African self drive safari
Discussion
Did a safari last year for the first time and fancy going again but potentially trying a self drive. Has anyone done a self drive safari in Africa? Kruger is an obvious option but it looks a bit like driving around a safari park from what I have seen online with busy tarmac roads. I am after a bit of adventure and remoteness, is it possible to get that in the more remote areas or kruger? Botswana looks like the Ideal location but it might be a bit too remote for someone without lots of 4x4 experience?
The "roads" off the main drags in Botswana can be challenging, I lived in Gaborone for 8 years. The main safari places are up in and around the Okavango and Chobe but if you want a more authentic wild experience head for Ghanzi in west Botswana up to the Namibian border but over that way it's mainly desert. Another option is head north from Gaborone to the Central Kalahari but I'm not sure what the rules are these days but it used to be that you had to have permission to enter the area.
I would not recommend taking your family out in the African bush yourself.
I’ve done three safari’s, two in South Africa, one in Kenya. Each time with our own private guide in a “Safari Spec’” 4x4. These guys are experts, they know where to go and the best time. Also they are responsible for your family’s safety. Those beautiful wild animals need respect, do the wrong thing and they could turn nasty. There are also some nasty humans that can rob you.
I’ve done three safari’s, two in South Africa, one in Kenya. Each time with our own private guide in a “Safari Spec’” 4x4. These guys are experts, they know where to go and the best time. Also they are responsible for your family’s safety. Those beautiful wild animals need respect, do the wrong thing and they could turn nasty. There are also some nasty humans that can rob you.
Self-drive safari's are fairly straightforward if you have the confidence to do one. Takes a bit of planning, but easily doable.
My last one was in Zambia a couple of years ago:
I contacted City Drive a couple of months before and organised a 4x4 SUV for collection at the airport. We were met from our flight had a oldish Mitsubishi Pajero for the next couple of weeks.
We stayed in Lusaka at Pioneer Lodge for a few nights as we were visiting Zambia Hockey, so drove around town sight seeing and shopping. 1st stop was chemist to buy anti-malarials, plus a Bata shoe shop for the best flip-flops you can buy. My last pair lasted 20 years before finally becoming un repairable.
We then drove off west to Kafue National Park where we stayed at Pinnon Lodge for 5 nights. We did self-drive safaris into the park plus lodge guided trips - the best of both worlds. Next destination was Victoria Falls, with a one night stop on the way at at Musungwa Safari Lodge in Itezhi tezhi. This was a fabulous hotel and I wish we had stayed more than 1 night.
Arrived at Vic Falls, stayed at the waterfront for 4 nights. Having a vehicle was great as it allowed us to travel around independently.
Dropped the vehicle off here then flew to South Luangwa and stayed at Croc Valley and had 4 nights of full board - no vehicle this time, but the lodge provided morning and evening game drives.
Back down to Lusaka, picked up another vehicle for a night's stay at Lilayi Lodge - which was very overpriced and we didn't really like it.
So it can be done. All accommodation arranged through booking.com or direct.
I've also self driven in Kenya, Uganda, South Africa and Zaire (that dates me). I would say the best countries for this would be Zambia or Uganda (Uganda you can see Gorillas as well). Both countries are easy to drive in, very friendly people, bit more off the beaten track so not so full of tourists. Both would meet your criteria for adventure and remoteness.
My last one was in Zambia a couple of years ago:
I contacted City Drive a couple of months before and organised a 4x4 SUV for collection at the airport. We were met from our flight had a oldish Mitsubishi Pajero for the next couple of weeks.
We stayed in Lusaka at Pioneer Lodge for a few nights as we were visiting Zambia Hockey, so drove around town sight seeing and shopping. 1st stop was chemist to buy anti-malarials, plus a Bata shoe shop for the best flip-flops you can buy. My last pair lasted 20 years before finally becoming un repairable.
We then drove off west to Kafue National Park where we stayed at Pinnon Lodge for 5 nights. We did self-drive safaris into the park plus lodge guided trips - the best of both worlds. Next destination was Victoria Falls, with a one night stop on the way at at Musungwa Safari Lodge in Itezhi tezhi. This was a fabulous hotel and I wish we had stayed more than 1 night.
Arrived at Vic Falls, stayed at the waterfront for 4 nights. Having a vehicle was great as it allowed us to travel around independently.
Dropped the vehicle off here then flew to South Luangwa and stayed at Croc Valley and had 4 nights of full board - no vehicle this time, but the lodge provided morning and evening game drives.
Back down to Lusaka, picked up another vehicle for a night's stay at Lilayi Lodge - which was very overpriced and we didn't really like it.
So it can be done. All accommodation arranged through booking.com or direct.
I've also self driven in Kenya, Uganda, South Africa and Zaire (that dates me). I would say the best countries for this would be Zambia or Uganda (Uganda you can see Gorillas as well). Both countries are easy to drive in, very friendly people, bit more off the beaten track so not so full of tourists. Both would meet your criteria for adventure and remoteness.
nvubu said:
I've also self driven in Kenya, Uganda, South Africa and Zaire (that dates me). I would say the best countries for this would be Zambia or Uganda (Uganda you can see Gorillas as well). Both countries are easy to drive in, very friendly people, bit more off the beaten track so not so full of tourists. Both would meet your criteria for adventure and remoteness.
What time of year did you do to Zambia? I understand this can impact how easy it is to drive considerably.Also where did you go in South Africa? Kruger? And did you manage to find any remoteness or was it very busy and touristy?
Zambia was in late July, early August. Roads, once off the tarmac were all fine, bit dusty, corrugated in sections. The off tarmac bit was basically all of Kafue down to Kalomo where we joined the southern section of the Great North road (Vic Falls to Lusaka).
