EAST AFRICA

Is a self-drive tour of East Africa on your wish list? Two couples explain how to tackle such an epic journey – it’s easier than you think!

Want to do a self-drive tour of East Africa? Two couples explain how to tackle such an epic journey.

If you have a passport, a bakkie, a GPS and something in your bank account, you’re ready for an extended tour of Africa. We live on a continent with world-class destinations. What does the Ngorongoro Crater look like in real life? Are the wildebeest herds in the Maasai Mara as amazing as people say? How easy is it to explore a smaller country like Rwanda or Uganda, where mountain gorillas roam? Then there are the Great Lakes, mountains like Meru and Kilimanjaro, rainforests, savannahs, bushveld, coral beaches, old trading towns… Don’t put off your trip. When I first drove to Dar es Salaam in 2012, I was surprised by how easy it actually was. I travelled in the magazine’s old Toyota Condor. I didn’t have a roof tent or a long-distance fuel tank and I didn’t customise the vehicle in any way. I simply dusted off my tent, packed some ProVitas and sardines into a crate, got my documents in order and left Cape Town on the N1. When I next saw the sea a few weeks later, I was on the east coast of Africa. In this article, young travellers Caro and Hugo Minnaar and experienced tourers Iza and Ben Kriel share tips from their adventures. I hope their stories inspire you to head north…