Self-drive tours

The best time to travel depends on the region and destination. For classic safari areas in southern Africa, the dry season from May to October is considered ideal.

During this time, travellers benefit from:

• good road conditions and easy driving conditions
• very good wildlife viewing at waterholes
• pleasant temperatures, especially from June to August

However, this is the high season with higher prices and more travellers.

The rainy season from November to April offers an appealing alternative. Landscapes are green and alive, and it is less crowded. At the same time, road conditions can be more demanding.

Typical for this time are:

• lush nature and many young animals
• good conditions for birdwatching
• in places difficult tracks due to rain and mud

Regional differences should be taken into account: in Cape Town and along the Garden Route, the best time to travel is the dry summer months from November to April.

For beginners, we recommend the dry season, while experienced self-drivers benefit from more adventure and fewer crowds in the rainy season.

In our blogs you will find detailed explanations of the best time to travel in: South Africa, Namibia and Botswana.

Elefant-Tours offers self-drive round trips in the following African countries:

Namibia – Classic self-drive round trips through the sea of sand of the Namib Desert, the Kalahari, Etosha National Park and endlessly vast landscapes. Also recommended for first-time visitors to Africa!

South Africa – Tours along the Garden Route, to Cape Town and the wine region, to the Drakensberg, Kruger National Park and other spectacular national parks. Also recommended for first-time visitors to Africa!

Botswana – Self-drive round trips into the depths of the Okavango Delta and the unique wildlife in Chobe National Park, often included in combination trips to Namibia or Zimbabwe. The vehicle is usually left in a safe place before you continue comfortably into the delta on a guided safari or by light aircraft.

Zimbabwe – Tours into natural and cultural landscapes, to the Eastern Highlands, Gonarezhou and Hwange National Parks, the Great Zimbabwe Ruins and Victoria Falls, often combined with Botswana and Namibia. Particularly exciting for more experienced Africa travellers.

We run our guided self-drive tours with a guide into remote wilderness regions in Namibia, Botswana, South Africa and Zambia. You can find more information about these special tours here.

At Elefant-Tours you design your self-drive tour together with an experienced travel expert, who accompanies you from the very beginning. Whether you only have a rough idea or already have specific plans, we adapt entirely to the level of involvement you want.

Thanks to their own travel experience, our experts know the routes, accommodation and local specialities exactly.

You decide what matters to you: an intensive route with many highlights, a relaxed trip with plenty of time, or specific focuses such as wildlife viewing or photography. On this basis, we develop an individual itinerary that is flexibly adapted to your wishes.

Besides the planning, we can also help you choose flights if you wish. Once all the details are agreed, we take care of booking your accommodation and rental car. In addition, you receive detailed travel information and practical tips for the road.

Especially for popular travel periods, it pays to plan early. Get in touch, and we will take care of the organisation so that you can enjoy your trip in a relaxed way.

For self-drive trips in Africa, the right vehicle depends heavily on the route, season and level of comfort.

Namibia

Except for the few more intense rainy-season months from December to March, a normal car is often enough. For the deep-sand area in Sossusvlei, you can switch to an official ranger vehicle.

In general, however, a 4x4 off-road vehicle is recommended for more comfort and fun on the many gravel and corrugated roads, the occasional deep sand patches, and the long distances and remote areas.

Botswana

For a relaxed and flexible self-drive round trip in Botswana, a 4x4 vehicle is essential. Here you quickly come across deep-sand sections in national parks (Okavango, Moremi, Chobe), struggle with unpaved, uneven roads in many wildlife areas, and sometimes have to drive through water.

South Africa

In the rainy season you may certainly be unlucky and find yourself on a road that is flooded or deep in mud. As a rule, however, you can get through South Africa very well in any season with a normal car. If in doubt, you can switch to a guided tour in the national parks quite spontaneously.

Otherwise, South Africa awaits you with a very good road infrastructure, where even many national parks have tarred or good gravel roads.

Zimbabwe

Here, too, the road situation allows a normal car, at least if you are prepared to switch to an off-road vehicle in certain national parks, such as Gonarezhou, as we also offer our guests on our self-drive round trip.

However, if you like it adventurous and completely independent – especially in the rainy season – you should choose a four-wheel-drive vehicle to cope with the many potholed tracks and sometimes poor roads outside the main routes, or to drive the sand and nature tracks in the national parks with ease.

If you plan to combine several of these countries (e.g. Namibia–Botswana–Zimbabwe), you are best prepared for all eventualities with a fully equipped 4x4 off-road vehicle.

In the African countries we offer trips to, you need both a national driving licence and an international driving licence.

You must carry your national driving licence (EU card licence) with you in the original. You also need an international driving licence, especially if your national licence does not include an English translation.

