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sub-Saharan Africa Topics specific to sub-Saharan Africa. (Includes all countries South of 17 degrees latitude)
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  #1  
Old 29 Jun 2019
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Namibian Roads
Does anybody have recent experience? I am particularly interested in the M76 c35 (Vingerklip to the coast) the routes from Aus to Sossusvlei, C19/14 to Walvis Bay and the upper and lower reaches of the Salt Rd.

Many thanks
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  #2  
Old 29 Jun 2019
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Have done some of them recently from memory but will check my GPX. What do you want to know about them?
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  #3  
Old 29 Jun 2019
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Namibian Roads
Thanks - I am interested in what state they are in mainly. I have heard different views.

Thanks again.

Pete
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  #4  
Old 1 Jul 2019
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Just checked my tracks and unfortunately I didn't go on any of those routes!
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  #5  
Old 1 Jul 2019
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Quote:
Originally Posted by peteryder01 View Post
Does anybody have recent experience? I am particularly interested in the M76 c35 (Vingerklip to the coast) the routes from Aus to Sossusvlei, C19/14 to Walvis Bay and the upper and lower reaches of the Salt Rd.
We did the C14 Walvis Bay to Solitaire, and then C27 to Sesriem.

The first 50 kms out of Walvis Bay is paved, but then turns to gravel soon after. It's heavily corrugated, so wear your kidney belt. And there are many patches of deep gravel which you have to constantly scan ahead and slow down for.

If you hit these patches at more than 70 km/h, you will have quite an adventure on your handlebars. There is a really nasty patch about 40 kms north of Solitaire that's bitten a lot of motorcyclists. If you have the Tracks4Africa GPS map, it's pretty good about mapping all these deep gravel spots.

Although there is a >60km tarred road into Sossusvlei and the dunes, motorcycles are not allowed into the park. You have to park at Sesriem and take a shuttle bus or book a tour.

From Sesriem, we took C19 through Maltahohe. More of the same mid-to-bad gravel roads. Our motorcycle friends took C27/C13 down to Aus and they said it was more of the same corrugation and deep gravel patches.

If you take it slow and keep your eyes open, you shouldn't have a problem.

We were there less than two months ago.
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  #6  
Old 9 Aug 2019
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For Aus > Sesriem/Sossuvlei you can take the D707 to skip some of the C13/C27. It's more scenic and likely in much better condition.

Road conditions change a lot in Namibia, and they are actively grading all the time, so it is sort of a roll of the dice. Someone told me once that you can pretty much bank on any gravel road being terrible within 50km of a major tourist attraction, as the roads just can't handle the volume. Seems to be a good rule of thumb, and held true when we were there in March.
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  #7  
Old 16 Dec 2019
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Quote:
Originally Posted by peteryder01 View Post
Thanks - I am interested in what state they are in mainly. I have heard different views.

Thanks again.

Pete
I hired a Toyota Hilux 4x4 & I knew I was driving fast because I could see dust behind me ....any experienced 4x4 driver would know you drop tyre pressure down on corrugations and pump them up for asphalted roads .... From Carpivi >Skeleton road >Fish Canyon>Luderitz ( spelling) no issues apart from a sand storm outside Luderitz. But if you are travelling motorbike ,sorry I'm out of my league..... Suffice to say Namibian roads are far superior then roads in northern Mozambique ,or western Tanzania , DRC.....the list goes on....
PS: Do your driving during the day ....you won't see Namibia in the dark
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  #8  
Old 16 Dec 2019
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Yep 70km/hr is the most you would want to do.I was taught to drive on graded roads in Oman before asphalt arrived.Roll overs were really common sometimes fatal and always disastrous.The biggest problem was starting to plane on loose gravel and then hitting the windrows near the side of the road.This could happen on any speed over about 60km?hr.Over you go! We were taught always to reduce speed in the face of oncoming traffic and dust and to pull off the track until such vehicles has passed to be ultra safe just in case of suspected airheads!A long time ago but I hope this helps to keep you all safe.

Happy Trails
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  #9  
Old 15 Mar 2020
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I've been riding a motorbike across Namibia Feb/Mar this year, coming from South Africa/Noordoewer and leaving into Zambia via Katima Mullilo. If anyone needs some particular information on roads please contact me but I have to say that in general the dirt roads in Namibia were 95% spotless and beautiful to ride! As people say, road conditions change quickly under influence of weather and traffic but compared to Australia these were gravel highways! (few exceptions of course..) AND more petrol stations in Namibia^^
Save travels
David
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