BORDER CROSSINGS IN AFRICA WITH YOUR OWN VEHICLE
- info9147667
- 1 day ago
- 7 min read
Before we begin, there is one thing we want to make very clear:Everything you read here is based solely on our own experiences during our time in Africa. We know that other travellers have had very different experiences – some of them quite difficult. We have heard and read many of those stories. Our reality, however, was different.
To get this out of the way right from the start:We did not have any bad experiences at African borders.Not everything was always fast or perfectly smooth, but for us it was never problematic or unpleasant.
PREPARATION: NOT COMPLICATED, BUT IMPORTANT
Before every border crossing, we took some time to look into the regulations of the next country. Not down to every tiny detail, but enough to know what to expect in general.
One of the main topics is visa regulations.With a German passport, it is possible to enter many African countries directly at the border (Visa On Arrival). The length of stay is often decided on the spot. In some countries, however, an E-Visa is required and must be applied for online in advance.
In Namibia, for example, we were still able to enter on arrival in 2024, but they changed the regulations 2025. You now have to register online in advance and upload various documents.
Depending on the country, there are also different visa options:
Single entry – enter once and exit once
Multiple entry – enter and exit several times within the validity period
Transit visa – if you are only passing through the country
All options differ in price and duration.
It is therefore advisable to briefly familiarise yourself with the entry requirements of each country in advance, as some no longer allow spontaneous entry.
VEHICLE REQUIREMENTS: SMALL DETAILS, BIG IMPACT
In addition to visas, vehicle requirements also play an important role and vary from country to country.
These can include, for example:
two warning triangles (not just one like in Europe)
two fire extinguishers
a left-hand-drive sticker
white reflectors at the front and red reflectors at the back
In Namibia, for example, light bars are not allowed. We simply covered ours before entering the country, which was completely sufficient. And these are only our experiences with our Defender. If you are travelling with a trailer, the situation can be different again.
The required FOREIGN VEHICLE STICKER are available in our shop.
FOOD & IMPORT REGULATIONS: THINGS CAN CHANGE
Another important aspect is what you bring into the country – especially food. A look into the fridge is almost always part of the process. These regulations can change at short notice, for example during outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease.
When we entered Botswana, the rules had changed without us knowing. We had to hand over some of our groceries. That was annoying, of course, but there was no fine and no discussion – just a calm and factual process.
HELPFUL TOOLS ON THE ROAD
Two things helped us a lot when it came to border crossings:
Tracks4Africa Atlas
It provides a very good overview for each country, including entry requirements and the opening hours of border posts.
Click here to learn more about TRACKS4AFRICA
iOverlander app
Extremely helpful when choosing a border post. The differences can be huge:
from very small, quiet crossings staffed by just one person (where, in our case, entertaining Premier League football was playing in the background) to large, hectic borders with lots of truck traffic.
In iOverlander, you can also find up-to-date experiences from other travellers, often including the direction from which they crossed the border.
Click here to learn more about iOVERLANDER
LARGE BORDER CROSSINGS & FIXERS
At larger border crossings, things can get hectic. It helps to stay calm and not let yourself get stressed. Many of these borders are well described in iOverlander, including the order in which you should visit the different offices.
Sometimes you will be approached by so-called fixers. These are people who offer to guide you through all the offices – of course for a fee. It is possible to simply decline their help, but in certain situations using a fixer can actually make sense. At some border posts, you are met with long queues and very little guidance. It is often unclear which forms are required, where to get them, or which counters need to be visited and in what order. Without knowing the process, you may only realise later that a form is missing or incorrect – and then find yourself back at the end of the queue. However, it is not necessary. We experienced both situations and usually handled everything ourselves.
THE BORDER PROCESS – USUALLY SIMILAR
When well prepared, we generally followed this process:
Immigration
exit from the previous country
Customs
stamping the Carnet de Passage
Police Checkpoint
at the border when exiting. This was only the case in Zimbabwe and the process was smooth as well. The police officers were mostly surprised that we had chosen to spend our holidays in Zimbabwe.
Border Crossing
We only encountered two border crossings where both countries shared the same building. This means that you may already drive across the border and then continue the process in the next country.
Health Screening
when returning from yellow fever regions, your vaccination booklet may be checked.
Immigration
in the new country. This is also where you request the type of visa you are applying for. In many cases, officials are quite generous and grant the maximum number of days. However, this is not always the case, and it’s important to keep in mind that there is no general entitlement to this.
We found it helpful to explain which places you plan to visit and how much time you would like to spend exploring them. In most cases, this was well received and often helped.
Customs
stamping the Carnet de Passage and, if applicable, vehicle inspection
Sometimes the vehicle was checked briefly, sometimes not at all. In some countries, you also pay certain fees directly at the border:
road tolls
road taxes
or a local vehicle insurance
Unfortunately, our German insurance valid for Africa was never accepted – for example in Botswana.
PAYMENT & CASH
Most of the time, we were lucky:Card payment was possible at most borders.
Only once – at the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia – there was a power outage. \
We had to exchange cash on the spot in order to pay the fees in local currency. We were shown where to do this directly. The exchange rate was not great, but it worked.
STAYING ORGANISED SAVES NERVES
We always carried all important documents together in one folder:
passport
Carnet de Passage
international driving licence
international vehicle registration
vaccination booklet
proof of insurance
all payment receipts for tolls, taxes, etc.
This made things much easier. No one had to walk back to the car to fetch forgotten documents.
And when exiting a country, it does happen that receipts are checked.
The vaccination booklet was also requested quite often, especially when travelling from or through yellow fever areas.
ADDRESS IN THE DESTIANTION COUNTRY – EVEN FOR OVERLANDERS
Almost every time, we were asked for an address in the destination country. This can be tricky for overlanders. Before crossing the border, we therefore decided how far we wanted to drive and chose a campsite or lodge. We used that address when asked – and it was accepted without any issues.
It is advisable to look up this information on your phone in advance while you are still connected to the local network. We actually had a few situations where our old SIM card stopped working once we had crossed the border and arrived at the border post in the new country.
OUR CONCLUSION
Overall, we have nothing negative to report.Some border crossings were very quick, others took more time. But for us, that is simply part of the experience when you decide to travel this continent.
One piece of advice really stuck with us. When we picked up our vehicle, Duncan – who helps many overlanders ship their vehicles to and from Cape Town – gave us an important tip:
In Africa, many things work differently than in Europe.Some officials
may not know exactly how a Carnet should be stamped.
What really matters is that you have an entry and exit stamp.
And most importantly: never tell someone in uniform how to do their job.
That advice served us very well.
THE MOST IMPORTANT POINTS AT A GLANCE
Keep all important documents ready in one folder(passport, Carnet, driving licence, vehicle registration, vaccination booklet, insurance, payment receipts)
Check entry and visa requirements in advance
Look into vehicle requirements and food regulations
Check opening hours of the border post
Have a physical address in the destination country ready
Carry some cash that can be exchanged if needed
And maybe the most important thing of all:enjoy the experience.
MAKING IT WORTH YOUR WHILE
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Tatjana