KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
How much does it cost? If you camp, your average living expenses per person per day (fuel, food, accommodation) can vary between R400 and R800. Some activities like gorilla trekking cost a lot; others cost nothing and you can do them every day, like birdwatching from the comfort of your camping chair. Budget for the big things you want to do and plan your trip accordingly.
Must I book accommodation in advance? No. Since you’ll be camping you should be okay in most places. However, you must book a gorilla permit far in advance.
What about fuel availability? Our itinerary mostly sticks to main routes where fuel is available in all the bigger towns. You don’t need a long-range tank, but take one or two extra jerry cans just in case. Always fill up when you get the chance. What kind of car do I need? The most suitable vehicle is a doublecab bakkie or an SUV with good ground clearance. Although you’ll mostly be on tar roads, having a 4x4 will give you peace of mind, especially if you overlap with the rainy season somewhere. Equip your car with all the necessary recovery gear and an extra spare wheel if you have space. (Or a puncture kit if you don’t.) You also need to carry a fire extinguisher, reflective vests for everyone and two sets of emergency triangles. Stick red reflective strips on the front bumper and silver strips at the back. Your SA driving licence will do.
Which time of the year is best? The dry season, although this can be hard to predict. June to October is a good bet. Rain makes driving harder and camping less fun.
Is it safe? Always keep an eye on local news as you travel and reroute if necessary. Talk to other travellers to get the latest information. Do what you would do in South Africa: Never leave your valuables lying around, station someone at the car while you go shopping in a town and be vigilant.
What about the people? Most people will be friendly and happy to see you. Be respectful at police road blocks – take off your dark glasses. Smile. You’ll mostly only need English to get by, but learn a few basic Swahili phrases too.
How do I stay in touch with my family back home? Take your phone and buy data SIM cards in each country. Many campsites and lodges also offer Wi-Fi.
What does it cost to cross the border? It varies from country to country – anything from R400 to R1 000 or even more. There are usually at least three fees to pay: carbon or road tax (the bigger your car’s engine, the higher the tax), temporary import permit (TIP) and third party insurance. Sometimes there are also toll or “community” fees. Display the insurance sticker on your windscreen – police will check it at road blocks.
Money? Don’t take too much cash – about US$1 000 is fine. Make sure there are small denominations. Use your credit card where possible and draw local currency at an ATM using your SA debit card. Notify your bank that you’ll be using your cards in other countries.
What documents do I need? Passport (with plenty of unused pages), vehicle registration papers, licence disc paper (your car’s registration number appears on this one), a police clearance document (to prove your car isn’t stolen) and a letter of permission
from the bank if you’re still paying off your car. Make certified copies of everything and stash a spare set somewhere. Keep all your documents in a Flip File that you can easily access at borders and police check points. Scan all your documents and e-mail them to yourself beforehand – that way you can access them online in case of emergency.
Do I need a Carnet de Passage en Douane (CDP)? A CDP is like a “passport” for your car. It’s compulsory if you go to Kenya, but not for the countries on our route. Having a CDP will save you having to pay the temporary import permit at each border post. (Keep in mind that a CDP itself costs money, so you might not necessarily save money, especially on a “shorter” trip like this one.) You buy a CDP at the AA in South Africa – the cost varies according to the car’s value, the countries you plan to visit and the duration of your trip. aa.co.za
Medical stuff? Get medical insurance for peace of mind. Consult your doctor about taking malaria pills – you’ll be in malaria areas almost throughout. Make sure your yellow fever injections and other jabs are up to date. Take enough of all your regular medicine along, plus a comprehensive first aid kit.
What else? Prepare by reading Bradt’s guides to Tanzania (there’s a special one about northern Tanzania), Zambia, Malawi and Rwanda. Buy a copy of Birds of Africa (South of the Sahara) as you’ll see many birds that don’t appear in your SA bird guide. Read Toast’s recent articles about Ngorongoro ( go! #131), Serengeti (#132), Rwanda (#133), Lake Tanganyika (#135), smaller Tanzanian parks (#137), Zanzibar (#138) and the reader testimonies in last month’s issue (#146).