Great Overlanding destinations

[iNdlovu]

Overlanding is all about getting out there, to see places less travelled on roads that sometimes dwindle into nothing but a feint suggestion that someone has been there before. We have all heard of the epic journeys of travels by back roads between the Cape and Europe, but overlanding trips are not always as daunting as the cross continent journeys. Some can be as short as 5 or 6 hundred kilometers or less. The criterea is not distance, but rather making the use of 'back' roads to some awesome destinations and seeing all kinds of little known places along the way.

We are blessed in Southern Africa with an abundance of such routes and destinations and so often we hear of people having a bucket list of places they would love to visit, but are resigned to the notion that they could never do such a trip. Some are put off by the idea that overlanding is all about roughing it, eating tinned and packaged food and crawling into a minute tent each night to sleep on the hard ground in missery. Nothing could be further from the truth, the choice as to what level of comfort is good for you is always there and your trip can be planned accordingly.

From South Africa as a starting point, let's take a look at some of these destinations, but more importantly what you can see and experience along the way. Some of the routes may be combined into one trip, time at your disposal being the main factor. The biggest mistake is to cram too much into a short space of time where the destination becomes all important instead of the journey.

I have an overlanding trip booked for departure on 13th July this year, when I will be taking 9 western noses (people from Europe) into the wilds of the Kalahari and the Okavango Delta. I have been informed by this group that they would like a mix of good old African 'rough' camping interspersed with nights of relative luxury. I will be leading the group in my Land Rover and they have hired two other 4x4 double cab pick ups from a hire company in Joburg. Everything has been booked and paid for and the cost per head has worked out to R8500 for this 15 day experience of a lifetime.

Seeing that this trip is immanent, lets take a look at what they can expect and then we can take a look at other awesome adventures that can be done with ease.

[ispeakbaobab]

So iNdi, we wait with bated breath,
would love to know how you kept the costs so low for a 15 day trip
where did you visit and what was your route

[Errol1]

So iNdi, we wait with bated breath,
would love to know how you kept the costs so low for a 15 day trip
where did you visit and what was your route

Indy, please let us know how the trip went and if you have others planned including routes, dates etc.

I would really consider joining one of you trips with my own vehicle if you allow this.

[Bushveld Jock]

We are planning a 16 day trip to Botswana (Moremi, Chobe and Nxai NP) next year July. Our accommodation cost for 3 people are running so far with all park fee included at R15000. We still need to add food and petrol that will be about R7000 (petrol) and hope not more than R5000 for food. In total close to R30 000 and ~ R600 per person per day. Its indeed an expensive trip just for camping, but it is difficult to get to a lower cost with the high cost of fuel.

Camping also became very expensive in Botswana with very few camps in parks below R900 for 3 people include park fees. The best place is still KTP and Mabua if you want to stay in 4x4 camps cost wise with less than R200 for 3 people camping per night.