Wild Camping in Southern Africa

Hey everyone,

I’m sharing a slightly unusual travel journal with three goals. To make it work, this discussion should stay in the travel journal section so we can find it easily and keep adding info to existing posts.

This journal is meant to help "newbies" discover these magical places.

We go to Southern Africa not just for the animals, but also for that soft light, the atmosphere, and those incredible wild campsites where you feel so at home... I’d love for you all to share your favorite spots here—those we miss so much.

The last goal is figuring out how to photograph them. Honestly, I’m not happy with my photos because they don’t capture the feeling I get when I’m there or that unique atmosphere.

I’ll start with one of the first spots that, for me, is one of the most beautiful in Southern Africa: Passarge Valley 2 in the Central Kalahari. There, you’re alone—completely alone. The next campsite is over 25 km away, and that’s a half-day of 4x4 driving. In front of you, there’s nothing but the CKGR plains with herds of springboks... absolutely stunning 😎

Few photos manage to capture a decent sense of what it’s really like. Between what you see and what ends up in the photo, there’s a whole world of difference—and that’s not just true for Africa...

Michel

Hi Michel,

Between what you see and what’s in the photo, there’s more than just a world of difference—and it’s not just in Africa...

All the more reason to think of it as an exciting challenge 😉

Maybe by sharing tips, we’ll find an interesting lead.

I think we can improve—this one, for example, is already better... 5 years after those from Passargue Valley, which date back to 2014.

Taken in the Algerian Tadrart.

Hello Jean François,

I love your topic—wild spaces are starting to feel like a distant memory!

So, I’ll jump in with one of our many favorites: our campsite near Sowa Pan in Botswana. Kukonje Island wasn’t reachable.

We were completely alone for miles around, and the place is absolutely paradise, with a 360° view.



We were even treated to a stunning sunset over Sowa Pan.



And the sky! Wow!!!! 😮



If this isn’t paradise, it’s definitely the closest thing to it!

Hi, these photos are cheating—they're way too beautiful!! I’ll get my revenge next year (I hope!)

Great idea! a+

Jean Francois, your photo of the Algerian Tadrart is stunning—it looks amazing!

Hey JF, Bivouac February 2020 (Rub al Khali - Oman), nobody within a day's drive! Antoine

Hello Nathalie,

I’m really missing those wild spaces

I totally agree.

If it’s not paradise, it’s certainly the closest thing to it

Absolutely, and the photos are gorgeous and inspiring 😎. I think having a "human" or living element (like fire) is a great way to capture a beautiful shot.

JF, Besides the stringboks, there are the slipkangaroos!! But let's get serious: A timeless wild camp at the foot of the Meroë pyramids in Sudan. -When playfulness trumps history -No wind allowed!!!

Hi Jean-Pascal,

This wild camping spot is a special shout-out to help you decide. 😉

It’s BBC Camp at Mana Pools, an incredible place where you camp right by the Zambezi River with views of the Rift Valley escarpment and wildlife all around.





You’ve got to be ready for any wildlife encounters!

Hey Antoine,

Yeah, that’s the spirit of wild camping! 😉

I thought we’d focus on Southern Africa first before traveling across the planet, but no worries—dreaming is what counts. To top it off, here’s another shot from the desert (still the Tadrart).

It's not very nice to lure me in like that. How am I supposed to decide now? I was kinda leaning toward Kafue over Mana Pools, and then you go and post these photos!

Anyway, the visit you mentioned made me think of a camp in Khwaï, Botswana, near a river too (not the Zambezi, admittedly), but with an amazing view.

There, Babar tried to snatch my pants from the trees. Even though I promised I don’t have a wasp’s waist, I’m sure they wouldn’t have fit him.



In the evening, hyenas tried to knock over the coolers to open them and steal the food. No photos of that, though—I didn’t feel like going out 😉

Okay, I need to think this over! a+

The weight of the world isn't in the Atlas Mountains but in the Kaokoland, Namibia. I took advantage of my son joining me—we nicknamed him Hercules.

That’s how it is in the Kalahari!

Still in Botswana, a little hidden gem deep in the CKGR: Xaxa Camp, a dream spot!

Hello there, great traveler,

Absolutely two extraordinary bivouacs in regions that are truly worth it ;) :)

Your Breton roots must’ve inspired you to pick a recumbent menhir ;) Personally, I wouldn’t have dared to sleep under one.

As for the Kalahari... how can I put it... it’s the most beautiful place on Earth

In "response":

I didn’t sleep under a menhir in Kaokoland, but under an incredible storm...

It’s somewhere a bit south of Green Drum

If you're getting into it too... long live the CKGR! 🙂 😎 I didn’t know about this camp... I’m jotting it down... jotting it down 😉

Great photo—I’m noting it down too, same vibe with fire + human 😉

Hi Dominique,

Sudan ... 😛 is super high on my wish list too 🙂

Wild camping with the pyramids in the background ... just stunning.

Thanks for sharing this slice of dream 😎

I didn’t know about this 😏camp

It’s located south of the CKGR on the track to Khutse.

Otherwise, your photos from Kaokoland are stunning and give a real sense of total freedom!

You're making me dream with all your photos! 🙂

Hey Régis,

To pay tribute to your high-altitude feats, I’d recommend one of the most extraordinary places in the world: the Salar de Uyuni, where we camped at 3,700 meters. On a "beach" located on the east side of Isla Pescado.

Our beach seen from above

And the view...

Good night, Régis 😉

I definitely won’t have nightmares with photos like that!

Good night, Max 🙂

More gorgeous photos! 🤩

I was kinda leaning toward Kafue instead of Mana Pools, and then you come along with your photos!

And to add even more doubt, here are some photos of Mana Pools!

