Nissan Patrol 4x4 (Africa)

It took a long time but I eventually got to writing a trip report for our December Richtersveld trip.
Number of people: 5 (Me, my wife, son, daughter and her boyfriend)
The vehicles: 2004 Patrol 4.8 and 1999 Hardbody 3.0
Total distance: 3533 km
Best fuel consumption for Patrol: 6.2km/l
Worst fuel consumption: 4.3km/l
Average for trip: 5.4km/l
22 December
This was not the best first day of any trip I ever had. We left home at midnight and went on Zambesi towards the N1. I went through the tollgate and then my daughter called and said somebody drove into the back of my son’s Hardbody. Fortunately there was no damage to the Hardbody but the other car didn’t look so good. After this all went well until we reached Vryburg just after 4h00. This is where I had to fix a water leak on the Patrol which took more than 2 hours. Between Vryburg and Kuruman we passed Ian and his dad in their Patrols. We filled up again in Upington and reached Springbok just after 15h00. We camped at Springbok caravan park and couldn’t believe how cold it could get during the night.
23 December
We packed up camp and headed to Port Nolloth where we basically just drove around to see what the place looks like. We then went to Alexander Bay and were fortunately able to enter and see where the Orange flows into the sea. On the RSA side you park your car, walk through water to get to the beach and then walk to the mouth. On the Namibia side the cars drive right up to the mouth. From Alexander Bay we drove to the Ai-Ais/Richtersveld Transfrontier Park where we booked in for our stay. 3 days at Potjiespram, 2 at Richtersberg and 3 at Kokerboomkloof.

24 December
We did sightseeing in the park and cooled off in the river, braai, drink, etc.
25 December
We decided to go and see what Ai-Ais look like. After clearing customs and crossing the river we were once again wondering how can Namibia keep their dirt roads in such good condition. On the way to Ai-Ais I almost had a head on collision. Coming around a corner there was a bakkie on the wrong side of the road. Instead of moving over to the right side, the driver just braked and I had to move over to avoid a collision. At Ai-Ais we had a lekker picnic and then went all the way back to Richtersveld.

26 December
We left Potjiespram and took the road through De Hoop towards Richtersberg. At first we didn’t have a nice camping spot (no shade at all) but when our neighbours decided to move on, we moved to their spot where we had shade in the afternoons. We chilled the rest of the day and did the normal camping things: Swim, braai, drink, fishing(my son caught some small ones).
27 December
Just drove around and did the normal camping things. And I got sun burned.
28 December
We moved on to Kokerboomkloof where I found that my sunburned red skin and the heat didn’t go well together. I usually like the heat but not then. I also found that the solar charge controller packed up and the only way to keep the 2nd battery charged would be to drive around a lot the next day. I told my wife that the route we would drive the next day is basically the same route we will drive when leaving the park. Instead of driving the route and come back all the way, and then drive it again 2 days later, we must pack up and go home. She was not very happy that I wanted to leave two days earlier.
29 December
We left Kokerboomkloof at 7h15 and exited the park through Helskloof Pass. We drove on a good dirt road in the direction of Lekkersing and then turned off towards Eksteenfontein. From this turn off the road gets bad and eventually is only a 2 spoor pad in the mountains, but the scenery makes up for it. After Eksteenfontein the road is not too bad and we reached Springbok by 13h00. After Springbok we stopped at die Pienk padstal in Kakamas to get something to eat and drink and we stopped in Upington and at Komtiekie (near Vryburg) for petrol. Arrived home at 1h15 the next morning.

Awesome man!!!

Nice report. Spent 4 days in that camp in Springbok some years ago in June waiting for 2 replacement tyres. Night temperatures well into the minus. Springbok gets COLD! Our June 2011 trip to these same Richters areas did not produce any game at all - maybe you were lucky? But we did come across a small group of koppies all close together that appear to have had some rain, and every slope facing south (if i remember correctly) was sparsley covered in the most amazing small a varied flowers. We spent over two hours photographing the many types. Next trip there will definitely be in June, hopefully in 2021. June temps were daytime around 28 to 30, nights got quite cold but nowhere near minus.

Thanks for sharing. Looks awesome. Need to get to the Richtersveld some time. Have a desire to camp in Kokerboomkloof.

Need to plan a trip to Richtersveld as well, looks very nice.

What is that white thing in the last photo?

Thanks for all the info. We want to go that way in June. Not the Richtersveld itself but the world heritage site (will leave the richterveld for a next trip)

Rudolph wrote: ↑04 Mar 2019 09:56 Need to plan a trip to Richtersveld as well, looks very nice.

What is that white thing in the last photo?

Speaking under correction, but I think it may be the solar collector for the solar power plant between Upington and Kakamas. "Khi Solar One", according to Google:

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Khi+S ... 21.0780966

Thanks Ian!