In southern Africa, most rental car companies and police checks accept just your national driving licence with an English translation.

Driving entitlement: With a category B licence you may only drive vehicles up to 3.5 t here.

Age limits: Depending on the vehicle category (standard, off-road vehicle, 4x4), many car rental companies require a minimum age of 21 to 25 and at least one year of driving experience. If you are under 25, a young driver surcharge may apply.

Depending on the country, we recommend planning a minimum of two weeks for a self-drive round trip.

Gladly up to 21 days in South Africa, because Kruger National Park and Cape Town are simply very far apart and are best visited together with all the respective sights around them.

If you want to combine several countries, as on our “Highlights of Namibia and Botswana” tour, you should also plan 21 days.

These periods allow you to enjoy each country in its diversity and to find a good mix of safari tours and relaxation. Ultimately, though, it depends on what you want to experience.

On self-drive trips it is especially important to assess driving distances realistically and not to plan overly long driving times. Driving on unfamiliar routes and in sometimes challenging terrain can tire you out faster than the familiar roads at home.

Of course, we can also put together trips under 10 days for you. You will see less, but you can take it as a good reason to come back next year.

Yes, on our guided self-drive tours you drive yourself but are accompanied by a guide and crew in a separate vehicle.

These special tours take you in a small group, in convoy, to very remote regions in Namibia, Botswana, South Africa and Zambia.

You spend the night in a rooftop tent in the middle of the wilderness.

This type of self-drive tour is aimed at true adventurers!

In addition to self-drive tours, Elefant-Tours offers a range of other travel styles in Africa – depending on how comfortably you want to travel and whether you prefer to travel individually or in a group:

Guided group tours

Led by an experienced guide, you travel in a group of like-minded people and experience a well-organised safari. The tours are offered as lodge, tented camp or camping trips and usually include game drives as well as optional activities such as boat safaris or hikes.

This travel style is particularly suitable for anyone who values company, planning certainty and local expertise.

Private safaris

These trips are designed exclusively for you, your family or your own group. You enjoy maximum flexibility in route, accommodation and travel pace.

You can choose from a selection of tours or put together your own tailor-made tour.

You are accompanied by experienced guides who adapt entirely to you. This travel style is ideal for anyone who values privacy or is travelling with children.

Fly-in safaris

On fly-in safaris you travel comfortably from lodge to lodge by small aircraft, saving a lot of time on long distances. At the same time, you reach remote regions, such as in the Okavango Delta, that are hard to access overland.

This option is particularly suitable for shorter trips with intensive and exclusive safari experiences.

Trekking tours

Trekking tours take you on foot through impressive landscapes – from high mountains to wild coasts. You discover nature intensively and experience varied routes over peaks, through valleys and along unspoilt paths.

This travel style is ideal for anyone seeking peace, seclusion or an active challenge.

Self-drive trips in Africa are considered very doable, particularly in southern Africa, but they require careful planning.

It is important to drive only during the day and to plan the stages so that you reach your accommodation before dark. A clearly defined route and pre-booked accommodation are essential.

Our travel experts know the individual stages from their own experience and will help you put together a safe and optimally coordinated itinerary.

After all, what matters most on self-drive trips in Africa is professional organisation – and that is exactly our job.

South Africa is one of the destinations that is easiest to manage for self-drivers. The reasons are:

• very good road infrastructure (a lot of tarmac, well signposted)
• easy navigation (map apps work reliably)
• dense network of petrol stations
• wide choice of accommodation
• good roads in the national parks (e.g. Kruger is also easily doable with a normal car)
• English, which is very widespread as the main political and economic language

But Namibia is also easy to travel for self-drivers. The reasons are:

• little traffic
• very safe, relaxed driving conditions
• wide, quiet roads

Botswana is also manageable, but demanding and more suited to experienced self-drivers. The reasons are:

• deep sand in national parks
• few supply options outside larger towns
• in places real off-road driving

Talk to our experienced travel experts to find out which country is right for you.

Yes, in principle it is quite possible to combine several countries on a self-drive round trip through Africa. Cross-border routes are especially popular in southern Africa.

Countries such as South Africa, Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe can be sensibly linked geographically and offer great diversity of landscapes and wildlife over comparatively short distances.

Careful planning is essential, however. Border crossings with a rental vehicle are not automatically permitted and must be explicitly approved in advance by the car rental company.

As a rule, written confirmation is required for this, which must be presented at border controls.

In addition, travellers should note the different entry requirements of the individual countries. These include visa regulations, entry fees and any documents required for the vehicle. Road conditions and driving conditions also vary considerably from country to country.

If you take these aspects into account and plan ahead, you can combine several countries without difficulty and benefit from an especially varied and intensive travel experience.

Our travel experts will be happy to advise you in detail.