October 13, 2008 5:08 AM
Where should I go in Southern / Eastern Africa?
November 27, 2007 1:11 AM
So I'm planning to take a couple of weeks to drive around Southern / Eastern Africa...what should I not miss?
What: Renting a Land Rover (or two, preferably, if I can get enough family / friends to join) and driving around Southern / Eastern Africa, originating in and returning to South Africa.
When: Mid-to-late March of 2008 (semi-dependent on when my work project here ends, at the moment)
Where: Tentative Itinerary as follows:
1. Johannesburg, SA to Windhoek, Namibia - possibly by way of Gabarone, Botswana, also potentially going all the way to Walvisbaai to see the west coast
2. Windhoek to Livingston, Zambia, with a brief cross over into Angola on the way.
3. Livingston to Lusaka, Lusaka to Kampala, Uganda - by way of Tanzania, Burundi, and Rwanda.
4. Kampala to Nairobi, Kenya.
5. Nairobi to Mt. Kilimanjaro. Hoping to work a 4-day climb into the trip.
6. Kili to Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania. Possibly jet out to Zanzibar for a day or two.
7. Dar Es Salaam to Maputo, Mozambique, via the coast, as much as possible. Hoping to find good places for scuba along the way.
8. Maputo to Mbabne, Swaziland.
9. Mbabne to Joburg.
What is on my list that shouldn't be? I've tried to avoid DR of Congo as well as Zimbabwe, just to stay away from places that we might run into snafus. From what I've read so far, the rest of my itinerary looks fairly safe.
What is not on my list that should be? Am I missing any key places to see while on this crazy trip?
What is a reasonable timeframe? I can commit 2.5, max 3 weeks to this trip. Am I trying to squeeze in too much? Taking out 4 days for Kili, and approx 12 days of driving time (roughly 6500mi / 50mph = 130hrs driving. 130 / 12 per day = 11 days), I figure I should have about 5 extra days to see various stuff on the trip (Vic Falls, Safari here and there, Scuba in Mozambique, etc.). If I should cut out stuff to get more conservative, what should come out?
Other general tips? I've talked with people who have done drives around this part of the continent before, and they say that most roads will be paved, but I'm planning to get a Land Rover anyway for Safari purposes, etc.. I'd prefer to do two cars for safety's sake, as mentioned, but that will depend on participants. Will be researching visas and whatnot, already have a couple of the countries on my passport - any stuff to watch out for there? What else?
posted by allkindsoftime to Where to go? (4 comments total)
What: Renting a Land Rover (or two, preferably, if I can get enough family / friends to join) and driving around Southern / Eastern Africa, originating in and returning to South Africa.
When: Mid-to-late March of 2008 (semi-dependent on when my work project here ends, at the moment)
Where: Tentative Itinerary as follows:
1. Johannesburg, SA to Windhoek, Namibia - possibly by way of Gabarone, Botswana, also potentially going all the way to Walvisbaai to see the west coast
2. Windhoek to Livingston, Zambia, with a brief cross over into Angola on the way.
3. Livingston to Lusaka, Lusaka to Kampala, Uganda - by way of Tanzania, Burundi, and Rwanda.
4. Kampala to Nairobi, Kenya.
5. Nairobi to Mt. Kilimanjaro. Hoping to work a 4-day climb into the trip.
6. Kili to Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania. Possibly jet out to Zanzibar for a day or two.
7. Dar Es Salaam to Maputo, Mozambique, via the coast, as much as possible. Hoping to find good places for scuba along the way.
8. Maputo to Mbabne, Swaziland.
9. Mbabne to Joburg.
What is on my list that shouldn't be? I've tried to avoid DR of Congo as well as Zimbabwe, just to stay away from places that we might run into snafus. From what I've read so far, the rest of my itinerary looks fairly safe.
What is not on my list that should be? Am I missing any key places to see while on this crazy trip?
What is a reasonable timeframe? I can commit 2.5, max 3 weeks to this trip. Am I trying to squeeze in too much? Taking out 4 days for Kili, and approx 12 days of driving time (roughly 6500mi / 50mph = 130hrs driving. 130 / 12 per day = 11 days), I figure I should have about 5 extra days to see various stuff on the trip (Vic Falls, Safari here and there, Scuba in Mozambique, etc.). If I should cut out stuff to get more conservative, what should come out?
Other general tips? I've talked with people who have done drives around this part of the continent before, and they say that most roads will be paved, but I'm planning to get a Land Rover anyway for Safari purposes, etc.. I'd prefer to do two cars for safety's sake, as mentioned, but that will depend on participants. Will be researching visas and whatnot, already have a couple of the countries on my passport - any stuff to watch out for there? What else?
Advertise here: Contact FM.
Thanks...I've already done CT (and it was beautiful) so I'm hoping to make this trip mostly new places for me, although the group might want to loop it in.
posted by allkindsoftime at 11:09 PM on November 27
posted by allkindsoftime at 11:09 PM on November 27
Travel doesn't seem to be going so well at the moment, why not repost this in ask.me?
I think you have far far too much planned. I'm not sure exactly what sort of roads you are planning to use, but 50mph average is grossly optimistic for much of southern africa. It is also going to be utterly miserable bumping about in the back of a landcruiser for 12 hours a day. If I was planning a trip like this I wouldn't want to be covering more than 150 miles a day to get from one point of interest to the next.
If I had two-three weeks I would do Kruger then Swaziland and drive in a leisurely way all around the coast of South Africa stopping for scuba, and try to arrange to drop the cars off either in Cape Town or in Windhoek if you get that far.
posted by roofus at 6:08 AM on November 28
I think you have far far too much planned. I'm not sure exactly what sort of roads you are planning to use, but 50mph average is grossly optimistic for much of southern africa. It is also going to be utterly miserable bumping about in the back of a landcruiser for 12 hours a day. If I was planning a trip like this I wouldn't want to be covering more than 150 miles a day to get from one point of interest to the next.
If I had two-three weeks I would do Kruger then Swaziland and drive in a leisurely way all around the coast of South Africa stopping for scuba, and try to arrange to drop the cars off either in Cape Town or in Windhoek if you get that far.
posted by roofus at 6:08 AM on November 28
If you make it to Zanzibar, absolutely do not miss Mr Mitu's Spice Tour. You can check on Chowhound for reports that my brother and I made while we were in Tanzania, though it was a few years ago already.
posted by mzurer at 6:38 PM on April 10
posted by mzurer at 6:38 PM on April 10
You are not logged in, either login or create an account to post comments
posted by Foetry Guy at 6:45 AM on November 27