Hi everyone, I’m planning to explore the western part of Madagascar from May 1st to 5th, specifically to visit the Tsingy. I’ve heard different versions about the road conditions and access to the Tsingy during this time, so I’d love to hear from people who’ve actually made this trip during this time of year.

Have you traveled from Morondava → Tsingy between May 1st and 5th? Was the journey doable and safe? Did you have access to the Grands Tsingy, or just the Petits Tsingy?

Thanks so much for your feedback—it’ll really help me get a clearer picture! 😊 Also, if you have any recommendations for reliable and experienced driver-guides, I’d love to hear them. Thanks again!

Hi there,

I’m just starting to plan my next trip to NAMIBIA in May 2026! And an answer to this first question will help me move forward with my itinerary:

Is it possible to rent a 4x4 with a roof tent in WINDHOEK and drop it off near VICTORIA FALLS (KASANE or another location)?... even though I’m aware it’ll incur an extra cost.

Thanks for your help! !

Hi there

I’m looking for advice on a road trip in the United States. I need a 7-seater vehicle with enough space for 4 checked bags (25 kg each) and a few smaller pieces of luggage. Do you have any recommendations? I’m a bit unsure about whether there’ll be enough room for the bags. Thanks so much

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, Does anyone know the current condition of the track from Afellah Ighir to the N7 north of Imitek, passing by the Akka Mines? About 57 km total, with the first 14 km (up to the Mine) paved and the rest unpaved. Thanks in advance

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

Do you have any tips or great deals to share?

Thanks

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,

I'm about to rent a self-drive 4x4 in Mongolia. Has anyone heard of GOBI.RENT? Otherwise, do you have any tips for checking this company since there's no info on their website (e.g., registration number on the RCS)?

Thanks

Hello,

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?

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!

For the first quarter of 2026, I’m planning a 4x4 trip from France to Mongolia. I’ve got two route options: the safer one through the Balkans, Turkey, Georgia... to Mongolia, or the other via Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Georgia... to Mongolia. My question: Is it currently possible to cross Libya? Or are there ferries from Tunisia or Algeria to Egypt? I’m also looking for a travel companion. Thanks for your replies

February 2025: The M'semrir-Tamtatoucht link via P7104 is now fully paved, making it possible to do the Dadès-Toghra loop via the pass.

Hi everyone,

I’m planning a road trip through Southern Africa during the 2025 austral winter—South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi... and if I feel like it, maybe back to Namibia, Botswana, etc. To make this happen, I’d like to ship my 4x4 in a high-cube container and pick it up in Durban. Has anyone had experience with customs clearance at the port of Durban (South Africa) using a CPD (Carnet de Passage en Douane)? Thanks in advance for any tips or firsthand experience on this!

Have a great day! Salar de Uyuni - Bolivia

Hi there, Has anyone recently taken the track between Iknioun and Alnif? What’s its condition like?

Also, is there a well-marked track between the Jewish Dune and Mhamid?

Thanks for any info! Jean-Marie

Hi there, we found a local Tunisian agency for our 4x4 tours in southern Tunisia. This local agency in Djerba has great reviews online, and we’d like to confirm that it’s a top choice. So if anyone has already traveled with GSA-VOYAGES, we’d love to hear about your experiences. Thanks. Théodormonod

Hello, We’re planning a trip to Zambia in 2 years. This will be our 4th trip to Southern Africa—the last one this year was Moremi, Boteti, KCGR, and KTP as a self-drive with campsites and no guide, just my wife and me. For this year’s trip, we prepared 2 years in advance—bookings are really complicated. We were lucky to get a spot at Bitterpan in KTP (there are only 4 chalets).

We’d like to know if it’s easy to get around Zambia, especially when it comes to restocking supplies. Should we rent a 4x4 in Zambia, Namibia, or South Africa? Botswana is very expensive. Which parks are the most interesting? We’re into wildlife photography.

Looking forward to hearing from you. Thanks in advance! Best regards, Jean-Marc

Hi everyone,

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! 😊

Hi there, My trip to South Africa is starting to take shape. However, I'm struggling to figure out the route through Kruger Park. I can't seem to find the information I need about getting around. Coming from the south, I plan to arrive on Day 1 in the early afternoon at Malelane or Crocodile Bridge. Do some shopping in Malelane (or Crocodile Bridge main area) and stay overnight outside the park. Leave on Day 2 at 5 AM for the park. Explore the southern part of the park. Stay overnight around Skukuza or Lower Sabie. (We don’t want to stay in one of the park’s big camps. We’re looking for a lodge around 200 €. Head out on Day 3 for a self-drive safari, maybe as far as Orpen. We’d like to stay in a private reserve on nights 4 and 5. We’re not sure which one or how to get into a private reserve. Do we need to exit Kruger Park? On Day 5, we’d like to leave to visit Blyde Canyon (on Day 6).

