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Hello Dave
Can you please give me some advice? We come from europe, will have a cell phone with Sim Card from Vodacome. What do i have to dial when we are in SA or in Nam? Sorry for this stupid question....
Do we have to pay the pont in cash or credit card?
Guagu

Hi, sorry I just saw your post now. I am not sure really. If I remember correctly we could only pick up signal from the Namibian network when we were at Sendelingsdrift. This means that although you are in South Africa you are actually using the neighbouring country`s signal to dial a South African number! You need to have the phone activated for international roaming, but if you have bought a prepaid card in RSA then you don`t need to worry about that. You would then dial this number 27 27 831 1506. If I am wrong please could someone correct me with this. I don`t think they will take a card for payment for the pont - cash only.

Hi Guagu - I had good Vodacom cell phone reception when I was there (SA network). My friends with MTN had no reception. There is also a public coin phone as well.

As Dave indicated the international dailing code for SA in +27 (and then you leave the first 0 out when dailing a SA number)

Not sure about the payment at the pont.

ENJOY!

Thanks for your information. I have a sim card from voda SA. We will leave KTP to Upington and then we drive to Vioolsdrif and Sendellingsdrif. We will call on the way to RTP, so we can decide which way we have to kake.

Guagu

Hi,
I am planning a holiday between Northern Cape and Namibia (two people in a 4x4), and I am wondering if it is advisable to spend a night in Richtersveld NP.
We will be there around Dec 29-30, going from Springbok to Fish River NP, Namibia. Is there a way to enter the park from South and go out near a border crossing to Namibia? The map on the web site is not so clear for me.
What about the season? is it too dangerous due to floods?
Thank you for you help!
bye
Silvia

Firstly our thanks to all who answered our first question so promptly. We intend to travel from Sendelings Drift to Ai-Ais via Khubus and Eksteenfontein and would welcome advice and info on the optional routes and distances. Thanks, John & Lorene

Hi John

I am still finding my way around the forums and could not get your previous questions. However I have been trying to get much the same info as you (see topic "Advice need for Richtersveld"). When do you plan this trip as I am going there in September and want to do much the same. What would your itenary look like?

Hi John,

Is the pontoon still not operative? If it is I was wondering why you want to travel from Sendelingsdrift via Kubus, Eksteenfontein? Why not cross the river with the pontoon, then take the D0212? Then there is a 4x4 short-cut to Ai-Ais via the Gamkab river bed or continue to the much longer but good roads via the B1. All depends what vehicle you drive.

If you do want to go from Sendelingsdrift via Eksteenfontein, it again depends on your vehicle, if you want to do 4x4. I see 3 options:

1. My normal route: From Sendelingsdrift to Eksteenfontein. Maybe a bit of 4x4 the last few km's before you get to Eksteenfontein - grading of 1-2 but easily done with a 4x2 with high clearance, correct tyre pressures. Although if it has recently rained the roads can deteriorate in a hour or 2. Fact is this route is used by the locals in their bakkies and cars - not advisable though :-). On your way to Eksteenfontein you can turn of to visit Kubus but then turn back the way you came, follow the road to the Eksteenfontein turn-off. Then from Eksteenfontein via Helskloof Pass (not the one in the RTP) in the Nababieb reserve to Vioosdrift/Noordoewer. The turn-off to the Nababieb reserve from Eksteenfontein is not clearly marked, there are many little turn-offs that will make you wonder if you are still on course, making a GPS is a good investment here. A bit of 4x4 in the Nababieb reserve, with a grading of 2-3 some places (but very scenic).

2. From Sendelingdrift to Kubus, via the mountain route to Eksteenfontein, then the same as above from Eksteenfontein. Still on my to-do list but I know this section will test your 4x4 to a grading of 4, possibly a 5. Not advisable with one vehicle.

3. From Sendelingsdrift to Eksteenfontein, then straight on to the Steinkopf - Port Nolloth tar road, heading towards Steinkopf, then with the N7 back to Vioolsdrift.

Hope this helps!

