Lonely Planet™ · Thorn Tree Forum · 2020

Self-drive from Joburg via BOT, ZAM, MOZ back to Joburg

Country forums / Africa / Zambia

Hi,
we are in the early stage of planning a self-drive 4x4 Camper-journey from Johannesburg through Botswana, Zambia (maybe a short visit to ZIM) and via Mozambique coast in November/December for 5 weeks.

The itinerary would be:

Johannesburg - Khama - Maun - Chobe (Savuti) - Kasane - Vic Falls - Hwange NP- Livingstone - Mana Pools - Kafue South (if open in November) - Lusaka - Petauke - South Luangwa - Chipata - Tete - Gorongosa NP (if open) – Inhambane - Greater Limpopo Nationalpark - Krüger Nationalpark - Johannesburg

South Africa and Botswana are just transit-countries because we have been there already. We did similar trips with a rented 4x4 camper in Namibia and Botswana but not that much driving (around 5.000 km in 4 weeks). Is this realistic for 5 weeks or simply to much? I guess we will drive around 7.000 km. The reason why we are renting a camper in Joburg, apart from Windhoek prices are incredible high in Lusaka or Livingstone and it's hard to find a good 4x4 either.

Thanks

Wow that’s a massive amount of driving for 5 weeks!! I did mostly what you are planning as part of a bigger trip round southern Africa and spend 5 months on it (18,000 miles) and I was getting a move on and didn’t stay in one place for more than a few days. Don’t forget when you are planning it on google maps it looks easy but the roads once out in the sticks can be tough. Getting from southern Malawi to Inhambane took me 3 days of driving nearly non stop. Also you don’t want to spend it all in a car

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