à Maun il y a http://maunselfdrive4x4.webs.com/ qui a très bonne réputation et qui propose des defenders
pour les loueurs les moins chers c'est en AFS qu'il faut chercher
Hello,
Les retours sur les Defender de MaunSelfDrive sont loin d'être si excellents.
On voit souvent sur 4x4Community des gens se plaindre d'être tombés en panne une ou plusieurs fois dans les parcs du Botswana avec leurs véhicules et se plaindre de l'entretien.
L'avantage, c'est qu'ils interviennent vite, eux. 😉
Les retours sur les Defender de MaunSelfDrive sont loin d'être si excellents.
C'est surtout qu'ils sont sympa les McKenzie ... Alors on leur pardonne leurs veilles voitures (surtout quand ça se passe bien, hein 😄)
Testé un de leur Toyota Land Cruiser il y a 3 semaines, notre "engin" a fait le job même si on s'est parfois inquiété ! Surtout niveau consommation d'essence ... (stress inutile au final d'ailleurs, la jauge n'était simplement pas fiable du tout 😉). En réalité, ce qui nous a le plus embêté, c'est l'absence de rangement dans le coffre qui facilite pas trop la vie ...
Mais voilà, au risque de me répéter, ils sont vraiment sympa ... Si ça peut faire une différence :)
J'ai écouté le délicieux silence du Kalahari avec un énorme plaisir, j'ai vu des otocyons super trouillards, des chacals super flamboyants, des ratels super occupés, des springbocks super contents, des écureuils super poilants, des pintades super copines ... J'ai simplement adoré le central kalahari, presque plus que tous les autres coins du Botswana que j'ai eu l'occasion de parcourir !
Et je dis ça même si, côté félin, il aura fallu se contenter de quelques traces de papattes dans le sable ... Malheureusement, les pluies ont cessé en février cette année, le désert était déjà bien sec et les grands troupeaux partis vers des contrées plus vertes. Alors il faudra qu'on revienne une autre fois pour trouver le désert vert auquel on s'attendait !
Toyota land cruiser essence ... moteur 4.5 litres ou 4 litres...
hum ....en 4x4 dans le sable, faut la citerne en remorque....(n'est ce pas Pierre ? 😉)
(Pour le lions, il faut faire équipe avec Pierre!😇 Mais je me demande tout à coup -et ça vaut donc pour l'auteur de ce post, qu'il nous pardonne😉- si les lions ne préfèrent pas, en hommage à R.Kipling, rencontrer des Land Rover plutôt que des Toyota -y a pas de lions dans les mangas)
Nan :'( Rien qui soit chat de près ou de loin ... Mais me suis bien amusée avec les ground squirrels ... "Il en faut peu pour être heureux", n'est-ce pas ? 😉
Toyota land cruiser essence ... moteur 4.5 litres ou 4 litres...
hum ....en 4x4 dans le sable, faut la citerne en remorque....
J'sais pas trop moi ça, c'est Mister Baobab qui fait les calculs ... Ce que je peux dire c'est qu'on a fait environ 900km et que ça tenait (ce que Pierre semble confirmer !). Les pistes du Central Kalahari (côté nord) sont plutôt bonnes en réalité, juste quelques passages sablonneux, notamment 40 km assez pénibles pour atteindre Piper Pan (mais faut y aller, c'est là bas que j'ai entendu le silence 🙂)
J'ai écouté le délicieux silence du Kalahari avec un énorme plaisir, j'ai vu des otocyons super trouillards, des chacals super flamboyants, des ratels super occupés, des springbocks super contents, des écureuils super poilants, des pintades super copines ... J'ai simplement adoré le central kalahari, presque plus que tous les autres coins du Botswana que j'ai eu l'occasion de parcourir !
Et je dis ça même si, côté félin, il aura fallu se contenter de quelques traces de papattes dans le sable ... Malheureusement, les pluies ont cessé en février cette année, le désert était déjà bien sec et les grands troupeaux partis vers des contrées plus vertes. Alors il faudra qu'on revienne une autre fois pour trouver le désert vert auquel on s'attendait !
