Should you self drive in national parks in southern Africa or stay in an expensive luxury safari lodge? In this a great article in the Melbourne Herald Sun author Tony Park discusses the benefits of combining both:
“One of the great things about travelling in South Africa, in particular, is that it is incredibly easy and affordable to do a self-drive holiday. Major national parks are accessible by two-wheel drive and car hire is, like most things, much cheaper than Australia.
Still, travel agents and magazines will have you believe the best way to do Africa is in the lap of luxury, in a 5-star safari lodge where you’ll be chauffeur-driven from animal to animal in an open-top Land Rover. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, far from it …
The ideal solution, I reckon, is a bit of both. Organise to see some of South Africa on your own, on the cheap, and then treat yourself to a night or two of luxury at the end to recharge, fatten up and tick off any animals you haven’t seen.”