9 Secrets we wish we'd known before traveling to the Richtersveld National Park
In 2019 hubby and I glibly agreed to join a small group of friends on a trip to (what I perceived at the time to be) a mystical, yet scary place referred to as 'the Richtersveld'. The intent was to embark on our adventure in 2020.
I had absolutely no idea what I was agreeing to!
The Ai-Ais/Richtersveld Transfrontier Park is found to the northeast of the Northern Cape. The mighty Orange River flows through the park and forms the border between South Africa and Namibia. This unique park in the SanParks stable is the only arid biodiversity hotspot in the world and was declared a World Heritage site in 2007.
A simple keyword search on Google confirmed that a sojourn to this rocky, rugged terrain wasn't for the faint-hearted. Initially confident in our own abilities and with our fellow adventurers being experienced overlanders - we were unconcerned. Then the global pandemic introduced a smallish complication by including the imposition of travel restrictions. The strict regulations scuppered plans for 2020 and we were forced to delay our trip to the following year.
One could be forgiven for thinking we'd use the extra time to plan in more detail. The truth was neither hubby nor I actually thought that the trip would happen. In June/July 2021, when the concept became a reality, neither of us was mentally prepared to tackle the adventure that lay ahead. We hadn't camped for over a year, let alone 'rough camping', and were totally out of practice in terms of executing the type of organised, efficient Overlanding such a trip demanded. A little like cramming for an exam, we hastily tried to gain a better understanding of what we'd let ourselves in for. This entailed watching as many YouTube videos as possible and reading up about the area. Feeling nervous we repeatedly assured ourselves with 'Camping is like riding a bicycle - you never forget what to do'.
How difficult could it be?
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| Revised route for 2021, due to Covid we were unable to cross the border to Namibia |
Let's just say it wasn't the easiest trip we've ever undertaken.
Even with all our research we still somehow managed to get ourselves into sticky situations. What follows are nine secrets we wish we'd known beforehand and will be sure to include in our planning the next time we undertake a trip of this nature.
1. The route to get to the Richtersveld was hectic
If departing from Gauteng, chances are you'll use the N14. As national roads go its safe to say we didn't enjoy this highway at all. It was exceptionally busy and there were lots of trucks and small towns which slowed the journey down.
Once past Upington, the road improved somewhat and we saw plenty of padstalletjies and other small shops waiting to be explored (sadly, we zoomed past most of them). Next time we'll make an effort to stop, appreciate the the quaint towns along the way and break the journey up a little more.
If you choose to travel to the Richtersveld from Vioolsdrift, via Eksteenfontein - expect amazing scenery coupled with a bumpy, bone-jarring trip thanks to badly corrugated roads. Whilst the gravel tracks leading into Sendelingsdrift appeared fairly innocuous and can be traversed with a sedan (a 4x4 is required within the park), keep an eye out for sharp, sneaky rock shards waiting to slice your tyre/s open.
The 4x4 eco trail from the Richtersveld Wilderness camp took us past stunning views (and lots of rusted, abandoned cars). Whilst beautiful, the route added a significant amount of time to our journey. The loss of a tyre on a straight, fairly flat road - before reaching the Richtersveld National Park, extended our travel time by a further hour or so.
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| Flat tyre, a sharp rock slashed the sidewall- we hadn't yet reached the Richtersveld |
We were grateful to have the support of the members of our convoy, further reinforcing that it's not a good idea to tackle these types of trips with only one vehicle.
We certainly regretted not heedng the advice we'd read about taking two spare tyres along. Luckily, the SanParks team at Sendelingsdrift was able to find us a somewhat dodgy backup spare (probably only good to use in an extreme emergency). Without a decent spare wheel, the situation we found ourselves in was not ideal. To avoid putting our remaining tyres at risk, and consequently the rest of our convoy, driving around in the park was kept to a minimum. To travel so far from home and then be unable to explore as much as we would have liked was exceptionally frustrating, but unavoidable in the circumstances.
