Mediterranean Jewel

Gorilla Express

Untamed Madagascar

FAQS Your questions answered: our people

Q DO YOU HAVE AGE LIMITS?
A Apart from our Family Adventure Tours, the minimum age is 18. The upper age limit is slightly looser, and depends partly on you. Because trips can be strenuous, we recommend an upper age limit of 45 for our truck tours in Africa and Latin America and on our youth-oriented European coach tours, and 55 for public transport tours in Latin America and escorted private minibus tours in Asia. But if you’re a bit older and up for the challenge, we’ll book you on.

Q I’LL BE TRAVELLING ON MY OWN. IS THAT A PROBLEM?
A Why should it be? We’ll team you up with someone of the same gender for twin rooms (unless you prefer to pay a single room supplement) and camping. Normally around half the group are singles, and meeting other travellers is part of the fun.

Q HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE ON EACH TRIP?
A That varies from country to country, and between different kinds of tour. Our European coach trips have a maximum group size of 48. On our overland truck trips in Africa, the Middle East and South America the maximum is 24. On our escorted local transport trips in South and Central America and on our private minibus and escorted local transport tours in Asia, the maximum size is 16.

Q I LIKE TO PARTY – WILL I BE IN GOOD COMPANY?
A You will, and there are plenty of opportunities for having a few drinks or hitting the nightlife. At the same time, all our travellers are genuinely interested in the countries we visit. If you simply want to drink day and night, you’ll miss all that.

Q WHAT ARE THE FREE DAYS I SEE MENTIONED?
A Kumuka aims to spend a couple of days in most places and normally for at least half a day out of that you have the time for yourself, with nothing organised. Some people take further optional excursions in this time but, for most, free days are an opportunity to have some down-time, relax with new-found friends, have a swim, go for a walk or go shopping. Free days are a feature of Kumuka tours that differentiates us from most other operators and it’s one that our travellers really appreciate.

Kick start your safari with a music festival!

One of Africa’s biggest music festivals, the 8th Cape Town Jazz Festival, takes place on March 30th and 31st, 2007. Headlining major stars from the international jazz and world music scenes and from across South Africa, this year’s festival will feature Randy Crawford, the legendary jazz pianist Joe Sample, the wonderful singer Sibongile Khumalo, the inventive Ray Phiri and Stimela, and Grammy award-winners Ladysmith Black Mambazo. Weekend passes are SAR430 (£30) but, as has become tradition, the weekend kicks off with a pre-festival community concert on Thursday 29th March in Greenmarket Square, which is completely free – and a lot of fun.

Kumuka tours which start from Cape Town shortly after the festival include: Southern Africa Explored (1 April–5 May); Southern Star (15 April–5 May); Cape to Nairobi Express (15 April–27 May); Coastal Explorer (5 April–15 April).

Who are you?
Meet some fellow travellers from our recent Europe tours.

European Contrasts April 2006
We had been thinking about travelling around Europe for a while but the main reason was to go to the 2006 soccer world cup in Germany. Kumuka was recommended to us by a friend who travelled with them three years ago. We met lots of different people of our age and the Kumuka tour gave us a feel for the place and allowed us to gain our bearings. For us, going up to the top of the Eiffel Tower and cruising around Venice were favourite moments. The amount of things we bought! Our backpacks were just too small and we ended up posting a lot of things back home.

Gautam, IT Project Manager,
Wellington, New Zealand - Favourite music – rock to hip hop!

Central Europe Sept 2006
New experiences were our dominant motivation for travel. A friend recommended Kumuka given her knowledge of our personalities and expectations: we wanted to do a tour aimed at the young-ish set, with a greater focus on touring than drinking, and plenty of free time. Given it was our first overseas trip, it was comforting to travel with experienced tour leaders, and a wonderful opportunity to meet new people – we made a number of life-long friends whilst on tour. The tour group swapped email and phone numbers and maintain regular contact. I could not have hand-selected a more well-suited group – every person was a treat! My best experiences? If forced to choose, I would have to say Oktoberfest was a sensational time. I went through severe tour withdrawal upon returning home; I miss the new friends, the excited feeling you get before arriving at a new destination. The tour, for us, was a life-changing experience.

Kelly, hairdressing salon owner
Newcastle, Australia - Favourite music – anything, other than opera

A chat with…Kris Umlauft
Tour Leader, South America Overland Tours

Interests?
Snowboarding, surfing, crocheting hats, yoga

What is your earliest travel memory?
Me and my brother being forced to listen to Neil Diamond songs on long car trips with my Mum and Dad. So, we would sing new lyrics to annoy Dad; the lyrics were always something about stopping at McDonalds for lunch.

Best trip?
Rurrenbaque Jungle in Bolivia. I got to swim with pink dolphins and, after a year and a half of trying, I FINALLY caught a piranha.

Most recent trip?
I just did a trip with a friend, spending three days travelling up the Amazon on a boat and carrying on down the coast of Brazil. It was relaxing and stimulating at the same time.

Favourite place?
Torres Del Paine National Park in Chile is without a doubt the most beautiful place I have ever been. Glaciers, camping, incredible sunrises and hikes through some of the most incredible scenery.

Who would you most like to travel with?
My Mum! She has never been overseas, and I think that she would be really stoked on absolutely everything.

Most unfortunate overseas purchase?
Tequila – it always leads to trouble and doesn’t even taste nice.

Best travelling companion?
My driver, Andrew Lange. He’s always up for silliness and adventure, is always happy, can fix anything, makes great pancakes and is the fancy dress king.

Most surprising destination?
Patagonia. The places to visit and the things to see down there are breathtaking. I had no idea I was in for such a treat when I went there the first time. They even have skiing in summer. What more could you ask for?

Most overrated place?
Cartagena in Colombia. It’s a really famous international beach resort but you just get hassled the whole time you are on the beach. Not exactly my idea of a relaxing beach holiday.

Most underrated place?
Uruguay. It’s only a small country but the people have really big hearts and will do anything to help you, plus they have good surf, it’s cheap, very European, but still FULL of surprises around every corner.

Best hotel?
Kumuka’s hotel in Buenos Aires is the Tribeca Apartments, which has the biggest rooms and without a doubt the biggest beds ever. Also, the Shangri-la lodge that Kumuka use in Teña, Ecuador – It’s like staying in a massive tree house with hammocks and a view over the jungle all the way to the mountains.

Worst hotel?
Residential Gladys at Pucon, Chile. You should have seen Gladys’ face when I asked for a second cup of tea!

Best meal?
El Porteño Restaurant in Puerto Madero, Buenos Aires. All you can eat for about $10, and full Argentinean BBQ, sushi, pizza, pasta, paella. And don’t get me started on the desert and crêpe bar!

Best national cuisine?
Argentinean steak, hands down!

Worst meal?
A Peruvian fisherman once persuaded me to eat some sort of sea slug, still alive. I can still remember it, I had to chew for ages.

Best evening?
Club 69, Buenos Aires, on any Thursday night. Alternatively, the Red and Black Ball at the Rio Carnival.

Most misleading travel advice?
Is always given by the locals. “Sure, sure, senorita, you can take your extremely large truck down that road, all the other trucks drive down there.” Sure.