Posts by Christian17e

Hi, April is at the end of the rainy season, so you’ll see fewer animals in Etosha (they find water elsewhere, and the foliage can be dense). To rent your 4x4, you’ll need to contact local rental companies—there are plenty. No ads allowed: a quick online search will help you find lots of options.

Hi there, Of course, it's possible to sleep outside the parks. You can also find furnished tents. I prefer the ones from Camping2Go (around 50 € per person per night). If you let me know the route you're planning to take, I can recommend some lodges, guesthouses, or guest farms.

You buy your tickets at the park gates.

Yes, and we’re leaving in April, and again in October. I just retired, and next year it’ll be half France, half Namibia. And I’m really happy about it.

We already know these areas pretty well. Except for Musungwa and the McBride camp. We go to Namibia every year. My in-laws live in Windhoek. Ngepi: it’s gone downhill... But they’re renovating now (we stopped by last fall). Mahangu, right next door, is better in my opinion.

We're leaving from Windhoek. And in order, we’ve booked: Weavers Rock guestfarm Tambuti Lodge, Rundu Mahangu Safari Lodge (2 nights) Zambezi Mubala (2 nights) Victoria Falls Backpackers Livingstone Musungwa Lodge (2 nights) Kaingu Lodge (2 nights) McBrides Camp (2 nights) Liseli Hotel, Mongu Hakusembe (2 nights) Minen Hotel A new camp being set up 85 km west of Grootfontein (2 nights) Return to Windhoek.

Hello, We’ll be in Kafue from October 30th to November 7th. We’re heading there from Livingstone and returning via the Katima Bridge. And like you, we’ll be in a 4x4 with a tent (we usually go "soft" but this time, we’re trying "hard")

Nice itinerary (and lots of kilometers!) For part 1: I assume you’re crossing via the Kazungula Bridge. You’ll need a visa to enter Zimbabwe at Vic Falls. From what I recall, the Double Entry visa is valid for 1 month, which should let you re-enter Zimbabwe the second time. For part 2: Are you heading back to Joburg through Botswana? We’ll be in Kafue at the same time as you, and I’m hoping this year the rainy season doesn’t start as early as it did last year… If you haven’t already, I’d really recommend getting the Tracks4Africa Kavango Zambezi map.

Hi, There’s no longer a visa requirement for Zambia. For Zimbabwe, yes, and you can get a Double Entry Visa. If you’re renting a vehicle, the rental company must explicitly state that they authorize your vehicle to cross into the countries you plan to visit. We’ll be in Zambia and Zimbabwe in October too, coming from Windhoek.

Hello, In late March, early April, you’ll be at the end of the rainy season, and I don’t think that’s the best time. In my opinion, it’d be ideal to push it back to May. That said, you can never really predict it, but in recent years, the rainy season has started earlier and ended later. And at the end of the season, some tracks are impassable, and another small "inconvenience"—you see far fewer animals.

Hi, For the "wild" side, you can also head to the Richtersveld Transfrontier Park by crossing the Orange River via the ferry a little south of Rosh Pinah.

Hi there, I agree with most opinions: Namibia seems the best fit for a first trip. That said, there’s another option I like, but with only two weeks, it’s a bit tight: combining Namibia and Botswana. You’d need at least 18 to 21 days on the ground. You’d arrive in Windhoek and leave via Vic Falls, dropping off your vehicle in Kasane.

Hi, Next year, we're planning a route starting from Windhoek, focusing on the Caprivi Strip and Kafue Park in Zambia—maybe this can give you some ideas. Roughly: Windhoek, Katima, Livingstone via the Katima Bridge, Kafue, Mongu, then back to Windhoek via Katima.

Hi, Yes, it's totally doable. The easiest solution is to leave your vehicle in Kasane and cross to Vic Falls by taxi or bus. Some people do a day trip to the Falls.

You need to spend 2 nights in the KTP to enter one country and exit through another. But for a "day trip," you can enter and exit the same country.

OK, I see what you mean now. But that’s way more than 2 × 300 km. It’s at least 900 km. At least via Tsumeb (1,000 km), you stay on roads in good condition.

Well, that’s pretty much what we did in 2024. From Windhoek to Cape Town, from late August to mid-September, right in the middle of the wildflower season in Namaqualand. It was a really beautiful trip. Right off the bat, a little heads-up: it’s the southern hemisphere winter, and it can get *very* cold. You’ll want to keep that in mind if you’re planning to camp. We stayed in lodges, guesthouses, or farmhouses. But in Cape Town, where we spent a week, we rented a small house in a safe neighborhood (up in Gardens). Happy to share more details if you’d like. PS: In the KTP, you’ll need to book *way* in advance to secure a spot.

For maps, Tracks4Africa Namibia is really the best and almost essential.

Personally, I’d do Windhoek / Rehoboth / Uhlenhorst / Stampriet / Gochas / Mata Mata / KTP (two mandatory nights) / Upington / Augrabies / Springbok.

With a few variations if you have more time, from Windhoek to Stampriet, you can go down via the C23 and then the C15 (very authentic Namibia). You’re right in the Kalahari (red dunes) before heading into KTP. When you leave KTP, you enter Namaqualand while staying in South Africa, heading toward Springbok.

Hi, Personally, I'd go via Tsumeb, with an overnight stop in Tsumeb or Grootfontein. Since there's a lot of driving (I hope you're sharing the driving), I'd book a guesthouse. We really like the HH820 in Grootfontein. Are you skipping Etosha completely?

Hi there, You could head down to KTP (two mandatory nights in the park), then Augrabies, and drive toward Springbok. Points of interest = Kalahari, KTP, Augrabies Falls. Last year, we were there during the bloom in Namaqualand, which was exceptional, and we took a more westerly route (Windhoek / Oranjemund / Alexander Bay / Springbok). What time of year will you be making this trip?