I always take this one of these as a lot of African cars are pre-sat nav, and if they do have sat nav, it is probably going to be in Japanese. Magnetic disk on the back of a tablet and all's good. I use HereWeGo and Tracks 4 Africa as Sat Navs.
Never been to Kruger, driven Jo'burg to Capetown in Nev/Dec via the Garden Route. Best trip was a one week drive from Durban up to the Mozambique border and then down the coast (literally on the beach for some parts) - camping and braai every night in an old Land Rover. I find SA way too sanitised for me and I much prefer the countries further north.
For Uganda (used to live there), I'd drive down towards the Rwanda border, stay in the White Horse Inn at Kabale, over the Lake Bunyonyi for a night or 2. Drive up to the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest for the Gorillas. After that off to Queen Elizabeth National Park - this drive is really off the beaten path.
The Fort Portal, Masindi and Murchison Falls (where I got married on the River Nile), and finally back to Kampala.
The roads between are all tarmac - some better than others, but I have driven all of this in a 1990s Toyota Corolla.
If you are really adventurous, hire a small plane and fly up to Kidepo on the border of Sudan.
I forgot, driven round Zimbabwe a couple of times. There's a good circle route you can do (Harare, Kariba, Vic Falls, Bulawayo, Harare) - but a Zimbabwean friend told me when I was there last year that the roads can be very poor now - especially Vic Falls to Bulawayo.
I always take this one of these as a lot of African cars are pre-sat nav, and if they do have sat nav, it is probably going to be in Japanese. Magnetic disk on the back of a tablet and all's good. I use HereWeGo and Tracks 4 Africa as Sat Navs.
Never been to Kruger, driven Jo'burg to Capetown in Nev/Dec via the Garden Route. Best trip was a one week drive from Durban up to the Mozambique border and then down the coast (literally on the beach for some parts) - camping and braai every night in an old Land Rover. I find SA way too sanitised for me and I much prefer the countries further north.
For Uganda (used to live there), I'd drive down towards the Rwanda border, stay in the White Horse Inn at Kabale, over the Lake Bunyonyi for a night or 2. Drive up to the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest for the Gorillas. After that off to Queen Elizabeth National Park - this drive is really off the beaten path.
The Fort Portal, Masindi and Murchison Falls (where I got married on the River Nile), and finally back to Kampala.
The roads between are all tarmac - some better than others, but I have driven all of this in a 1990s Toyota Corolla.
If you are really adventurous, hire a small plane and fly up to Kidepo on the border of Sudan.
I forgot, driven round Zimbabwe a couple of times. There's a good circle route you can do (Harare, Kariba, Vic Falls, Bulawayo, Harare) - but a Zimbabwean friend told me when I was there last year that the roads can be very poor now - especially Vic Falls to Bulawayo.
I've done self-drive a few times in SA as well as a bunch of guided in SA and Kenya. I've seen a few places where you can't go in to a road / area unless you are in game vehicle, which if you were self-driving a regular 4x4, you'd miss out on. I've got lots of Saffa mates who have done proper bush camping in 4x4s up into Moz / Namibia but I think you need a plan if it all goes to poop 1000km from the nearest phone signal.....and it seems like hard work for a single vehicle tourist.
My favourite place was a friend who had a time share in Mabalingwe like this one:
https://www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/4064634
Drive a massive game vehicle around with 1000 beers, back to the house for a bbq and restock the cooler, more bombing around to visit all the bars in the park whilst pointing at animals and then back for more bbq and beer. It's not a big-5 park but it's just a very different kind of holiday.
We went to Zambia this year and this was the closest feeling I've gotten even though it was all guided. Through customs, met by the charter flight company, sat down with a beer which we took through security to our flight. I had a great seat on the way down to Lower Zambezi.
Out of the plane at a bush airstrip and a 4x4 comes banging up to meet us with what turned out to be the standard Zambian greeting: "Hi, I'm __, there's a cooler in the back full of beers".
https://maps.app.goo.gl/YuSZWRxU9GAmEHCf9
We had a couple of days pissing around on boats in the Zambezi which was super cool. Fishing for tiger fish:
Meeting the locals from the boat:
Venturing ashore on an island between Zambia and Zimbabwe:
And getting chased off said island by more of the locals who were keen to emigrate for the evening:
We then moved into the edge of the actual National park to a fancier place but again it was great to start the day with a boat ride to get into the park. The park itself was pretty quiet so you weren't in amongst other vehicles except to see the rare stuff like leopard.
My favourite place was a friend who had a time share in Mabalingwe like this one:
https://www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/4064634
Drive a massive game vehicle around with 1000 beers, back to the house for a bbq and restock the cooler, more bombing around to visit all the bars in the park whilst pointing at animals and then back for more bbq and beer. It's not a big-5 park but it's just a very different kind of holiday.
We went to Zambia this year and this was the closest feeling I've gotten even though it was all guided. Through customs, met by the charter flight company, sat down with a beer which we took through security to our flight. I had a great seat on the way down to Lower Zambezi.
Out of the plane at a bush airstrip and a 4x4 comes banging up to meet us with what turned out to be the standard Zambian greeting: "Hi, I'm __, there's a cooler in the back full of beers".
https://maps.app.goo.gl/YuSZWRxU9GAmEHCf9
We had a couple of days pissing around on boats in the Zambezi which was super cool. Fishing for tiger fish:
Meeting the locals from the boat:
Venturing ashore on an island between Zambia and Zimbabwe:
And getting chased off said island by more of the locals who were keen to emigrate for the evening:
We then moved into the edge of the actual National park to a fancier place but again it was great to start the day with a boat ride to get into the park. The park itself was pretty quiet so you weren't in amongst other vehicles except to see the rare stuff like leopard.
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