Tout pareil... Bienvenue au club ! 🙂
Et de ton côté ?
Super ! Pas des masses de bestioles, mais le voyage n'était pas particulièrement orienté "parcs et faune". Le Malawi est un petit pays magnifique où la verdure était encore bien présente. J'aime toujours autant la Zambie et les Zambiens. Plus ici.
Adepte anonyme de votre blog je surveillais du coin de l'oeil le début du compte rendu de votre voyage 2013 ... chouette le premier épisode est paru 🙂🙂.
Il faut dire que nous envisageons d'aller dans le CKGR, Makgadikgadi, Nxai Pan et Moremi en avril 2014, soit à la même période que vous 😛
Hello Julie,
Le pic de la crue du delta est entre mi-juillet et mi-août.
Cette année, c'est tout sec... Toute l'eau montée ces 3 dernières années a disparu. L'an prochain, va savoir.
Le risque en avril, ce sont d'éventuelles pluies tardives.
Je vais jeter un œil à ton CKGR. 😉
Le pic de la crue du delta est entre mi-juillet et mi-août.
Cette année, c'est tout sec... Toute l'eau montée ces 3 dernières années a disparu. L'an prochain, va savoir.
Le risque en avril, ce sont d'éventuelles pluies tardives.
Oui, je pensais pas à la crue 😊 mais aux pluies qui rendraient le sol gadouilleux et embourbeux. Mais effectivement, on peut rien prédire de toutes façons !
Je vais jeter un œil à ton CKGR. 😉
Tu vas être un peu déçu pour l'instant, il n'y a que Gaborone 😄 Mais ça vient ...
Par contre, avril, ce n'est pas risqué pour Moremi question flotte et gadoue ?
c'est effectivement un risque, bien que nous y serons à la toute fin avril et tout début mai (du 17/04 au 03/05) et nous finirons par Moremi.
Maintenant ton enthousiasme me fait hésiter, faut-il que je rajoute un jour à CKGR pour aller à Piper Pan ?
Pour le moment est prévu:
- première nuit MOTOPI (mais là on n'arrivera que fin de journée)
- seconde nuit PASSARGE VALLEY 2
- troisième nuit SUNDAY PAN
- quatrième nuit KORI Campsite
Max, je ne suis pas Sitaëlle🤪, mais je dirais non; quatre nuits c'est bien déjà et le coin de Piper qui est une belle étape de/vers Xade n'ajoutera rien à ta boucle initiale, à mon avis.
La section vente d'occasion d'Asco fait bien sûr partie des sites que je visite. Mais acheter une voiture qui sera passée dans les mains d'une vingtaine de conducteurs, souvent débutants, ne m'emballe que moyennement.😛
(On achète ensemble un Defender -en timeshare- pour ton voyage de 2014?😎)
Hello JF,
La plupart des véhicules d'Asco passent ensuite chez Value Car Hire. Après quelques années de plus, il ne reste sans doute pas grand chose de revendable.
bonjour je viens de rentrer du botswana, il n y a pas de louer de 4x4 equiper à maun vous en avez en namibie qui sont genre 80-100 euros jour.
Par contre vous pouvez vous faire livrer la voiture à maun environ 300 euros one way
Chez Maun Self Drive (mais on me dit dans l'oreillette que leurs véhicules ne sont plus de prime jeunesse😉) comme indiqué plus haut par Ericarole: un Hilux équipé pour 120€ par jour soit le même prix que chez Asco en Namibie à la période qui intéresse Viezen.
Et sans les frais de drop off pour qui fait seulement un tour au Botswana.
cela fais 30 an s que je voyage la bas j'ai tous testé
Comme quoi, un bon renseignement n'attend pas le nombre des années!😎
J'ai vu... Pas folichon. 😏
Pourtant Mma Ramotswe m'avait presque donné envie d'y aller voir.
