6 OF THE BEST

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Many of our readers like to tow trailers when they head into the great unknown. But not everyone is keen to schlep a bush trailer over Van Zyl’s Pass. And while it’s not impossible, it’s not always the best idea. Here’s a list of destinations where you can really enjoy nature without worrying about your bush trailer getting stuck or tipping over.

1 The Richtersveld

The corrugated dirt roads that take you to the gate of this well-known national park are often in a worse condition than the roads inside the park itself. Once you’re through the gate, the roads within the park lead to beautiful campsites nestled in the impressive rocky mountains of the ancient Richtersveld area. The distances between camps are small, so you can change your view with minimal effort during your visit. The park has five campsites: Sendelingsdrift, Potjiespram, De Hoop, Richtersburg and Kokerboomkloof. Sendelingsdrif can get busy during peak season, so if you’re looking for a more peaceful atmosphere the Potjiespram camp is a good alternative, because it’s just 9km away from the main camp. De Hoop, with its ideal location on the banks of the Orange River, is the most popular site of the bunch, but if it’s too busy for you Richtersburg, 8km further east along the riverbank, is a good option. But be warned, the road between these two camps along the river is sandy in places, so you need to know what you’re doing, especially with a trailer. Kokerboomkloof is the only campsite not situated on the riverbank, but spending a night here is definitely worth the effort.The rock formations and remote location of this camp, especially on a moonless night when the stars are at their brightest, make staying here a really unforgettable experience. The Richtersveld is also a good place to stop over if you’re heading further north, because Sendelingsdrift has a border post where you can cross the river into Namibia by ferry.

2 Namaqua Eco Route

The Namaqua Eco Route starts at Pella in the Northern Cape and follows the Orange River to Vioolsdrift. From here it leads over the Helshoogte Pass to the southern section of the Richterveld and then Alexander Bay on the West Coast. The N7 cuts it in two, so you can do only half. There are no official campsites on this route, so you need to bring everything you might need with you, and make sure you take all your rubbish when you leave.The unspoiled places along the route, such as Melkboom, Ramansdrift and the Kamgab Riverbed, are precisely what make this route so special. The terrain includes rocks, sand and corrugation, so bring a compressor and tyre pressure gauge, and secure everything to your trailer. There are patches of thick sand in the course of the Kamgab River and you’ll have to choose your line carefully over the rock banks. You’ll find the infamous Road to Hell just before Vioolsdrift, but this trail is to be avoided, even if you’re not towing. Around the route there are loads of interesting places. Stop at the Catholic Church in Pella, taste dates at Klein-Pella or do a succulents tour in Eksteenfontein. Namibia stretches ahead of you on the other side of Vioolsdrift’s border post, and to the east is Riemvasmaak and the Augrabies National Park.

3 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park

The Kgalagadi is one of those places where a bush trailer comes in handy, because it’s likely that you’ll spend the whole day game viewing, and won’t have to set up an entire camp. Some of the best campsites in the park are very remote and you have to take all your own water and supplies, so a bush trailer makes life substantially easier for longer stays. And if the lions come sniffing around your camp at night, a sturdy bush trailer is certainly a better barrier than just a canvas tent. Depending on your route, you’ll come across deep sand, moderate dunes and serious corrugation. So it’s a good idea to check your suspension, trailer coupling, tow bar and the trailer’s hubs (for heat from the bearings) every few kilometres or so. Don’t overload, and make sure your jockey wheel is firmly attached, or take it off and pack it in a safe place. And lastly, remember to deflate the trailer’s tyres to the correct pressure. Note that the 4x4 trails to Bitterpan and Gharagab are exclusively for the use of guests that sleep over, and no trailers are allowed on these routes.

4 West Coast 4x4 route

The West Coast is popular for a reason. It’s remote, beautiful and offers just enough of an off-road challenge to have fun without damaging your vehicle and ruining your holiday. Geographically, it’s a large piece of land, that’s why we’re focussing on the West Coast 4x4 route, which starts along the sea near Lutzville and reaches the Groen River mouth 88km later. From here it’s a further 80km to Hondeklip Bay, and the first part is relatively sandy with sharp turns in places. So if you’re not intending to deflate your tyres (1 bar for an empty vehicle) you’re going to get stuck. Of course you can also do the route from north to south, in other words, from Hondeklip Bay to Lutzville. It’s worthwhile no matter how you tackle it. All along the route there are beautiful “wild” camps such as Delwers Camp, Kwass se Baai, Varswater, Koringkorrelbaai and Spoegriviergrotte, where you and your buddies can spend time relaxing in total isolation. Just remember to leave these spots as pristine as you found them.

5 Southern Namibia

One of the biggest mistakes people make is to cram their vehicle full and do a whirlwind tour of the whole of Namibia in 10 days. It’s actually silly, because Namibia is an enormous country with lots of attractions, some of which are hundreds of kilometres apart. The south of Namibia itself is very large, that’s why we recommend that you aim for the southern section of the south, in other words, everything north of the Orange River and south of a line between Keetmanshoop and Lüderitz. One of the best places is the course of the Gamchab River, just before it flows into the Orange River.You can camp here for large portions of the year, surrounded by the impressively high cliffs. Plus, it’s just 67km from the Vioolsdrift/Noordoewer border post en route to Rosh Pinah, so you can start unhitching and set up camp less than an hour after stamping your passport. And once you’re done there, you can relax for a couple of nights at Ais-Ais before you unhitch again at Hobas rest camp and visit the Fish River Canyon’s lookout point.You can also stop a little way further at the famous Cañon Roadhouse for a lekker meal – or to stay at their campsite. From here you can travel to Lüderitz, or if you have some extra time you can aim further north on excellent gravel roads to visit places like Duwisib Castle, Sossusvlei and Sesriem.

6 Mozambique

Just like Namibia, Mozambique is a large country – or rather, a long country – and you have to be specific about what parts you want to visit.The EN1 highway is tar and runs from the south to quite far north. But if you’re looking for a great trailer-friendly adventure, rather leave South Africa via the Pafuri border post at the top of the Kruger National Park and drive through the bush to Vilanculos, where you can relax properly for a couple of days. Once through the Pafuri border post, you have to drive south-east until you reach Mapai. Here you turn left (northwest) and cross the Limpopo – if it’s not flowing too strongly! Then follow the route on Tracks4Africa until you reach Machaila, where you can spend the night in a community campsite before you push through to Vilanculos the next day via Offiso, Mabote and Mapinhane. The route isn’t technically difficult, with only some thick sand in places. If you’re towing a big caravan, it could get scratched. But for most bush trailers it shouldn’t be a problem.