Your top multi day 4x4 routes

[Chasito]

Would love some input for you guys.

What are your top picks in Southern Africa of top 4x4 multi day trails. Especially tough track type routes and not touring routes. I have done many touring/overlanding routes, but looking for some more challenging stuff. I have tackled a few trails, but mostly they are loops around a campsite, would prefer routes that take you to different campsites each day.

Thanks a mil!

[Bex]

I believe that the trail I am working on at Klein Pella can be combined with Dinkys Dunes ( https://www.safarinow.com/destinatio...dunes-4x4.aspx ) and Amam Dunes to form a 4-5 day trail with plenty of challenges.
I have talked to Dinky , he does have a camp site with toilets and shower in the dunes. Klein pella has plenty of camping spots.
Amam has problems with their boreholes and have closed their camp, but hte route is still open.
Right next to Amam there is a farmer that has some dunes and an informal camp spot that could serve as stop over for Amam. I have not gone into details with him, but I believe that in the next year or so this could be a possible adition.
Amam is also not far from "The Road to Hell" on the Namaqua route.

I am rambling a bit as there are a couple of separate routes/trails, but it is possible the combine these routes together into 4-5 day adventure with 3 or 4 camps and plenty of challenging 4x4.

Later in the year I will see if draw up a map of a Route through these and compile a list of all the neccessary contact details.

[Chasito]

Thanks for your input @Bex

Looking forward to your new trail, please keep us updated.

I reckon there are a lot more members that can add value here. Hoping we see some interest for the thread.

Cheers

[Chasito]

Hi Again,

Still find it hard to believe that there are no comments on this thread, surely there are some of you that have some input into the multi-day trails available?

Cheers

[RPiet]

The Rust de Winter overnight Bundu trail is really one of my favorites.

Arrive Friday night and camp at the club campsite, then you stsrt around 9 on the Saturday morning, and spend all day on the trail, some really technical stuff along the way. The club guides provide lunch on route, as well as pap and sauce for the braai on Saturday night, and breakfast on Sunday.

The campsite on top of the mountain is really impressive. Sundays morning after breakfast you spend another few hours making your way back down to the start point. The route for Sunday depends on the skill level of the group, and ranges from mild to seriously wild. There are chicken runs for most of the really rough stuff on Sunday.

Definately worth a visit. But they require a minimum of 10 vehicles to run the trail.

[LRex]

Hi
I also prefer trips like this.
I heard about a track along the Orange river starting west of Upington going towards the Rightersveld. Doable with a trailer.
Think its a 2 or 3 day drive.

We tried to find an old route rear Polokwane a month ago. If completed it might be what you are looking for. 2 days drive.

In other countries
I did a 3 day route in Lesotho and the 6 day dune trip in Namibia. Then there is the Kalahari parks in Botswana where you have to take water and all for the duration of your trip.

[Hedgehog]

Hi Again,

Still find it hard to believe that there are no comments on this thread, surely there are some of you that have some input into the multi-day trails available?

Cheers

Maybe it is because the information you are looking for does not exist. Most of the current one day trails are starting to feel the pinch and are shutting down...

I have heard of only one such trail (with an overnight stay in the trail) in South Africa and that is Rust De Winter

We did a trail from Pella to Kamjab (part of the Namaqua Eco Route) but that is more defined as touring so is excluded by your definition)

Maybe you can look for trails that you can join, or do consecutively over a couple of days, do some research and share what you find. I for one would love to join..

[RPiet]

Hi
I also prefer trips like this.
I heard about a track along the Orange river starting west of Upington going towards the Rightersveld. Doable with a trailer.
Think its a 2 or 3 day drive.

We tried to find an old route rear Polokwane a month ago. If completed it might be what you are looking for. 2 days drive.

In other countries
I did a 3 day route in Lesotho and the 6 day dune trip in Namibia. Then there is the Kalahari parks in Botswana where you have to take water and all for the duration of your trip.

I don't think the OP is talking about overlanding routes, but rather serious trails that include camping over. Like river trips or the like.

[LRex]

I don't think the OP is talking about overlanding routes, but rather serious trails that include camping over. Like river trips or the like.

I don't see them as overlanding. If you have to stay in 4x4 low then its not overlanding any more. For me. I suppose the Khalahari is borderline. Namib sand is a grade 3 or 4 all the way.

These ones would be to extreme:

Took 3 days
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Mb6927BXGs

Took 2 days
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9NblM8Q6rs

[NoPressure]

The Namib Naukluft Park 4x4 trail is a 2 day trail has some nice challenges.

Isabis 4x4 trail has 2 short trails that are relatively difficult (depends on the direction you do it). The camp spots are very isolated and if I remember correctly you are assured that you will not see any other person during your stay there.

There are some "unknown" routes throughout Namibia that can be very technical especially when rain is thrown into the mix. But for these its best to talk to the locals...

[Chasito]

The Rust de Winter overnight Bundu trail is really one of my favorites.

Arrive Friday night and camp at the club campsite, then you stsrt around 9 on the Saturday morning, and spend all day on the trail, some really technical stuff along the way. The club guides provide lunch on route, as well as pap and sauce for the braai on Saturday night, and breakfast on Sunday.

The campsite on top of the mountain is really impressive. Sundays morning after breakfast you spend another few hours making your way back down to the start point. The route for Sunday depends on the skill level of the group and ranges from mild to seriously wild. There are chicken runs for most of the really rough stuff on Sunday.

Definitely worth a visit. But they require a minimum of 10 vehicles to run the trail.

Thanks for this!
Yes, Rus de Winter is a special place. I do enjoy it. But I am looking for more routes with a point A to Point B style trip with some tough sections in between. There are a few like the "old Wagon Trail" in EC that I have stumbled upon.