Hi westkusklong
It appears the Richtersveld will be busy around mid Sept. this year,could this be due to the flowers on the way back ie.Springbok-Langebaan.
My name is Henk [ Dutchie] and we are also planning a trip to the Richtersveld-Ai-Ais - Fishriver Canyon,our vehicle is a Disco3D,well equipped,I hope,and my wife and 2 more friends ,aged around 70s , but fit and healthy have been discussing this for a while and finally we all agreed to the date.
Our 1st option :Alexsbay-Sendelingsdrif-DeHoop [3days camping and day trips]
and from there to Helskloof Gate via De Koei ? is this route viable-safe-what grade? Via Kuboes-Modderfontein to Eksteenfontein-Helskloof Pass to Vioolsdrif
-Noordoewer, take the C13[old No.] to the offroad turnoff- 28.16.66,S--17.22.15,E , here I a appreciate more info if available, onto Ai-Ais.
I know this thread has been discussed a few times before but I am very new to this side and would like to obtain as much new info.and as I have been elected the leader of the party i do not wish to make an fool of myself.[ha ha]
Anyone else going around that time please post info, it would be nice if we could meet.
Greetings
Henk

Hallo Dutchy,

Welcome to the forum!

I think September is a bit late for the flowers. Your ideal flower month is August. September will still show some flowers but mostly they start blooming last two weeks of July already so the peek is most definitely early to mid August.

You cannot enter the Richtersveld Tranfrontier Park (RTP) via De Koei. That is an exit only route. (By the way De Koei is not existing anymore.) From the gate where you sign in, you have to proceed to Sendelingdrift to register/pay etc. From Sendelingsdrift you must approach De Hoop via Akkedis Pass. The difficulty of the route varies from season to season. Most of the traveling in the Richtersveld is via ravines, so the routes are exposed to lots of erosion. By September most of the holes/dongas will be filled up or bypassed so I can confidently say your Disco will breeze through. Still you do get the odd spring downpour so check as close as possible before your trip. Grading is a 2 or at the most 3.

The Eksteenfontein-Helskloof Pass to Vioolsdrif route is a bit more challenging than the RTP itself but still not anything to worry a Disco3. On the reverse route - from Vioolsdrift back to Eksteenfontein there is one sharp accent that will require low-range, but first mentioned way round it's an impressive down-hill not to worry about.

Myself will be returning from Kgalagadi/Ai-Ais/Richtersveld end of August so you can contact me then. I intend to also use the Gamkab 4x4 route. I have not done this route but have been in contact with people that has done it. Again it is much the same as in the RTP. Mostly a 2-3. In one of the latest off-road magazines, somebody claimed it to be a 3-4, but they were totally inexperienced (female) drivers, towing a trailer so I have my doubts about the grading. It is not any driver that will successfully do a 4-grading towing a trailer. You are most welcome to PM me for more info. For proper 4x4 information to the RTP area, try this thread.

Enjoy the preparation and all the planning - for the RTP it is necessary to plan well.

Hi Westkusklong
Thank you for your reply and advice re timing the flowers,so we have rescheduled for 1st week August.I will enter the park at Sendelingsdrift
and exit via Helskloof Gate and then drive on to Eksteenfontein via Modderfontein and so on to Ai-Ais
Do enjoy your trip and who knows we might meet along the way, what are you driving?
Greetings
Henk

Hi Henk,

The Helskloof exit out of RNP, passing the old De Koei site will be easy going for the Disco. (driving time from Richtersberg to the RNP exit was about 2hours 30 min, including some stops). From Sendelingsdrift the road to Lekkersing and then to Eksteenfontein is longer, but an interesting detour and the best in terms of road quality. Just before the Holgat river you turn left on the short cut to Eksteenforntein over Modderfontein. This includes a section section between the Wildeperdrant and the Black Hills that was very corrugated last time I did this section.

Eksteenfontein to Vioolsdrift goes over another Helskloof pass, again very corrugated over the first 30km, but not dificult at all as indicated by Weskusklong.

The off-road section along the dry riverbed from the C13 to Ais-Ais was a breeze in December. My son did this in a small Feroza 4x4.

Hello Dutchy,

You are most welcome! You may find my 2008 trip report use full. Will PM you with some info.

We intend a trip to Ai-Ais Park next December/January. We would like to make use of the pont at Sendelingsdrift. Can one make use of this Tourist Access Facility transiting from the Namibian side to the South African side? If yes, where does one get a boarding pass?

I understand crossing the river on the pont is depending on the situation of the waterlevel in the Orange River, so we would have to inquire just before our departure, but we just want to know if it is at all possible to use the pont from Namibia to SA.

I suggest you check the status of the pontoon P&T, from time to time it gets washed away by floods.

Pls report back if you find out.