The Road Changes You: Why Drifters Still Defines the Spirit of African Overlanding

Some journeys take you somewhere new. Others change who you are.

There is a moment that every overlander remembers.

It might be standing beside a campfire under a sky crowded with stars somewhere in Botswana. It could be watching the first light spill across Namibia’s endless desert plains. Or perhaps it’s the sound of lions calling in the distance while the rest of the world feels impossibly far away.

Whatever the moment, it leaves a mark.

“You can watch wildlife documentaries all weekend long,” says Mishka, host of the African Overland Journal. “But nothing compares to actually being out there. The smells, the sounds, the people, the unexpected moments—Africa on the road changes you.”

That transformative power of overlanding was at the heart of a recent conversation between African Overland Tours (AOT) and one of Africa’s most respected adventure travel operators, Drifters .

Joining the discussion were Tammy, Lead Consultant at African Overland Tours and former Drifters guide, and Teresa from Drifters Tours. Together, they explored what makes overland travel so enduringly special, why authentic experiences still matter, and how a life spent on Africa’s roads has a way of calling people back long after they’ve left.

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More Than a Partnership

For Tammy, the relationship between African Overland Tours and Drifters goes far beyond business.

Before helping travellers design unforgettable African adventures from the African Overland Tours (AOT) office, she spent almost seven years living the overlanding lifestyle herself—guiding groups across some of the continent’s most spectacular landscapes from the driver’s seat of a Drifters truck.

“Coming off the road was one of the hardest transitions I’ve ever made,” she reflects. “When you’re guiding, every day is different. You’re managing your own group, solving problems on the fly, waking up somewhere new. Then suddenly you’re in an office with walls around you.”

Yet those years on the road became the foundation for the expertise she brings to travellers today.

Having guided Drifters routes herself, Tammy understands the destinations, the logistics, the personalities, and the realities of overland travel in a way few travel consultants can.

“Drifters still feels like family,” she says. “I know the guides, the operations teams, the routes, and the philosophy behind the trips. That connection helps us work together seamlessly and ultimately gives our travellers a better experience.”

It’s a partnership built on shared values: authenticity, expertise, and a genuine passion for Africa.

Earning Your Place as a Guide on the Truck

The image of an overland guide often conjures visions of game drives, spectacular sunsets, and stories around the campfire.

The reality is far more demanding.

According to Tammy, becoming a Drifters guide once required surviving one of the most rigorous recruitment processes in the industry.

“It was a ten-day interview,” she laughs. “And not the kind where you sit in a room answering questions.”

Candidates were expected to learn the mechanics of multiple support vehicles, understand how to diagnose faults, and prove they could solve problems in remote environments where help might be hundreds of kilometres away.

“The assessors would deliberately create mechanical issues,” Tammy recalls. “You had to identify the problem, explain the solution, and demonstrate that you could manage the situation under pressure.”

Only after passing the technical challenges would candidates move on to the next stage—guiding, leadership, communication, and group management.

Because being an overland guide requires far more than driving a truck.

As Teresa explains, guides become the face of the entire experience.

“They’re the people our travellers spend every day with. They’re constantly adapting, solving challenges, sharing knowledge, and creating memorable experiences. That’s why we invest heavily in supporting and developing our guides.”

In many ways, an overland guide is a collection of professions rolled into one.

Mechanic. Driver. Camp manager. Wildlife expert. Cook. Problem solver. Mediator. Storyteller.

And sometimes, therapist.

“People arrive carrying all sorts of things with them,” Tammy says. “Stress, uncertainty, grief, excitement, expectations. You become whatever your travellers need at that moment.”

It’s a responsibility that goes far beyond tourism.

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Finding Authentic Africa in a Crowded World

Travel has changed dramatically over the past two decades.

Places once known only to adventurous backpackers now appear daily on social media feeds. Bucket-list destinations have become global attractions. Some of Africa’s most famous wildlife sightings can attract dozens of vehicles at a time.

Yet despite those changes, Drifters remains committed to a philosophy that has guided the company since its earliest days: seeking authentic experiences beyond the obvious.

“The product has evolved over the years,” Teresa explains. “Travellers still want to see iconic places like the Serengeti, the Okavango Delta, or Victoria Falls—and rightly so. These are extraordinary destinations.”

The challenge is balancing those world-famous highlights with experiences that feel genuine and personal.

“We combine the iconic with the unexpected,” she says. “The famous destinations are important, but we also want travellers to discover places they never knew existed.”

It’s a philosophy that resonates strongly with modern travellers.

After all, the goal isn’t simply to tick destinations off a list.

It’s to experience them.

To hear the silence of the desert.

To meet local communities.

To wake up to wildlife beyond the campsite.

To discover the places between the famous places.

As Teresa puts it: “We don’t want a situation where twenty vehicles are crowding around one lion. We want travellers to experience Africa in a way that feels real.”

The Places That Never Leave You

Ask anyone who has spent years exploring Africa to name their favourite destination and you’ll quickly discover how impossible the question is.

Yet some places rise naturally to the top.

For Tammy, Botswana remains unmatched.

“The wildlife is extraordinary,” she says. “There’s a rawness to Botswana that is difficult to describe until you’ve experienced it.”

But it is Namibia that holds a particularly special place in her heart.

Following a period of personal loss, Tammy spent a year living in the country, finding solace in its vast open spaces and extraordinary landscapes.

“Namibia gives you room to think,” she says. “The scale of the landscape is so immense that it puts everything else into perspective.”

Long before remote desert experiences became fashionable, Drifters was already exploring regions such as the NamibRand area, introducing travellers to one of Africa’s most remarkable wilderness environments.

“On a night drive you might encounter species that many people have never even heard of—aardwolves, polecats, porcupines. It’s a completely different safari experience.”

East Africa provides another kind of adventure.

While many safaris focus exclusively on game drives, overlanding often encourages travellers to engage more actively with the landscape.

Cycling among wildlife in Hell’s Gate National Park. Hiking the rim of Mount Longonot. Walking through environments rather than simply observing them through a vehicle window.

These experiences create a deeper connection to place—and often become the memories travellers treasure most.

Why Africa Keeps Calling You Back

Perhaps the most revealing moment of the conversation came when the discussion turned to life after the road.

For former guides, the transition can be surprisingly difficult.

Even years later, Tammy admits that a part of her remains tied to the bush.

“Once you’ve spent enough time out there, something changes,” she says. “You never quite get it back.”

A recent return to Botswana reminded her exactly why.

“Hearing the parrots overhead. Waking up in the bush. Being surrounded by nature again. It reconnects you with something that modern life often makes us forget.”

Mishka understands the feeling.

“That’s why Africa becomes addictive,” she says. “It reawakens your senses.”

And perhaps that’s the real magic of overlanding.

It’s not simply about wildlife sightings or famous landmarks.

It’s about perspective.

It’s about slowing down.

It’s about stepping away from routines, notifications, deadlines, and expectations long enough to remember what it feels like to be fully present.

The roads may be dusty. The campsites may be remote. The days may be unpredictable.

But somewhere along the way, Africa has a habit of giving travellers exactly what they didn’t know they were looking for.

And that’s why people keep coming back.

Ready for Your Own African Adventure?

Whether you’re dreaming of the deserts of Namibia, the wildlife-rich waterways of Botswana, the vast plains of East Africa, or a classic Cape Town to Victoria Falls expedition, our team at African Overland Tours can help you find the journey that’s right for you.

Because the best travel advice comes from people who’ve lived it.

And some of us still hear the road calling.