcahsed at
grocery stores) since restaurant options are limited. Some trail lunches and lunches on
travel days as well as one dinner in Cape Town are not included in the price and
participants will need to pay on their own. To keep the price down on the total
participant trip fee, the leaders have chosen to pay for their own meals not with the
group. Leaders and participants will pay for 9 lunches and 2 dinners on their own.
The outfitter will provide transportation in a group mini-bus with local drivers.
Will leaders be drivers?
Will volunteer participants be drivers?
If so, MVR checks will be needed. See Appendix S1.
Yes
No
If yes, please describe below what you will need to do to obtain them:
Just the basic entrance fees to the national parks is all that's required. We will pay them
when entering the park, and is included in our fee to the outfitter.
If no, please describe the process you went through to find out that they were not
required:
Special equipment
Yes
No
If yes, please describe below what type of equipment and how you
Does the trip require special
will ensure that people know how to use it:
equipment?
Just regular hiking gear--boots, hat, layers, daypack
Special experience
Yes
No
If yes, please describe below what type of experience? Also describe
Does the trip require special
how you will ensure that the participant has this experience?
skills on the part of the
Just hiking experience.
participant?
Pre-trip activities
Yes
No
If yes, please describe below what you will do:
Do you plan to get your group Possibly. We are considering offering a trip in late summer/ early fall of 2015 for a pretogether before the trip for an
hike and time meet everyone, but will not know for sure whether we'll do that until closer
activity or social event?
to the date.
This trip provides a service to the members of the AMC by providing them with
Conservation, education and
opportunities to learn about the varied ecosystems and charismatic wildlife of
recreation
How will this AMC-AT trip meet the
South Africa with the intention of fostering a desire to protect these and all wild
mission of the AMC?
areas. Specific opportunities include hiking within and learning about the
www.outdoors.org/about/mission.cfm
management of South African National Parks and a chance to see the "Big 5" of
Africa (Elephant, Lion, Cape Buffalo, Rhinocerous, Leopard) and learn about
their conservation. A conservation message will be included by the leaders
regarding the importance, various methods protection of these areas and
differences from US national parks including some of South Africa's multiple
Form Revised February 2014
Adventure Travel Trip Proposal Form, page 3 of 7
South Africa: Hiking Nat'l Parks Crest to Coast to Cape Town
Andrea Deaton Christensen/Jon Christensen
UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Additional cultural opportunities exist as we
experience "post-Apartheid" South Africa and visit Robben Island where
Mandela was imprisioned.
TOUR OPERATOR AND GUIDE SERVICE INFORMATION
This section should be completed if the trip will be using a tour operator, outfitter, guide service, travel agency or
other such company or person(s) for a significant part of the trip or for the entire trip. Any person(s) or companies
that are handling a significant portion of trip funds or arrangements need to be vetted. If there is more than one
tour operator please provide this information about each such entity.
Will this trip require a tour
Yes
No
operator or guide service
Please describe their services. If you are using a tour operator for the entire trip,
during part of or for the
please describe why you will be using them rather than doing this trip on your own:
The itinerary and every detail of this trip is our unique itinerary. We first budgeted and
entire trip?
planned this trip as a no-outfitter trip, being led solely by the AMC leaders and renting 3
vehicles that we and particpants would drive. We then gave our itinerary to 2 outfitters
and asked them for an estimate of guiding the trip for us. Adventure-Life's cost is about
$500/pp more than what our unguided trip would be. They provide a local guide for all
of the hiking portions of the trip and are booking lodging and transportation. Going with
the outfitter reduces our risk with the hotels of losing deposits if we need to cancel; and
more importantly eliminates the need for us to drive. Driving is on the left side of the
road, and the steering wheels and gear shifters on the left side. Although their road
infrastructure is high quality, there are a high number of traffic accidents in South Africa
according to the research that we have done. Moreover, we will have access to local
experts who are more familiar with the terrain of the national parks (wildlife, weather,
etc) and can provide a more educational experience for us. In the future, we might decide
to lead this trip on our own without an outfitter, but since this is the first time, we think
hiring an outfitter is wise.
Name of tour operator/guide Adventure-Life, they have been vetted previously, and are being used by Dick Cable's
Machu Picchu trip in May 2014.
service
www.adventure-life.com
Tour operator website
They have had no serious injuries and have been in business for 12 years. For more
Safety record
Please provide information
information on the principals of the company and background, go to:
about their safety record.
http://www.adventure-life.com/tours/travel-with-a-purpose/
Insurance
Liability? Yes
No
Maximum amt: $ 1,000,000
Do they have liability
Are they willing to list AMC as an
Yes
No
insurance?
additional insured?
