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Friday Travel Tips - Southern Africa Travel Tips - Driving Around

Driving yourself on vacation can be one of the most liberating ways of seeing any country.  Your schedule frees up, and you have the opportunity to stop and smell the roses wherever you like.  Southern Africa is certainly a smell the roses kind of place.  Just driving down any highway or main road you're bound to come across wildlife, it could be a monkey bugging tourists at a truck stop, or an elephant crossing the street stopping traffic in both directions. Having the freedom to stop when you see these majestic animals is a great advantage.  However if you choose to drive your own car in Southern Africa there are a few things you should know.

Big cities can be dangerous, car jacking in the big cities is a real and common problem.  If you are driving in the big cities stick to highways as much as possible, and make sure you know exactly where you're going.  You don't want to be stuck in a bad neighborhood as it can lead to real problems. With that you should also make sure your doors are always locked, and never pull over to help other, it's a common scam and can get you into a lot of trouble.

Outside of the cities there are a few problems that come up with driving in Southern Africa.  The first problem comes with road conditions.  Depending on the country you're visiting, sometimes the roads aren't in the best of shape.  For the most part South African roads are OK, as well as the roads in Botswana.  However some countries (and even some areas of South Africa and Botswana) don't have the budget to maintain roads. Because of this 4x4 trucks may be the way to go if you're traveling in certain areas.

Speaking of 4x4s, when it comes to Safaris, 4x4s are often a necessity.  Unless it's marked as a safe drive for two wheel drive cars, assume a 4x4 is needed.  In many cases the park rangers will not let you into the park unless you have a 4x4, however if you happen to sneak your way in, you're in for a lot of potential trouble.  Having said that, even if a road is marked as two wheel drive friendly, the chances of it being a completely smooth ride are slim, and you'll want to drive with caution.

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Friday Travel Tip - SOUTHERN AFRICAN TRAVEL TIPS - VICTORIA FALLS

Victoria Falls is considered to be one of the natural wonders of the world, and for good reason.  The falls is not the highest or longest falls in the world, however it is the biggest.  It was named after Queen Victoria and "discovered" by the very famous explorer Dr David Livingston. The falls sits on the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia with the main viewing area in Zimbabwe. There are several places you can explore the falls on the Zambia side as well, including the terrifying Devils Pools that allow you the opportunity to sit right at the edge of the falls.

There are two seasons for Victoria Falls, wet and dry.  During the wet season the falls are at their full might and dumping millions of gallons of water by the minute.  While the water is at full blast, viewability is low due to the mist coming off the water.  The dry season has a much better view with only small portions blocked by mist, however during this period there are large areas of the falls with little to no water running down.  Both have their advantages and disadvantages, however the falls are epic enough that you'll have a good time either way.  Just make sure to bring a change of clothes if you come on the wet season. As an added note, there are monkeys on the trail at certain portions, and they can at times be aggressive.  Make sure that you don't feed them, and keep hold of your belongings.

The area around Victoria Falls is also a haven for thrill seekers with bungee jumping, giant swings, and some of the worlds most difficult white water rafting.  If you're looking for something a little calmer, a visit to the border bridge between Zimbabwe and Zambia is a fun adventure.  You will need to go to the boarder offices and show your passport, however just tell them that you want to walk the bridge and they don't require that you buy a visa. You will also be inundated with people trying to sell you local art and old currency, they'll talk to you for a while, and then go for the hard sell.  You can say no, and make sure to remind them before you start the conversation that you have no interest in buying anything. The center of the bridge is the real highlight, at this point you can watch the daring folks that want to bungee jump, and you can stand in the small marked area in the middle known as Zim-Zam.  The town of Livingston near the falls offers a few restaurants and tourist shops, but not much else.

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