Top 4×4 trails for beginners and experienced drivers
Do you own a 4×4 and you feel like you’re not getting enough out of it? Or are you an experienced 4×4 driver looking for a new adventure? These 4×4 trails offer 4×4 beginners and experienced drivers something to write home about. These South African trails give you the opportunity to get into challenging obstacles, or simply keep your training wheels on, with the option to pass on to a tough route in some cases.
Check out these amazing 4×4 trails that are waiting to be experienced:
1. Witsand Kalahari Mountain View 4×4 Dune Route
This 4×4 route is situated in the Northern Cape about 20 kilometres outside of Witsand. This award-winning trail is filled with a variety of challenges. Nestled between the Langberg and Skurwe mountains, the trail is great for beginner 4×4 adventurers. The area is comprised mostly of farmlands and red Kalahari dunes. The route is fairly easy, and it’s about 36 kilometres long with an optional 4 kilometres at the end for the experienced 4×4 drivers.
2. The Three Province 4×4 Trail
This is a fusion of three trails into one and it takes approximately two days to finish through KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga and the Free State. This epic trail starts outside of Volksrust on the Waterval farm with its stream crossings, mountainous areas, rocky terrain and muddy holes which proves most enjoyable for beginner 4×4 drivers.
3. Ithala Game Reserve
Within Ithala Game Reserve there are two 4×4 trails. The first is the Bivane trail which is a 17 km route taking you through the reserve’s western flank and the second trail is a simple 5 km management road which is ideal for first time 4×4 safari drivers. The trails will take you from a half an hour up to three hours time and you can expect to see wildlife and numerous plant species.
4. Karoo National Park
There are four 4×4 trails to choose from plus one very tough trail for seriously experienced drivers. Nuweveld is the longest and about 50 kilometres of it features some steep rocky parts and sandy river crossings, the shorter Afsaal Eco Trail also branches off the Potlekkertjie Loop. Other options, the Kookfontein Loop and the Sandrivier Loop should take about an hour each and lead on from Nuweveld and Afsaal. The Pienaars Pass Trail is slightly longer than but it is a very difficult route and vehicle numbers are limited. On these trails one can enjoy views of the rolling plains and scenic mountain vistas. This area is of huge importance being one of the oldest known eco-systems in the world.
5. Knysna Forest 4×4 Trail
On this trail you can experience what lies deep in the Garden Route. You’ll see forest streams, ancient yellowwood and stinkwood trees and a variety of colourful birds. You can drive your own 4×4 or even take the ”hop-on” option with a guide. Your 4×4 trail takes you close to an area where a crashed helicopter lay undetected for seven years, and then along an old narrow gauge railway line that was used for transporting wood when timber was felled here during previous centuries.