zim roads

[Tim TDP]

I am scheduled to start the following trip to Zim on Thursday
Reading some recent Zim reports, I am scared of the roads and damage to my car.
Driving a Hilux 4*4 and towing a Bushlapa Boskriek

My trip itinerary is:

Pilansberg
Palapye
Plumtree Border Post
Motobo (Khayelitsha House)
Masvingo (Romelda Retreat Cottage)
Chimanimani (The Treehouse Project)
JuilisDale (Froggy Farm Eco Cabin)
Harare (Boutique On 22)
Chizarira National Park (Mucheni2 campsite)
Mana Pools (Wilderness Ruckomechi)
North Kariba (Hornbill Lodge)
FERRY: Andora Harbour - Mlibizi
Hwange (Little Kapula Camp)
Pandamatenga Border Post
Palapye
Lanseria International Airport

Any advice will be most welcome

 

Thanks

[Johann Groenewald]

Hi Tim,

Is this the sequence in which you will visit the places?

Driving from Harare to Chizarira and then to Mana seems a bit odd to me. You will badically double up on probably the worst sections and Chiz to Mana in a day is a stretch too far in my opinion.

If you could switch to Harare - Mana - Kariba - Chizarira, then you can drive on to Hwange without having to use the ferry.

The road conditions will certainly vary but I find the bad sections slow you down and you dont neccesarily damage your vehicle if you take it easy.

If you plan your days for 5hrs drive time max, then I think you shoukd be fine.

Kind Regards

Johann Groenewald

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[gra...@segaigai.com]

Hi Tim,

              I can’t help with the Zimbabwean roads, but I did drive from Palapye to Kasane last week.  There has been a great deal of rain in eastern Botswana this season, and even on Saturday evening I got caught in a downpour in Gaborone.  (I hadn’t bothered to pack a raincoat as I thought all the rains were over).  The end result is that there are road crews everywhere patching up damage where water has got under the seal; and some of the unpaved roads still have big puddles, though these are shrinking rapidly now. The graders are out on the unpaved roads and working hard.  Even the road to Segaigai Farm is supposed to be getting some attention later this week.

 

From Palapye to Francistown the A1 is in very good condition, excepting a small patch of roadworks near Topisi.  

 

The A3 from Francistown to Nata is under reconstruction.   For most of the way a new highway is being built alongside the old one, but (i) there are construction vehicles going back and forth across the old road; (ii) the old road surface is deteriorating and is being temporarily patched in places;  (iii) there are long stretches with temporary speed limits of 60 km/hr or lower, and police making sure these are adhered to; and (iv)   the construction crews are working hard to make up for lost time, and you can expect delays.  I had to stop 8 times on this leg. The longest delay was only 5 minutes, but cumulatively the Francistown to Nata leg took about an hour longer than normal.

 

The A33 from Nata to Pandamatenga also has long stretches of roadworks. 

 

There is nothing that will damage a car or trailer but you will need to allow extra time on your Pandamatenga to Palapye day.  The reconstruction of the A3 and A33 is a BWP 4 billion project scheduled for completion sometime in 2027, so we will have to expect delays and detours for quite a while yet.  

 

Have a great trip !

 

Graeme

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[Pete]

Hi Tim. We went end-Feb to Mid-March. In these areas:
Masvingo - Chimanimani - Juliasdale - Harare, the roads were great between towns. In towns, and the last few km approaching places to stay, the roads got bad to terrible. But still OK for a Fiat Uno, just go v slowly! I was in a 2wd bakkie.