Camping Guide in Africa- Overland Trips
While camping is not a necessity on a self-drive safari in Africa, it adds some additional thrill to the journey. Cooking your dinner over a campfire at the end of a long day of driving and being lulled to sleep by the sound of barking geckos allows you to connect deeply with nature.
The camping infrastructure in Africa is excellent. All around the country visitors will find managed campsites that are clean and affordable with well-kept amenities. Many wilderness lodges also offer the opportunity to camp overnight on their property. While most campsites come with reasonably clean bathrooms and showers, it is less common to find power outlets. If you need to charge your phone or camera batteries, we highly recommend carrying an inverter to recharge your gear while driving.
- Leave no trace!
- Free wilderness camping is not allowed.
- Never camp in a dry riverbed!
- Always light a campfire.
- Make use of the great camping infrastructure.
- Bring insect repellent.
- Use red lights.
- Plan ahead, and do not wait until it is dark!
- During high season, per-book campsites.
- Brink a warm blanket, it gets cold at night
Ground tents and Roof Top Tents.
Before embarking on your camping trip, you‘ll have to decide if you want to sleep in a regular tent on the ground or stay on top of the car in a rooftop tent. Generally, speaking, most people on a self-drive camping safari through Tanzania, Namibia, Kenya, Uganda opt for the latter. Sleeping atop a car gives you an added sense of security in the wilderness.
At the same time, camping in Africa is safe, even on non-fenced campsites. Most animals do not perceive tents as a taut canvas with people inside but interpret them as large animals or objects. Therefore, an attack is very unlikely. However, make sure to always close the tent zipper properly.
Before you embark on your trip, your car rental agency will give you a briefing on how to put up your rooftop tent. Nonetheless, putting up the tent can be a
bit of a challenge the first couple of times.
However, with some practice, it will soon take only 2-3 minutes. Depending on the roads you have taken during the day, the side of your vehicle might be dusty, resulting in your clothes getting dirty. Do not expect to stay clean when camping in Africa
Overland group expeditions are recommended to travelers who wish to travel as families or with a group of friends for ultimate Africa overland adventure with 4wd Africa.
No Free Wilderness Camping
Be aware that wild camping is forbidden and generally frowned upon in most of Namibia.
However, there is little reason to fret. Countless managed campsites that are both affordable and high-level can be found all over Namibia.
If you do intend to camp in the wilderness, make sure to ask if the locals are ok with
it and you do not trespass on anybody’s land. Never camp in a dry riverbed, as life- threatening flash floods can occur without much warning.
