Zambia to Kenya - 3 weeks

[107swKenya]

Hi all, I'm a long time follower but this is my first time posting.

I live in Northern Kenya on a large conservancy, where we use old and rovers for a lot of our game drives and trips into the bush.

I've bought a special 1950s station wagon that is in chirundu near Lusaka, Zambia. I am flying to lusaka and picking the car in a few weeks and then giving myself 3 weeks to get back to Nanyuki in Kenya.

I'm a seasoned off-roader, know the cars, the terrain and the animals but I do not have local knowledge until the northern half of TZ.

My plan is to drive; Zambia east towards the north of Mozambique and the south west of Malawi. Follow the lake north into Tanzania before finally arriving back home in Kenya.

Im looking for advice on great routes to stunning places, great campsites, Forrest, lakes and good mechanics on the way!

I'm a bushman not a coastie so prefer to be inland. I'm hoping to start by self driving through lower Zambezi national park. Does anyone know if that is possible?

If you don't have info stay tuned for updates.

[Grant Johnson]

Welcome to the HUBB!
I can't help, that's VERY specific knowledge, but I'm sure someone knows.
We all look forward to seeing the info, perhaps a little about your trip too.

[Alanymarce]

In three weeks I'd aim to go initially to SLNP via Luangwa Bridge, then Majete, Mulanje (with a stop in the tea country), Liwonde, Cape McClear, Nkhotankota, Chintheche, Nyika Plateau, Mushroom Farm, Mbeya, Lakeshore Lodge, Katavi, Kigoma, then into the area you presumably know already. That'll take you three weeks if you don't stop long anywhere.

[107swKenya]

Great info, I'll look at those places. Classic question: How are the roads?

[CalDriver]

Originally Posted by 107swKenya

Hi all, I'm a long time follower but this is my first time posting.

I live in Northern Kenya on a large conservancy, where we use old and rovers for a lot of our game drives and trips into the bush.

I'm a bushman not a coastie so prefer to be inland. I'm hoping to start by self driving through lower Zambezi national park. Does anyone know if that is possible?

If you don't have info stay tuned for updates.

Sounds like a great trip! You can drive through Lower Zambezi National Park. Their are two routes, one east and one up the escarpment. Reportedly the road up the escarpment is adventurous/not possible, depending on who you ask. I do believe I read a report of someone doing it this year on the DriveZam FB page.

The road east is supposed to be sort of boring at the Eastern end, but seems much better than doubling back to me.

I second Alanymarce's reccomendation for SLNP (Wildlife camp or Croc Valley or you can bushcamp SW of Mfuwe), Mushroom Farm and Lakeshore Lodge. A good stop in Kigoma is Jacobson's Beach.

Which conservancy? We hope to be up that way in February.

[Alanymarce]

Originally Posted by 107swKenya

Great info, I'll look at those places. Classic question: How are the roads?

Zambia - generally good, although a few places are terrible (Livingstone to Shesheke for example)
Malawi - excellent, however the pedestrian and bicycle population is huge so progress is generally slow/careful. The last part of the road into Nyika Plateau (which forms the border with Zambia for some distance) is soft and fairly deep sand. Many routes have been renewed completely by the Chinese and are excellent.
Tanzania - very varied - the road from Malawi to Mbeya is good, the Great North Road good, although with sections of longitudinal corrugations (in the tar) from truck traffic. Many routes have been renewed completely by the Chinese (and a couple by the USA) and are excellent. In the west and northwest, the roads not yet renewed are fair to poor (the last 100 km to Rwanda is heavily corrugated).