Nissan Patrol 4x4 (Africa)

So I am long past due for a Nam trip.

Preliminary planning.
20 March - 11 April 2021
23 days in total
12 days leave required.


Day.....From ............... To................. Distance
1.... Krugersdorp.......... Thakadu camp.... 900
2.... Thakadu camp....... Sikereti Camp.... 550
3.... Sikereti Camp....... Khaudum Camp.. 80
4.... Khaudum Camp..... Grootfontein..... 420
5.... Grootfontein........ Kamanjab camp.. 412
6.... Kamanjab camp.... Wild Camp 1.... 287
7.... Wild Camp 1........ Wild Camp 2.... 191
8.... Wild Camp 2....... Wild Camp 3.... 170
9.... Wild Camp 3....... Epupa Falls.... 120
10... Epupa Falls........ Hippo Pools.... 142
11... Hippo Pools........ Epupa Falls.... 148
12... Epupa Falls........ Van Zyl's pas.... 160
13... Van Zyl's pas...... Camp Syncro.... 80
14... Camp Syncro..... Oranje Drom.... 90
15... Oranje Drom..... Groen Drom.... 112
16... Groen Drom...... Wild Camp 4.... 190
17... Wild Camp 4..... Sesfontein..... 190
18... Sesfontein........ Kamanjab camp.. 200
19... Kamanjab........ Gobabis...... 600
20... Gobabis........... Naledi Camp.... 755
21... Naledi Camp..... Home..... 380

2 days for .....

About 6500km

Recon the trip would cost around R30-40k for 2 people

Preferably would like to go without any bookings

I was literally talking about this exact trip with my folks 20 minutes ago. Definitely high high up on the bucket list. Hope you get to do it

We did a very similar trip in July of this year, except we started and ended in CPT.

We also planned to stay in Sesfontein on the loop back from Van Zyl's, but when we got there we skipped it and went straight to Kamanjab and stayed for 2-days to rest, recover, and do some maintenance on the vehicles.

Just a heads-up...there was no fuel in Sesfontein when we got there and the fuel station at the town just before Kamanjab, when coming from Sesfontein, only takes cash, which was almost a problem for me had it not been for my father-in-law who had cash on him.There is a pretty good store in the same town and they take cards so it's a good option to stock-up if you need to.

Enjoy the trip.

Yes.
Fuel on that trip should be at least 220 litres to be safe.
You can buy form the barrel at places like Epupa falls and Purros (at R20 p/l), and for petrol that is okay, but I won't take the risk with a diesel.

Carry some marine 2 stroke oil, and add about 100ml to a full tank ( you have a bigger tank if I remember correctly). This will help if the diesel is a little suspect with added paraffin. The TD42 are so robust that it will not have any adverse problems as long as you don't drive using that diesel for months. One tank full I doubt will do any damage

Sorry Cedric, yes, it is for Dirk, not you! Apologies...

Dirk, your wild camps between Kamandjap and Epupa falls will be a problem.

I did some Guide Training with Jan Joubert (in the Hyper-Arid Namib (stone desert) Kaokoland and Damaraland), a Namibian 4x4 Legend, nature conservationist (was Chief Warden for Etosha and later Chief Conservationist for Namibia, until AA forced him out), a (basic) Himba speaker that knew them and their customs. He taught 4 of us a lot (was about 2 months before he was shot, killed and robbed in the Kaudom) about Himba custom and how they as a nation expected to be treated. The time we went with Jan (April 2006), was is 60th trip down Van Zyl's Pass.

See something about the man here:
https://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News ... a-20060623
https://www.loot.co.za/product/jan-h-jo ... k-988-g010
https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=ht ... t=c&ictx=1
https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=ht ... t=c&ictx=1

That is all community owned tribal trust land. Apart from the issue of permission, that land is terribly dry, hard, over-grazed with cattle, herders and their goats everywhere. Besides, there is nothing to do or see there. There is however a community campsite on that road.

Rather camp the extra days at Epupa Falls (camping there is not expensive) and go and visit Himba Kraals and the local Himba school on maybe two consecutive days. Take exercise books, old magazines and pencils as gifts for the school. NEVER SWEETS!! USE A LOCAL GUIDE TO VISIT BOTH THESES PLACES. They don't have a lot of opportunity to earns money. The R300 or R400 you pay them may be their only income for the week or month For the people at the kraal, take some food, maybe 5kg of Maize meal or 1kg sugar, a tin of coffee and some tinned veggies. Not milk or meat, that they have

Between Epupa and the top of Van Zyls there are also some community owned campsites. That type of wild camping is acceptable and you will be expected to pay to camp anywhere on that road.

Please, please ask permission from the local headman if you want to camp anywhere north of Etosha. It is all community land and just plonking your campsite on their land is like squatters just putting up a hut in your yard.

When you visit a kraal (and please do), take a small gift (peak cap, apple or something) and present it to the headman. Curtsy to him and greet him by hand. Also never walk past the front entrance of the headman's hut or between his hut and the cattle kraal (normally in the centre of the little community kraal). It is considered very disrespectful.

When you ask permission to wild camp, offer to pay for the privilege, maybe R30 per person or maybe R100 for everybody for 1 night. It is their only cash income other that once in a blue moon being able to sell a cow or a goat.

When you set up camp, some designated (by the headman) community members will be sent to your campsite. They will keep a respectful distance until you physically invite them closer. They are NOT coming to beg, they are coming to welcome you into their backyard. The same as you will welcome and visitors to your house.

Offer the adults a seat, the kids come along to learn. Offer them a cold drink, or a cup of coffee and maybe 1 or 2 biscuits or an apple each, no more. They may feel offended if they think you see them as beggars and are giving them food just to get rid of them. once seated, you can carry on with setting up camp or starting the fire, every now and then stopping to say something or just a smile. You will not be able to communicate much with them in any case. After 30 or 40 minutes they will feel they have welcomed you sufficiently and they will leave.

If a mother with a young child comes to your camp, it is normally because a child is sick or has some sort of aliment. Invite her closer and she will present the child and show you what the problem is. Take along some tubes of antiseptic ointment (need not be expensive stuff) and a container of Aspirin /Disprins and offer them a tube of the ointment and 5 or 6 pain tablets. Their nearest medical help is maybe a week's walk away.

The same with dentists. They are far away and few and far between. Don't take along or offer any sweets to give to the kids. You will just cause that young child terrible pain/toothache somewhere in future with no treatment at hand. Giving African kids far away from civilisation sweet is possibly the cruelest thing you can do to them.

I will later add some more.

I think you meant the above for Dirk.....hahaha, but VERY valuable info indeed.

I just had a quick read through, will reply more thoroughly later. But very good advice thus far.

Just keep in mind because it had slipped my mind before on a trip, you will traveling over the "rooilyn" and keep in mind food restrictions upon exiting. Close warmquell is a community camp Ongongo with a natural spring - that's also a pool. It just takes a while to drive the short distance from road to camp.

Thanks for the input so far, appreciated.

No takers to join in and make it a forum trip?????????????

Dude ....daai is k@k vêr vir gewone mense .....