Don't drink the water?

[buckshot85]

I read and have been told to only drink bottled water to avoid the 2-3 days of gut rot. How about the coffee or tea in the mornings? Is the water hot enough to kill anything bad?
I haven't asked the outfitter yet if they use bottled water for this.

 

[KMG Hunting Safaris]

I read and have been told to only drink bottled water to avoid the 2-3 days of gut rot. How about the coffee or tea in the mornings? Is the water hot enough to kill anything bad?
I haven't asked the outfitter yet if they use bottled water for this.

Most of the time the water coming out of the taps at camps will be from a bore hole, meaning its pumped from under ground. It is simply full of minerals that your stomach will probably not be used to. It's fine for brushing your teeth but might upset your stomach if you drink it in quantities so better to stick to bottled water for drinking. Should be perfectly fine if you boiled it for coffee.

 

[buckshot85]

Thanks for the input. I’m sure we all know how good a cup of joe can be in the morning before we get rolling.

 

[Nkawu]

Boiling will kill bacteria if there is any, but won’t do much to the mineral content from borehole water. Ask if the ground water is filtered or treated in anyway and if previous hunters from your country have experienced stomach upsets or similar adjusting to the new water.

 

[KMG Hunting Safaris]

and if previous hunters from your country have experienced stomach upsets or similar adjusting to the new water.

Each individual will be different.

 

[Flipper Dude]

I never give it a 2nd thought. Hell, I never gave it a 1st.

 

[Mark Biggerstaff]

I have only been on 3 trips since 2018 when I did my first safari. I have never had stomach issues from drinks or food while there. I did drink only bottled water. But tea, ice and coffee were tap water.
I’m more worried about ticks! After Tick Fever and complications with secondary infection I treat clothes really good!

 

[KMG Hunting Safaris]

I never give it a 2nd thought. Hell, I never gave it a 1st.

It could certainly become an issue. Certainly nothing to worry about, but just unnecessary.

 

[Jörg Krüger]

Recently there was not enough chlorine to treat the municiperial water. Stomach bugs going around like it was as free for all. I do not drink water out of a tap anymore and stick to bottled water.

 

[csutton7]

Having lived in Kenya and experiencing this and seeing others experience it my two cents is that you can get the rot from brushing your teeth(usually doesn't happen), from salads, tap water, borehole water and anything washed with tap or borehole water. Tea or Coffee, not as likely, but I'm sure someone has gotten it from drinking either. Now some people's guts are a little more resistive than others, so my advice is to refrain from salads and such and used bottle water for everything. It also seems to attack you sooner vs later(like in a couple of days), so why chance it. You can always take with you some purifying pills or one of those water purifying systems just for peace of mind and pack some Imodium AD.

 

[Firebird]

Check in with your family doctor and he will most likely send you with 2 or 3 prescriptions for meds to treat these type issues while you are away from home. It costs some to fill them (do it before you leave) and we all hope you never have to use them, but if you do need those meds they will be pricelss!

 

[Hunt anything]

Bottled water has been freely available in every camp I’ve been in. I always used it to brush my teeth, I never thought about the salad greens being washed with contaminated well water. When I was in Mozambique I developed a nagging stomach problem I attributed it to my malaria meds but it could have been the water. Luckily i took some lomotil and was able to continue.

 

[Major Bonkers]

Bilharzia

 

[baxterb]

Never thought about it with hot drinks or food washing and I drank coffee and tea at least 3x a day. That said, I had a brief morning of trouble in Kenya but do feel the stuff I took to remedy helped and it interrupted my day for only about an hour. Used bottled water with everything else.

 

[Hunt anything]

I think bilharzia is a contact parasite ( bores through the skin) not much you can do about it except stay out of the water, that’s hard to do in the Zambezi delta or so many other places that hold concentrations of game.

 

[Art Lambart II]

If you are worried about the water get a grayl water press

 

[Bert the Turtle]

Where are you going to be? The borehole tap water on the farms I’ve stayed at in Namibia is a lot nicer than the water from my well at home

The city water was likewise fine.

This tap water from the Caprivi looks a bit suspect, but I brushed my teeth with it multiple times before I noticed and at that point figured the cat was out of the bag. No problems, but I can’t say I would advocate doing the same as I did

That said, there is plenty of bottled water, juice, soft drinks, beer, and gin to go around so if you are concerned about it, no need to chance it.

 

[buckshot85]

Where are you going to be? The borehole tap water on the farms I’ve stayed at in Namibia is a lot nicer than the water from my well at home

The city water was likewise fine.

This tap water from the Caprivi looks a bit suspect, but I brushed my teeth with it multiple times before I noticed and at that point figured the cat was out of the bag. No problems, but I can’t say I would advocate doing the same as I did
View attachment 458631
That said, there is plenty of bottled water, juice, soft drinks, beer, and gin to go around so if you are concerned about it, no need to chance it.

Near Hoedspruit, Limpopo, SA

 

[Hunt anything]

In Limpopo the water SHOULD be ok but you may need to worry about the power staying on! Endured nightly blackouts in 2021.

 

[Nyati]

In 7 safaris, never had a problem, although I did use bottled water for drinking and brushing my teeth.