Pajero Owners Club of South Africa

This is short report about our experience visiting Kaokoland during June/July 2012
Vehicle:
2008 SWB Pajero DiD GLS still with maintenance plan 79000km on the clock before the trip. I had the car serviced (80 000km service) just before the trip and warned the mechanic that we are going on a long trip and that he must replace whatever is necessary to ensure a reliable vehicle
The group:
We were a group of 10 persons and the other three vehicles were a 2010 Amarok double cab, 2010 3l D-teq Isusu double cab and a 1999 2.8l Isusu diesel double cab
Preparation of the SWB Pajero:
Removed rear seat and fitted a Frontrunner drawer system and fridge slide
Frontrunner engine and gearbox protection plates
Frontrunner roof rack with folding table and gas bottle bracket
2 x 60 litre red diesel containers fitted to roof rack
Additional spare wheel fixed to roof rack
Firestone Gaslifters at the rear
BF Goodrich A/T 265 – 65 x 17
Removed running boards for the trip

The route:
Day 1: Kimberley to Groblershoop
Day 2: Groblershoop to Keetmanshoop
Day 3: Keetmanshoop to Outjo
Day 4: Outjo to Ruacana
Day 5: Ruacana, Swartbooisdrift, Otjivize, Okangwati to Epupa (2 nights)
Day 7: Epupa, Okangwati to Van Zyls Pass community camp site
Day 8: Van Zyls Pass, Marienfluss to Otjinhungwa
Day 9: Otjinhungwa, Rooidrom, Rooidrom Pass to Marble mine community campsite
Day 10: Marble mine, Khumib river bed, Hoarusib river bed to Purros (2 nights)
Day 12: Purros canyon (Hoarusib river bed), then south east parallel to the skeleton coast park to Amspoort gorge, easterly in Hoarib river bed through Die Poort to bushcamp in Ganamub river bed
Day 13: Bushcamp to Sesfontein. Ongongo and then to Palmwag Lodge
Day 14: Plamwag to Windhoek
Day 15: Windhoek, Keetmanshoop, Aroab to Molopo Lodge
Day 16: Molopo Lodge to Kimberley

Notes about route:
Difficult sections:
1. Okangwati to Van Zyl’s pass camp site
2. Van Zyl’s pass
3. Rooidrom pass
Highlights:
1. Epupa falls
2. Van Zyls pass (4 hours)
3. Marienfluss
4. Rooidrom (just being there)
5. Jan Joubertkoppie at Purros
6. Purros camp site
7. Purros canyon
8. Hoarib river bed (elephants)
9. Ongongo pool
Pajero performance:
We used 145 litres diesel over 919km between Ruacana and Sesfontein (15,8l/100km)
No flat tyres
Bottom of car toughed a few times – no damage
Quite a few scratches to sides of vehicle
We emptied one of the fuel tanks into the car’s tank before doing Van Zyls pass to lower centre of gravity
Total distance of trip was 5282km

Not sure that my pictures will work, but you can watch my photographs at http://www.flickr.com/photos/ertjies/

Thank you very much for a nice reminder of the same trip I did some 3 years ago. It truly was awesome. We were towing caravans at the time which made Swartbooisdrift to Epupa a bit of a nightmare as traction up those hills were very bad. But we got through. Down van Zyls with the caravans in tow was not so difficult as it is mainly downhill and once the car is through the van just follows. Then down those river beds past Puros. Oh man! We too saw the dessert elephants about at the same place as your photo shows. (Ps. Nice pics)

I read the article in in WEG RY about Kaokoland. I there and then decided that Kaokoland is a must. I just have to go there.

I only recently joined the 4x4 community and I think I need more experience before I take on any trips like this. So for now I will join groups on "easy" trips to gain experience and kit the Pajero out as time goes but Kaokoland is defnitief on my places to visit list.

Love the pics and thank you for the report.

wow. some great pics there.

Bastervoetpad is now starting to burn in the back of my mind again. It's high on my bucket list!

Ernst thanks for sharing!! Beautifull pictures and I believe some of those are definately perfect examples of Pajero owners and their vehicles getting out there and enjoying what these vehicles were made for! Maybe send some to Simon to add to the website! Love it!

Spirited cars for Spirited people!

Excelent

CATS
PS - Got a new background for my computer to make sure I get there one day!

Any chance that there will be enough members interested in a trip like this next year around this time? Would like to see plenty Pajero's on a trip like this.

4ePikanini wrote:wow. some great pics there.

Bastervoetpad is now starting to burn in the back of my mind again. It's high on my bucket list!

To which Bastervoetpad do you refer? I know only of the one in the North Eastern Cape. Or is there one in Kaokoland too?