How to Plan an Overlanding Route That Hits Africa’s Hidden Gems But Avoids the Tourist Traps
Planning an overlanding trip across Africa can feel like juggling a thousand details at once, especially when you want to discover the continent’s hidden gems without getting stuck in the usual tourist traps. Trust me, after years of traveling Africa’s backroads, I’ve learned how to craft routes that lead to unforgettable experiences and steer clear of the crowds.
Not every “hidden gem” is off the beaten path. Sometimes, they’re just lesser-known spots that locals love but tourists overlook. To find the real gems, it’s essential to dig deeper than guidebooks and popular travel forums.
Talking to local drivers, small business owners, and community guides opens doors to places that don’t show up on mainstream maps. These encounters often lead to secret waterfalls, quiet villages, and authentic markets where you’ll feel like you’ve discovered Africa’s soul.
The Overlanding Mistake Most People Make
Most overland travelers in Africa follow the same well-worn routes, creating what locals call the “tourist highway.” During my first overlanding trip through Southern Africa, I blindly followed the recommendations in my guidebook and found myself constantly surrounded by other travelers – exactly what I had hoped to escape.
The worst was Victoria Falls, where I couldn’t hear the mighty Zambezi’s roar over the chatter of tour groups (not that the Victoria Falls aren’t fantastic to see, though).
My disappointment turned to frustration when a local fuel station attendant told me about a magnificent section of the Zambezi just 80 km upstream with dramatic rapids, stunning gorges, and excellent camping – completely tourist-free.
That conversation changed how I’ve planned every African journey since.
Start With Satellite Imagery, Not Guidebooks
The single most revolutionary change to my route planning came when I began studying satellite imagery before consulting any travel guides.
I now spend hours scanning Google Earth for:
River confluences (often excellent wild camping)
Dramatic elevation changes (potential for waterfalls and viewpoints)
Small water bodies near dry regions (wildlife magnets)
Patches of different vegetation (transition zones rich in biodiversity)
During my Botswana expedition, this technique revealed a magnificent hidden pan in the Makgadikgadi system that wasn’t on my maps. It became the highlight of our journey – a perfect, cracked-earth landscape with extraordinary sunset photography opportunities and not another soul in sight.
What I wish I knew before my first overland trip: tourist hotspots often have equally impressive but virtually unknown counterparts nearby that locals know well but don’t appear in guidebooks or online.
The 70-30 Rule That Transformed My Adventures
After years of trial and error, I’ve developed what I call my “70-30 rule” for perfect route planning. My itinerary allocates:
70% to lesser-known routes and destinations
30% to must-see highlights (but visited strategically)
This balance ensures you still experience iconic African moments while spending most of your journey in authentic places. For example, when overlanding through Tanzania, I did visit the Serengeti (a must-see highlight), but only after spending five days in the virtually unknown Loliondo Game Controlled Area on its eastern boundary – where we saw the same wildlife without another vehicle in sight.
The Local Contact Method That Opens Hidden Africa
My most effective strategy for discovering hidden gems is what I call my “three-contact approach.” Before any major overlanding trip, I establish communication with:
A trusted local mechanic
A school teacher or healthcare worker
Someone in natural resource management (forestry, wildlife, water)
These three perspectives provide invaluable insights into road conditions, authentic cultural experiences, and natural wonders, respectively. When planning my epic Cape Town to Cairo route, my most valuable resource wasn’t a guidebook but a WhatsApp group with a mechanic from each country we would traverse.
The natural resource contacts often reveal wildlife viewing opportunities that tour companies deliberately keep quiet.
Insider Tips for Overlanding Planning
While most overlanders rely on mainstream navigation tools, my secret weapon is combining multiple specialized resources:
Use Offline Maps and GPS: Cell service can be patchy, so download offline maps ahead of time. Apps like Maps.me and Gaia GPS have saved me more than once.
Connect with Local Overlanders: Facebook groups and forums are goldmines for up-to-date route advice, road conditions, and campsite recommendations.
Carry Spare Fuel and Water: Some hidden gems are far from towns or gas stations. Being prepared keeps the adventure stress-free.
Learn Basic Vehicle Repairs: Knowing how to change a tire or fix a minor engine issue can turn a potential disaster into a simple delay.
Timing Matters: Travel When Others Don’t
Traveling during shoulder seasons or midweek can make a huge difference. Many campsites and attractions get busy on weekends and holidays, but if you time your visits outside those peak times, you’ll have more space and better access.
Rainy season travel, while sometimes tricky, can also mean fewer tourists and lush landscapes. With the right gear and mindset, it’s an incredible time to explore.
The Joy of Slow Travel and Flexibility
One of the best lessons I’ve learned is that overlanding isn’t about rushing from point A to B. It’s about embracing the journey, making unplanned stops, and soaking in the unexpected.
Sometimes, a simple roadside chat leads to a local invite for dinner or a hidden trail no guidebook mentions. Leaving room for spontaneity turns your trip into a story you’ll tell for years.
Travel Like You Mean It: Find Your Own Africa
Discovering Africa’s lesser-known places isn’t just about avoiding crowds — it’s about connecting with the real heartbeat of the continent. Overlanding through Africa’s hidden gems means stepping off the tourist treadmill and into stories that feel personal and alive.
If you’re planning your own Africa overlanding adventure or have questions about specific regions, please leave them in the comments below! I’d love to hear about your experiences with getting off the beaten track in Africa.
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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!