Could you help us with these different locations?

Thanks

Hello, We’re planning a trip to Patagonia for November–December 2026. After reading forums, blogs, and guidebooks, we’ve sketched out a rough itinerary and would love to hear from experts. We initially wanted to rent a camper van, but it’s hard to find options and we have no idea about prices. We’ve settled on starting in Bariloche, crossing into Chile for the Carretera Austral, then back into Argentina before crossing into Chile again for Punta Arenas, and finally ending in El Calafate to drop off the car. We don’t want to make any advance reservations so we can stay flexible based on weather and road conditions. Do you think this route is reasonably doable? And if you have any idea about the cost of renting a car for 17 days with a different drop-off location and the paperwork needed for border crossings… Thanks a million in advance for your replies! Céline

Day 1: Flight – 24 hours of travel, overnight on the plane Day 2: Arrival in Buenos Aires, overnight in BA Day 3: BA, overnight in BA Day 4: BA, overnight in BA Day 5: Flight to Bariloche, overnight in Bariloche Day 6–7: Seven Lakes route, overnight in Bariloche Day 8: Drive to La Junta, overnight stop Day 9: Drive to Puerto Tranquilo, overnight in Puerto Tranquilo Day 10: Catedral de Mármol, overnight in Puerto Tranquilo Day 11: Drive to El Chaltén, overnight stop Day 12: Arrival in El Chaltén, overnight in El Chaltén Day 13: El Chaltén, overnight in El Chaltén Day 14: El Chaltén, overnight in El Chaltén Day 15: Drive to Punta Arenas, overnight in Punta Arenas Day 16: Punta Arenas, overnight in Punta Arenas Day 17: Punta Arenas, overnight in Punta Arenas Day 18: Drive to Torres del Paine, overnight in Torres Day 19: Torres del Paine, overnight in Torres Day 20: Torres del Paine, overnight in Torres Day 21: Drive to El Calafate, overnight in El Calafate Day 22: El Calafate, overnight in El Calafate Day 23: Flight to BA, overnight in BA Day 24: Flight to Paris

Hello, We already did a self-organized trip to Namibia in March 2019, covering Windhoek and the southern part up to the South African border, then heading back via Lüderitz, the dunes, the Atlantic coast, Swakopmund, and Erongo. We’ve organized a second trip for May 2026. Here’s our itinerary and the bookings we’ve made directly or through Booking. The 4x4 Toyota Hilux is reserved with Africa on Wheels in Windhoek—we used them five years ago and were happy with the service.

May 9: Arrival in Windhoek via Lufthansa; Okahandja Country Hotel in Okahandja May 10: Spitzkoppe, Spitzkoppe Tented Camp May 11: Brandberg, White Lady Lodge Tree House May 12 & 13: Twyfelfontein, Twyfelfontein Adventure Camp May 14 & 15: Palmwag, Grootberg Lodge May 16: Opuwo, Opuwo Country Lodge May 17 & 18: Epupa Falls, Omarunga Epupa Falls May 19: Etosha, Dolomite Resort May 20: Okaukuejo, NWR waterhole chalet May 21: Onguma, Mushara Bush Camp May 22 & 23: Waterberg, Waterberg Wilderness Valley Lodge May 24: Brakwater, Windhoek Gama Camp May 25: Return to Windhoek and flight home

- My first question is about the route between Opuwo and Epupa Falls. We’ll take the C43 and D3700. According to the Tracks4Africa map, it’s about a 3-hour drive. What’s the condition of the road? I’ve also heard that the local population, including children and adults, can be insistent and sometimes exhibit dangerous behavior toward tourists and vehicles, asking for food or other things. Is this accurate? After our stay in Epupa, we’ll retrace our steps back to Opuwo, then take the C41 to Galton Gate to enter Etosha National Park. - Do you know what time Galton Gate at Hobatere closes? We’ll need to leave Epupa very early to arrive before the gate shuts, as we’re heading straight to Dolomite Resort.

