Having crossed into Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, back into Botswana and then returning to South Africa, we were pretty well versed on all the cross-border costs, red tape and food restrictions. Having said that, these rules sometimes change and should be researched thoroughly before planning your journey.
• Use the Tracks4Africa distance/time guide, but add time for average convoy speed, border crossings, refuelling, pit stops, etc. Border crossings for five vehicles took anything from 45 to 90 minutes (Pandamatenga into Zimbabwe at least 90 minutes). The Mata Mata crossing into Namibia also proved administratively slow.
• A route plan that everybody is familiar with before departure is a must. Tracks4Africa on the Garmin backed-up with detailed physical maps are essentials.
• Regarding food, the rule of thumb is, Namibia: no raw…