Self drive bushcamper in May 2017

[Nick Goodhew]

We are planning Cape town - Garden Route - Lesotho - Swaziland - Timbavati Game Reserve - Zimbabwe (via Beitbridge) up to Victoria falls area, into Zambia, back to Jo'berg via Botswana (possibly into the 'finger' of Namibia). Hired a Hilux bushcamper - any ideas or advice greatly appreciated - campsites, borders, routes etc, with regards from New Zealand

[Roberto Betta]

Hello Nick

How many days will you be traveling?

[Nick Goodhew]

a month

[Roberto Betta]

If you're doing the Garden Route, Lesotho, Swaziland I presume you're driving through East London, Butterworth, Dutywa, Mthatha, Kokstad. Just a word of advice is to be careful around those areas, a lot of very bad drivers who think they're immortal and a lot of animals on the road. There's practically nothing of interest in any of those towns until you get to the Drakensberg. Personally, I would rather head up towards Bloemfontein from Knysna or Port Elizabeth. Amongst others, Graff Reinet and Mountain Zebra National Park in Cradock are nice places to see.

[Hermanator]

You must have done some preliminary planning in terms of where you want to start and how you are to progress till the final stop.

Post that planning with the dates (number of days) per stop over and I am sure the Forum will help you refine it to a very workable itinerary.

[Kalahari Safari]

I think it too ambitious in the time you have available.
Garden route and Lesotho will already take a good ten days if you don't want to rush it.
It will be a long way from there to Zim, regardless which way you chose, but I assume you don't want to drive a 1000k's a day.

What I propose is to make a rough time and distance plan and then insert the days you intend to stay in one place.
As a piece of advise, you need some stationary days (meaning more than a night) in one spot to be able to explore.

You will see that the Caprivi will be out, time wise so put up the priorities and you highlights then work out the details.