Gaborone ne mérite pas trop le détour ... Mais Mochudi, la ville natale de Mma Ramotswe, déjà un peu plus (c'est l'objet de l'article suivant qui devrait paraitre dans la journée 😉).
Maintenant ton enthousiasme me fait hésiter, faut-il que je rajoute un jour à CKGR pour aller à Piper Pan ?
Méfie toi de mon enthousiasme, il est chronique dès qu'il s'agit de voyager en Afrique 😄
Alors comme je suis pas Voyajou, je trouve évidemment que ça vaut le coup d'aller jusqu'à Piper ... hihi :) C'est le coin qu'on a préféré au CKGR mais c'est tout à fait subjectif et ça tient en partie à son isolement ...
Pour rejoindre quand même un peu son avis, c'est vrai qu'il y a déjà de quoi bien en profiter et bien s'amuser avec le parcours que tu as prévu ! Te voilà bien avancé, hein ?
Le truc qui peut t'aider à trancher, c'est qu'il est quand même plus confortable d'y passer 2 nuits et non une seule ...
Je te joins un élément supplémentaire pour alimenter la réflexion, à toutes fins utiles 😄
Hello everyone. After a dozen 4x4 trips to this country before COVID, I’m planning another departure at the end of 2026 and early 2027—around three weeks starting December 27th. Main goal: Merzouga to Chegaga, sand, sand, and more sand. Mostly camping and a few campgrounds here and there.
After 40 years of traveling in Morocco, I want to explore a new area by 4x4—the Western Moroccan Sahara, which I don’t know very well.
I have plenty of tracks and itineraries, but I’d love some info to help me decide on the best route:
Part 1:
I want to do the ASSA - SMARA crossing. Basically, I have two options: the first follows the Draa River and goes through M’SIED, and the second is much further south, passing through LABOUIRAT and heading straight to SMARA.
If you have any details on road conditions, driving restrictions, etc., I’d really appreciate it.
Part 2:
SMARA - BIR ANZERANE - DAKHLA – here, I also have two routes.
The first heads west from Smara toward Sidi Kathari.
The second goes east from SMARA and gets pretty close to the border at one point (about 10 km away).
Both routes meet up about 150 km later and are nearly identical from there to BIR ANZERANE and DAKHLA.
Hi,
For next summer’s vacation, I’m thinking of returning to the Sahara after visiting Tamanrasset and the Hoggar, which was stunning—not to mention the Tuareg hospitality.
I’d like to explore the sandy desert this time since the Hoggar was 80% rocky.
So, I’m wondering which city I should prioritize if I want to go there in late July–early August for the landscapes, extreme heat, and guides offering 4x4 and camel treks. Also, if there are any recommended guides for those in the know and a decent hotel.
I’m torn between Djanet, In Salah, Adrar, Ghardaïa, and Timimoun.
I’m of Algerian origin, so no visa or other formalities to worry about.
Thanks.
Hello, I’m preparing for a Tunisia-Algeria road trip.
I need to know if we can cross the Sahara to reach Djanet and Tamanrasset by road freely,
After that, obviously off-road in the desert with a guide.
What do the authorities say?
My trip: northern and southern Tunisia, a stroll in the desert.
Crossing the Tunisia-Algeria border via the Taleb Larbi customs.
I’ve already done this route through an agency, but this time we want to do it on our own.
Then heading down to Djanet for eight to fifteen days in the desert with Mouloud, a local guide.
Direction Tamanrasset: road and tracks, the mountains of the Assekrem, the Hermitage of Père de Foucauld.
Return via the Trans-Saharan Highway.
Visit to northern Algeria, then back by boat from Oran to Spain.
Dates: late December to mid-February.
We’ve got plenty of time.
If another crew is interested, we’re already two vehicles.
Looking forward to your replies.
Hi there,
I’m planning a trip to Russia and Mongolia, starting from France.
