In the past two years, Footloose has seen an increase in our
tailor-made self-drive trips to Costa Rica and Namibia. Both countries are perfectly
safe to travel around independently, when there are two or more people
travelling together. And even though some may be initially hesitant when we
mention self-drive, people are usually persuaded by the flexibility and
independence a trip like this can offer. You can start the day whenever you want,
stop wherever you want, chat to local people, or just sit in the sun for while.
 |
| Costa Rica Central Highlands |
Most of the Footloose clients who visit Costa Rica fly to
the capitol San Jose, visit the turtles in Tortuguero and then pick up their
4WD car. The standard hire car is a Bego and big enough for two people, whilst
the roomier Rav offers more space for larger groups.
Coming from a country where everyone drives on the left, you
will have to adjust to driving on the right hand side, but many people will have
had some experience on the European continent or in the States.
All the roads are well sign-posted and the drives should not
be longer than around 3 hours a day, depending on the stops and detours you
make. The one major road, the busy Interamericana, from Nicaragua to Panama runs right through
the middle of the country. The only road that can be a bit hairy is the last
stretch up to Montverde in the cloudforest, where you will have to navigate a
few boulders, but as you will be driving a 4WD, this shouldn’t be any problem.
Although the driving instructions you are given are very
clear, good road maps are hard to come by, and a GPS is highly recommended. There
are no exact street addresses, and the locals usually refer to landmarks to
point you in the right direction – and just to make things more confusing they
sometimes refer to landmarks that no longer exist.
 |
| Namibia Landscape |
In Namibia you can either go on a lodge or camping (pop up
tent on the roof) self-drive. Namibia is a lot more rugged and desolate than
Costa Rica, but you drive through amazing scenery. The only surfaced roads are
the ones that link the major towns so for most of the time you will be driving
on dirt roads. Sunglasses are highly recommended because of the glare and you
can spot the big potholes more easily - and driving with open windows is not a
good thing unless you want to be covered in dust at the end of each journey.
The driving distances can be long, but the scenery is
breathtaking and it’s highly likely that you will encounter some wildlife as
well. Ostriches, giraffes and warthogs are the most common ones, but finding
elephant and rhino dung in the middle of the road can also add to the
excitement.
You will always be given a Nissan Hilux 4WD or similar
vehicle, a big beast which will easily cruise over potholes and the sand in
Sossussvlei. In a country like this where you can easily drive for a few hours
without seeing anyone, people always ask what happens if they break down in the
middle of nowhere. Strangely enough, you’re never alone though, because passing
cars will stop and assist you, or someone will appear out of nowhere to see if
you need help. You’ll have been provided with a local mobile phone so there is
24 hour back up.
If you like independence and flexibility, this is a great
way to travel. All your accommodation is booked, so all you have to do is to
turn up at the right place on the right day. Lunch at an interesting roadside
restaurant, a few hours quietly watching wildlife, a walk for a few hours to
see what’s over the hill – all this can be done because you are in charge!
