5 African Overlanding Routes Perfect for First-Timers
Africa’s vast and diverse landscapes make it a top destination for overlanding enthusiasts. With its mix of deserts, savannas, rainforests, and coastal beauty, overlanding in Africa offers an opportunity to explore the continent in a way that few other travel experiences can match.
For first-timers, planning an overland trip can seem daunting. However, with the right routes, you can experience the best of Africa’s wildlife, culture, and natural beauty without being overwhelmed by long distances or challenging conditions.
Here are five African overlanding routes that are perfect for beginners, offering manageable distances, incredible sights, and plenty of adventure.
1. The Garden Route – South Africa
For those looking for a more relaxed, short overlanding route, South Africa’s Garden Route is the perfect choice. Stretching along the southern coast from Mossel Bay to Storms River, the Garden Route offers stunning coastal views, charming towns, and an abundance of outdoor activities.
It’s ideal for first-time overlanders who are new to the concept but want to explore a diverse range of environments without venturing too far off the beaten path.
Key Highlights:
Knysna: This picturesque town is famous for its lagoon and surrounding forests, making it a great stop for nature lovers. Visitors can take a boat ride on the lagoon or explore the nearby Knysna forests.
Plettenberg Bay: Known for its golden beaches, Plettenberg Bay is an excellent spot for relaxation. You can also visit Robberg Nature Reserve for a scenic hike with coastal views and wildlife sightings.
Why it’s perfect for first-timers: The Garden Route offers manageable distances, a well-maintained road network, and plenty of opportunities to enjoy nature and wildlife in a relaxed setting. The route also allows for easy access to towns and cities, where first-timers can experience South Africa’s culture and cuisine without feeling isolated.
2. The Dunes of Namibia – Namibia
Namibia is home to some of the world’s most stunning desert landscapes, and for those looking for a more immersive adventure, the Dunes of Namibia offer the perfect route. I have travelled through Namibia with a group of overlanders, and it was a very comfortable journey, even ‘just camping’, because all of the campsites were very well equipped and maintained.
The trip through Namibia’s Namib Desert combines awe-inspiring natural beauty with the chance to experience the raw wilderness of southern Africa. This route is ideal for first-time overlanders who want a taste of the desert but with relatively easy access to key destinations and well-maintained roads.
Key Highlights:
Sossusvlei: The towering dunes of Sossusvlei are one of the most iconic sights in Africa. First-time overlanders can enjoy a drive through the desert to reach the famous Dune 45, the tallest sand dune in the area.
Swakopmund: This coastal town offers a blend of adventure activities such as sandboarding, quad biking, and scenic flights over the dunes. The relaxed, German-influenced atmosphere provides a welcome break from the arid desert landscapes.
Why it’s perfect for first-timers: Namibia’s desert landscapes are vast and striking, but the country has a well-developed tourist infrastructure, making it easy for newcomers to navigate. The roads are generally in good condition, and many of the key attractions are easily accessible by vehicle, making it ideal for a first-time overlanding adventure.
3. The Great Rift Valley – Kenya and Tanzania
The Great Rift Valley is one of Africa’s most remarkable geological features, stretching from the Red Sea down to Mozambique. Overlanding through Kenya and Tanzania’s portion of the Rift Valley offers an exciting mix of wildlife, stunning landscapes, and cultural experiences.
This route is perfect for first-timers who want to explore Africa’s famous national parks and wildlife reserves while enjoying relatively easy access to well-known tourist destinations.
Key Highlights:
Lake Nakuru (Kenya): Known for its flamingo populations, Lake Nakuru is a great place to start your overland journey. The park is home to a variety of wildlife, including rhinos, giraffes, and baboons.
Serengeti National Park (Tanzania): One of Africa’s most famous safari destinations, the Serengeti offers unparalleled opportunities to see the Great Migration and a wealth of other wildlife, from lions to cheetahs.
Why it’s perfect for first-timers: This route offers the opportunity to experience some of Africa’s most famous wildlife reserves with accessible roads and infrastructure. It’s perfect for those who want to get a feel for the African wilderness while enjoying the comfort of well-established overland routes and reliable facilities.
