Nissan Patrol 4x4 (Africa)

This will be a quick dash across the border to do Hunters road in Botswana.

Hunters road - min 5 days required

This trip can be doen as a one way on Hunters road or a return on the same road.

Meet at Martinsdrif border post(or Scheerpoort)

Drive to Elephant sands as Hunters road begins/ends just after Elephant sands.

Drive on Hunters road to Kasane as Hunters road begins/ends here next to Senyati Lodge.

Driving it one way will make it possible to enter the Chobe as well for a one day Game drive and boat trip as an option.

Hunters road itself is wild camping so no cost.

Elephant sand P100 pp camping
Senyati Lodge P200 pp camping

Martins drift tot Hunters road (Elephant Sands) 515km - teerpad
Martins drift tot Hunters road (Senyati lodge) 745km - teerpad

Hunters road aprx 230km - 4x4 wild camping

Interested

1. Craigh
2. Iandvl
3. Errol

2. Iandvl

Im quite tempted, however, how much current info do we have on the route?

A post in July 2018 on 4x4community about the route:
"Just got back - did Hunter's Rd from Senyati area south and made it about 30kms north of Pandamatenga before we came across 4 armed BDF guys who told us to immediately go to the tar road and that we were not allowed on Hunter's Road."

and November 2018:
"Called in at the Wildlife Services in Phanda in August to get information they told us that Troops had been deployed on Hunters Road due to an increase in Poaching and that no travelers were being allowed to use the road. If you get through without being stopped you are just plain lucky"

And I know of other people that recently drove it, unfortunately that is the risk one takes.

That is also the reason I want to plan around Senyati lodge as this would allow us to enter the Chobe for game drive as well as do a trip on the river.

So if we fail to drive Hunters due to unforseen circumstances we still do a very beatiful part of Bots and get to see Chobe, I might even see if I can doe another route that will then include some wild camping....

I will only start planning if there is enough interest

Sounds like a plan!

That Chobe area is my absolute favorite place.
I'll have a think and a chat to the boss before I commit here

I'm keen to take a chance at driving the road, we might get lucky. Being turned around wont be great but in that case i think the idea of a "plan b" is a good one.

I did 1/3 Hunters Road from Chobe Exit beneath Pandamatenga to Elephant sands in December. That road has not been driven probably for month. We saw 2 female Lions laying in the road, the took a few steps into the bush and disappeared. We did pass 2 Ford Rangers from GP and that was all. That is possibly the loneliest place I have driven in a while but from animal reactions it is clear that poaching and other activity is quite busy there, might feel lonely but one never knows what is in the bush 5 steps in. In my opinion as well as info from Tracks 4 African and 4x4 Community I dont think Camping is advisable due to possible military patrolling and reality of poaching. The Part I drove was in all sense a highway for the Patrol (just watch for huge holes dug by elephants ) With a few short stretches of overgrown parts.

My old man and I are keen on an attempt at the ole hunters road. We have had a few mates that have done it recently and 1 that was turned around by the BDF... I think that maybe the safest route would be to attempt it from the north? Start near kasane doing the chobe first either by drive or by river and then the hunters raod last.... that way if we get turned off we can do a de tour past the pans or by elephant sans which is a great place to explore by 4x4 n our way bacK to SA..

Just my 2 cents what do you guys think

That sound like a plan as well, no reason why we have to do it from bottem to top, also means the initial driving is all tar which is quicker do the Chobe which is not a vehicle breaker making it a nice overland trip and then we do Hunters as a "bonus".

Meks it more family friendly as it will definately hield some good game viewing and a boat trip. Elephant sands always seem to deliver on the Ellies and on good food.

We need to get the ball roling on dates and acomodation for this one