Crossing the border at Poland/Belarus or Georgia/Russia—other borders seem either closed or complicated.
Tourist visas for 3 months with multiple entries.
Do you have any info on Russian companies that cover a 4x4 vehicle for 3 months, and what prices in rubles or euros you’ve paid?
Which bank did you use for expenses? (EuroMastercard and Visa cards no longer work.)
Regarding Russian SIM cards, a new system called "Gosuslugi" has been introduced. How long did it take you to get one, and what steps did you follow?
Hi there,
We’ll be traveling in January 2027 in a 4x4 with a rooftop tent with our three kids, from Johannesburg to Cape Town. We’ve already booked several campsites in national parks (Golden Gate / Mountain Zebra / Addo Elephant / Garden Route).
We still need to reserve the stretch between De Hoop Nature Reserve and Cape Town. Any suggestions?
We’d love to stay around Cape Town for 5 days to explore the wine route, the peninsula, and do some hikes in Table Mountain.
Any camping recommendations? Or, on the contrary, places to avoid?
Also, we have 2 nights left near Wilderness National Park / Knysna. Any recommendations?
Thanks so much for your help!
For my 60th birthday (yes, I’m jumping the gun a bit!), I’m starting to plan a self-drive trip to Tanzania (in June).
I also considered Zimbabwe but I’m worried it might be a bit chilly at night in June.
I’ve revisited an itinerary I’d thought about before, tweaking it since I’ll have more days to dedicate to this trip. Still no big northern classics for the same reasons as before (too expensive, too crowded, too many tour operators).
Here’s what I’ve got so far:
(Arrival/departure from Kilimanjaro Airport)
Night 1: Arusha
Night 2: Arusha
Night 3: Lake Manyara
Night 4: On the way to Iringa (any ideas???)
Night 5: Iringa
Nights 6–8: Ruaha NP
Nights 9–10: Mikumi NP
Night 11: Bagamoyo
Nights 12–15: Beach
Nights 16–17: Lushoto
Nights 18–19: Mkomazi NP
Night 20: Toward Marangu – eastern Kilimanjaro
Night 21: Western Kilimanjaro
End of trip
All your ideas, tweaks, info, and suggestions on this route are welcome!
I could move one beach night somewhere else if needed.
Also, if you have a car rental company to recommend or thoughts on the bandas rented in the parks, I’m all ears!
Finally, what are the roads like in Ruaha in June? The rental company I’m looking at seems to allow this park with a small 4x4. (Off-limits: Serengeti and Natron)
We’re planning a long-term trip starting in April with our 4x4, beginning in the USA.
We’re still looking for car insurance that covers Canada and the USA.
We’ve read quite a few forums, but we’re hoping for some help (from fellow travelers).
Hi,
we’re planning to visit a park again.
Could you point us toward the camps in Gonarezhou Park?
>We’re traveling completely self-sufficiently.
We love wildlife.
Thanks for any tips you can share!
JP
Hi there, we’ll be in Mozambique in early December 2026 and we’d like to travel from Vilanculos to Beira by car or bus to reach Beira airport. After that, we’re planning to visit Gorongosa National Park before flying back to France from Beira. From what we’ve heard, the road to Beira is tricky, especially at this time of year (start of the rainy season). Could anyone share their thoughts or suggest a solution? Thanks so much for your help!
Anne
Hi there,
I’m heading to Lesotho in a few days and I’m struggling to find info on the best route between Katse Dam and Sehlathebe National Park. There’s a fairly "direct" route from Thaba Tseka, but the roads seem rough, and we’re not exactly 4x4 pros. Anyone have any tips to share? Thanks!
Hi everyone,
We’re heading to Mozambique in October and are looking for either a 4x4 or 4x2 rental in Maputo, or a driver transfer option to reach:
- Ponta Do Ouro
- Tofo
- Vilankulos
The idea is to be self-sufficient for sightseeing and stops while still being able to access certain lodges or beaches that require a 4x2.
