101 Trail Guide | 2010

Namaqua Eco Trail

The Namaqua Eco Trail comprises some 600 km of gravel track that brushes the banks of the Orange River, starting at Pella near Pofadder and ending just outside Alexander Bay.
The trail is divided into two sections, and although the entire distance can be comfortably covered in three days, it’s advisable to give yourself at least twice that, to have time to enjoy the scenery. Namaqua Tourism enforces a limit of 10 vehicles per day on this route.
The first section is around 320 km, and runs from Pella to Vioolsdrif, parallel to the Orange River in certain parts. This section can be done in three days. The trail begins at the Pella Drift campsite, passing through Guadom and Grootmelkboom on its way to Henkries and Henkriesmond. Shortly after passing a mica mine, it enters the Kamgab riverbed before turning back on itself towards the Orange River.
Driving the riverbed is not difficult, but the rocky outcrops, thick sand and occasional muddy patches mean you have to keep your wits about you. Back on track, the path bears west toward the N7, between hills and rocky outcrops. It eventually broadens into a 500 m-wide sandy plain, before zigzagging through a short mountain pass and up a steep rocky incline. Once over the crest, look out for the family of elephant’s trunk (Pachypodium namaquanum) trees on the right.
From here, it is 30 km of tight twisting turns to where the track intersects the N7, just north of Steinkopf.
The second section is about 250 km and runs from Vioolsdrif to Alexander Bay. The path continues west on the Kristalberg Route towards Eksteenfontein, following the river downstream. Where the road splits, bear left towards the Beesbank campsite. The first 500 m is extremely rocky but thereafter it’s soft sand. Care and a slow pace should see you through without any major hiccups. Marked by dongas, wash-aways and large rocks, the next 2 km will take a little more time and skill to negotiate.
Just past Eksteenfontein, road conditions worsen. You bear north towards the mountains, then west across a silt field, up a narrow mountain pass, through the Wildeperdrand saddle gorge and down the other side. In the distance, behind a mass of boulders, is Tierhoek campsite.
After crossing the Holgat River, all tracks lead to the Bakkranse campsite, which is unusual in that it offers cave-type shelters – some large enough to accommodate two vehicles and camping gear. Next, bear west across the Lekkersing road, and into the dry riverbed of the Holgat. The flat path continues along the river for some 10 km, then twists through a red sand dune belt. The sand turns white as the track continues on to the next farm, and the Orange River.

What you need to know

Accommodation:
Camp where you find a spot at Pella Drift, Kraphol Island, Guadom, Grootmelkboom, Ramansdrift, Henkriesmond or Kamgab. You can also stay at the Klein Pella Guesthouse, and at various river rafting companies around Vioolsdrif. The Rooiberg Guesthouse as well as Tierhoek and Bakkranse campsites are included in the permit. At the trail’s end you can stay at Brandkaros campsite.

What else?
Birding, fishing, hiking … chilling

Contact:
Springbok Tourism
027 712 8035/6;
tourism-sbk@namkwa-dm.gov.za

Nearest town:
Pofadder (15 km from Pella), Vioolsdrif and Alexander Bay at the end of the route

Best time to go:
Autumn and spring. Winter gets icy, and in summer it gets to 50 °C.

Route distance:
Section 1 is about 320 km (an easy 4-day drive); section two is about 250 km (an easy 3-day drive)

How long will I be driving?
4-5 hours per day

Full Review | Phillip Sackville-Scott (September 2008)

Philip Sackville-Scott tackles a plague of locusts, a great river and the lonesome landscape of the Northern Cape in pursuit of a great South African adventure.

They should make a bumper sticker for survivors of the road between Bitterfontein and Pofadder that reads, “I survived the R358”, for the worst part of the Namaqua Eco Trail is getting there. Worse still, Pofadder passed shrouded in locusts. They came in waves, pelting the windscreen and leaving a foul-smelling, gooey, yellow mess.

The plan was to head to Pella (33km past Pofadder) and drive the full Namaqua Eco Trail, some 570km of gravel track that brushes the Orange River, from Pella to Alexander Bay. The trail comprises two sections – from Pella to Vioolsdrif (around 320km), and from Vioolsdrif to Alexander Bay (around 250km).

To ensure the quality of the experience and reduce the chance of encounters with other vehicles, Namaqua Tourism enforces a limit of 10 vehicles per day limit, with the precept that the trail be driven from east to west. Well in any case, that is the intention ...

PELLA TO VIOOLSDRIF (± 320km)

We arrived at Pella in the softening late afternoon light and drove to the Pella Drift campsite 8.2km further.

With its dramatic sandstone cliffs standing guard on the Namibian side, it’s a great base on the banks of the Orange River.

The soft river sand – next to a flat, calm river – bode well for a comfortable night’s sleep, especially for those with dodgy inflatable mattresses.

Day 2: Pella Drift to Guadom (80km)
Departing Pella Drift at 8.30 am, we were intent on getting to the Guadom campsite as early as possible. Once you leave the river, it is a long and boring drive, so we had planned to push through as quickly as possible and take the extra time to relax.

We followed the river for 10km or so, then headed inland past Carstens Boerdery. The dull gravel road continues until just before Witbank, where we turned off towards Guadom, on the river.

Day 3: Guadom to Kamgab (88km)
We left the river behind in the morning. The track had changed – now rough and rugged, it ploughed mercilessly through dongas, down small, dry river¬beds and past a number of struggling farmers.

At Grootmelkboom, our intended campsite 28.6km further, we saw the first of our “fellow” 4x4 adventurers. (We would later pass a convoy of seven vehicles, travelling from west to east, which is totally against the trail rules.)

