HENNOPS OFF-ROAD
The trail is full of escape routes around its obstacles so you can drive almost 80% of it in a 4x2 Hi-Rider straight out of the factory.” Hubert de Haas manages the Hennops trail
Hennops Off-Road lies only 30 km van Pretoria West. It’s a well-known 4x4 trail in Gauteng, popular for 4x4 competitions and new vehicle launches. That should tell you something about the quality of their obstacles and facilities. The 4x4 trail is a circular route through the koppies outside Pretoria. First it takes you up a hill with two fun obstacles – Axle Twister and Rocky Twister. Then you drive on top through the veld for a few kilometres on a good track, with Pelindaba as your compass in the distance. Then it’s on to Vastrap Hill, probably the toughest obstacle at Hennops. Here, you first have to negotiate a sharp bend and then climb large rocks to get to the top. And if you choose the wrong line, you’d better hope you have some bash plates under your vehicle because your undercarriage is going to pay for your bad decisions! From here, you descend down a steep hill again and get an opportunity to play in the mud, show off your suspension flex in deep dongas and drive through a particularly beautiful water obstacle.There are escape routes or service roads all over the trail, so if you don’t like the look of any obstacle, you simply drive around it. If, however, you reckon there’s more steel in your blood than in your bull bar, you can also drive two additional obstacles not on the main trail – Little Van Zyl’s and Hill 49. There’s also the Klipdrift Trail, but for that you need to arrange access prior to your visit and bring a minimum of four vehicles. You’d never say you’re only 30 km from the country’s capital on the Hennops trail, because here it’s nature all the way. There are zebras, blue wildebeest, blesbuck, kudu and a bunch of bird species all over the farm, and you see and hear very few signs of civilisation. In another part of the property, about 2 km from the trail, you can relax on a beautiful campsite with a pool and a braai. There’s also the Donga Lapa on the main trail, but if you decide to have lunch here, you’d better watch out that the donkeys don’t steel your food while you braai. Also be on the lookout for the unique ‘zonkies’ walking around at Hennops.Yes, you guessed it – they’re a mix between a zebra and a donkey!