FEATURES CLASSIC ROAD TRIP
Seventy days. That’s all you need for this amazing Classic Road Trip through Zambia, Tanzania, Rwanda and Malawi. Thought this kind of trip was beyond your reach? Read our story and you’ll soon change your mind…
You don’t need a Land Cruiser and a bush trailer to travel in Africa. Check out our 70-day dream itinerary through Zambia, Tanzania, Rwanda and Malawi – it’s for everyone!
The SUV in your driveway will do, a double-cab bakkie too. And you already own all the camping gear you’ll need. So now for the planning… In this article, we provide a 70-day travel itinerary with recommended places to stay (usually campsites) and info about national parks and other attractions. In last month’s issue (#146) we published two accounts from readers who recently did a self-drive tour through Africa. That article gives information about how other South Africans approach a long overland trip: what food to pack, what the roads are like and how to make your rands go further. The two articles work in tandem. Our route starts in South Africa before zipping through Botswana and Namibia into Zambia. From there we go into Tanzania and down to the coast, before swinging back west to Rwanda. Eventually you’ll make a U-turn and head home via Tanzania and Malawi, with brief transits through Mozambique and Zimbabwe. (See map on page 33.) You can adjust the route to suit your needs. You can stay longer at places you like, or skip some parks altogether. If you’re in a real rush you can do this route in 40 days, but 70 is better; 90 is perfect. Entrance into national parks is expensive. Decide beforehand which ones you want to visit – each has its own appeal. A mountain gorilla trek and a day in the Ngorongoro Crater are top of many people’s bucket lists, but each of those excursions will take a significant bite out of your budget. Your own interests will determine your itinerary: Serious birdwatchers might not need to go into any famous parks to see the rare birds they’re after. The good news is that the roads are decent and you’ll be on tar for 95 % of the time. South Africans are savvy self-drive tourists. We know all about camping, cooking our own meals and navigating our way through new places. I hope that this itinerary will be the nudge you need to explore deeper into Africa – you’ll love it!