The campsite was spacious but disappointing. Soccer ball-sized rocks covered the riverbank – definitely not conducive to a good night’s rest, especially not in a tent.

We decide to press on up the dry riverbed, turning off at the dirt track headed towards Henkries and Henkriesmond.

As we came up behind another convoy, life slowed. A severely corrugated road and thick dust made this the least enjoyable section of the trail.

Moreover, erosion had washed away large sections of what road there was, and the remaining dry silt stirred up by the passing tyres released suffocating clouds of superfine dust.

Twenty-six arduous kilometres later, the dirt road did a ninety-degree right turn and became twin tracks across grassy flatlands. At last we could overtake.

Shortly after passing a mica mine, the trail re-entered the Kamgab riverbed towards the Orange River. Driving in the dry riverbed was a highlight. It’s not overly difficult, but the rocky outcrops, thick sand and occasional wet, muddy patches ensure that concentration is required throughout.

Soon we were back in the familiar arms of mother Orange, setting up camp on her banks.

The crackling of the fire, the hissing and singing of rod and reel and intermittent giggling as a hole in an inflatable mattress was pinpointed, punctuated the evening.

Day 4: Kamgab to Vioolsdrif (60km)
We retraced our tracks along the Kamgab riverbed. At a concrete reservoir we turned west toward the N7. The road threads lazily between hills and rocky outcrops, until it broadens into a wide sandy plain, before zigzagging through a short mountain pass and up a steep rocky incline.

Once over the crest, look out for the family of halfmens (Pachypodium namaquanum) trees on the right. True to form, they were standing on the southern slopes looking north, from whence, legend has it, they were once chased.

From here, it’s a mere 30km of tight twisting turns to where the track intersects the N7, just north of Steinkopf.

VIOOLSDRIF TO ALEXANDER BAY (± 250 km)

Day 5: Vioolsdrif to Xaimanip (32km)
A pedestrian (a clue in itself) on the road to Rooiwal (11km from Vioolsdrif border post) informed us that petrol was available in the town. It wasn’t. Next time I’ll refuel in Steinkopf, or take my passport along and pop across into Namibia to fill up.

Fortunately, in this case Lady Luck intervened in the form of a gregarious lass on a quad-bike who informed us that 100 m back up the road, a farmer, Oom Coenie, might be persuaded to part with a few litres of fuel. The rate couldn’t be guaranteed.

We missed Oom Coenie, and met Neville, owner of a local river rafting company, instead. A detour, lunch and 40-litre top-up later we were on our way.
We retraced our tracks towards the Kristalberg Road, before detouring off towards Nababiep Nature Reserve.

It is best to diligently follow the signs to the reserve – the least thought of straying from that road will vanish at the sight of intermittent signboards reading, “Strictly no entrance. Oortreders sal gemoer word” (Tresspassers will be beaten up). Friendly folk, these locals.

Where the road splits, we bore right towards the Xaimanip River campsite. The first 500m is extremely rocky but thereafter it’s soft sand. Care and a slow pace should see you through without any major hiccups.

Marked by dongas, wash-aways and large rocks, the next two kilometres took a little more time, skill and road building prowess to negotiate.

Day 6: Xaimanip River to Bakkranse (77km)
Early-morning we set off up the Xaimanip riverbed. Although not officially part of the trail, the idea of renegotiating yesterday’s extreme rock section was group-vetoed. Trusting Tracks 4 Africa, we gingerly wove our way between rocks, over sand, heading south into the heart of the Nababiep Nature Reserve.

Cresting the brow of a steep shale slope in rollercoaster fashion, we lost sight of the road beneath the Cruiser’s bonnet.

We reunited with the Kristalberg Road 37km later and continued as planned towards Eksteenfontein.

Once past Eksteenfontein, road conditions became more challenging. We turned north, following the trail towards the Wildeperderand mountains and then west onto a flood plain of the finest dry silt. We finally clambered out the silt field, up a narrow mountain pass, and over the neck of the Wildeperderand.

In the distance lay the Tierhoek campsite, where we soon stopped for lunch.
We had originally planned to overnight there, but with ominous dark clouds gathering overhead, we decided to push on to the more protected Bakkranse campsite.

As we crossed the Holgat River, the sombre clouds began to leak. Bad visibility and a multitude of criss-crossing tracks hampered our progress and made navigation difficult.

Eventually we worked out that most of the tracks led in the same general direction, so there was no need to panic.

Entered via a cleft between weathered cliffs, the unusual Bakkranse campsite offers a number of cave-type shelters, some large enough to accommodate two vehicles and camping gear. The local dassie and bat populations can put a dampener on things though, so sniff around first before you settle in.

Day 7: Bakkranse to Beesbank (85km)
As the final day dawned, we reluctantly left Bakkranse and headed south. We crossed the Lekkersing/Kuboes road and re-entered the dry riverbed of the Holgat. The trail follows the course of the river for some 10km before exiting and continuing through a red sand dune belt on the farm Rooibank.

We stopped briefly to move an old tortoise.

The sand turns white as the track continues on to the next farm, aptly known as Witbank. After a good few hours, as we neared the river once again, the devastating results of local mining operations became apparent.

As the Orange River came into view, and the all too familiar sound from nearby tar roads echoed in our ears, we knew the trail was over, the holiday all but done.

Drive Out says: The two sections of the Namaqua Eco-Trail have their own distinct characteristics and personality. Each treats you slightly differently and teaches something different. We loved them both.