Thanks for your advice and experiences! Christine

Hi everyone, we're planning a trip for August (Drakensberg, St Lucia, Blyde, Kruger, Marakele). There will be 4 adults and an 11-year-old child. That’s the intro!

Our issue is choosing the right vehicle. With luggage plus food for picnics and breakfasts, we need space. And since we’ll be driving for several hours, I’d prefer not to be squished with 3 in the back.

So, what would you recommend? An SUV? A van? And where should we rent from if you have any great tips—I’m all ears.

Thanks everyone

February 2025: A new fully paved road (just a few kilometers missing near Tisguine n'Aït M'Rao) from Alemdoun to the Dadès. Gorgeous pass.

Hello, We just spent nearly 3 weeks in Costa Rica and had rented a car from ADOBE RENT-A-CAR. For the occasion, I had provided a document from my bank confirming that my VISA Premier card (gold card) covered—by far—the additional CDW insurance that this rental company strongly recommends. On-site, when it came time to pay the mandatory third-party insurance, my card was declined (luckily, we had another basic debit card that worked without any issues). The reason given by the rental company: my card was invalid or I had a banking problem. The same result and comments occurred at a second ADOBE agency. After contacting my bank and their customer service, they confirmed there was no issue! What’s more, throughout the trip, we used this same card to pay for various purchases (gas, restaurants, attractions, etc.) without any problems... After expressing my dissatisfaction to this rental company on Trustpilot (you can check the site), ADOBE refused to address the issue but admitted that this mandatory insurance is required... In reality, it’s clear that this rental company refuses this card so that tourists will purchase their additional insurance. The travel agency we booked through has requested a meeting with ADOBE for clarification. I’m waiting for their conclusions. Additionally, I noticed on certain sites like tripadvisor.ca or itinego.com/fr/costarica/guide/43/location-voiture-suv-4x4 that this card is no longer accepted...

So, BE CAREFUL: Before leaving, make sure to check with the rental company you’re using to confirm that your card is accepted Always have another bank card as a backup

Best regards

Hi there, could you please share your feedback on renting a 4x4 for a 21-day self-drive trip in Uganda? Thanks

Hi there. We’d like to drive across Thailand from Bangkok to the north of the country by car, in several stages, far from the beaten track. Could anyone give us some tips on this kind of trip? Thanks so much, Laurent and Marie

We're planning a round-the-world trip in a 4x4 with a roof tent and all the gear. We're wondering which African country allows tourists to buy a vehicle (left-hand drive)? Thanks for any tips—they’ll be super helpful!

Hi there, I’m looking to find a company at Salt Lake City airport that rents vehicles for gravel roads: Burr Trail, Cottonwood Canyon, etc. Thanks

Hi, does anyone know the current condition of the track/road P1800 that goes from R111 just past Allougoum to Akka Ighane on P1743? Google Maps says it's doable, but all the info I’ve gotten advises against it. From Akka Ighane, at the junction with the road to Auguinane, it was even paved for the 10 km I covered two years ago. But in Morocco, paved roads can suddenly end without warning 😏.

Hi everyone,

I’m planning a trip to South Africa / Zimbabwe this summer—4x4 with camping gear... After some reading, I’ve put together this first draft of an itinerary:

D0 Johannesburg - arrive around 11 AM + visit Soweto? D1 Vic Falls - arrive around noon D2 Vic Falls D3 4x4 familiarization + Hwange NP D4 Hwange NP D5 Hwange NP D6 Bulawayo D7 Bulawayo / Matobo NP D8 Mapungubwe D9 Mapungubwe D10 Waterberg D11 Waterval Boven D12 Golden Gate Highlands NP D13 Sentinel Peak D14 Tugela Falls or another hike D15 Additional hike to be determined D16 Return to Johannesburg + drop off 4x4 - flight at 5 PM

Any thoughts on this itinerary? Ideas for improving it?

One alternative would be to visit Gonarezhou Park, which really appeals to me... But that would take more time and change the rest of the route: probably going back through Kruger. And I’m not sure I’d have enough time for the Drakensberg.

I still have other questions... But I’d rather finalize the general itinerary first to sort out the 4x4 rental...

Big thanks to the travel community 😉

Hi there,

We’re in the planning stages and wondering if there are any great 4x4 trails in Tunisia. Ideally, we’d love to find spots that are really off the beaten path and wild. We’re also curious if it’s possible to sleep under the stars in our 4x4 in safe and scenic spots.