Another rookie error was assuming we'd be able to find a new spare tyre in a nearby town. To our dismay, we soon realised there was no guarantee that we'd be able to find a replacement. After a lot of phoning around, we eventually sourced what we needed in Springbok. The loss of one tyre almost ruined the trip for the entire group.
A further detail not to be overlooked is tyre pressure. Depending on the terrain, make sure to use the correct tyre pressures appropriate for your rig. This assists with traction control, makes the journey a lot more comfortable, and helps prevent damage to the environment and your vehicle. Our approach to tyre pressure was somewhat erratic and remains an area for improvement. Also, be sure to pack a reasonably robust compressor to avoid unnecessary delays when dealing with your tyres.
On the topic of driving - be prepared to do a lot of it. Take a reliable, up-to-date GPS and download the maps of the area beforehand. A hard copy map of the area is a good backup in the event of GPS failure.
When using GPS (also known as the 'shouty Auntie' according to the hubby), it's preferable to listen to it ... Ours repeatedly advised us to 'turn left' just after Eksteenfontein. Of course, we knew better and went in the opposite direction. Had we listened we'd have followed the shorter way to Sendlingsdrif via Alexander Bay - a 90km gravel route vs the seemingly neverending, bumpy road ultimately traversed.
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| The road from Sendelingsdrift to Alexander Bay |
We learned to measure traveling in terms of time, not distance. For example, the somewhat technical 4x4 track from Sendelingsdrift to De Hoop campsite via Akkedis Pass is less than 40kms distance-wise but takes over 3 hours to travel. It can take even longer if you stop to admire the scenery, or if there's a need for a vehicle recovery operation.
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| Akkedis Pass, Richtersveld Nationa Park |
2. "Shake, rattle and roll"
Perhaps a good song to add to your playlist, since you'll literally experience a lot of 'shake, rattle, and roll' along the way. Anything not packed properly will shake loose. You'll lose at least some of your beers, ciders, and cold drinks - bottles vs cans make no difference in terms of casualties. Bottles either break or the tops pop off, whilst cans burst open, or develop holes from rattling around. When you do arrive at your destination open fizzy drinks with extreme caution - guaranteed there will be lots of fizz!
Nuts, bolts, screws, and other moving parts have a tendency to come loose due to vibrations caused by the road, so be sure to check your vehicle at regular intervals along the way. Listen for new or unusual noises coming from your rig - early detection of a potential problem is always better. It helps to carry a variety of spares, washers, cable ties, and wires in case you need to execute a bush repair job. Duct tape also comes in handy.
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| Richtersveld = 1, Can Opener = 0 |
Dustproof your rig as best you can, but expect to accumulate a layer of fine dust. Everywhere.
3. Connectivity and power
Cellphone signal is spotty after you leave Springbok, so download your playlist and GPS maps beforehand. There is some signal at Sendelingsdrift, so there's an opportunity to conclude necessary business or phone calls before you enter or exit the park. There is no cellphone signal in the park. If you intend to use your phone to take videos or photos, switch to 'airplane mode' to prevent it from hunting for signal, this helps conserve battery power.
Renting a satellite phone is a good idea in case you need to call for help in an emergency.
There was no power at any of the campsites, and our solar panel worked hard to keep our fridge/freezer running. We also packed a couple of power banks which helped keep our smaller electronics such as headlamps, camera batteries, and cellphones charged.
4. The weather and what to pack
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| Flower season (August/September) in the Richtersveld, photo taken at Sendelingsdrift |
We traveled during August/September of 2021 and experienced the weather as pretty good. It was warm to hot in the day and chilly at night. Sunscreen, sunglasses, and a hat were must-haves for daytime. A warm jacket and a blanket or two will help for cool evenings. If you camp along the Orange River and plan to swim (or try a spot of fishing) take a cozzie along. The riverbank is rocky, so a pair of sandals or similar come in handy. At night there were plenty of miggies. Take a full can of bug spray -you'll use most of it. It's best to use red lighting or similar so as not to attract insects.
With a wide variety of birdlife near the river, it's nice to have a bird book to refer to.
Monkeys and baboons abound, and they are exceptionally naughty. If you leave your camp unattended be sure to secure everything.
