Overlanding Zambia To Kenya: Backpacking East Africa

The final stretch of an epic African adventure

After three weeks backpacking South Africa and then surviving a cramped minivan through Mozambique and Mugabe’s chaotic Zimbabwe, I rolled into Victoria Falls – feeling a little weary feeling pumped at the same time as I was ready to switch trucks and join 15 new faces for the final three‑week push up to Nairobi.

If the past five weeks were anything to go by, the next three were going to be wild. Even better, my brother had just arrived in Vic Falls too, finishing his own African adventure. The final leg, we’d do together.

Vic Falls: Beers, Introductions & Becoming “Doris”

We had a night out in Vic Falls getting to know our new crew, including our driver Matt (a funny Aussie who’d spent a decade driving tourists around Africa) and Jo, our Kiwi guide.

Most of the group were Aussies, so the vibe was instantly good.

The next morning, we crossed into Zambia, where immigration couldn’t understand my name and decided to book me in as “Doris.” Not sure why they didn’t just copy my passport, but Doris it was.

We camped in Choma that night, where local kids came running over to dance around our truck as we blasted music while dinner cooked. Later we played volleyball against some older locals – and got absolutely destroyed. But the smiles were huge, and the welcome was warm.

New Year’s Eve: Houseboat Fun on Lake Kariba

New Year’s Eve was set for a houseboat party on Lake Kariba. Another overland truck was joining us, so we decided to dress up.

The Choma market didn’t offer much, so we ended up in netball outfits. I then had the genius idea of writing African city names across the dresses in permanent marker:

Doris Salaam (Dar es Salaam)
Lill Ongwe (Lilongwe)
Lou Saka (Lusaka)
Joanne Esberg (Johannesburg)

A crowd gathered as a bunch of white backpackers stripped down in the market, trying on netball dresses and scribbling city names across their chests. We definitely left a mark on Choma.

Back on the boat, the party kicked off – potent homemade punch, epic food, loud music, and nothing but lake and stars around us. It went on until the early hours.

Crocodiles, Bribes & The Road to Malawi

The next few days were heavy driving:

A stop at a crocodile farm with 75,000 crocs
A quick look at Lusaka, Zambia’s capital
Our driver bribing a policeman who claimed he had the wrong papers
Crossing into Malawi
Passing through Lilongwe, Malawi’s capital

Eventually we reached Kande Beach on Lake Malawi – our home for a few days.

Kande Beach: Football, Community & A Brutal Health Reality

Kande Beach was incredible – golden sand, chilled vibes, and some of the friendliest village kids I’ve ever met.

We played an 11‑a‑side football match against them on a pitch that was 90% sand, had tree stumps sticking out of the ground, and goals made of sticks.

Africa‑style football.

We lost 2–1 to a last‑minute winner, but it was an incredible experience to be able to mix with locals.

We visited their school – 100 kids per class, barely any teachers – and the local hospital, where one exhausted doctor claimed he saw 400 patients a day and delivered 40 babies a month. Whether the numbers were exact or not, the reality was clear: Malawi’s health system is stretched beyond belief.

At the market, locals sold beautiful hand‑carved wooden art. They preferred trading clothes over cash, so I swapped a couple of T‑shirts for carved animals and coasters. Best deal I’ve ever made. And probably the same for them.

Matt, our driver, shared some harrowing stories from his decade on the road – robberies, murders, violent attacks, tourists ambushed in the Ugandan jungle in 1999. A stark reminder of how desperation and poverty can collide. We even got news that an Australian tourist had been killed in Victoria Falls, the day after we left.

But I also saw a different kind of wealth – deep community, genuine happiness, people who live without the stress and noise of Western life. It made me question who’s really rich and who’s really poor.

Tanzania: Washed out roads & Highway Safaris

After leaving Malawi, we crossed into Tanzania – straight into chaos. A flash flood had washed away the tarmac, leaving a two‑mile queue of vehicles stuck in thick mud. No officials, just locals shouting directions and trucks spinning wheels.

I’m not sure who Matt paid or what magic he worked, but suddenly we were jumping the queue. Our beast of a truck ploughed through the mud like it was butter.

The main highway cuts right through Mikumi National Park, so we saw elephants, zebra, giraffe, monkeys and warthogs right by the roadside. Only in Africa.

Eventually we reached Dar es Salaam, the gateway to Zanzibar.

Zanzibar: Motorbikes, Spice Markets & Freedom

Zanzibar has a long, tangled history – Portuguese traders, British rule, slavery, spices, and now a predominantly Muslim island with a rich Arabic influence.

We stayed in Stone Town, a maze of crumbling colonial buildings, spice markets, narrow alleys and stunning beaches just minutes away.

A few of us hired motorbikes and rode around the entire island – 89km long, 39km wide -stopping at jaw‑dropping beaches like Nungwi and Kiwengwa. Riding past turquoise water with the wind in my hair was one of the purest feelings of freedom I’ve ever had while travelling.

Ngorongoro Crater: The Best Safari Of The whole Trip

Leaving Zanzibar, we were lucky enough to get a clear view of the majestic snow-capped Mount Kilimanjaro as we drove north.

Then came Ngorongoro Crater – a collapsed volcano, two million years old, now home to 25,000 animals. The crater walls rise 400–600 metres, and the grassy plains below are teeming with wildlife.

Our game drive was unreal – almost every African animal imaginable, roaming freely right in front of us. No leopard, no cheetah, but everything else. Hands down the best safari of my entire five weeks in Africa.

Kenya: Lions at Lunch & The Final Goodbye

Crossing into Kenya, we visited Lake Naivasha and Lake Nakuru, where we finally got close to lions – a pride had just killed a zebra and were tucking in a few metres from our truck. Watching nature unfold like that was unforgettable.

After a couple of nights in Nairobi, it was time for goodbyes.

Two months overlanding through southern and eastern Africa. Three weeks from Zambia to Kenya that blew my mind. Dancing kids in Choma, football at Kande Beach, motorbikes on Zanzibar, Ngorongoro’s wildlife – experiences that sit right at the top of my travel life.

For the second time in 18 months, after another sabbatical, it was time to head home and figure out life again.