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Hi Battman,

Karasburg is less than 2 hours drive from Ai-Ais. Once I've forgot my jacket at a river rafting camp near Vioolsdrift and drove from Ai-Ais to pick it up and also did the trip to the lookout point and back to Ai-Ais on the same day.

Keetmanshoop is further away and if you travel pass Seeheim about 2,5 hours, unless you stop along the way. Karasburg is a very small town with a few basic shops, but not much to see, while Keetmanshoop is larger with a few shops, banks and accommodation. I am not sure if you plan to stay at any of the town and the route you will be following therefore cannot advice more than just the size of these towns.

There are only chalets at Ai-Ais and not along the hiking trail. (not sure if you are referring to the hiking trail or camp) This part of the park falls under Namibia Wildlife reserve and not Sanparks.

There are basically two places of interest namely the hot springs and swimming pools at Ai-Ais and then the lookout points over the canyon further north at Hobas. From Ai-Ais one can travel to Sendelingsdrift and cross the SA border on a pont over the Orange river to visit the Richtersveldt. You might need a few more days to include this trip.

We would like to spend 4 nights in the park. We don't mind moving from camp to camp.....any ideas ???
We will driving up from Cape Town.
Thanks
Caracal....

Avoid staying at Sendelingsdrift if you can. It is right at the edge of the park and you hear dogs barking at night and can see the mining town closely from the camp.

We enjoyed Potjiespram on the river, but De Hoop is better if it is not crowded out. Some ppl book SD & then go to DH.

Thx BB
How long does it take to get from Sendelingsdrift to De Hoop....is it a crazy 4 x 4 route or just normal dirt road...

Can't give you any advice Caracal, but your TR will help me plan our trip.

@Caracal: The condition of the roads constantly changes. Haven't been there for some time but what I know is this:

Akkedis pass between Sendelingsdrift and De Hoop will be a breeze for the G-Wagon. However prepare yourself for Kgalagadi - standard corrugations in much of the Park. Since you are a keen photographer you just have to sleep over at Kokerboomkloof. The early morning and late afternoon scenery is something to behold. I'm not much of a photographer, only have a mik &druk but these photos tell the story:





How about a very special rose:



Richtersberg is a much more birder-orientated camp than De Hoop but since De Hoop is much bigger it is the safer option. De Hoop in general have faster flowing water, kids splashing around on anything that floats is common. On the contrary Richterberg is much more tranquil with lots of bird life. Only problem with the latter is the good spots are scarce. 1 or 2 are excellent - with grass. The rest are dust-holes.



You may also consider staying over outside the park in the conservancy - at Tierhoek:



...or Bakkrans - you can camp IN the cave!

@ Weskusklong ..thank you so much for the info and the trouble you went to in posting the pics. They may only be taken with a mik en druk but they made me definitely want to go ahead with this trip. We have decided on Potjiespram and De Hoop....this is just a look see trip and next time we will have more time to explore the park . Kokerboomkloof will definitely be on the list then.

@Sharifa.....it is about time I did another trip report. I will galdly share my pics/info with you.

Hi Caracal, it is a pleasure. I don't share a good opinion about Potjespram. To me it is on the wrong side of the mining activities, "detached" from Richtersveld proper. @ the designated camping spots there is NO view of the river and it is very dusty. The photo here was at campsite "C". Last time (and I mean the LAST time ) we were there (2010) the very same spot was not usable as it was covered with flood debris. There are some spots in and among the riverbank shrubs which may be nice in summer as they are mostly shaded but not what I want to experience in the Richtersveld.



On the positive side, the "road" to Potjespram is scenic:



Have a wonderful time in the RTP!

Thanks again Weskusklong...ag well we are only at Potjiespram for one night...I will remember to spend more time taking photographs en route to Potjiespram.
By the way do you know what the story is with wood. We are actually spending the first night across the border and then driving along the Orange River to enter at Sendelingsdrift. I am not sure whether we can take wood with us into Nam...and if so can we bring it back into RSA with us at Sendelingsdrift ???
Another question but I am going to have to ask you to pm the answer to me ..if you have one that is.
We need to find a place to stay over on the way home ..somewhere between De Hoop and Cape Town. Any suggestions.
Thanks again for your help !

Those are stunning scenery shots WeskusKlong

We camped at "A" at Potjiespram and had a site from which we swam in the river.

Can't recall how long it took from PP to DH, but there were 2 'tachnical' passes where we had to 'walk' the bakkie up in low range first, and some sandy bits. But we were there for a good few hours before returning to PP.

At DH I had a very embarassing experience.

Hi Caracal, officially wood is not allowed into Namibia from SA but you can do the other way round. Some officials ask and some don't. With our last enter from Mata Mata into Namibia they did... and I had a stack of wood in the car. I will PM you about the rest.

@BB yes you can get to the river from the campsites but it is not like De Hoop or Richtersberg where you can camp riverside - way to many shrubs. (In any way not the few times we were there.) O... and about the 4x4 bit. If you stay on the designated routes there is nothing serious on offer. (If you have a proper 4x4 that is.)

Thanks Sharifa... the Richtersveld is such a photogenic place. You just have to point somewhere and to have a decent photo!

We had a visit from vervets at PP. We put all our rubbish into a black bag and put it along with all our food into the back of the bakkie.

Other visitors didn't and had a delightful mess to clean up.

Take a catty.

Also, be careful where you step into the river at DH

@WKK, agreed, nothing serious, but it is not suitable for a Z4!

Thx for the warning re vervets BB
And don't worry I don't intend putting my foot in the river be it at DH or PP or anywhere for that matter......my feet stay on dry land.

Well we are back from our trip to Richtersveld ands enjoyed it very much...all the info that I was given was indeed correct,,,
@ BB we must have had the exact same site at PP...it seems we were the only ones that had a view of the river. If I was on any of the other campsites I may have been a bit unhappy. Having said that PP seems to have more ablutions than the other campsites...I can only speak for De Hoop and Richtersberg.

Camping at De Hoop was great...but I have decided that camping alongside the Orange River does not give one the true perspective of the Richtersveld..it gives you a true perspective of camping alongside a river...any kind of a river. On my next trip to the park I will definitely camp at Kokerboomkloof and spend time at the other "inland camps". Yes that was suggested to me...but we did not have a lot time time etc ..and I am happy to have experienced what we have experienced.....but I am not done with the Richtersveld yet.

Thanks again to everybody for your good advice......it is indeed a special place that requires more time to appreciate it fully. Our trip was planned on the spur of the moment...with not much time to explore...but we thoroughly enjoyed it!!!!!