Planning a 3-month Southern Africa trip with kids in a camper van (page 1 of 2)

Hello,

I’m reaching out because I’ve already read tons of info from other forums (thanks a million, by the way!) and blogs, but now I’m overwhelmed with details and have so many questions. I’m really hoping you can help us figure this out! Here’s the plan: We’re leaving France for Senegal in our camper van (with two kids, aged 4 and 7), then shipping the van to South Africa before heading to Namibia. We’re planning to leave this summer and should arrive in South Africa in early September. The goal is to reach Réunion by early December, which gives us 3 months to explore Southern Africa. Originally, we wanted to pick up the van in Cape Town, head up to Namibia, and visit the main parks and iconic spots, then go north to Botswana (Etosha Park) and Zimbabwe (Victoria Falls) before heading back down to South Africa to enjoy the milder temperatures while exploring the country. But now we’re wondering how to get back to South Africa. We’ve come up with three options: - Head back down through Botswana: I’ve read everywhere that Botswana isn’t recommended for kids under 6 (most parks) because it can be potentially dangerous—few enclosures for animals (even though we have a camper van with "secure" beds), and the agencies we’ve contacted don’t recommend it. Plus, southern Botswana is tough to navigate in a camper van. - Return from central Botswana (Maun) to Windhoek and drive back to Cape Town via Namibia. - Cross Zimbabwe and potentially Mozambique to head down to Kruger Park and Johannesburg.

Anyone familiar with this region have any recommendations?

Also, is it necessary to book accommodations in advance? Is that only required in certain countries (maybe Botswana/Zimbabwe)? We’d like a mix of camping and lodges.

All advice is welcome!

Hello,

Is the van 4x4, and do you know how to drive on sand?

Hi there,

Just a quick note—Etosha Park isn’t in Botswana, it’s in Namibia!

For the second option, you could return via the KTP (Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park), which is a great destination.

For the third option, keep in mind that Mozambique isn’t really a wildlife destination—it’s more about the ocean.

If you’re looking for info, you can check out our travel journals here.

Hi,

We don’t have the van yet but we’re actively looking! Our goal is to get a 4x4 one. This’ll be our first trip with this type of vehicle, and we’ve never driven on sand before.

Indeed, and thanks for noticing my mistake—I was referring to Chobe Park, not Etosha ;)

The "easiest" option seems to us to head back to Namibia to drive down to Cape Town (our second option in my initial post), but if we have the chance to discover another country or region, it’d be a shame to miss out!

Thanks for the info on Mozambique and for the link to your travel journals!

Hi there,

No experience with sand + kids, so it might be best to stick to the classics.

Where will the camper van arrive? And where will it leave from?

Hi, Have you looked into shipping to Walvis Bay (Namibia)?

If you don’t need a 4x4 in Réunion, you could probably do without one for this trip—especially with kids and no prior experience. All three options you’re considering are doable without a 4x4, and the route advice will partly depend on the departure port from the mainland.

As for accommodation: since you’re self-sufficient for sleeping during this season and outside parks, you’ll always find somewhere to stay in a fixed structure when the mood or need strikes.

and outside parks, you’ll always find somewhere to stay in a solid structure when the mood or need strikes.

Not necessarily in Namibia, right? Or at what price...

And outside parks, you’ll always find somewhere to stay in a solid structure when the mood or need strikes.

Not necessarily in Namibia, right?

Maybe it won’t be an urgent need... 😉

In September, Europeans will have gone back to work and South Africans won’t be on vacation yet. The bulk of travelers won’t be in Namibia, where the options outside parks—in both quantity and variety—are greater than in Zimbabwe, Mozambique, or Botswana.

Or at what price...

Less than 100 €, but we don’t know the budget allocated for this cross-continent trip.

Italians travel a lot in September. On top of all the people without kids... And then, Namibia is trendy right now, which isn’t really the case for Botswana, and even less so for Zimbabwe and Mozambique.

I’m still not convinced there’s an affordable and easy-to-find hard-top option for Namibia out in the boonies.