4. The Chobe and Okavango Delta – Botswana
Botswana is a prime destination for first-time overlanders, offering a combination of desert and water-based adventures. The route through the Chobe National Park and Okavango Delta is ideal for those who want to experience the magic of Botswana’s wilderness without facing the more challenging terrains of other African countries.
The area’s excellent wildlife viewing and incredible landscapes make it one of the top overland routes in Southern Africa.
Key Highlights:
Chobe National Park: Known for its massive elephant populations, Chobe offers fantastic game viewing opportunities. The park is also home to lions, hippos, crocodiles, and a variety of bird species.
Okavango Delta: The Okavango is one of the world’s largest inland deltas, and it provides opportunities for both land and water-based safaris. First-time overlanders can take boat rides or mokoro (canoe) trips to explore the waterways and observe wildlife up close.
Why it’s perfect for first-timers: The route through Botswana offers a mix of easy-to-navigate roads and unique opportunities for wildlife watching. With a strong tourism infrastructure and plenty of campsites, this route provides a comfortable yet adventurous introduction to African overlanding.
5. Victoria Falls to Lake Malawi – Zambia & Malawi
Route: Livingstone (Zambia) – Lusaka – South Luangwa National Park – Lilongwe (Malawi) – Cape Maclear – Nkhata Bay
This route offers a blend of breathtaking natural wonders, wildlife encounters, and cultural experiences, making it ideal for first-time overlanders seeking a manageable yet enriching adventure.
Key Highlights:
Victoria Falls (Livingstone): Begin your journey at one of the world’s most spectacular waterfalls. Engage in activities like white-water rafting, bungee jumping, or scenic helicopter flights.
South Luangwa National Park: Renowned for walking safaris, this park provides close-up wildlife experiences, including sightings of elephants, lions, and unique species like Thornicroft’s giraffe.
Lake Malawi (Cape Maclear & Nkhata Bay): Relax on the sandy beaches of this vast freshwater lake, known for its clear waters and vibrant cichlid fish. Enjoy snorkeling, kayaking, and interacting with friendly local communities.
Why it’s perfect for first-timers: This route offers well-maintained roads and a variety of accommodation options, from campsites to lodges. The relatively short distances between stops allow for a leisurely pace, providing ample time to explore each destination. Additionally, the journey encompasses diverse landscapes and experiences, from thundering waterfalls and wildlife-rich parks to serene lakeside retreats.
Final Conclusion
Embarking on an overland adventure in Africa is an incredible experience that allows you to explore some of the world’s most diverse and stunning landscapes. For first-timers, choosing the right route can make all the difference, ensuring that your trip is both manageable and unforgettable.
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Who am I? Well, the least you can say is that I am quite crazy about Africa, its nature, its climate, its culture, and more.
As a young woman in my twenties, I had already traveled to several African countries by traveling along in an overlander on my own and mostly camping ( or glamping ) and just fell in love with the diversity of it all.
So much, so that at the age of 26, I went back to university to study biology, which, unfortunately, I couldn’t finish because of health reasons (yes, I got sick from a tropical disease, oh cynicism). But this did not stop my dream of traveling back to Africa several times, and I still do.
My dream was back then to leave Europe and go study animal behavior, especially the elephants (sure, that’s every girl’s dream haha), but I am also very much intrigued by hyenas and other “ugly African animals“.
So, I “kind of” have a little bit of a scientific approach to my articles, when I write about African birds, for example. And most of all: the passion.
But life goes on, you move from one side of the country to the other, you get sick again and top it off with lower back problems, and before you know it, you are over 50 hahaha!
Now, I still travel to Africa, but take it a bit “easier” than the good old camping days, and stay in comfortable, yet affordable accommodations, together with my husband Wouter.
These are some of the countries I have traveled to: Kenya, Tanzania, Zanzibar, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Tunisia, and a little bit of Lesotho LOL .
While clearly not being African territory, but Spanish, I also visited Gran Canaria and Tenerife, and location-wise, I consider them “African”, because of their climate and nature, sue me :-p
The last trip I took was to South Africa in the year 2023, and it sure got the fevers for Africa back! From the Barberton mountains to the Drakensberg and the Southcoast, one month wasn’t enough at all to see the whole country, so we’ll be back! At ease and with a little bit more luxury than in my younger days haha!
