From Johannesburg to windhoek in 3 weeks

[Wesley H]

Hello fellow travelers, me and my girl and normally backpackers but for this short trip we rented a 4x4 with tent so the plan is to go from johannesburg up to botswana do some parks and go down in namibia to windhoek. Now is the question is it possible in this 3 weeks to do also the kruger park for maybe 2/3 days? What parks or routes are just so beautifull in botswana that you have to drive them? Without 10000 tourists but the real deal africa from 50 y ago? Is walvisbaai NAmibia good to be there? So is this short view of my plan do able in 3 weeks? Thx!!!

[Dave Williams]

Anything is doable if you want to spend most of your time driving. Your given plan is very loose to say the least, if you want advice I suggest you make it a lot more detailed giving stopping places for each day. As you work it out you might realise for yourself just what is involved in terms of distances and driving times.

[xelas]

I think Kruger would be too much. But it depends on your specific itinerary. Real deal Africa from 50 years ago ... is 50 years ago. Time changes everything. Personally if going from Jo'burg to Windhoek and would have 3 weeks (how much is the one-way fee for your rental car? Which company??) I would go via Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, Augrabies , Fish River Canyon, Sossusvlei and Swakopmund.

[Treepol]

@Wesley H I think @xelas is offering good advice.

 

Distances in Africa are so great and some roads are in such poor condition that it can take a long time to drive just a short distance. I don't think you have time to include Kruger and even a side trip through Botswana will keep you on the road and eat into your precious game viewing and sightseeing time. 

 

If you go from JNB to Namibia via KTP you will see a lot of wildlife. I would also suggest that you increase your sightings and spend a few nights at Marrick Farm and take advantage of their very reasonable rates to do night drives for rare nocturnals, a day trip into nearby Mokala NP where there is a healthy rhino population and maybe even a trip to Kamfers Dam for the year round flamingos.

[Wesley H]

4 hours ago, xelas said:

I think Kruger would be too much. But it depends on your specific itinerary. Real deal Africa from 50 years ago ... is 50 years ago. Time changes everything. Personally if going from Jo'burg to Windhoek and would have 3 weeks (how much is the one-way fee for your rental car? Which company??) I would go via Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, Augrabies , Fish River Canyon, Sossusvlei and Swakopmund.

Thx for the advice Xelas! And the one way fee to much actually around 300us$

[Peter Connan]

Many SA self-drivers do a round trip from JHB area to Windhoek (Trans Kalahari Highway, fastest route), then explore northwards through Etosha, past Epupa Falls, through the panhandle (Caprivi strip), to Kasane and back to JHB.

 

This is entirely doable in three weeks, and will give you access to some of the best game viewing in Southern Africa, and to a few areas where you can be relatively alone in pretty un-spoilt wilderness.

 

Do realize that the two factors above are effectively mutually exclusive. Where you can be alone, you will see relatively little game.

 

I have been to most places along this route, but did it in different trips, but can help with specefics.