Self-Drive Tours in Southern Africa

Self Drive Tours

A self-drive holiday through South Africa, Namibia or Eswatini offers an unforgettable blend of adventure, flexibility, and pure freedom. Exploring at your own pace allows you to fully immerse yourself in the landscapes, wildlife, and culture of Southern Africa—creating lasting memories and stories you’ll share for years. Browse through our selection of curated self-drive tours below, or get in touch with us directly. We’d be delighted to help you plan a journey that reveals the true magic of self-driving in this spectacular region.

Self-drive tours are ideal for travellers who appreciate independence and enjoy taking the road less travelled. At African Travel Gateway, each itinerary is created with the adventurous, free-spirited traveller in mind. If you love being able to pull over for a photo, spend extra time at an interesting attraction, or take a scenic detour, a self-drive itinerary offers exactly that kind of freedom. We handle all the planning in advance—routes, accommodation, activities, and car hire—so all you need to do is arrive, pick up your pre-booked rental vehicle, and start exploring.

These holidays are also a cost-effective way to discover Southern Africa. Our itineraries are carefully structured to showcase key highlights while keeping daily driving times to a comfortable minimum. This means more time enjoying your holiday and less time spent on long stretches of road. To make your journey even easier, we provide approximate travel times and distances between each destination, helping you plan your days with ease. And if your trip includes wildlife reserves or national parks accessible only by 4×4, there’s no need to worry – we can either book you a 4x4 vehicle or you can simply park your rental car and join the guided experiences we’ve arranged for you. With all logistics taken care of, you’re free to enjoy every moment of your self-drive adventure.

Learn more about:
Advantages of Self-Drive in South Africa
Accommodation used on a Self-Drive Tour
Cars We Use on a Self-Drive Tour
Navigation on a Self-Drive Holiday
Drivers Licenses & Safety when Self-Driving in South Africa

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Ali Bararsani

22 January 2026

I had a bucket list trip. African Travel Gateway is first class all the way. I travel extensively. +/- 100,000 miles for business & pleasure in 2025. I live in Los Angeles & wanted to plan a trip of a lifetime for my girlfriend ( as a surprise birthday present in September 2025 ) I worked directly with Lize Enderstein through the entire booking/travel process. She was delightful. Personable. Communicated in a timely manner in spite of 10-11 hour time difference with Los Angeles. There was a hiccup on our trip at Mostwari Game Reserve ( i.e., hot air balloon ride that had to be canceled due to bad weather ). Balloon ride was scheduled for January 2. Lize communicated me real-time on New Years Day & worked with me to process refund for that portion of the trip. The attention to detail that Lize & African travel gateway provided was impeccable. Top notch. They will be my "go to" travel agency for any & all trips to African continent on a going forward basis. Go Lize!

Driss Moumni

30 December 2025

We had an absolutely incredible experience working with Petru at African Travel Gateway. Our two-week trip (South Africa, Botswana, Namibia & Zimbabwe) was truly once-in-a-lifetime, with memories we’ll cherish forever. Everything went smoothly from start to finish. Botswana was the clear highlight of the trip. The sheer quantity and variety of wildlife we saw was amazing, and the standard of the safari lodges — especially Moremi Game Lodge — exceeded our expectations. We really felt we benefited from Petru’s experience when it came to selecting the right safari lodges, striking a balance between comfort, amenities, and overall value for money. Petru was incredibly attentive and thoughtful in putting this trip together, especially on fairly short notice, and it really showed. We were also very glad not to have to deal with booking flights, transfers, and activities ourselves — having everything seamlessly organized made the entire journey much more relaxing. Highly recommended!

William McCormack

20 November 2025

I cannot say enough about the service received from African Travel Agent Petru. From beginning to end it was excellent. The detail and the professionalism is to be attained by others. Ive had 3 trips over number of years and each time I am delighted with the engagement, suggestions, etc and most importantly the trips we highlights to me. Ive recommended Petru to friends and those who did reach out were also very pleased. I highly recommend this agent and company. Till we engage again, Thank you Petru and continue delivering a top service.

Guy Hudson

20 November 2025

We’ve been booking through African Travel Gateway for over 25 years now and honestly, they’ve never dropped the ball once. They have looked after us for ages and just get what works for our family. This last trip we took the three kids (11, 9 and 6) to South Africa – Cape Town, a few nights camping in the Karoo, and then Kruger. They put the whole thing together perfectly: nothing felt rushed, everything suited the kids, and the logistics were completely painless. Cape Town was great fun (Table Mountain, penguins, the works). The Karoo nights were something else – massive sky full of stars, big campfire, total peace and quiet the kids still go on about. And Kruger… wow. We saw the Big 5 – lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, rhino – plus heaps of giraffe, zebra and everything else, pretty much every single drive. The guides were brilliant with the children and kept everyone safe. Everything just worked – flights, transfers, the lot. They checked in along the way and tweaked little things when we needed. Proper personal service. If you’re thinking of taking kids to South Africa, we can’t recommend African Travel Gateway enough.