The outfitter has a 24 hour on call operations staff member. Field staff carry radios and
Emergency response
Please describe the outfitters’
phones. Travel insurance is recommended for evacuation. The outfitter has a policy
response plan in the case of an concerning medical care delivered during a trip including medical equiment. The
emergency.
outfitter also provides a booklet including helath preparation tips for the areas visited.
RISK ASSESSMENT
Please assess the risks and hazards of your trip. Carefully consider each area of risk and how it may affect your trip.
Devise a plan to prevent each hazard and to respond to it if it becomes necessary. Please be very specific for each section
if applicable.
Trail conditions, river crossings, weather, wildlife (bears, snakes, etc.)
Climate/terrain
Potential hazards
Weather:
Drakensburg Mountains: At higher elevations rain and cold can occur anytime of year.
We are traveling at the end of spring, which has less rainfall than their summer; however,
wind, thunderstorms and colder weather can occur in September in the mountains.
Mountainous terrain can be challenging. We will be using permanent chain ladders for
some of the hiking.
Form Revised February 2014
Adventure Travel Trip Proposal Form, page 4 of 7
South Africa: Hiking Nat'l Parks Crest to Coast to Cape Town
Andrea Deaton Christensen/Jon Christensen
Response
Snakes: Most are harmless, four are poisonous; Puff, Night and Berg Adder and the
Rinkals (which is cobralike).
Weather:
Drakensburg Mountains: Participants will be made aware of highly variable weather
conditions and will be required to come prepared with appropriate clothing, especially
raingear that is truly waterproof. Leaders will bring handwarmers and perhaps extra hats
or gloves and will check in with participants to ensure they are staying warm. Each
participant will need to carry the ten essentails including water treatment, headlamp,
snacks, extra layers of clothings, etc.
Mountainous terrain: participants will be screened and provided with expectations of the
hiking conditions in the prospectus and during the screening process. We will ensure
that everyone is capable of hiking moderately challenging terrain and is aware of the
chain ladders and other hiking terrain.
Local Guides: We will also use a local guide to participate in hikes in the mountains and
on the coast who will provide local knowledge and communication to
transport/emergency response.
Foreign Country
Potential hazards
Response
Transportation
Potential hazards
Response
Participants
Potential hazards
Response
Other
Potential hazards
Response
Snakes
The hiker at point can find a walking stick or pole useful in thickly grassed or overgrown
areas where he cannot see his own feet. Poking the stick ahead of him, he can give any
snakes better warning of his approach and allow more time for them to attempt an
escape. The poisonous do not like to be disturbed or interfered with, and will try to give
you plenty of warning, his noise is usually sufficient to grab anyone's immediate and
undivided attention. Advise participants to wear full-length gaiters and check carefully
where you put your hands. Check the ground in the area where you are about to sit very
thoroughly.
Political concerns, crime, language translation, terrorism
Crime
English is the primary official language. Our local guides/drivers will be able to assist
with issues. Crime is a concern and participants will be advised on means of reducing
chances of becoming a target (holding onto valuables, being discreet with money, using a
money belt).
Road conditions, drivers, insurance
Car trouble, theft of/from vehicle
The outfitter is providing transportation and will be responsible for the vehicle. We will
find a location to leave our "street clothes" and items not needed for the hike with the
outfitter or at the lodge and not left in vehicles.
Level of fitness, screening concerns, experience with equipment or activity
Fitness, Group dynamics
All participants will be screened by one or both of the leaders for issues such as fitness
and compatibility with the group nature of the trip. They will also be required to have
participated in an AMC outting with positive feedback from the leader prior to
participating in the trip.
Conditions unique to this type of trip
Footwear, winery tours, optional explorations around Capetown.
Participants will be advised of the importance of good broken in hiking boots. Potential
winery tours will have a guide service driver. Leaders plan to lead participants in a
choice of explorations of Cape Town,. Leaders will have two-way radios and make plans
for communication, meeting times and locations and contingency plans.
EMERGENCY ACTION PLAN
Please describe your plans for dealing with emergencies. Give as much detail as possible and list any special
communications equipment you may need to ensure the safety of your participants. DO NOT LEAVE THIS BLANK
Form Revised February 2014
Adventure Travel Trip Proposal Form, page 5 of 7
South Africa: Hiking Nat'l Parks Crest to Coast to Cape Town
Andrea Deaton Christensen/Jon Christensen
Emergency communication
Phone contacts, language,
documentation, distance from
emergency services
Emergency equipment
What sort of emergency first
aid or communication
equipment (satellite phone,
two-way radios) do you plan
to use, if any?
Evacuation
Please describe your plan for
evacuation from the
backcountry location if
applicable?
Medical care
Please describe the medical
care available in the area(s)
where you will be traveling
and list names and telephone
numbers for these facilities.