Sudden dust storms and strong winds caught us off guard, and we were grateful to have storm straps and Maxcon pegs to secure our tent.
We were warned about scorpions beforehand, and although we didn't see any on our trip, I made sure to store shoes off the ground and gave clothing a good shake before use just to be on the safe side.
5. You and your gear will be tested
If something is going to break, a trip to the Richtersveld unequivocally decides it for you. Camping gear, relationships, and mettle were put through their paces on our trip. A philosophy of planning for the worst and hoping for the best is well advised on trips such as these. Whilst one hopes nothing goes wrong, sometimes it unfortunately does. When this happens you need to be equipped to help yourself as far as possible (a sense of humor helps as well).
We tackled our adventure with Jero (a stock standard Mitsubishi Pajero short-wheelbase) and Herbie (a Conqueror Compact II offroad trailer). Jero didn't take kindly to the corrugated roads, the incessant jolting caused the dashboard to make horrendous rattling noises, the windscreen wipers would randomly activate and anything faster than a snail's pace of between 40 to 50km per hour was unbearable. We still regard it as a miracle that the dashboard didn't fly off onto our laps.
Suffice to say the journey to get to Sendelingsdrift was arduous, further aggravated by the loss of Jero's back left tyre. To make matters worse, we tackled the long 3+ hour drive from Sendelingsdrift to De Hoop Campsite on the same day. Tempers were frayed and patience was thin by the time we arrived at our destination, some nine grueling hours after leaving the Richtersveld Wilderness camp. As if our journey hadn't been exciting enough, we then proceeded to get stuck in thick sand as we maneuvered our rig onto the campsite we'd picked out for the next couple of days. (Yep, we were those campers on this trip - it was perfectly awful).
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| Scooping sand just after our arrival at De Hoop campsite |
Upon our return, one of the first modifications we initiated was to upgrade Jero's suspension. Based on subsequent offroad trips, the change in suspension resulted in a marked improvement in terms of how Jero performs offroad and in particular on corrugated roads.
Herbie didn't give us one moment's grief, we can certainly vouch for the 'military tough' of our little Conqueror. Regardless, we still booked our trailer in for a full service upon our return (something we are in the habit of doing at least annually, or after a 'rough' trip).
Let's just say we learned a few hard lessons about our gear and ourselves on this trip. We'll be far better organised the next time around, and will certainly make sure that we have (at least) two spare tyres for our 4x4.
6. Stocking up: Plan carefully
Make sure to stock up on groceries before entering the Richtersveld. Springbok has some great shops and we bought fantastic karoo chops, biltong, and droewors at the Plaasslaghuis (find it on the main road near to the Spar).
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Even if you don't need fuel, rather err on the safe side and make sure your tanks are full before leaving town. Sendelingsdrift has a filling station which is open between 08:00 and 15:30 on weekdays and 08:00 until 13:00 on Sundays and public holidays. Poor road conditions, extra weight from all your gear, and towing all result in higher consumption, so make sure to have enough reserves.
The same goes for fresh drinking water. Fill up your tanks at Sendelingsdrift before entering the park, and again before you leave. We didn't fill up when we exited Sendelingsdrift and were unable to find fresh water in Alexander Bay, Port Nolloth, or any of the other small towns we drove through.
If you leave Sendelingsdrift on a Sunday, get going early. With more badly corrugated roads and scenery to admire, it took us a solid 4 hours to get to Alexander Bay, and another hour or so from there to Port Nolloth.
We'd planned to stock up at the Spar in Port Nolloth before continuing our journey, and in typical Jo'burger style assumed shops would be open all day. This was not the case, and we had little more than 15 minutes to race through the store to grab a few basics off mostly empty shelves before they closed for the day.
Meat was in short supply, and we were grateful to have bought extra when in Springbok. Our small supply had to tide our entire group over until we returned to Springbok on our way home. As a general rule, assume most businesses close after lunchtime on a Sunday, if you're late you'll have to make do without.
With hindsight, it's perhaps best not to exit the Richtersveld on a Sunday.