Italians travel a lot in September.

Mamma Mia, the Italians! (They don’t even appear in the top 10 of foreign visitors and only a few thousand come to Namibia each year. Even if they were all there in September, they wouldn’t take up 30% of the hotel capacity)

Sure, but Namibia attracted 1.2 million visitors last year, which is huge compared to the country's population density and infrastructure.

That said, I’m not sure all the Angolans, South Africans, Zambians, Germans, Zimbabweans, and Batswana who make up the bulk of those numbers are necessarily tourists.

But France, the UK, the US, and China also rank high on the entry list—and those visitors are more likely there for safaris.

Usually without kids...

So maybe in September...😇

Hi there,

I visited Botswana for 4 weeks with a couple of friends and their 7- and 9-year-old kids. Each of us had our own 4x4 with a roof tent.

They were on a year-long round-the-world trip and also visited Madagascar, China, India, Australia, New Zealand, French Polynesia, and Colombia (if I remember correctly). In the end, when the kids were asked about their best memories, it was Botswana.

Admittedly, they were a bit older than yours. It’s also true that the national parks aren’t secured. The kids weren’t allowed to wander away from the vehicles, especially since at nightfall, the lit area around the campsite is very limited (though that applies to adults too).

Hope this helps with planning your trip!

How wonderful to read your travel journals. We're heading to South Africa, Namibia, and Botswana for 5 weeks in September. We rented the same kind of 4x4 as you did. We already traveled through Zambia under similar conditions three years ago. It's such an amazing way to travel. Your journals had me dreaming ahead of time, and your photos are stunning. Thanks, Nathalie

Yes, in the end we’re going with the "simplest" option, which is to head back to Namibia and then make our way down to South Africa. The van will arrive in Cape Town and leave from Durban toward Asia while we enjoy a nice break in Réunion.

Thanks for your feedback! We’ll look into booking a few accommodations and then decide as we go along!

Thanks for the feedback! We’ll be extra careful in the parks. The advantage of the camper van is that we won’t have to go out at night if there’s an urgent need.

Hi Lily

Just a little tip—driving a van in Southern Africa seems extremely risky, especially if you’ve never driven on sand before. Maybe a hostile-environment driving course would be necessary, because you can’t just "wing it" off-road when you arrive. If you’ve already done off-roading in a 4x4, it’d be better to stick with that and avoid the van. But don’t forget, you don’t know the country, and you’ll be living right alongside the wildlife and nature, so total vigilance is a must. See you soon

Hi Aurélie,

Ten years ago, I took a three-month trip to Southern Africa (a big loop through South Africa, Namibia, and Botswana) in a small passenger car. At the time, I had no experience driving on dirt roads. 😇

My travel journal might inspire you or give you some route ideas: https://voyageforum.com/v.f?post=7541607;#7541607

For me, a 4x4 is far from essential for an amazing experience. 😏

In South Africa and Namibia, it makes almost no difference: the main roads/tracks are in good condition, and almost all sites are accessible with a regular vehicle. In Botswana, it’s more limiting without a 4x4, but you can still organize a few day trips with local operators.

In short, if you want to keep flexibility and limit costs, a 2x4 van is already a great option. While a 4x4 adds real value for some remote areas (especially in Botswana), it’s not a must for a successful trip. 😉 Happy planning!

Hey Franck-Olivier, 🙂

4x4 or not 4x4—it’ll make for a different trip. You just need to know that and plan your route accordingly.

For Southern Africa and Namibia, it’s pretty standard, but in Botswana, almost all the outings are organized.

That second point would bother me the most since I’ve experienced both 2x4 and 4x4 in Botswana. (There are also *plenty* of sites in Southern Africa and Namibia that are off-limits in a 2x4, but they’re rarely on the itinerary—not because they’re not worth it, but simply because you need a 4x4 to get there. The many 2x4-friendly sites are the ones that get highlighted more.)

After that, the budget *is* different, of course...