Caution on Food

ShelleyG

Tauck's materials recommends that we drink bottled water to avoid contracting stomach ailments. Should we also avoid uncooked foods such as salads and raw vegetables? (similar to what is frequently recommended for trips to Mexico or parts of the Caribbean).Does that also include meat tartares or carpaccio, and fish like ahi tuna or sushi, all of which appear to be popular items on Cape Town restaurant menus?

AlanS

ShelleyG wrote:

Tauck's materials recommends that we drink bottled water to avoid contracting stomach ailments. Should we also avoid uncooked foods such as salads and raw vegetables? (similar to what is frequently recommended for trips to Mexico or parts of the Caribbean). Does that also include meat tartares or carpaccio, and fish like ahi tuna or sushi, all of which appear to be popular items on Cape Town restaurant menus?

This item has been debated in the past. Our TD on K & T said all food supplied at Tauck dining locations, to include cooked meats and fresh or cooked vegetables, is safe. I haven't been on Elegant Adventure but believe the sanitation and cooking procedures used by restaurant workers (which is a major, major concern) in the kitchens on Elegant Adventure are the same or better than on K&T. Others say it is unwise to consume peeled fresh vegetables and fruits, etc.

That being said, we had a few people (including me) get intestinal problems on the K&T tour.

The big question that no one can answer- were the intestinal problems (typically caused by amoeba or other parasite) we suffered caused by cooked, improperly cooked, uncooked, or otherwise contaminated food, ingesting a small amount of water from the shower, or from inadequately sanitized hands.

You can take your chance, but personally I would restrict my food intake to cooked meats and fish, and drink only bottled water soda or alcoholic beverages (mixed with bottled water), listen to your TD, then make your best informed decision on tour about what to do about fresh fruits and vegetables that have been peeled.

AshvEd

We did this tour and always consumed bottled water or adult beverages only. We also avoided ice cubes as no one could be sure of the water quality used to make them. The quality of the food was excellent and we did eat salads. No one on our small group tour had any issues that we were made aware of and we took our TD's advice to heart when it came to safe eating. It was a spectacular trip

British

We have been to Africa 5 times including Elegant South Africa. We have eaten every type of food, hot, cold, raw meat and fish. We are still here and eager to get back to Africa. Think about it, Tauck is not going to tell you you can eat fruit and veg and salads if they think that for one minute you, their customer become ill. Also, the Cape Grace hotel in Cape Town is one of my most favorite hotels. I had a Vegetarein tasting menu there which was one of the best meals I have ever eaten. I’m not a vegetarian by the way.
You have a responsibility to be diligent about hand washing.

Sealord

I agree with British. We only three times. But we ate everything. We drank bottled water, but we did have ice in our drinks which they said was made with ‘clean’ water. We had no more problems than our other travels. Food does not have to be bad to cause occassional problems ... just different from what your system is accustomed. Hand washing is critical. Every time I walk into our home, the first thing I do is wash the hands.

Cadoge

Returned from this trip last week. Fantastic experience!

In all of the accommodations in South Africa - including the safari lodges - most of us ate everything including salads and had no problems. The TD continually assured us the water used in the preparation is purified, and the water from the taps was perfectly fine to ingest. Some people still struck to bottled water for drinking, but I did not with no problems. Same with ice for the drinks.

However, the water from the faucets at Victoria Falls and all of Zimbabwe is not drinkable, and the TD advised everyone to drink only bottled water and use it for brushing teeth. Some people were leery of the bottled water provided in the rooms and at the restaurants at the hotel because it comes in refillable glass bottles - labeled purified. The hotel staff assured us the water that is used in those bottles is purified, as is the ice. Again, I used the water provided with no problem, but my wife insisted on sealed plastic bottles from the bar.

We had two in our group who got ill. Both lasted 24 hours. One man thought it was from some meat carpaccio served during our group lunch in Johannesburg. The other got sick the morning after he showered in Victoria Falls and said he forgot to keep his mouth closed. He also had rinsed his toothbrush off in the water from the tap and then used it the next morning.

All the accommodations are 4 and 5 star and depend on Tauck and good reviews. All went out of their way to assure us of the water safety. South Africa's water system in the cities is generally as good as and as safe as in any metropolitan city in the U.S. Caution needs to be used in Zimbabwe and Victoria Falls, however.

Cadoge

I forgot to add that even at the Victoria Falls Hotel, everyone ate the salads with no problem. The hotel assured us all vegetables and lettuce were washed in purified water.

Sealord

On our three Africa trips we ate everything, drank bottled water, and had beverages with ice. We had no more problems than we have eating in our local restaurants. Food does not have to be bad to cause some distress, just differnt from what you are accustomed.

DawnC28

Sealord wrote:

On our three Africa trips we ate everything, drank bottled water, and had beverages with ice. We had no more problems than we have eating in our local restaurants. Food does not have to be bad to cause some distress, just differnt from what you are accustomed.

Agree totally. We ate all of the fruit and vegetables on the menu, and had no issues whatsoever. They have some terrific fruits at the breakfasts!

No one on our tour seemed to suffer from the food, it was more the cocktail hours that got them! LOL