mikegold

We are interested in going on safari in South Africa and Botswana in Oct 2007. My wife has a bad back and needs to be able to lie down (flat) whenever the vehicle is going to bounce around. In checking with some of the tours, they indicated that many of their tours use the camps own vehicles so they can't guarantee space so she can lie down while the vehicle is moving.

Does anyone have any suggestions about camps where we could do this or a different approach that would not use camp vehicles?

atravelynn

You can arrange a private vehicle for just the two of you. The cost would likely be at least an extra $300 per day, but it certainly can be done.

bots

Yes in Botswana you can do a private safari and that means the vehicle is yours for the trip.

Marksafari17

mikegold.
Lynn is talking crap. Sorry Lynn. I have severe back problems which I experienced on my last safri about 5 hours ago.
The beds are not in your favour as they are not what you are used to sleeping in. Bouncing around in a landrover wherether with or without other guests is not going to make a difference. What is the status of your back. I have S1 L5 completely gone.
Mark

mikegold

Mark,

My wife's back problem is made worse by sitting and especially by being bounced around while driving. when we drive in the US, she lies down in the back seat and that seems to work quite well - even being bounced around a bit.

cooncat3

I know that Lynn can speak for herself, but exactly how, Mark, was she "speaking crap?"

divewop

Mike-
I don't recommend bouncing around in a land rover (or whatever type of vehicle) with back problems either.

I had to cancel my plans for a safari a few years back because my Dr. didn't recommend being in remote areas with little or no medical care. Being a very active person I was devastated. But know that one bad bump can put your wife into major trouble.

I lived with the intolerable pain for a couple of years but have since had back surgery to help me and am doing great. Back to doing everything I was before my problems started. Thankfully the surgery worked for me.

However I have also been on safari with a woman, in our group, who had back problems and she was uncomfortable the whole time, whether it was sitting or laying down.

Knowing I could sympathize with her, I told her she should not have taken on this type of adventure in her condition and she admitted she regretted going.

I don't know how serious your wife's back problems are, but it doesn't sound too good, and I suggest she talk to her doctor before doing anything remotely similar to a safari.

atravelynn

I used to be pretty good in French and I brush up on my Swahili before going to Kenya, but never learned crap.

Mark, I take your comment as an adamant warning against even considering a safari, whether in a private vehicle or not.

Those with back problems like Divewop and Mark can offer personal experience about the potential discomfort of safaris and bad backs.

luangwablondes

This is where you find out if a TA is worth anything. Apparently flying or walking is not an issue. So go to camps that you can walk from the airstrip to the camp. Just off the top of my head and if you were in Zambia, I would suggest Mwaleshi Camp in NLNP as a good example.

You could try a guide with his own plane-- "Gavin Blair Safaris" <[email protected]>. He may be able to organise a safari that fits your needs. He would know which camps you could walk from airstrip to camp and which camps would have reasonably decent good tracks back to camp if you must drive or a staff to accomodate you in her problem.

Sounds to me that if your wife can walk, is to organize a trip with walking safaris and some boating on rivers. Zambia is the ideal safari location. SLNP, NLNP, LZNP, and Kafue.

sandi

While there may be options for your wife where she can have more attention and comfort provided, how in the world is she going to handle, at minimum 16/hr flight, from the East Coast. Business Class is nice, but that's a long time in a not very ideal environment.

And while South African highway system is smooth and easy, in a vehicle, whether sitting or in a prone position, for someone with back problems as you explain may still not be the wisest destination.

Even if your wife were able to lay down in a vehicle, she's got to be sitting up to view game... though watching the stars at night can be amazing.

Besides game drives, there is walking from airstrips, in/around the camp/lodge at which you are staying and grounds aren't necessarily flat.

I'm also a back sufferer and often contemplate surgery, but until I do, at least for the time being I'm in nowhere the situation you describe for your wife. Instead I live on painkillers, but if I had to concern myself with such painful discomfort anywhere, I would sadly have to exclude safari as an activity/destination.

Unless, of course, I chose to spend my days at Shompole or Singita or Mombo and did nothing but waited on cool refreshing drinks and wonderful meals...but for sure, no bumping around in safari vehicle.

ann_nyc

It's going to be pretty tricky, Mike. I have a modest problem with my back, and was almost crippled a couple of days on our safari.
You will have to be very careful and creative to find a way to deal with this. Frankly, I'm not sure how much lying down would help, on some of the excessively bumpy roads.
As I see it, you really have two different issues to deal with. One is transportation getting to the camps themselves, and the other is the actual game drives.
Some camps have a good enough view that you really can see a lot without even going on a game drive -- I'm thinking of the Sweetwaters watering hole in Kenya.
And as some other posters already mentioned in previous threads, some countries or parks may simply be better than others in terms of the state of the roads. I can't help you on that part.

cybor

Hi Mike,
You've thus far recieved some good info. here.

