Tours

Tours Terms and Conditions:

1. Arrive on time as a courtesy to your fellow tourers.
2. Ensure your vehicle has sufficient fuel and is in a sound mechanical condition.
3. Ensure that the 12v outlet is in working condition as our radio sets will take power from this source.
4. We will have a mandatory driver briefing before the tour commences where we will explain our routing for the day; the etiquette of convoy driving and radio operation and protocol.
5. Tours take place regardless of the weather. The passes and sequence may be altered at short notice depending on road conditions, traffic volumes and weather conditions.
6. Should we cancel the tour, you will receive a full refund or you may elect to choose an alternative tour/date.
7. Should you fail to arrive for the tour, there will be no refunds.
8. Drivers & Passengers will be required to sign an indemnity form.

Compulsory VHF radios

The guide speaks to all participants on the tour via VHF Radio in English. Thus it is mandatory to have a VHF radio in your vehicle. Our pricing system is so structured to automatically include the radio rental.

Convoy Driving Etiquette:

1. Switch your headlights on dim. (Not parking lights, but headlights)
2. Remain in the convoy order that your guide has placed you.
3. Don’t tailgate. Allow enough space (about 10 car lengths) between your vehicle and the one ahead of you (and adjust as speed is increased) for overtaking vehicles to safely get through our convoy as we tend to drive slower than normal traffic at a maximum of 80 kph. We encourage yellow line driving when it’s safe to do so.
4. At intersections, you are responsible for the person behind you to make the correct turn. Conversely following vehicles have a responsibility to keep the vehicle ahead visual at all times
5. If, due to mountainous terrain, the vehicles at the rear of the convoy are not receiving radio comms from the lead vehicle, the last person in the convoy that can hear comms, should relay messages to those further back and vice versa.
6. When we stop at scenic spots or historical sites, please park up close (within 2m) or alongside the next vehicle to allow sufficient space for the whole convoy to stop/park safely.

Radio Etiquette:

The first and most important request is care of the radios. These sets deliver FM quality reception and the two things they don’t like is moisture and dust. Liquids falling onto the base set or microphone will cause irreparable damage and you will be held responsible for a replacement unit at a cost of R 3000. Avoid coffee, cool-drinks, or any liquid anywhere near the set. All radios are numbered and pre-allocated to a specific vehicle so we can keep track of them. Radios are checked at the end of the tour.

1. The radios have a working range between 2 km and 80 km, depending on geographical position. Mountains, tunnels, buildings and forests affect their working range. Please allow for this. It sometimes happens, especially on gravel roads that because of dust, that vehicles tend to travel quite far apart and this will stretch the working range of the radios and can cause broken or distorted messages.
2. If you are unable to hear a message from the lead vehicle, please ask one of the middle vehicles to relay the message or repeat the instruction.
3. Only one person can speak on a channel at a time. Don’t change the channel we have set on the radio, otherwise you will not hear any messages or information. Should we pick up radio interference from other groups, the guide will instruct you to change to a different channel. This will be explained should the need arise.
4. When wanting to call a specific person in the group, you call his/her name three times:
eg “Peter, Peter, Peter – This is Harry, Harry Harry”
Wait for the invite to be answered – like this:
“Harry, Harry – this is Peter – Go ahead”

You may now ask your question or say what you want to say. Keep it brief as others might also want to speak. In a convoy of 10 vehicles, we would typically have 20 plus people all wanting to speak, so please be courteous and patient.
When you have finished speaking, say:
“Peter – Harry – Over.”

You only say “Out” at the end of the day when the radios are switched off.
Don’t worry about WW2 jargon like “Roger / Tally Ho” etc.
Hold the microphone approximately 20 cm away from your mouth. If the microphone is too close, your voice will distort. Speak clearly and slowly in a normal tone of voice. If you have a soft voice hold the microphone a little closer (10 cm) and if you have a loud voice, make the space 30 cm. If you hold the microphone right up to your mouth, it will distort.