Nissan Patrol Does Namibie: Girl power!

Four girls, who hardly knew what the function was of the second gear lever in the Nissan Patrol, have just travelled through Namibia, with its wild expanses that can be so terribly cruel to woman and machine. Massive sand castles, broken bones, boats, strange plants and even a bit of the moon were on the agenda!

Text: Melissa Lewis
Photography: Melissa Lewis & Friends

Imagine four girls, who have never gone off-roading before, tackling one of the most popular 4x4 destinations in southern Africa – Namibia.
Okay, so we didn’t do any intensive off- roading, but the Namib dunes are no small challenge for a group of beginners, and the trip turned out to be a major learning curve for all of us.
Our vehicle of choice was the Leisure Wheels Nissan Patrol 4,8-litre GRX, which LA Sport had kitted out with all our adventure- hearts’ desires: TJM suspension, LAS Pro Roof Top Tent, LAS Pro 270 (awning that opens up 270 degrees around the car), an LAS Pro Cooler and tyre repair kits with a TJM compressor.
Besides all that, the Patrol comes standard with comfort features such as air-conditioning, a full-sized spare, sunroof, digital compass and fog lamps, not to mention 190 kW of power, a smashing 425 Nm of torque and 668-litres of luggage space. Now all we needed was the experience!
So, with girly luggage for four fitting snugly, we headed up through Botswana, into Namibia. Our first observation was how spacious and comfortable the Patrol is. Tar roads were a breeze, and even sandy roads brought no rattles, and felt like tar. On the Khomas Hochland road, the Patrol’s tail did kick out on some loose gravel, but quickly straightened out again.
The second observation, made by Ronelle van Zyl, was that Namibia isn’t one massive desert, and is intensely beautiful!

On our first night we used the LAS roof-top tent, which turned out to be very simple. I got up on the roof, loosened the straps and the tent simply folded open. One note, perhaps, is to not store stuff in the roof tent.
Two girls slept on the ground in a pop-up, with the other two in the roof tent, feeling like we were at home on a double bed.
The next day we made the long trip to Sand Piper Dunes in Langstrand, between Swakopmund and Walvis Bay. We settled in and worked out our adventure holiday agenda for the week ahead.
Riding in the dunes had to be top of the list. This being my first 4x4 driving experience (and being the only one who had been off-roading before), I was feeling super confident. I was expertly zipping up and down the dunes – until I stopped and couldn’t get going again. Quickly we learnt our first 4x4 lesson, and deflated the tyres.
After much spinning and more deflating we learnt another lesson – close your windows! We finally got the Patrol out, but the interior was now full of fine desert sand.
Next on the agenda was a trip to Sandwich Harbour. With hindsight, it was fitting that we made the trip in a Nissan (remember their Life’s a Journey, Enjoy the Ride campaign?), because on this memorable day we did not reach our destination.
There are two routes to Sandwich Harbour from Langstrand – one through the dunes and the other on the beach. Due to environmental concerns, there are few places where you’re still allowed
to drive on beaches. Our childhood 4x4 excursions always included a beach drive, making this a nostalgic, satisfying drive.
About halfway there, we decided to try the dune route for a bit, not realising that we were taking the route back home instead! On top of our bad sense of direction, we came across a seemingly insurmountable dune. Again the adventure was in the drive, and with Adri Vermeulen cheering me on, I raced the Patrol up the incline. It was great fun but, alas, we couldn’t get enough momentum to tip over the top. We’d have chalked it up to inexperience had our male companions in their Wrangler not been equally unsuccessful against this massive sandcastle.
Defeated and exhausted by our little adventure, we decided to turn back to the beach route and try to beat the sun home.
A walk past the salt pans to watch large flocks of flamingos was the perfect way to end the first day.
Dwarfing our Sunday monster dune was Dune Seven, which we visited the next morning. Dune Seven is massively imposing. Never mind driving, even walking up Dune Seven proved impossible in the intense Namib heat.
Hungry for more excitement, we headed off to do something on four wheels, and attended the driver briefing at Dune 7 Adventures. Soon – a little too soon for some – we were ramping over dune tops in single file, the massive expanse of the dunes making us feel incredibly small.
Biking on dunes is no easy task. Because of the soft sand, quad bikes are driven up dunes at a bit of an angle. In order not to slide or topple, you have to keep a bit of momentum going. Here Adri – new to quads and a little reluctant to speed – learned our third 4x4 lesson: when slipping at an angle, turn your wheels down, not up.
Realising Adri was no longer in the convoy, our guide turned back to find her pinned under the quad! After drama and difficulty in getting to a doctor, she was finally diagnosed with a broken collarbone – no trivial injury.
We took her home to rest, and headed back into the dunes for a safer sort of fun – zorbing. Hydro balls are massive plastic balls filled with a bit of water. You lie down in the water (which prevents you from spinning around inside the ball like a cartoon character) and the ball is pushed down the dunes. There are no wheels to deflate, no steering to turn, and no heavy objects to be pinned under!
Cape Cross is a popular tourist destination on the Atlantic coast, and did not disappoint. On the Tuesday we headed out to see the harem of seals and pups, and again the actual trip was as interesting as the destination. With many scenic stops along the way, we found ourselves enjoying padkos and taking photographs more often than was necessary. We were amazed at the trusting nature of the Namibian people. Stalls selling crystals and trinkets along the road were unmanned, with only a money tin and instructions next to the produce. Any cynical ideas were put to rest when we realised that the tins were actually full of money!
Wednesday was the day of the welwitschia. For those who don’t know about this strange inhabitant of the Namib, the welwitschia is a large, semi-succulent plant which grows for up to 2000 years. One of the old welwitschias is found in the flats near the Swakop River. It is estimated to be about 600 years old.
We also visited the famous “moon landscapes”, which are aptly named. The Damara Granites, pushed up through the earth’s surface over time, look just like the moon’s surface, and are a favourite filming site. There are 4x4 routes and walking trails, and vantage points to stop at.
Thursday was for dune boarding. We bought some planks and Cobra floor polish, and before you knew it we were whizzing down the dunes with the wind in our hair.
Our last day dawned, and we dragged the injured Adri onto the Silver Wind, booked with Catamaran Charters. The trip included a fantastic lunch. We saw seals and dolphins, as well as seemingly tame pelicans that flew alongside the boat, begging for treats.
Danette de Lange tried her first oyster, and Adri could finally take part in an adventure that didn’t hurt her broken collarbone. Reluctantly, we packed up for the long trip home. One thing is for sure – the Namib
is a magical place, whatever your level of experience. We’ll remember the innocent trust shown by the locals, gathering wood for our campfire, listening to traditional songs, surviving our first bospiepie, and having an ostrich family – with 20 chicks – running alongside the car. These were unforgettable moments on a memorable trip.