Feedback on Livingston-Cape Town itinerary (Africa)

My partner and I are planning a 21-day self-drive trip from Victoria Falls to Cape Town, flying from Montreal to Victoria Falls and renting a 4x4. I’d love to hear members’ thoughts on our itinerary and its feasibility, along with your recommendations for must-see spots, essential parks, lodges, etc.

Our ideal is to start our stay at the falls and head south to South Africa, finishing in Cape Town by the sea for two days of relaxation before returning to Canada. We’re big on photography, not so much on cities, and we usually book accommodations where we can prepare our own dinner. Is this itinerary too ambitious? I’ve read a lot of travel journals and sometimes it seems very doable, other times completely the opposite...

Proposed itinerary: 17 October: Montreal-Livingstone, Zambia (Z) 18-19 Oct.: Victoria Falls, Z 20 Oct.: Kasane, Botswana (BO) 21-22 Oct.: Chobe Park, BO 23 Oct.: Francistown, BO 24 Oct.: Khama Rhino Sanctuary, BO 25 Oct.: Palapye, BO 26 Oct.: Polokwane, South Africa (SA) 27 Oct.: Phalaborwa, SA 28-29 Oct.: Kruger Park, SA 30 Oct.: Malelane Gate, SA 31 Oct.: Winburg, SA 1 November: Bloemfontein, SA 2 November: Beaufort West, SA 3-5 November: Cape Town, SA

Hi there,

Is it realistic? Yes, it is. But there’s a lot of road between your points of interest (at least 3,500 km), like Vic Falls, the iconic wildlife, and Cape Town. Around Victoria Falls, between Hwange (Zimbabwe) and the northern parks in Botswana, you’ll see the same wildlife as in Kruger. You could do a big loop there, then take a flight to Cape Town and explore its surroundings. Alternatively, if you really want to visit Kruger, you could then take a flight from Nelspruit or Johannesburg to Cape Town, saving you about twenty hours of driving.

Thanks Jean-Luc for taking the time to look over our plan and for the suggestions. Flying from Nelspruit to Cape Town does sound interesting. As for Zimbabwe, we were hoping to avoid adding another border crossing—it seems the crossings are quite long and expensive.

Hello,

Is it realistic? Yes, it is. But there’s a lot of road between your main points of interest (at least 3,500 km), like Vic Falls, the iconic wildlife, and Cape Town. Around Victoria Falls, between Hwange (Zimbabwe) and the northern parks in Botswana, you’ll see the same wildlife as in Kruger. You could do a big loop there, then take a flight to Cape Town and explore the area. Or, if you’re set on Kruger, you could then fly from Nelspruit or Johannesburg to Cape Town, saving yourselves about twenty hours of driving.

Hi there,

Having done the route from Kasane to South Africa several times, I can say it’s not the most exciting.

If you haven’t bought your flight tickets yet, it’d be better to fly into Victoria Falls and return from Joburg instead.

Victoria Falls 2 nights – Chobe 2 nights – a connecting stop like Nata 1 night – Tuli Block 1 night – crossing into South Africa – Mapungubwe 2 nights – Northern Kruger 2 nights – Blyde Canyon 1 night – Southern Kruger 2 nights – Swaziland 1 night – Santa Lucia (Indian Ocean) 3 nights – Ithala 2 nights – drive to Joburg 1 night

It’s kind of a mix between the start of this travel journal but in reverse and part of this one.

If you’re set on Cape Town: Victoria Falls 2 nights – Chobe 2 nights – a connecting stop like Nata 1 night – Tuli Block 1 night – crossing into South Africa – Mapungubwe 2 nights – Northern Kruger 2 nights – Blyde Canyon 1 night – Southern Kruger 2 nights – Swaziland 1 night – Santa Lucia (Indian Ocean) 3 nights – drive to Durban, then a domestic flight to Cape Town

Hello, Just a very modest opinion after those from Ms. Atila and Mr. Voyajou, who know more than I do. Personally, I find it’s way too many trips and too much driving.

Victoria Falls It wasn’t love at first sight. I’d tried to step aside (without falling into the water), but still. Chobe wasn’t a big highlight either. A river tour on a small boat… but there were big, noisy ones with drinking and loud music nearby. The local rangers seemed less respectful.

I’d chosen Joburg - Livingstone. After that, I’d definitely vote for Ms. Atila’s suggestions—if you make some choices. Tough ones, because when someone puts Karoo NP in front of me, I say yes!

Direct flights to Cape Town from Hoedspruit or Skukuza aren’t that expensive (and you save kilometers). In short, *potmoo* (there are ways to avoid driving and driving and driving).

PS: Polokwane isn’t worth it, but Soutpansberg and Waterberg are! !

I imagine you’ve looked into the possibility of renting a vehicle in Livingstone and dropping it off in Cape Town. You’ll need to find a rental company that allows that. I’m not saying it’s impossible, but that’s where you should start.

If you’re heading to Cape Town from Victoria Falls, personally, I’d cross Botswana via Kasane, Chobe, Savuti, Moremi, Maun, Central Kalahari GR, Kgalagadi TP, Augrabies Falls, ..., Cape Town.

Plan to sleep in a rooftop tent on the 4x4. That said, with only 20 days, you can’t afford to dawdle. Once you’ve explored Chobe and/or Moremi, there’s no need to go to Kruger. You’ll have already seen all the animals (except rhinos, admittedly), but without the huge crowds of tourists that visit the South African parks and can kind of ruin the experience.

Anyway, it’s a great project!

I had the impression that the rental started in Kasane? It wouldn’t make sense to rent from Zambia just for Victoria Falls.

For the rest, we’d need to know a bit more about Dominique’s experience with 4x4 trails.

I was thinking of a beginner level.

I thought the rental started in Kasane.

Let’s let Dominique clarify that...

We were total newbies when it came to 4x4 driving when we set off on a big loop in Botswana, and everything went smoothly. ;-) Mind you, we’d already done two trips in South Africa and one in Namibia. Plus, we went with two 4x4s.

As for Zimbabwe, we were looking to avoid adding another border, as the crossings seem rather long and expensive.

Does this mean you plan to go to Victoria Falls on the Zambian side and only pick up the car afterward in Botswana? Otherwise, you’ll already be in Zimbabwe. Note that it’ll be the end of the dry season, so there’ll be more water on the Zimbabwean side.

After the falls, you could head down to Hwange and leave the country and the park to return to Botswana via the tiny and charming Pandamatenga border post.

The 'madman’s diagonal' suggested by Oldplatypus is tempting (no cities, just bush and more bush) and covers fewer kilometers than the detour via Kruger. It now seems possible to rent a 4x4 equipped for camping one-way between Kasane and Cape Town.

@Attila

Having done it several times, the road from Kasane to South Africa isn’t the most exciting.

That’s precisely because you’ve done it several times. But remember the first time—the donkey slalom, the road blocked by elephants... 😉

Hey Well, first off, two cars…it’s not the same thing

It's precisely because you've done it several times. But remember the first time—the obstacle course with the donkeys, the road blocked by elephants... 😉

Plus, it was in a Chico and there were ostrich nests between Nata and Kasane...

https://www.chicco.fr/produits/jouets/v%C3%A9hicules-et-jouets-radiocommand%C3%A9s/rc-fiat-500-8058664035342-00007275000000.html This one?

No, more like this version! 😉

😛