Where did you camp at Mana Pools?

I totally agree, Moremi and Khwai offer some really beautiful camps, especially if you're doing a mobile safari with a guide because it lets you use the private camps of BOMA or HATAB.

Hi Nathalie, Is this a coalition? I’ve been reading carefully what you’ve written about Kafue, especially about McBride’s Camp, and I’d finally made some progress on a choice. Gotta think it over. Great photos, by the way! See you,

Hi Jean-François, I’m gonna stop following this post—it’s making me too jealous! Over a year to wait! That darn virus (from Southern Africa) just won’t let go 😉 Later!

Where did you camp at Mana Pools?

By the time we tried to book, all the exclusive camps were already taken—we couldn’t even get Chitake.

The photos were taken from site 25 at Nyamepi Camp.

Hi Jean-Pascal,

After reading your posts carefully about Kafue, especially about Mc Bride's Camp, I’d finally made progress on a choice.

The guy is really worth it, and his wife too. Their apologies are very friendly, and their camp is well integrated into nature.

Gotta think it over.

Otherwise, to give you even more to think about, we loved Kafue—it’s where we saw African wild dogs for the first time (unfortunately, we didn’t spot them in Mana Pools).

So we're heading back to Botswana with Linyanti Campsite in Savuti.

Jef -toilets in the Okavango -during a stormy night in the Brandberg!!! -info about the pool at Ngepi campsite!! -Better to swim in the pool at Ngepi!!!

Nat, You managed to keep the camera in hand! Bravo!!! That reminds me of a famous line from French history—the second Battle of Poitiers, July 1356: "Father, watch your right! Father, watch your left!"—though you don’t seem to be with kids!!!

Toilets and sink for shaving at Camp Gecko - Namibia

Hey JF, Why are you torturing us like this with all these amazing places that make us want to go so badly ? Well, I’ll check them out anyway... just in case... [;]

Hi Jean-François,

I just went over the summary with Isabelle, and I think the one from our Namibia trip that would fit your idea best is our campsite at Mirabib (site #5). Alone—well, not entirely, since there are 7 sites (but no one around)—right in the middle of the desert, just the inselberg and us, and the only amenities are dry toilets. The track is a dead end, so you don’t end up here by accident (GPS: -23.454518, 15.351952). __ Camping under the inselberg’s overhang, relaxing in the shade with this view... __ View of the desert (facing west) and nothing else—just contemplation and meditation... with drinks 😎.

__ And since you mentioned animals, a close encounter 😉 at dawn with a Cape hare, not skittish at all. __

Wow... he was *right* there ... we’d have all been in the car already

This reminds me of a couple of "encounters" during our wild camping trips:

Here it’s at BBC Camp





And there’s South Camp at Nxai Pan



It’s true that all this really makes you want to go...

So beautiful... I've always dreamed of camping at Gecko Camp, but it never happened 😛

Yeah, Ngepi has a great sense of humor 😉

And what would a great wild camp be without its braai...











On this occasion, I realized I don’t have many photos, and they’re not exactly stunning... that’ll be one of the challenges for my next trip 😏

Feel free to share yours to inspire us! 😛

Thanks Jean-François for starting this post! 🙂

The word comes up a lot, but that’s it: dreaming... dreaming while looking at photos, each one more inspiring than the last. Muriel

Hi Jean Francois,

I love your first photo!

And what would a great wild camp be without its braai...

Don’t hesitate to share yours to inspire us! 😛

Exactly! What’s a wild camp without a braai, an evening by the fire, and a good coffee in the morning!

Xakanaxa Camp - not wild enough for others. For us, traveling with a 3-year-old in May 2019 and alone, it was almost too wild.

View from the front

View to the left View to the left, later

To the right and behind



With an elephant that passed within 2 meters of us—my son was sitting at the table, right in front of the elephant. No photo... I moved forward, picked up my son, and backed toward the car. The elephant changed direction while touching our table...

Three hyenas during the meal and a hippo after we went up for bedtime.

Hey JF!

Whoa... it was close ... we would’ve already been in the car by then

Hmm! That’s not a guarantee... These animals are unpredictable and, in any case, they’re on their home turf! 🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️ https://toutelathailande.fr/insolite-a-khao-yai-les-elephants-sattaquent-aux-voitures/

You’ve done some really beautiful wild camps!

Our only experience was a three-day, two-night hike under the stars in a dune depression in the Namib Desert with a friendly guide from Tok Tokkie Trails back in July 2002. It was so beautiful! 🙂

Hi Mariana,

You had a really beautiful African "baptism" 😛 😎

Hi Mariana,

Xakanaxa Camp is also a really nice and wild spot for us.

You had a great experience! 👍🏾

This reminds me of one or another "encounter" during our camping trips:

Here it’s at BBC Camp





What courage! 😱

Hi

The so-called peaceful hippopotamus is known to be the biggest killer of humans in Africa after mosquitoes. 🏴‍☠️

For many, the biggest wildlife danger in Africa would be the buffalo. But I won’t try to test those different theories!!!

Hello Mariana,

Xakanaxa Camp is also a really nice and wild spot for us.

Looks like you had an amazing experience! 👏🏾

Hi Nathalie,

I know—I’ve read and re-read your post.

Thanks so much for sharing!

Mariana

Hi,

A few shots of (wild) bivouacs in Southern Africa!

I don’t have a tripod and often travel solo, so my only option is balancing the camera on a support, using the timer, and then the little dash that follows...

For safety, I always pitch the tent at dusk, even if I arrived at the chosen spot in the middle of the afternoon.

L.

Drakensberg, South Africa. A nightmare of fences, like almost everywhere in the country.

Bush at Mopane. North of Opuwo, Namibia.

Lubango track. Southern Angola.