When you decide to go on a road trip in an African country, there are two ways to do it: hire an expert guide, or set off in self-drive mode.
If you want to travel self-drive (and, let’s be honest, it’s the best choice), we’ve created a practical, quick guide packed with tips tested firsthand by the Sto Gran Tour team in the field over years of experience—useful for anyone planning to travel to one of Southern Africa’s countries and take on the challenge of driving there.
Driving in Africa: useful tips for beginners
1) Check your vehicle
It may sound obvious, but it isn’t: before you leave, check your vehicle thoroughly from top to bottom to make sure it has all the spare parts and equipment you need for the trip. Spare wheels, spark plugs, fluids, a tow rope, straps, and a shovel to dig yourself out of the sand. If you’re planning a long expedition that includes plenty of dirt-road sections, you’ll also need jerry cans for extra fuel. Secure them to the roof rack (they look cool up there, and if something leaks or breaks, you won’t fill the car with diesel).
2) Satellite phone and GPS
In natural parks, there is one certainty: your phone will never have signal. Buying or renting a good satellite phone could be an excellent investment. In an emergency, the only way to contact the nearest gate or town is often by using satellite minutes. A practical way to avoid ever needing help is to equip yourself with a good GPS and local maps: forget about using Google Maps—this time it won’t help you. In most cases, Google doesn’t show the dirt tracks inside parks, which are often washed away during the rainy season and then gradually re-formed by passing vehicles. If you don’t want to get lost, GPS is the way!
3) Fuel, food, and water supplies
It’s always a good idea to fill up whenever you find a station with fuel available. But if you plan to head far from civilization and perhaps spend days crossing national parks, get used to the idea that you won’t always find gas stations. That’s why you’ll need to calculate the distance to cover and the fuel required, keeping in mind that cars consume more on dirt roads and sand. One full tank will most likely not be enough. Fill your jerry cans, and if that still won’t be enough, buy extra metal fuel cans.
Likewise, you won’t find supermarkets either. Make sure you stock up on food and water.
4) Fording a river
During the rainy season and shortly after, some gravel and dirt roads turn into real temporary swamps. You may have to cross one—or ford a river. In these cases, the first thing to do is check the water depth: bring long sticks and boots. As well as checking the water level, test the riverbed to understand whether there are deep holes or heavy mud. Only cross if you are truly sure the vehicle can make it through, or you’ll get stuck.
5) Speed limits and animals
Respecting speed limits is essential, even more so when large animals could suddenly appear on the road at any moment. In parks, for this very reason, vehicles are usually not allowed to exceed 40 km/h.
6) Driving on sand
During your trip, you will definitely—and often—find yourself driving on sand. To avoid getting stuck after just a few meters, deflate your tires before starting the sandy section, lowering tire pressure to between 0.4 and 1.4 atmospheres. This helps the vehicle handle soft terrain better and prevents it from sinking. Keep in mind that sandy tracks are usually easier to drive in the morning and evening, when cooler temperatures make the ground more compact and reduce the chances of getting bogged down. Move as smoothly and steadily as possible, keep to low gears and high revs, but avoid sudden acceleration. Shift down before deep sand or small climbs, again to reduce the risk of getting stuck!
7) Ruts on straight tracks
When driving along a straight sandy track marked by ruts, let the vehicle follow the ones offering the least resistance. Anticipate turns as much as possible and turn the steering wheel slightly earlier than you would on a paved road, then accelerate gently as you come out of the bend.
8) Differential
If you didn’t already know, the differential allows the two driven wheels to rotate at different speeds when cornering. Through a set of gears, the differential sends the same amount of torque to the drive wheels regardless of their rotational speed, which may differ in a turn between the inner and outer wheel. When should you use it?
9) Low-range gears
Low-range gears are used to provide better handling and traction on off-road routes, especially on sections where you need plenty of power and stability, such as uphill climbs.
Let’s do a quick refresher on how they work: when you engage low range (usually with a lever near the gear stick), you also activate the second set of gears, and the ratio between the gearbox’s revolutions and the wheels is reduced. This mechanism increases power while reducing speed. In short, if you engage low range, you can practically climb walls. That’s the gist of it.
10) Winch
You won’t use the winch every day (hopefully). But even if you use it just once, that will be the moment you’re grateful you have it. Picture the situation: you’re stuck in the mud, the wheels are spinning, and there’s no way to get moving again. That’s when the winch comes to the rescue. A winch is a motorized system that, thanks to a steel cable and hook, can help pull the vehicle it’s mounted on back onto solid ground after it has become stuck or bogged down. You’ll need to “unroll” the cable, hook it to a strong fixed anchor point (such as a tree), and activate the motor, which rewinds the cable and pulls the 4x4 forward with it.
11) Tire blowout
If a tire blows out, do not brake, otherwise you may lose control of the vehicle, which could begin to spin. Keep going as steadily as you can and let the vehicle slow down on its own before you start braking.
12) Radiator mesh guard
If you need to cross areas with tall grass, make sure to attach a protective mesh in front of the radiator (most vehicles usually have one). Seeds and grass can get into the radiator, causing the engine to overheat and potentially even start a fire.
13) Steering and braking
Avoid sudden steering movements on gravel roads, otherwise you risk losing control of the vehicle. If the rear wheels begin to skid, steer gently in the direction of the skid until you regain control. If the front wheels skid, hold the steering wheel firmly and steer in the opposite direction.
Now that we’ve shared all our driving secrets with you, here’s something even more important: Sto Gran Tour organizes self-drive trips in some of the most beautiful countries on the African continent. And the good news is: you can join us.
Take a look at all our destinations:
- Namibia: https://stograntour.com/it/travel/namibia
- Botswana: https://stograntour.com/it/travel/botswana
- South Africa: https://stograntour.com/it/travel/sudafrica
