West Coast road trip advice

[Ali_from_Nam]

Hi guys

I am doing a bit of a road trip in December from Stellies to Swakopmund in Namibia.
I want to stick to the coast as much as I can in RSA.

I will spend a night in langebaan, followed by a night wild camping somewhere just shy of Groenrivier.

This is then where I need some advice:
I am (planning) on driving from there, via Hondeklip Bay - Kleinsee - Port Nolloth - Alexander Bay - to end in Aus in Namibia, in one day.
Google Maps says its 575km and will take me about 6h. Is this correct? If so, then that is very doable.

Can anyone tell me how the road is from Lutzville to Groenriver and then from Groenrivier to Hondeklip Bay and then to Port Nolloth?

Is it jeep track/gravel/etc and will it be fine by myself?

(I have attached a snippet of the google maps from Groenriver to Alexander Bay just as some reference as to where I want to drive).

[blazerb2]

I stand to be corrected by people with more experience of that road.

The section from Groenriviermond through the National park can he treacherous. The first 30km is deep sand and requires 4x4. The rest of the journey is over firmer terrain with the occasional deep sand.

I did it 8 years ago towing a Jurgens Explorer. Tough going but we made it through getting stuck 3x. Just prepare yourself to be self sufficient.

Safe journey.

[Waals]

Not sure why you want to to that part because at 140km/hr you will not see much. If you want to get quickly to Aus then take the N7 , then Port Nolloth, Alexanderbay, Cross into Namibia at Oranjemund.

[Jors55]

From Groenrvier to just shy of Hondeklip the speed limit in the Park is 40km/h.
The online calculator does not know that, hence the favourable time frame.
If you dont get stuck in the sand, you can estimate on 8 hours for this specific route.

[Nightjar]

The road from Lutzville is very good up to the end of the sand mine - from there to the farm Waterval it is slow going. From Waterval to Groenriviermond it is a good road.
The road through the Namakwa park will be very slow. The section with thick sand will not be a problem in 4x4 and the right tire pressure. I towed a heavy Armadillo caravan through that section without getting stuck.
From the north exit gate of the park the road north to Oranjemund will not delay you.

[shfish]

I have just done Lutzville to Waterval farm. There is a short section of thick sand on Waterval farm but this is not as bad as the sand through the NP before Kwass and the Wit Duine section. But in both cases I (solo) had no problems even in my "softroader" Suzuki GV.
Just be warned.....There are numerous signs warning against driving in the marine zone and hence wild camping seems to be forbidden. Rather book into an official site at Waterval or the farm before. I actually encountered SAPS along the coastal road, perhaps just on other business but I wouldn't take a chance and wild camp.
PS. There is a bit of traffic between Lutzville and Hondeklip so you won't die out there

[Ali_from_Nam]

The road from Lutzville is very good up to the end of the sand mine - from there to the farm Waterval it is slow going. From Waterval to Groenriviermond it is a good road.
The road through the Namakwa park will be very slow. The section with thick sand will not be a problem in 4x4 and the right tire pressure. I towed a heavy Armadillo caravan through that section without getting stuck.
From the north exit gate of the park the road north to Oranjemund will not delay you.

Thanks! It seems that I will have to avoid it (as I have a helluva journey to get to Aus on that day). Will have to make that trip another time

[Ali_from_Nam]

From Groenrvier to just shy of Hondeklip the speed limit in the Park is 40km/h.
The online calculator does not know that, hence the favourable time frame.
If you dont get stuck in the sand, you can estimate on 8 hours for this specific route.

Thanks! This won't be possible at all, so I'm glad I asked!

[Ali_from_Nam]

Not sure why you want to to that part because at 140km/hr you will not see much. If you want to get quickly to Aus then take the N7 , then Port Nolloth, Alexanderbay, Cross into Namibia at Oranjemund.

I just really wanted to do as much of the actual coast (and stay off main highways) as possible, but I guess it's not worth it if I'm in a real hurry