Pierre Boucher

30 September 2025

A heartfelt thank you to Bianca for arranging our unforgettable journey through South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Botswana. Everything went smoothly from start to finish, and your attention to detail made all the difference. Alex and I enjoyed every moment — from the breathtaking landscapes to the incredible wildlife and the welcoming people we met along the way. It was truly the trip of a lifetime, and we are so grateful for all the care and effort you put into making it perfect. With sincere appreciation,

Jon Son

02 September 2025

Very bad service

Mark Montague

04 August 2025

We had a wonderful time visiting South Africa, Zimbabwe and Botswana. We had a party of 10, including 4 grandchildren ages 10 and 8 and everything went beautifully. Lize did a great job helping us plan the itinerary, booking flights within Africa and identifying the best lodging and camps for us to visit. We saw the Big 5 on two separate days and also saw African wild dogs. Each of our camps in Sabi Sands, Victoria Falls and Moremi Game Reserve had a distinct style but all were welcoming and comfortable and animals proliferated. We would definitely use African Travel Gateway if we return to Africa. Thanks Lize!

Andrew Beardmore

18 July 2025

Working with Lize, we crafted our second fully customized self-drive adventure through Southern Africa - this time in Northern Namibia. The itinerary was a perfect blend of rugged campsites and luxurious lodges. Lize’s expert knowledge and thoughtful advice were invaluable, everything was planned to perfection. We had the most incredible time, experiencing so much of what this stunning region has to offer, yet it feels like we’ve only just scratched the surface. We can’t wait for our next adventure!

TJ Hefele

11 July 2025

We had an amazing trip! Petru did an outstanding job putting everything together for us! Truly couldn't imagine having a better experience. We are incredibly thankful!

gary afford

13 June 2025

Just returned from a safari with my partner and 2 friends. 3 countries South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana. We stayed at Wilderness camps, accommodation and service was great and the wildlife sightings were excellent. All the arrangements and connections went like clockwork, Thanks again Lize from ATG.

Michael Sump

13 June 2025

We had a wonderful trip to Africa with everything arranged by Bianca Gersbach. She was extremely attentive to our wishes, and we couldn't have asked for a better experience. We wanted a full overview for our first trip to Africa, and we received it. We went on Safari in 3 countries: South Africa, Botswana, and Zimbabwe. We saw so many animals! But that wasn't all, we had a delightful visit to the South African wine country, and deep-dive experiences in both Cape Town and Johannesburg. The township tours and trip to the Apartheid Museum really opened our eyes. At times, Bianca knew what we wanted better than we did. She insisted that we'd enjoy the Okabango Panhandle, and we did! It was magical. A real highlight. A less engaged travel consultant might have let me make a suboptimal choice. We also enjoyed several days in Victoria Falls. I can't praise Bianca and African Travel Gateway enough. We will certainly use them again when we decide to return, and we will return. Once is not enough!

Jim Campbell

01 May 2025

We asked for a holiday of a lifetime for my wife's birthday ... and Lize Enderstein and ATG certainly delivered!!! We could not have experienced such a magnificent trip without all Lize's organisation and planning. It was an absolute dream! So much so, we're looking to visit again and will certainly be using Lize for our next adventure. Nothing was too much trouble and all the planning made everything work so very smoothly. We felt like royalty throughout our trip with all sorts of birthday surprises already booked at every location. Incredible!!! We are so very grateful for everything Lize arranged and can't thank her enough and would heartily recommend Lize and ATG. Jim and Melanie xxx

Teresa Harrison

29 January 2025

I have been using African Travel Gateway for about 30 years and not once have they let me down. My travels have been varied, visiting different countries and cultures in Africa, but with their help, it is always a magic carpet ride. Lize has been my contact for many years, and the intineries devised have been spectacular. She really understands our requirements and goes the extra mile to ensure all is OK. This time, we visited South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Botswana. Everything was amazing. Our highlights, however, were La Fontaine in Franshoek and Camp Xakanaxa in the Okavango Delta in Botswana. We HIGHLY recommend African Travel Gateway

Debbie Isaacs

21 January 2025

We used African Travel again for the second time over Xmas and New Year. Once again, every little bit of our trip ran smoothly and without a hitch. Their communication was great throughout and we will, no doubt, be returning to them in the future too. Thanks Petru.

Daniel Stewart

08 January 2025

We had the most amazing time on our self drive tour of Namibia organised through African Travel Gateway. Everything from the planning and booking process, to the arrival and welcome in Windhoek, to the app with the itinerary and directions made for a really relaxed and well organised holiday. But the most important part was getting to experience Namibia - what a spectacular country! The only negative was that we should have booked for longer!

Self Drive Tours

10 Day South Africa Self-Drive Tour

11 Day South Africa Self Drive Tour

12 Day South Africa Self-Drive Tour

16 Day Best of Namibia Self Drive Tour

16 Day Namibia, Chobe and Victoria Falls Self-Drive Tour

4 Day Eswatini Self-Drive Tour

5 Day Eswatini Highlights Self-Drive Tour

7 Day Eswatini Self-Drive Safari

7 Day South Africa Self-Drive Tour

7 Day Southern Namibia Self-Drive Tour

8 Days South Africa Self Drive Tour

Self Drive South Africa in 14 Days

Your Safari Planning starts here.

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