Overland Cape Town to Cairo

**duncang** · 2021/02/01, 12:15 PM

Who needs a 4x4

My schooldays GF's folks did it in a De Soto in '54.
Quite a story !Attachment 604482

**Wazungu Wawili** · 2021/02/02, 01:45 AM

I knew a wonderful old lady in Kenya who thought we were intrepid. But she and her husband drove from Kenya to South Africa in 1946 in an ordinary sedan car. Her husband had been in a German prisoner-of-war camp for three years from 1942-1945 having been captured in North Africa fighting with British and South African troops in that brutal campaign. And, what’s more, her husband was Jewish. His Commanding Officer told him to get rid of his ID tags which he did. He was saved and protected by his regimental comrades through all those years in a German Stalag.

It puts everything we are going through with Covid-19 in perspective - and how we ought to think about driving across Africa in this modern world. We are sissies in comparison...

**BasZ** · 2021/02/02, 02:32 PM

There was a 80+ year old South African lady who drove her little Toyota starlet to Europe in 2018. All alone. Makes you think hey?

**Peter1949** · 2021/02/02, 03:07 PM

Originally Posted by BasZ

There was a 80+ year old South African lady who drove her little Toyota starlet to Europe in 2018. All alone. Makes you think hey?

Also been done in an aged Rolls Royce and (separately) using a Morris Minor (I think), any way one of the very early Morris versions.
It's been done in VW Kombi versions ... etc.

I still like one of the humorous signs that are (were ?) erected at a campsite in the Caprivi which read.
Not verbatim:
All off-road 4x4 drivers - Engage 4x4 and diff lock" , all others - proceed as normal.
Well that was the gist of it, anyway.

With enough determination and perseverance almost anything can be achieved.

**douglash** · 2021/02/02, 03:14 PM

Originally Posted by Tedx2

I believe the recommendation to postpone your trip is excellent advice. We too were due to do a seven month overland trip RSA / Botswana / Zimbabwe / Zambia / Malawi / Tanzania / Rwanda / Uganda / Kenya / Tanzania / Zambia / Zimbabwe / RSA from May to November 2021. We have postponed our trip to the same timeframe in 2022. Covid unease, vaccinations were the main drivers in our decision.

This is pretty much the same idea I had... might get in contact with you for tips one day.

Originally Posted by Peter1949

With enough determination and perseverance almost anything can be achieved.

...and money... don't forget money.

**Tedx2** · 2021/02/02, 03:52 PM

Originally Posted by douglash

This is pretty much the same idea I had... might get in contact with you for tips one day.

Very welcome, we will post a comprehensive trip report as we travel. If you are interested we have been actively seeking advice and received plenty from the good members on this forum, just search "7 month Southern/East African ......" on the Zambian, Tanzanian, East African & Kenyan sectors of the forum.

**Wazungu Wawili** · 2021/02/02, 05:23 PM

Originally Posted by Peter1949

Also been done in an aged Rolls Royce and (separately) using a Morris Minor (I think), any way one of the very early Morris versions.
...

Whilst not Cape to Cairo, the old classic overland route was via Uganda, the Belgian Congo, Cameroon, Nigeria, Niger and Algeria. Here is the link to a book about a disastrous 1955 attempt in a Morris Traveller from Kenya. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Trek-Paul-S.../dp/0552154598 Alan Cooper had, apparently, done the trip before from Kenya to London in 1931 in a Morris Minor.

Lots of other trips done in Citroen 2CVs, VW Beetles, VW Kombis, etc.

And then there is the extraordinarily naive trip in 1970 in a Hillman Hunter from Edinburgh to the Copper Belt in Zambia. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Appointment.../dp/1780882386

**alannymarce** · 2021/02/02, 05:39 PM

Originally Posted by Wazungu Wawili

Lots of other trips done in Citroen 2CVs, VW Beetles, VW Kombis, etc.

One of my colleagues in Botswana, a long time ago now, had driven his 2CV from Belgium. He told me that one of the advantages was that whenever there was a really difficult bit of road, the locals came out and carried it over...

**Wazungu Wawili** · 2021/02/02, 06:55 PM

Originally Posted by alannymarce

One of my colleagues in Botswana, a long time ago now, had driven his 2CV from Belgium. He told me that one of the advantages was that whenever there was a really difficult bit of road, the locals came out and carried it over...

Apart from the ability to pick up and carry a 2CV (!), it was always said the Citroen 2CV was the best vehicle for Africa.

**ortelius** · 2021/02/02, 09:07 PM

Originally Posted by Peter1949

I still like one of the humorous signs that are (were ?) erected at a campsite in the Caprivi which read.
Not verbatim:
All off-road 4x4 drivers - Engage 4x4 and diff lock" , all others - proceed as normal.
Well that was the gist of it, anyway.

Indeed, Peter, that is one of the many quirk signs at the approach track toward the infamous Ngepi camp near Divundu.