Do you have any contacts, addresses, or ideas to share?
Thanks in advance,
Hello,
We're hitting the road again in 2027 to discover new countries and cultures.
Could anyone give me some tips on driving from Ulaanbaatar to Lake Baikal and the route to take?
Thanks, and safe travels to those who are setting off!
We’re planning a 4x4 trip from Belgium to Central Asia, passing through Georgia, Russia, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan.
For these countries, our national insurance obviously doesn’t cover the vehicle, so we’ll need to get local insurance.
Will it be a problem if the vehicle is registered under person A and the national insurance is under person B? Both A and B will be in the vehicle, and both will be listed as drivers on the insurance.
When we get the local insurance, if we again list A and B as drivers, does the order matter? Could we get stuck at the border for this reason?
Hi,
For those who’ve driven on Iceland’s gravel roads in their own or a rented Duster, could you tell me what tires were fitted on the vehicle?
Were they All Terrain tires or more "standard" ones like all-season tires, for example?
Follow-up question: if they were "standard" tires, did that cause any issues on the gravel roads and rough terrain?
Thanks so much for any info you can share.
Best,
Marc
Hi there,
I'm planning a 4x4 road trip from Darwin to Broome with a rooftop tent in July 2026.
I'd like to know if I need to book overnight stops in advance or if I can just wing it and stop wherever I feel like it?
Some evenings, we'd like to stop and make use of campsite facilities (restaurant, shop, showers, toilets).
What do you recommend?
Do I need a permit?
My rough itinerary looks like this:
Darwin - Kakadu
Kakadu - Nitmiluk
Nitmiluk - Kununurra
Kununurra - Purnululu
Purnululu - El Questro
El Questro - Mt Elizabeth - Bell Gorge - Broome
I’m planning a trip to Iceland for next July-August, with a car and tent, and I’m wondering about booking campsites.
From your experience, is it necessary or even essential to book campsites in advance, or do you always manage to find a spot to pitch your tent?
We’ll also have the option to sleep in the car without pitching the tent.
Does that give us the flexibility to stay outside a campsite for a night here and there?
Hi,
I’m planning a road trip in the Middle Atlas, starting and ending in Fez and heading down to the south of Midelt, the Assoul Massif.... We’ll be traveling with two small 4x4s.
I’m looking for detailed maps of this region that include small roads and tracks.
Last year, we had a fantastic road trip in the Anti-Atlas and High Atlas using Erfahren maps, but unfortunately, they don’t cover the area we’re interested in this year.
Thanks for your suggestions!
Dominique
We’re planning a 13-day family road trip in Morocco this July, with six people in a Toyota Prado 4x4 (renting in Marrakech).
We’ll alternate between bivouacking and small hotels/riads depending on the stops.
Here’s the planned route (in this order):
Marrakech
→ Ouarzazate
→ Draa Valley
→ Zagora
→ Erg Chegaga
→ Lake Iriki
→ Foum Zguid
→ Tata
→ Tafraoute
→ Aït Mansour
→ Tiznit
→ Mirleft
→ Taroudant
→ Back to Marrakech
Our goal:
Atlas Mountains + desert + dunes + plateaus + valleys + a bit of coastline.
We’ll cover about 1,700 km in total.
We’re planning:
Bivouacking in the Chegaga/Iriki area
Flexible for the rest (booking the day before or same day)
Sand gear: traction plates, compressor, tow strap, roof rack
Questions:
Is the Zagora → Chegaga → Iriki → Foum Zguid crossing in July doable on our own (single vehicle, no guide)?
Are there any truly technical or risky sections between Chegaga and Iriki?
Does the overall itinerary seem manageable in 13 days without rushing?
Any suggestions for great bivouac spots or particularly interesting stops along this route?
The points on the route are provisional overnight stops. Some spots will include two nights in the same area.
We’re used to off-road driving, but not yet in the Moroccan desert.
