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The self-drive African safari

Photos and text by Bonny Makarewicz While many prefer to fly between African countries, our group decided a self-drive safari would not only be more affordable but flexible for four self-confessed control freaks First stop -Kruger National Park.
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Photos and text by Bonny Makarewicz

While many prefer to fly between African countries, our group decided a self-drive safari would not only be more affordable but flexible for four self-confessed control freaks

First stop -Kruger National Park. Established in 1898 it is one of the Africa's largest parks and one of seven game parks we will visit over a five-week self-drive tour through South Africa, Namibia and Botswana.

If you are not a morning person, you may want to rehash the African safari, especially if you want to see or photograph wildlife.

We leave the gates daily at 6 a.m. ready for lions, and more and oh my Kruger doesn't disappoint! In our first two days we bag the Big Five - on digital cameras that is. That's, a phrase coined by white hunters to refer to the five most difficult animals in Africa to hunt on foot. It includes the African Elephant, Rhinoceros, Cape buffalo, lion and the leopard.

We encounter our first leopard sighting shortly after diverting around a 15-foot crocodile sunning on the road near Sabi Camp.

In the African safari world a leopard or predator sighting is akin to a 40 cm powder day in Whistler. Like skiers nudging their ski tips ever closer in the lift line, jeeps and trucks jostle for position, protecting every inch of real estate to provide clients with the best and closest vantage point.

For the self-driver who is deprived of radios, elevated open air safari vehicles and history one must rely on good eye-sight for spotting, a driver/friend that doesn't mind being instructed by several back seat drivers and other self-drivers who often stop you to reveal predator sightings.

From Kruger we drive 1,000 km to the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park bordering South Africa, Botswana and Namibia in the Kalahari Desert. Famous for its black-maned lions and the small mammal the meerkat, made famous by Animal Planet's Meerkat Manor, our three-day stay brings a close viewing of large male lion, our only Cheetah sighting and a night stay at the Kalahari tent camp where laughing Hyenas serenade us to sleep.

Entering Namibia we head for the famous sand dunes of Sossusvlei, however, our dreams of cobalt skies contrasted with red earth are dashed as high winds and milky skies greet us instead. Despite the winds we hike the dunes, test our trusty Tucson through the '4x4 only' sand roads and marvel at the ghostly expanse of Deadvlei, a large area of dried white clay punctuated by the skeletons of ancient Camelthorn trees.

At around the 5,000 kilometre mark the air conditioning disappears on the Tucson. To simulate travelling through Etosha National Park without A/C just imagine holding a blowdryer up to your face for several hours. Heat aside; Etosha became one of my favorite spots for its abundance of wildlife and great accommodation.

In camp Okaukuejo, the main attraction is a permanent waterhole, which is floodlit at night. We often strolled down after dinner with a glass of wine to watch wildlife line up for their turn at the watering hole.

At one point we almost pulled the pin on the Botswana portion of our trip thanks to affordability issues. Botswana is known for its highly priced exclusive lodges. But then we found the Thamalakane River Lodge about 19kilometres from Maun. This affordable luxury lodge offered us a base from which to stage day trips to the famous Okavango Delta and the Moremi Game Reserve.

In Maun we traded our trusty Tucson for a 4x4 Toyota Land Cruiser, as the roads in the Moremi and our final game park, the Chobe National Park, are 4x4 only. After three tire punctures we ignore the 4x4 owner's request not to lower the tire pressure and make the nine-hour rough drive through the park to Chobe.

Situated in the far North East corner of Botswana, the area is easy to get to via Victoria Falls and cheaper than the rest of Botswana.

If you love elephants, Chobe is for you. An estimated 100,000 elephants roam the 10,566 square kilometer park.

We fell in love with the affordable Chobe Safari Lodge, $30 sundowner boat cruises and a pride of lions we were fortunate to view on our own on our last day.

It was a perfect end to five weeks - the four of us and three magnificent lions mere metres from the truck-sort of like having Blackcomb Mountain all to oneself.

 

If you go:

• Don't speed! In the Kgalagadi Park we hit a radar trap five minutes before gate closure. The speed limits are there to protect wildlife but hitting an elephant at 70 km/hr wouldn't be good for you either.

• Africa is right-hand drive. To keep you on the right side of the road remember the steering wheel is in the middle of the road. Bring your own GPS and upload African maps before you leave.

• South Africans love to self-drive, therefore many options are available - especially if traveling with kids. If on a budget rent a double cab 4x4 with two top up tents - http://www.drivesouthafrica.co.za/4x4-hire/

• In the park you have to stay in your vehicle. Protruding is also a no-no. Watch your liquid intake because if you're fortunate enough to be 50 metres from a leopard you don't want nature to call.

• Wildlife sightings are posted on maps daily at camp. Check the maps to plan your driving route.

• If travelling to the Dunes there are two gates at Sesriem. The dunes are actually 60 kms from the gates via a paved road. If on a budget camp at the Sesriem Campsite, which is inside the first gate and gains an hour earlier access. If not on a budget stay at the Sossus Dune Lodge, because as it is situated within the park, you will be able to reach Sossusvlei before sunrise, and stay until after sunset.

• In South Africa all our bookings were reserved directly through South African National Parks - http://www.sanparks.org/ . For Namibia and Botswana we booked through Namibian Carbboard Box Travel Shop http://www.namibian.org/ . Make sure you take copies of your vouchers with you. Book prior as space is often limited especially in dry season when wildlife is concentrated near watering holes.

• The rental car was through Avis and our 4x4 rental through http://www.selfdriveadventures.com/ in Maun. You don't' really need a 4x4 for Namibia, but do need to lower your tire pressures.

• Take a travel yoga mat, your favorite yoga mp3 and small speaker. You spend a lot of time in a vehicle so an hour of yoga after lunch will save you mentally and physically.