But thanks for your input.

Chase

[Chasito]

Hi
I also prefer trips like this.
I heard about a track along the Orange river starting west of Upington going towards the Rightersveld. Doable with a trailer.
Think its a 2 or 3 day drive.

We tried to find an old route rear Polokwane a month ago. If completed it might be what you are looking for. 2 days drive.

In other countries
I did a 3 day route in Lesotho and the 6 day dune trip in Namibia. Then there is the Kalahari parks in Botswana where you have to take water and all for the duration of your trip.

Thanks LRex.

Yes, this sounds more like it. Tracks that people haven't really heard of! How much more info do you have? GPS points and what not? Maybe worth organising a recce?

Lesotho so far has been the best when it comes to multi-day trails. But I am hoping to find more within our borders.

Please send any more information when you get a chance please, even if it is somebodies phone number that I can give them a call and do my own digging.

Shot bud!!

[Nanuq]

We did the Skeleton Coast trip from Luderitz to Walvisbay in April/May this year and that was adrenaline all day long for 6 days!

[Chasito]

Maybe it is because the information you are looking for does not exist. Most of the current one day trails are starting to feel the pinch and are shutting down...

I have heard of only one such trail (with an overnight stay in the trail) in South Africa and that is Rust De Winter

We did a trail from Pella to Kamjab (part of the Namaqua Eco Route) but that is more defined as touring so is excluded by your definition)

Maybe you can look for trails that you can join, or do consecutively over a couple of days, do some research and share what you find. I for one would love to join..

This is the sad reality I am facing Hedgehog!

I feel like there is so much more to offer in the SA borders, but not a lot is known about them. To be honest, if I found a privately owned trail around the corner from me, to use as a weekend getaway, and the owners asked to keep it quiet for locals benefit... I would adhere to that too not to spoil my fun.

I have found some private places through contacts that have allowed me to use their property and hit some of their trails with them, but they have asked not to advertise this, as they do not want it known to the public. So I can understand the above point.

But just looking at some areas SAN parks have at their disposal, you would think they could benefit from opening certain trails to the public, even if it is limiting the number of vehicles on a track, just like they do with hikes and hikers such as otter trail- a 5 day hike, maximum people on track set to x, and only so many bookings sold in a year. (Try and get your self a space to do that hike in the next 2 years, I dare you!) - Imagine the revenue SANparks or the likes there of could benefit?

Then there are even places like Sappi forests, surely their firebreaks and powerline clearings offer some awesome tracks? Imagine if we could convince them to open these up for a small fee/permit for entry?

These are the type of tracks I am trying to find. Obviously speaking to locals is the best idea, but I don't have the time, nor money, to hit the road and pop into every little pub in every little dorpie to get in touch with locals.... Hoping this platform would be useful!

I know SA 4x4 magazine has shared a few of these multi-day tracks (you have to dig around in the archives) which has helped, and once I have hit a few of them then I will definately share with all of you here if I am allowed by property owners.

If there are any of you keen to recce some routes, maybe drop your name and area and potential route and lets see what we can put together?

RE: the Botswana Mgkadigkadi pans, CKNR, Delt, chobe and the similar in Namibia- yes these are top class touring/overlanding destinations which I love doing just as much, but itching to find some hard weekend tracks that really challenge us as 4x4 owners.

Thanks a mil!!

[Chasito]

I don't think the OP is talking about overlanding routes, but rather serious trails that include camping over. Like river trips or the like.

Pretty spot on here mate!

There must be some cheap, around the corner, type places that we just don't know about?

I know there are groups that you can join to do a Botswana 5 day tour etc. But that's not what I am after!!

Thanks

[Karol]

Kruger does a few

here is an example

http://www.krugerpark.co.za/Speciali...x4-trails.html

[Chasito]

I don't see them as overlanding. If you have to stay in 4x4 low then its not overlanding any more. For me. I suppose the Khalahari is borderline. Namib sand is a grade 3 or 4 all the way.

These ones would be to extreme:

Took 3 days
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Mb6927BXGs

Took 2 days
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9NblM8Q6rs

Thanks again LRex.

I have done east to west Lesotho - 2 days of it in the snow- a total of 6 days tough tracks. And I agree, this is not considered overlanding, this is considered multi-day tough tracks trails (in my eyes at least) and that is exactly (as you can read above) what I am after, but in our borders.

I must say though your first link to Letele pass I have never done, and that looks epic!

Sand is definitely also a tough track element, and a couple of days over the Namib is on the to-do list for sure!

[Chasito]

The Namib Naukluft Park 4x4 trail is a 2 day trail has some nice challenges.

Isabis 4x4 trail has 2 short trails that are relatively difficult (depends on the direction you do it). The camp spots are very isolated and if I remember correctly you are assured that you will not see any other person during your stay there.

There are some "unknown" routes throughout Namibia that can be very technical especially when rain is thrown into the mix. But for these its best to talk to the locals...

Thanks NoPressure,

Did a quick read up on that trip and it does sound epic. Will definitely add to my Namibia folder for the next trip up there. Thank you!

P.S. Have you done the trail?

[Chasito]

We did the Skeleton Coast trip from Luderitz to Walvisbay in April/May this year and that was adrenaline all day long for 6 days!

Thanks Nanuq,

I already have Skeleton coast in my sites for a near future trip- Who did you go through if I may ask?

[Chasito]

Kruger does a few

here is an example

http://www.krugerpark.co.za/Speciali...x4-trails.html

Thanks Karol,

Yes this is in affiliation and management of TFPD (Transfrontier Parks Destinations) ... and they look pretty good too, I am waiting for prices on them, as it is semi - guided.

p.s. - Have you done a trip?