Thanks in advance for your feedback and tips! 😊
Good evening
I could use some advice 🙂
Our trip to Namibia is planned for June/July 2026.
We’re struggling a bit with timing and choosing activities for the part of the trip between Sesriem and Brandberg.
Day 1: Sesriem to Mirabib
Day 2: Mirabib to Swakopmund – visit Swakopmund, overnight in Swakopmund
Day 3: Sandwich Harbour – overnight in Swakopmund
Day 4: Kayaking with the seals + the living dunes – overnight in Swakopmund
Day 5: Moon Landscape, Henties Bay + Cape Cross – overnight at White Lady Lodge in Brandberg
Does this itinerary seem realistic to you? Is Cape Cross really worth the trip? If I had to choose between Cape Cross and kayaking with the seals, which would you recommend?
Thanks in advance for your help!
Hélix
My son and I are heading to Georgia this summer to explore the High Caucasus (Svaneti, Kazbek, and Tusheti regions). For this, we’re planning to rent a 4x4.
However, the rental agencies we’ve found prohibit driving on the tracks to Omalo (Tusheti) and/or Ushguli (Svaneti).
Do you know of any agencies in Tbilisi (local and reliable) that allow rented 4x4s to drive on these tracks? If so, which ones?
Hi everyone,
I’m starting to plan an itinerary for September 2027 focused on Zimbabwe and Zambia. I’d love to visit Gonarezhou National Park—I see there are two sectors: the Mwenezi Region in the south and the area around the Runde River in the north. Should I cover both sectors or just focus on the northern region?
For the parks along the Zambezi River, is it better to visit Mana Pools on the Zimbabwe side or Lower Zambezi on the Zambia side?
Thanks in advance for any tips on the parks in these two countries.
Have a great day, everyone.
We’re spending 18 days in New Zealand from 05/04 to 05/21, arriving in QUEENSTOWN and leaving from AUCKLAND.
Any ideas for a road trip that covers the highlights of both islands but only changes hotels every 3–4 nights?
Thanks.
For our trip to Georgia in July, I’d like to rent a 4x4 starting from Tbilisi.
Do you have any rental companies to recommend?
The traditional rentals like Hertz, Avis, etc. seem way overpriced compared to local companies—what do you think? Are they properly insured?
Has anyone here tried Geo Rent Car, Auto 4 Rental, or Sur Price?
Also, I’m looking for info on the condition of the Ushguli–Lentekhi track—is it passable?
Hi everyone,
A well-prepped 4x4, a travel plan across Africa in stages since I’ve got kids to see regularly and work to earn a living.
I’m leaving in November for about a month with the goal of reaching Senegal via Mauritania. I’d love to share this trip with someone who wants to discover Mauritania and a bit of Senegal... and also experience life on board a 4x4 in the desert or bush, sometimes sleeping in the vehicle or in hostels/small hotels for comfort. I want to share this rediscovery because two’s better than one!
Just traveling, exploring, and living! !
I’m planning to explore Argentine and Chilean Patagonia for a month in December 2019.
I’m looking for a rental company (or several) that offers single-cab 4x4 pick-ups with a fitted camper cell for two people. I’m specifically after a vehicle with an indoor shower for extra comfort ;)
So, no vans—at least not from the rental companies I’ve seen so far.
While browsing the forum, I came across the Chilean rental company Holiday Rent. But do you have any recommendations for Argentine rentals?
Because, if I can’t return the vehicle in the same city as pickup, I’d prefer—and it’d likely be cheaper—to at least return it in the same country.
I’m traveling through Argentina and Chile (as well as Paraguay and Uruguay) with a 2019 Toyota Hilux Euro 6. Could anyone tell me if the local diesel is suitable for its engine, or if I need to take any special precautions (like adding an additive, for example) for these countries?
I’d also like to know if driving at high altitudes is possible, and up to what elevation—or if I should worry about the vehicle going into limp mode?
If that happens, what should I do?