We will be carrying a cell phone with international coverage and it can be used in an
emergency. Additionally, we will be carrying two way radios. Our outfitters will be
familiar with the area and know the best place to obtain cell coverage. South Africa's
emergency phone numbers are: 10111 for Police and Fire; 10177 for an Ambulance. If
calling from a cell phone the emergency number is 102 and if in Cape Town it is 107.
Each leader will be carrying a full first aid kit. No day of hiking will be more than a day
away from "civilization"--our lodging, that is accessible by car.
All participants will be encouraged to obtain travel evacution insurance. Additionally,
the outfitters and leaders are trained in Wilderness First Aid. Our outfitters will also
carry emergency telephone communication devices.
Drakensberg/Royal Natal NP: Emmaus Hospital, Cathedral Peak Rd, Winterton. Phone:
036-488-1570
Durban: There are dozens of hospitals in Durban, most would provide trauma 1 critical
care.
Port Elizabeth/ Addo National Park: There are dozens of hospitals in Port Elizabeth
including Elizabeth Donkin, Aurora, Port Elizabeth Provincial Hospital.
Tsitsikamma National Park/ Garden Route/Dolphin Trail: Medical/hospital and
pharmaceutical facilities at Kareedouw – 55km from Storms River Mouth
Cape Town: Cape Town is a major city with the best hospital facilities in the entire
region. The closest hospital downtown is Groote Schuur Hospital.
COST AND BUDGET DETAILS
The Rand (ZAR) is the currency. Currently the Rand is very volatile.
The quote that we received from our outfitter is based on prices for
2014. They advised us that the price will likely increase slightly in
2015. Therefore we have included a higher than advised contingency of
10%. We will pay the outfitter in US currency (they are a US
company); however their prices they are paying are being quoted in
RAND (lodging and transportation) so their cost to us might go up. It is
worth noting that the price per person of $1640 US is based on the Rand
exchange rate of 1 USD=10.3292 ZAR (or 1ZAR=.09681 USD). The
RAND's value has been dropping over the last year.
Adventure-Life guarantees their quote at no higher than a 10% increase
(and our contingency is based on 10% of the entire trip, not just the
outfitter fee).
The price of $1640/pp also is quoted with a few items included (more
expensive hotels) than we desire, and the quote will likely be reduced
based on a change in the hotel.
Adventure-Life requires a 25% deposit to book the trip; final payment is due 10 weeks
priot to departure. The Fennery concessionnaire of The Dolphin Trail requires a
deposit of 50% of the total fee to hold the lodges/trip.
Foreign currencies
For int’l trips list each foreign currency, the
current $US dollar exchange rate and what
contingencies you have if that rate changes. If
a tour operator or agent is being used, what
currency is the agent to be paid in?
Group Trip Deposits
What deposits will be required
from you by airlines, hotels, tour
operators, etc., and when?
Group Trip Refunds
What is the latest date you can
cancel and still receive a full
refund of any deposits?
Form Revised February 2014
Adventure-Life will refund 100% of your deposit if you cancel 70 or more days before
the departure date; refund of 50% if you cancel 30-69 days before departure; and no
refund if you cancel 30 days or less before departure. The Fennery (Dolphin Trail) will
refund 100% of the fee to cancel any extra spaces not needed up to 6 months in
Adventure Travel Trip Proposal Form, page 6 of 7
South Africa: Hiking Nat'l Parks Crest to Coast to Cape Town
Andrea Deaton Christensen/Jon Christensen
advance; should you cancel the entire trip they will retain a 5% administration fee.
We will require a deposit with application of $1,500. The second payment of $1,500
will be due by November 1, 2014; and the final payment of $995 will be due March 1,
2015.
Participant deposits
What are the initial deposit and
your schedule of payments by
participants to you?
Cancellation policy
What will be your cancellation
policy for the participants?
Minimum numbers
Will you still run the trip if you
do not get the minimum number?
Reference web links:
AMC-ATC Home Page:
Forms:
Deadlines:
E-Mail Addresses:
Club House:
AMC-ATC Chair:
Form Revised February 2014
If a replacement participant is found after a participant cancels, the cancelling
partcipant will be refunded their full amount paid minus $25 administration fee. If no
replacement is found, the participant will be expected to pay all costs/ fees that would
be required to not raise the cost of the trip for the other participants. Refunds will
reduce to a very minimal, if any, refund with any cancellation 30 days or less prior to
departure. Participants will be encouraged to take our trip insurance to cover
cancellations due to emergencies.
Yes
No
If yes, please describe conditions:
See above, and budget.
http://snebulos.mit.edu/orgs/amc/
http://snebulos.mit.edu/orgs/amc/application/
http://snebulos.mit.edu/orgs/amc/committee/proposals/
nholland@outdoors.org
mikebarry657@mac.com
Adventure Travel Trip Proposal Form, page 7 of 7