Nissan Patrol 4x4 (Africa)

Ek vra om verskoning vir die ouens wat die al gelees het op 'n ander forum.

Ons beplan om in Oktober die Kruger Lebombo Eco roete te gaan ry, maar ek was bietjie geskok om te sien dat hulle ons R8600 vra vir 5 dae/4 nagte en jy moet nog alles self verskaf. Dit beteken R1720 per dag om begelei te word van die Suide tot Noorde van die park.

My vraag is aan die mense wat al die roete gery het. Is dit die geld werd of moet ek liewers iets anders gaan doen.?

Ek mag dalk suinig klink maar dit is werklik nie die geval nie. Ek wil maar net weet dat ek waarde vir my geld gaan kry. Vir daai geld kan mens darem lekker lank kamp by ander plekke.

Ek stem saam dit kos baie duur!

Hi Bernard that R8600 how many people is that for? If that is per person I think it's expensive but if that is for the vehical it could work out not to bad. If you have a look at these self drive tours to Angola ect that are not cheap either. I think what needs to be considered is that you have the reserve to yourself with your own personel ranger

Ian it's for the vehicle. I still think it's a bit overpriced. It's not as if you are going to some exotic location where hardly any tourist have been or will go again. As far as I know the selfdrive tours to places like Botswana etc costs about the same per day but then you get fed 3 meals a day and they do the accommodation. You have to use your own vehicle and fuel.

Anyway, I am just trying to get some opinions as I haven't written off the idea. I just don't want to end up disappointed afterwards.

Bernard - As jy met die Oktober weer kan saamleef, doen n "Self drive" na MANA Poele .. Dis n GROOT een daai en meer wilde as Lebombo kan wees. [as jy genoeg tyd het, doen Kariba boot ook, EN kom via Kazangulu of Vic Valle terug, besoek die valle [is mos alrtd mooi, Vang dan via Kasane / Chobe Ngoma grens in Caprivi in, dwdle af met Caprivi, swaai af na Mohembo grens MAAR vertoef eers by Mahangu Lodge, besoek Mahangu wildtuin, [moenie Popa Valle mis nie] en dan deur in Botswana in .. Oornag by Tshodilo Hills, doen die staproete en kyk na duisende rotstekeninge.
Dan is dit KANG Ultra oornag en laaste trek huis toe.. En jy het so tussen 7 en 10 duisend erre se brandstof uitgery
[is my plan vir ek en Dwergie se anniversary volgende jaar ..

Lebombo is run by Sanparks. Other similar trails are run by private concessionaires such as 'Do Limpopo'
Both are quite pricey, as already noted. More on that below.

The one we went on in April last year was the Luvuvhu trail, which covered the Letaba Ranch and Makhuya park (both adjacent to the Kruger - on the Western side).
I have not done Lebombo, but have heard the one criticism being that it may at times feel like a trip in which you do border control on behalf of Kruger management. I.e. basically driving along the fence between the Kruger and Moz.

Generally, and this applied to the Luvuvhu trail as well, do not do this expecting good game viewing.
There is a certain degree of exclusivity you get from these trips, and adventure. But game is thin.
In part, it is because of poaching. E.g. I am convinced that there is a lot of hunting happening in Makhuya park. The little game we did see were very skittish. Akin to that of a hunting farm.
The concessionaires would not admit to this, but if you go to Google images and search of Makhuya park, you will see lots of trophy hunting images!
In the case iif Lebombo, I woudl expect the same. Or rather that the Moz side of the transfrontier park area would be more prone to general poaching. Not just Rhinos.

There are other options too. Some more adventurous and others more 4x4 technical.
The one I am keen on doing is the five river trip. Not done by Sanparks. It requires five difficult river crossings and technical terrain and cannot be done with a trailer.

Your camping gear needs to be very comprehensive to make it a fun trip. Else it may be tough on the kids.
If you go without a trailer, like me, it is also a physically exhausting endeavour. Packing up and getting everything on top of the roof to make the departure time... Departure time is set with a reason. You still want enough time at your destination before dusk. My preference would be a trip in which I can stay over an extra day at each destination point. But time is on no-one's' side.

