Hilux 4x4 Forum

We went to the Kgalagadi park from 27 Oct to 4 Nov. I received my Hilux back a day before we left. We did a 3500km with the 5VZ engine with only some minor problems to sort out of which one was no aircon in 42 degree Kalahari heat. Luckily it have windows which can wind down.

We did a mixture of accommodation types. First camped at Nossob, then stayed in a hut at Bitterpan. The road to and from Bitterpan is abosolutely awesome. It is a tweespoorpaadjie over the red dunes and only the 4 couples who stay at bitterpan for the night are allowed through the gate. After Bitterpan we camped at Mata Mata for 2 nights. Then we relaxed at the Kalhari Tented camp for one day. The tent is overlooking the dry river bed and a water hole, so that day we did not drive anywhere. Thyen it was camping at Twee Rivieren and then back home.

Back home we again took the Noenieput road to Keimoes. It is about 250 km gravel road and on this road I managed to get 8 km/l on the 5VZ.

I herewith share some pictures of the trip.

The time of year was good because there were many small ones. Probably the most interresting thing I saw was the Springbok kindergardens. We often saw a bunch of small ones all grouped together while two adults stood guard while the rest of the adults were feeding. In the pic shared below there are 21 or 23 kalfies which were one of the largest kindergardens we saw. Some were as small as 4 small ones.

Excellent pics, Pieter! What camera body and lenses were you using?

Something interesting I noticed in one of your pics was the use of a ground tent while you have a RTT fitted. Something that I have often maintained is that the ground rent is a better option for allowing the set up of a camp from which you can do game drives or little exploratory drives without having to pack up and unpack again. Of course a RTT might be a safer option if you are camping in an unsecured camp where there is bigger game in the area, but then inside the cab of the vehicle is even safer (less comfortable though).

The pictures are fantastic Pieter!!

Still one of my to go to places. Andy Pieter will very unlikely fit a RTT to his Hilux. What you saw that looked like a RTT is the 270 Awning on the side. Both you, I and Pieter prefer the versatility and less space of a ground tent.

Great photos.
Still our favourite place for camping, either in ground tent with Suzuki or camper on Hilux.

Andy Pieter will very unlikely fit a RTT to his Hilux. What you saw that looked like a RTT is the 270 Awning on the side. Both you, I and Pieter prefer the versatility and less space of a ground tent.

Exactly as Johan said, I prefer my ground tent. The specific one I have not I can pitch alone in 7 minutes.

The camera is a Nikon D5600 with Nikon 70-300 AF-P DX lens.
The lens was a frustration, a bit short, I can see why some guys have these umongus lenses.

Pieter,
Thanks for sharing your trip with us as welll as the great quality photographs...

Clamshell RTT you will open and close in two minutes, either way.
All your bedding remains inside and ready for use whenever/where-ever you need it.
It frees up plenty of space for anything that can be packed where the tent and bedding is packed.
I frees up clutter in the vehicle (where the tent/bedding is packed).
It is also cooler 6 feet higher than ground level, in 42* heat.
The perception of safety, is definitely there for a nervous SWAMBO,
Who will more likely follow you further into the bush in the RTT.
Just my opinion and we all have one.
Read "Tips on Camping/ Over Landing" in Useful Articles on the Forum...

Thank you Edge. I have looked at RTT before and I decided that whenever the time comes that I have to use a RTT it will be a clamshell

Mooi fotos Pieter. Ons was Augustus daar een van ons lekkerste parke om in te wees.

Pieter wrote:Nikon D5600 with Nikon 70-300 AF-P DX lens. The lens was a frustration, a bit short, I can see why some guys have these humongous lenses.

This is true, but once you go over 300 the cost of lenses escalates sharply and one has to consider if it's something that you will get enough use out of to justify the expense. I'm also not keen to carry a whole lot of different lenses about and try to keep it simple. With longer lenses you also get into the area where have to start carrying a tripod, or a mono-pod - becomes a schlep. For general everyday use I find the 18-200 (AF & IS) to be an extremely versatile lens and that's what I leave on the camera 24/7, but ja, for game photography hopelessly too short. I'm way overdue for a body upgrade, so maybe I'll look at a decent longer lens at the same time.

Fantastiese foto's Pieter. Dankie. Ek het 'n Sigma 150 - 600mm lens (Die contempo wat nie die duurste een is nie) en dit maak 'n groot verskil. Die Tamron en Sigma lense is nie so mal duur nie en die kwaliteit van die optiese elemente is verbasend goed. As mens so 'n bietjie die forums en goed dophou kry jy baie goeie winskope.

Besides the price (I saw lenses of up to R187k) , the size also concerns me, a double cab is just so wide.

I saw pics taken by one of the other visitors with a Nikon P1000 bridge camera on a tripod which was remarably sharp. The Lion as about 400 meters from us .

125x Zoom = 3,000 mm and the complete camera cost the same as a very cheap 600mm lens.

With a large aperture of F2.8 I am beginning to wonder if this is not a better way to go.

https://www.ormsdirect.co.za/nikon-coolpix-p1000-camera

Yep you can get lenses that require a 2nd mortgage on the house!

But it's true, the bridge cameras have come so far now that it's almost unfair to call them "bridge". They have just about every function that a decent SLR has, they're compact (everything in one small bundle) but the main downfall is that you cannot interchange lenses for better pics in different lighting and distance applications. The other side of that coin is that decent quality SLR glass with a bright F-stop is gonna cost you. So it's a a juggle that becomes less intense the more serious you are about photography ... then the SLR's are going to make more sense.

I have a "Pocket" camera that's more top of the range than average and I tend to use that more than the SLR because it can do everything the SLR can (with a standard lens), if not better, and it's compact.

The whole long lens problem has a simple answer.

RENT ONE.

The big 500mm or 600mm boys go for about R1000 to R1500 a day. These rates can be negotiated and often come down dramatically.

A Nikon 200-400 F4 VR goes for R280 a day for 8 - 14 Days at lens rentals dot co za. They are JHB and Pretoria based.

Renting lenses for a once a year or once every two years for a holiday is way cheaper than the upfront purchase and maintenance cost (yes these big boys need calibration regularly and some have mould issues) of a long lens.

My go to one: Canon EF 200-400mm f/4 L IS USM With Lens Extender 1.4x From R1580 per day.