Hilux 4x4 Forum

Hey guys, the bug has caught, did some one on one training with Johan at Kungwini, excellent!! the Old Man knows his stuff, now its time for planning a trip, thinking of doing the Nossob Eco Trail in the KTP, has anyone here done this trip? any tips or advice please?

Xtreme 4x4 wrote:Hey guys, the bug has caught, did some one on one training with Johan at Kungwini, excellent!! the Old Man knows his stuff, now its time for planning a trip, thinking of doing the Nossob Eco Trail in the KTP, has anyone here done this trip? any tips or advice please?

Hi Irfaan,

I did the trail in 2007, enjoyed it a lot. You will not always see lion (we didn't), but one learns about the small things as well, and the history and plants etc. Very nice to camp for three days in the veld. Take note you must be totally self sufficient (fuel, water, wood, food, dop etc).

Cheers,

C

Are you guys serious??? no one else did this trail?? or just not willing to share info?? maybe you wanna feed me to the lions??

Irfaan, I does not look good for you. if its good when you come back post the trip report.

Hilux 1 wrote:Irfaan, I does not look good for you. if its good when you come back post the trip report.

+1

Or invite us with

Hi Irfaan. We did the Nossob Trail in April 2012. Great fun but not really a 4x4 challenge, (after all it is a Eco trail) you just have to put "voet in die hoek" to get up some dunes due to the very bad axle twisters on some dunes...make sure you tie everything securely in your 4x4 and on top of your roof...and warn you passengers to hold tight. Diesel and petrol 4x4s which were not modified did equally well. I would do the trail anytime again. Saw some lions, but only on the way to the actual 4x4 route and some lion and hyena paw prints next to our tent the following morning. No real game viewing in the hot months but I am told there are more animals between the dunes during winter.

Neil, Chris and Tertius, thanks for your Response, You are all invited to Join, then we can write the trip report together, and have a better chance of survival, "safety in numbers", our plan is to leave Jhb thurs 13/03 overnightt in Vryburg, take 350km gravel through Vanzylsrus, Fri and Sat, Chalet accom with Aircon in Twee rivieren, sunday campsite, no electricity in Nossob, then Mon 17/03 to Thurs 20/03 on the eco Trail, plus its full moon on 17/03, cant wait!! two nights at Kalahari tented camp (unfenced) after the trail ... then the *a* part... travel back home 23/03 get home and unpack.... so who's joining?

Reuben, thanks for the info, you invited aswell, am looking forward to just being away from it all, watching the full moon night from around the fire, and listening to the' cry of the Kalahari'- (good book by the way).... am driving a 92 sfa hilux 2.2 4y with no mods, its gona be quite heavily loaded, am a little concerned as to whether we'll make it up those dunes, Bertha especially...hmm lets see..... what do you think??

Hi Irfaan,

Unfortunately I will have to say no this time. I've got a route set out for July 3rd to 16th in Southern Namib. If I win the Lotto soon, I will join. BUT the Lotto does not favour the Western Cape much.

Irfaan, there are only one or maybe two dunes which requires a fair amount of speed to conquer. I believe you should make it, you will just have to start a little bit further back with your run-up. We all failed to get up one or other dune but we never got stuck, we just reversed and tried it again...no pressure and enough time to get to the camps. And if really required, a slight pull will easily resolve any issue. So, I would not at all worry, you will enjoy it.

I have not driven the Nossob Eco Trail before, are those tracks not severely cross-axled? I found most of the other tracks in the KTP extremely bumpy and uncomfortable, especially going up dunes?

Thys, look at my first post of this thread, yes, those dunes are indeed seriously cross-axled. I was on some occasions feeling quite sorry for my 4x4's upgraded suspension...but the experience is nevertheless worth it, at least in my opinion.

Reuben, that is part of the experience. I found that the tyre pressures "recommended" by the Park staff is still too hard, which leads to those kind of conditions. Lower tyre pressure means less momentum is required and will be easier on the suspension.

Enjoy, the KTP is really one of my favourite destinations.. Cross-axles or not..

ThysdJ wrote:I found most of the other tracks in the KTP extremely bumpy and uncomfortable, especially going up dunes?

Coil springs menheer............coil springs!