In terms of price and value, 'Do Limpopo' is slightly cheaper than the San parks organised trips. But only marginally.
I do not think it is bad value. It is the only way you can get access to the areas you will get access too.
It does, however I think depend on what you want to get out of it.
For me it is about getting a unique experience of the bush that is otherwise not accessible. That makes is worthwhile.

We enjoyed the Luvuvhu trail, but I would also not do it again.
I would do similar trips though, but Lebombo is not the first on my list.

http://www.sanparks.co.za/parks/kruger/ ... otrail.php
http://www.dolimpopo.com/4x4-eco-trail/ ... -eco-trail

Whichever trail you are driving, make sure you have proper 4x4 insurance for your recovery - unless you are driving a Patrol of course (and not a hand grenade at that).

Would you maybe interested in this one?


Secrets of the Shingwedzi – Limpopo NP (Mozambique)


Join us on this 4 Night/5 Day wilderness adventure, starting at Crooks Corner in the Kruger National Pafuri Border Post, then heading along the Limpopo to Mapai, at which point we enter the Limpopo National Park, our home for the next 4 nights.

Our first night is spent Camping at Mamba Pan Campsite, where we will entertain you around the campfire and give a bit more details of what to expect along the route. The next day, we make our way deep into the Sandveld, along snaking jeep tracks, to our next stop, Mamboreni Pan. this exclusive campsite is in a true wilderness setting, and we need to carry all our own supplies, including water. The site is most spectacular, with abundant birdlife, and at certain times of the year, a great gathering Place for various species of Wildlife, most notably the buffalo.

After a night at Mamboreni, we will enjoy a good bush breakfast, before packing up, and heading south, Stopping for lunch at the very impressive Ngwenya Cliffs along the Shingwedzi River, before continuing to our next overnight spot at Mbona-Kaya. Perched on a highground, overlooking the Shingwedzi river, we will enjoy Sundowners and stories around the fire. Those that have the energy are also invited to join us for a walk down to the river, where we are bound to see Bushbuck up close.

Our Last full Day together sees us continuing southwards, through the Mopani veld and back onto the top of the mighty Lebombos, where we will spend the night camped out near the Giriyondo Border post. Tonight, if we are lucky we should hear the lions call.

The final leg of the journey sees us leaving Mozambique, via the inter-park border post located at Giriyondo, and we make our way on to Letaba Camp in the Kruger National Park, where we will enjoy a meal together before saying our goodbyes. Those prefering to continue their holiday in Mozambique can also break away at this point and head towards Massingir, from where one can join the road to Maputo or Xia-Xia

We require a minimun of two vehicles (max 4 Pax per vehicle) to go ahead with this tour. Departures every Thursday, unless arranged otherwise

Cost: R5995.00 Per Vehicle (Self Catering – max 4 per vehicle, R175.00 per person extra) or R7495.00 (Fully Catered – 2 to a vehicle, R450 per additional adult)

Cost includes park entrance fees (Excluding Kruger Park), all camping and accomodation, guide fees, two way radios for communication.

A three day extension is possible as a prequel to this trip, exploring some lesser know secrets of the northern Kruger.

Hi Dirk

This is probably OT, and we are hijacking the original poster's thread, but I have Just a few questions:

Have you got a period booked yet?
Who are the people running with this one (and the guide)
Do they allow kids under 12
Some of us (us more specifically) have three kids, so five people in the car. So how flexible are they?

Thanks

@Oompie Mac

Zim sien my nie weer nie. Hulle polisie en kamp amptenare het die plek vir my versuur. Die res van jou trippie klink na 'n lekker een. Het jy dalk 'n "support" voertuig nodig?

@ Alex & Dirk

You guys really know how to throw a spanner in the works. Now I'm even more confused than before.
That Luvuvhu trail really looks more exciting than the Lebombo one. I noticed that they have some other nice trails as well.

The Shingwedzi trail also looks like one for the bucket list.