Maps and Atlas

[Free2]

Hi everyone
I am planning a few upcoming trips in Southern Africa and would like to know what are the best map books that are out there.
Yes I know about Tracks4Africa, so please do not suggest this, but are there any others? I have a MapStudio one but that is quite old, not sure if they have an updated version?

[PieterOos]

Yes I know about Tracks4Africa, so please do not suggest this,

Do you include the Slingby's maps under this statement? Apologies if yes.

[Free2]

Do you include the Slingby's maps under this statement? Apologies if yes.

Thank you I will check them out.

[Tony Weaver]

Hi everyone
I am planning a few upcoming trips in Southern Africa and would like to know what are the best map books that are out there.
Yes I know about Tracks4Africa, so please do not suggest this, but are there any others? I have a MapStudio one but that is quite old, not sure if they have an updated version?

What countries? The Nat Geo Adventure Atlas is good if you can find one. T4A map book is excellent. Reise Verlag, Nelles Verlag are excellent. Namibia roads dept map is essential. Etc etc.
But different countries need different map publishers, like Shell maps for Botswana

[Free2]

What countries? The Nat Geo Adventure Atlas is good if you can find one. T4A map book is excellent. Reise Verlag, Nelles Verlag are excellent. Namibia roads dept map is essential. Etc etc.
But different countries need different map publishers, like Shell maps for Botswana

Looking at SA, Moz, Zim, Bots, Nam mostly. If it can all be in the same book, that would be ideal.
Thank you, I will have a look at your suggestions.

[Tony Weaver]

For overall route planning, and general overviews, the National Geographic Africa Adventure Atlas is my go-to map book, covers the whole continent and is very accurate. I know you said you don't want to hear about T4A, but I'll go there anyway because they deserve mentioning - for southern Africa, the Tracks4Africa paper map book has excellent detail, and then their country maps are brilliant.
That's where I would start - then if you want country specifics, look at Reise Verlag for Botswana and Zambia, Hupe Verlag for Zambia (yes, German publishers), and as mentioned the Shell maps (the late Veronica Roodt's mapping) for Botswana.
Avoid the Info Maps, they are full of inaccuracies.

[Free2]

For overall route planning, and general overviews, the National Geographic Africa Adventure Atlas is my go-to map book, covers the whole continent and is very accurate. I know you said you don't want to hear about T4A, but I'll go there anyway because they deserve mentioning - for southern Africa, the Tracks4Africa paper map book has excellent detail, and then their country maps are brilliant.
That's where I would start - then if you want country specifics, look at Reise Verlag for Botswana and Zambia, Hupe Verlag for Zambia (yes, German publishers), and as mentioned the Shell maps (the late Veronica Roodt's mapping) for Botswana.
Avoid the Info Maps, they are full of inaccuracies.

Thank you Tony for the detailed information.

[AndreZA]

For overall route planning, and general overviews, the National Geographic Africa Adventure Atlas is my go-to map book, covers the whole continent and is very accurate. I know you said you don't want to hear about T4A, but I'll go there anyway because they deserve mentioning - for southern Africa, the Tracks4Africa paper map book has excellent detail, and then their country maps are brilliant.
That's where I would start - then if you want country specifics, look at Reise Verlag for Botswana and Zambia, Hupe Verlag for Zambia (yes, German publishers), and as mentioned the Shell maps (the late Veronica Roodt's mapping) for Botswana.
Avoid the Info Maps, they are full of inaccuracies.

I see Outdoor warehouse have them in stock......thanks

[walkabout]

What countries? The Nat Geo Adventure Atlas is good if you can find one. T4A map book is excellent. Reise Verlag, Nelles Verlag are excellent. Namibia roads dept map is essential. Etc etc.
But different countries need different map publishers, like Shell maps for Botswana

Tony Weaver for Nam - where does one get the Namibia Roads Department map please?

[Tony Weaver]

Tony Weaver for Nam - where does one get the Namibia Roads Department map please?

They are free at fuel stations etc in Namibia. Looking in my map case, I see the older versions were Dept of Transport, newer ones are Nam Tourism Board. They show the labels on all the C and D routes etc.

[Tony Weaver]

Do you include the Slingby's maps under this statement? Apologies if yes.

Slingsby maps are the best, but besides the Wild Coast, are Western Cape only.

[walkabout]

They are free at fuel stations etc in Namibia. Looking in my map case, I see the older versions were Dept of Transport, newer ones are Nam Tourism Board. They show the labels on all the C and D routes etc.

Thank you.

[Scalci]

Thank you.

We do a lot of overloading in Africa.
We use a combination of T4A paper and GPS maps.


Aswell as Gaia GPS with their offline map capabilities. They have an “Overlanding” map version in Gaia GPS that we downloaded beforehand.


What is very helpful is the tracking as you drive if you need to backtrack.