7. First aid
Typically the first aid kits one buys from chemists contain the bare minimum. If you are like us and tend to be accident-prone, I've found it's best to plan for as many eventualities as possible. Before any camping excursion, I perform a detailed audit of our first aid supplies, but on this trip, I was extra cautious. The nearest medical facility to the Richtersveld national park is at Alexander Bay - a long, slow 90 km drive from Sendelingsdrift.
Aside from making sure we had plenty of bandages, burn gel, antiseptic ointment, and the like, I stocked up on a variety of meds to cater for situations such as upset tummies, nausea, hayfever, headaches, and pain.
Click here for a free downloadable checklist of what we take along in our first aid kit.
8. Accommodation
Go for the camping, stay for the views... The endless YouTube videos and online reviews we trawled through beforehand did little to convey the spectacular reality that is the Richtersveld. Nothing can truly do justice to the magnificence of the scenery. You have to experience it in person and it makes the inevitable escapades worthwhile.
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| Sunset viewed from our campsite at De Hoop |
We camped for the duration of our stay, although there are other options available. Check out the SanParks website for more details. As a general note, there is no drinking water available anywhere in the Richtersveld National Park, make sure to carry your own, or have means to purify river water. Here's a short summary of each site we covered:
Potjiespram: The biggest camp on the South African side of the border and close to Sendelingsdrift - a relatively easy drive and only some 10 kms away. After the hectic road we'd traveled to get to there, this would have been ideal for an overnight stop before we made our way to De Hoop. It provides a good introduction to what one can expect to experience at the other camps in the park. Thick bushes and trees provide shady campsites and protect from the wind, but result in limited views of the river. Sites have facilities to make fire although you'll need your own braai grid. Bathroom facilities were typical of what we found throughout the park - clean and basic with flushing toilets, a basin with running water, and a shower - cold water only.
De Hoop: A popular camp with sites spread out along the river. The ablutions were similar to those at Potjiespram, with running water pumped from the river. The road we used to enter De Hoop took us via the Akkedis Pass, a dry-ish river bed, and a very rocky 'road'. The river rapids were a little further along, with fairly level stands left, and another ablution facility nearby. With thick sand in places, it's perhaps best to explore where you want to pitch your tent on foot first to avoid getting stuck. Sites work on a first-come-first-served basis.
Campsites are sandy and tend to get a lot of sun, so some form of canopy and groundsheet is useful.
Richtersberg: Similar to De Hoop, but with fewer sites, is also along the Orange River and provides stunning views. The road between De Hoop and Richtersberg is rocky and then sandy in turn. Distance-wise it's not far between the two camps (10kms), but the road isn't great so the journey is slow. Water comes from the river.
Kokerboomkloof: An abundance of quiver trees (kokerbome) gives this camp its name and is one of its main attractions. Photographers can disappear for hours to take pics of these beautiful trees and the surrounding rocks and boulders. There are also loads of tiny cacti (some smaller than my thumb), and other delicate plants that somehow thrive in arid conditions.
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| Quiver Tree at Kokerboomkloof. The San people used the tree's branches as quivers to carry their arrows, which is where the tree derives its name |
All in all the camping facilities well exceeded our expectations, and we thoroughly enjoyed our stay.
9. Things to do
Be sure to stop and check out the views from the lookout point on the way to Kokerboomkloof.
Take a few photos at the hand of God, a large stone formation some 14kms from Sendelingsdrift.
Try your hand at fishing or fly fishing.
For the fitness fanatics: trail running, mountain biking, kayaking, or hiking are great ways to explore the area. Stay hydrated and make sure someone knows the route you plan to take before you leave.
Your 4x4 skills will be put to the test no matter where you drive within the park. Remember to take your recovery gear along even if you just venture out for some sightseeing.
Conclusion
After all that - would we do it again? Absolutely! (although we'd plan better and make sure to stop at more of the padstalletjies along the way)
Are you planning a trip to the Richtersveld soon?
References and links:
“Life begins at the end of your comfort zone” - Unknown
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