A couple questions come to mind;
Is this a disk, nerve or muscular problem? If it's a disk or nerve injury, it's likely that any amount of cushioning, positioning or bracing will not contain the problem and may lead to further injuries.

On occasion with proper cushioning and/or bracing and if the problem is fairly minor, one can be transported comfortably. This, however, would take vast amounts of planning and advice from your MD.

The other previously mentioned concern would be the avail. of onsite MD's who have specialized training in the event that your wife needs injections of antispasmotics or similar in her back. More than likely your wife will get assigned a GP in the event of a problem.

Only you, your wife and MD can decide and weigh the risk versus enjoyment factor.
Hope you do get to Africa at some point.
Good luck!

afrigalah

"Only you, your wife and MD can decide and weigh the risk versus enjoyment factor."- Sherry

Correct, because just about everybody's bad back is different. I have occasional back problems, and developed a quite painful one from <i><b> walking </b></i> while in training for a walking safari. I could barely move, and days of physio did not help...then a course of anti-inflammatories from my GP did the trick. I was able to go on safari, wearing a firm elastic backbrace as a precaution (it made walking in the Zimbabwe bush a bit warmer ). I'm never bothered by jolting vehicles, but as your wife is and you already seem to have found a solution, a private vehicle seems the way to go.

John

dpdny

I was very worried about my back going out on safari (disk problems). Suggestions:
- thermacare makes a very useful back heat wrap that fits snugly around the waist and provides at least 12 hours of continuous heat. They are inexpensive and I brought enough for one each day. I always use it on planes, and whenever my back starts to spasm. They really work for me.
- after the morning safari drive, just make an hour to totally lay down/nap. Same thing before you go to dinner. If she can do this in the car then great.
- We also had a private safari with no one else in the party, so it was good to know that we could also improvise in case anything came up pain wise.
- I made sure to take my muscle relaxants along just in case -- it gave me some reassurance just in case my back went out.

I was fortunate that I was enjoying myself so much that it took away from my worrying about my back and I am convinced that made me feel better.

Best of luck.

Daniel

santharamhari

Mike,

I dont know about back problems, but, i would think....it would be inconvenient to drive around in the bush &quot;lying down&quot; flat on the bench seats. It is still going to be very bumpy and she is not going to enjoy the trip.

Is she comfortable walking? If so, i would suggest doing walking safaris which is probably a more enjoyable experience. For walking safaris, obviously the best place is Zambia....but, if Botswana is your desire....the Selinda concession is always an option for the walking safaris. I think both John and Lynn have done the Selinda walking trails.....

Hari

mikegold

We really appreciate all the helpful suggestions. My wife has been dealing with her back problem for a large number of years and, as a health care professional, knows what works and what doesn't. We spent some time earlier this year in Canyon de Chelly bounching around the 'wash' in a heavy duty 4 wheel drive. My wife laid down while we were moving/bounching and got up when we stopped. This works quite well for her. (Each of us with bad backs need to find what works for us - what works for me doesn't work for my wife). Any suggestions for how to find private guides that would be able to provide a vehicle that would work for us?

afrigalah

Mike,

Many camps can provide private vehicles at extra cost, so it's not so much a matter of looking for a particular guide. Probably the important thing is whether the vehicles have bench seating rather than individual moulded seating, so your wife has a flat surface to lie on. You probably should ensure you'll have the same guide throughout your visit so he's familiar with your needs.

John

atravelynn

How to find private vehicle--If you are going to Botswana, you will likely use an agent because most Botswana camps do not deal directly with guests. The agent can book the private vehicle, just like they'll book the camps. I booked a private vehicle on my last trip at one of the camps. It's no problem at all; you just have to pay for it.

Here are some Southern Africa agents that have been used by Fodorites with success:

Africa Adventure
Destiny Africa
Eyes on Africa

You can do a search on them in the box at the top.

julienk

Question...are the vehicle seats cushioned at all or just hard benches.
Do most of you take some sort of seat cushion in the vehicle?
I am planning a first time trip and making a list of helpful items to take along.

atravelynn

The seats are cushioned and not hard benches. Some people have mentioned taking additional padding. Various travel stores sell such items.