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We often ride on loose sand - we usually go down to 0.8bar - a good quality gauge is essential to make sure all 4 tyres are at the same pressure

The general rule in sand is the lower the pressure, the better, as this lengthens the footprint and thus distributes the load over a bigger area, with the result that the wheel will dig in less. Just watch out not to make sudden turns with very low pressures - the tyre may come off the rim.

Tyre pressure guideline:
On rocks: +/- 70% of normal running tyre pressure.
On sand:50 - 60% of normal pressure.

These values may vary slightly from vehicle to vehicle and from one tyre brand to another. For example a true off-road tyre will allow lower pressures, as these tyres normally have a stiffer sidewall (3-ply) and a higher profile.

can somone let me know how the road to rietfontein is at the moment. We want to go through to Aoub from 2R and thought that the ideal way to do it - on the map- would be via Rietfontein. Is it doable with my mother in law in the car?

Hi Bentony, if you are referring to Aoub lodge just below Gochas then,i did that a couple of years ago.It was tough even in a 4x4.The 89km from Andriesvale to Rietfontien took a good 2 and half hours.I would not expect it to be much better now, but one could be surprised.
The roads in Namibia are good. The road from Aroab to Koes,the C11,is a treat,like riding a roller-coaster,up and down the dunes.
Why not go through Mata Mata,you'll spend more time in the park and it's less distance to Aoub lodge.
Remember to have your passport stamped at TR if you leave via MM.

Thanks, the trouble is we are staing at 2R and thus it is easier to go to Ais Ais via rietfontein. Maybe I will phone someone- anyone should do- in Askram beacuse i know that the South Africans were busy building a road to rietfontein in 2007. How is the Aoub Lodge? DId you stay there? and the road to keetmanshoop? We have a 4X4, but as it will be carrying a mother-in-lw I am not sure how well it will go down gaving to scramble along roads.

Also some years ago i "circumgated" SA,11000 km,5 weeks, with mother i L tagging along.The only problem i had with her was after 3 weeks she said "ek will nie vanaand braai nie"(do not want to braai tonight) told thats OK but i was going to.
So i would say the fact that she see chance to go with you she will enjoy it.The road in Namibia are good so no worry there.
I stayed at a game farm on the C15 towards Mata Mata . We had come from Ai-Ais, Sossusvlei, Mariental, Stampriet, roads good.
Contact the Namibian tourism board they will send you plenty info.

Hi there,

Can anyone please tell me how you would drive from Mata-Mata to Nossob and how long it will take more or less?
Please keep in mind that we are driving with a sedan
thanx

There is only a choice of 2 ways. via the northern dune road, or if you give yourselves time the more preferable way, along Kori Bustard & Jackal Boulevard (the southern dune road). The latter will give you the best shot at some great sightings, although we saw lion on both dune roads in December.

Hi Droopy

There is only one way to get from Mata Mata to Nossob. You need to head south from Nossob until you find the Dune road. This is just after you have passed the Urikaruus wilderness camp. You then cross the dunes to the Nossob river, and then head north up to Nossob. All the other roads you see on the map are 4 x 4 routes and are all one way routes.

There is information on the park maps on how long it takes (I don't have one in front of me know, but I would guess that it would take at least 5 to 6 hours - if you don't see anything!

Hope that this helps.

Thanx BB and Prof, it helps allot.
Will obviously have to leave early to be in time.

Yes Droopy...leave early and make sure you have plenty of refreshments close at hand. There is a picnic spot and toilet stop ( Kamqua) just a few 100 meters past the turn off to the dune road that takes you to Dikbaardskolk.
Don't miss it....
Again another picnic and toilet stop at Dikbaardskolk.
My advice would be to take the upper dune road and the not the lower one ( very long way around) because that would mean you would have to drive the stretch from Kij Kij to Dikbaardskolk. I have yet to see anything exciting along this stretch and more often than not the road is very corrugated...having said that though the road in Dec was absolutely perfect ( but still no sightings bar gemsbok and old lion tracks ) You can expect to see kori bustards, white quilled korhaan, gemsbok, ostriches and steenbok along the dune. After all the rain the park has had the dune road should be a very pretty sight ! Many raptors, especially pale chanting goshawks and black chested snake eagles can also been seen. Enjoy

Thanx Caracal
I'm just glad there are some picnic sites and toilets, thought that this 6 hour trip was going to be a very looooong one.

Do remember to scan the area before you get out of the car though.....and then check the trees. I saw the most beautiful trio of white faced owls at Kamqua picnic spot a while back and in Jan there were 5 lionesses fast asleep under a distant tree..close enough to see with the naked eye !!! That kinda made for a hurried breakfast though. There are a couple of benches and concrete tables and braai "plekkies" at the picnic spots. Most of them are under the trees ..which does have a downside The white browed and sociable weavers love these trees and many a time we have been " blessed' by these birds. Once a bird aimed for my daughter's sandwich and was bang on target. She was not impressed.

Thanks Caracal for the most wonderfull reminder of the White Faced Owls of Kamqua ! So glad to hear that they are a three-some these days . . . it was a productive Summer for them.

It was a huge disappointment last May when we could not find them in the usual small Grey Camel Thorn tree on the side of the picnic spot at Kamqua

Enjoy this pic . . . taken from very, very close . . .

http://www.reddune.info/2007/photopages/photopage89.htm

Hi Caracal, thanx again, will definately scan the area.. would not like to share my food
Where is this Kamqua more or less situated?

@Red Dune, loved the pic of the White Faced Owl, and the little museum. See it's on the way to TR,but can you be a little more specific exactly where this museam is, would love to see it?