Trapped in the Makgadikgadi Pans (Botswana Self Drive)[Overlanding 4x4/Water Crossing Travel]

[@defendermodsandtravels]

I recently did the same trip and recognise everything. The track had no standing water but it was slushy. I felt pretty insecure because there's no traffic and you're on your own. Your tips are spot on.

[@TravelGigolo]

We hope to go back in the dry season one day. Driving in a single car is perhaps a little more risky than a convoy but we would do it again 😁

[@AndileMokhathi]

I have been checking your recent videos and I bumped into this one, I felt so sad how bad was situation. Keep on inspiring us

[@TravelGigolo]

This was quite an adventure. We did not expect it to be so difficult to cross the pans. A major lesson 😂

[@lourensjoubert8652]

I have watched liked and loved many of your videos but this is by far my favorite!!!! True wet driving and well executed. Well Done !!!

[@TravelGigolo]

This was one of our best adventures. We definitely underestimated what we were in for at that time of year 😄

[@hyltonleaf-wright4298]

I had to smile. I remember doing this in similar conditions and my wife saying go left or go right. You concentrate so much on driving you can't see the track

[@TravelGigolo]

One of our most memorable trips! Definitely recommended for the adventurous spirits out there. Thanks for the feedback.

[@stonedphilosopherza4915]

Damn, that looked intense crossing the watered up roads!

[@TravelGigolo]

Was an amazing experience. We definitely had not foreseen what we were in for. Very intense!

[@Leon-lp9fl]

You made me smile,we all get bogged down and bring extra gear with next time.Enjoyed.

[@TravelGigolo]

Lessons learned 😄

[@russellfowler3799]

Isn't this the very point of going to Makgadikgadi in the wet season? Great stuff. Bring on more. Dry flats are for wimps.

[@TravelGigolo]

😄 Any suggestions?

[@zan5876]

Sheeeesh we’re planning this trip in December and this video is scaring my pants off😂😂.

[@TravelGigolo]

If it's any solace, we're heading back to Botswana in December too. Gonna be wet! 😂😂 For the pans, if you can just stay on the roads it should work out. Good luck 👍🏾

[@sammysatsangi7754]

Greetings from London. Exciting video. loved every it of it. i have subscribed. look forward to future videos stay safe n well

[@TravelGigolo]

Glad you enjoyed it. It was quite an adventure. Thanks for the feedback 👍🏾

[@keithgoddard4192]

Fantastic place, and so well captured by this video... truly makes me want to jump into a vehicle and head into the wide open spaces of Botswana right this second.

[@TravelGigolo]

An awesome experience. Anyone who hasn't been should definitely have this on their bucket list.

[@suzentravelsadventures4051]

We loved this - where was your maxtracks?

[@TravelGigolo]

No max tracks unfortunately. A 'knowledgeable' friend gave us some wooden boards which supposedly should have worked. They didn't get us anywhere. Lesson learned 😄

[@4WheelingSA]

Very interesting video! It actually helps to get stuck for video purposes... :-)

[@TravelGigolo]

😄 Glad you found it informative. Wish I could have watched something like this before I went!

[@4WheelingSA]

And from experience I know the Goodyears does not really like mud... But, you can deflate them to at least 0.8 bar.

[@TravelGigolo]

MTs would certainly have been better tools for this job. This was part of a much longer 6500km trip though, so went with the ATs. I have never deflated that low, my lowest is about 1.3 bar, maybe I should try going lower and get more confidence at those pressures.

[@4WheelingSA]

@@TravelGigolo Yes, but I have seen in mud that even a slightly more aggressive tyre (like BFG KO2) seems to perform and grip better. Overall the GY is not a bad tyre.

[@TravelGigolo]

Thanks for sharing your knowledge. Always learning.

[@conloubser]

Lekker video! Very adventurous!

[@TravelGigolo]

Thanks, one of my favourite adventures 👍🏾

[@RJM1309]

Thanks for sharing. Planning to do the very same trip end of January (travel restrictions being lifted). Hopefully it won't be this wet.

[@TravelGigolo]

Great! I'm sure it will be a fantastic adventure.

[@overlandjourno]

wow..!

[@WildlifeObsessed]

We are visiting and traversing Sua, Nxai & Makgadikgadi Pans in Sept 2022 - when were you there …… ? Life is a wonderful learning experience, eh ?

[@TravelGigolo]

We were there in January 2019. Very wet at the time. Your plan to go in September should be good, although there may still be some slushy areas. Glad we got to do it in Jan though 😄😄

[@christiaanjansevannoordwyk]

Great video, thank you for sharing! Despite mistakes made / experience gained, yours is the best attitude for real adventure - keeping it simple and getting out there! Respect! The recovery guys in the (2-wheel drive?) bakkie , shorts and gumboots are interesting, may be a good idea to have their contact details...Be Blessed and keep it up! Regards from Pakistan

[@TravelGigolo]

Thanks. The rescue guys came from the park office. Luckily we were able to get an sms out and occasional sketchy phonecall when there was some signal. We were very close to getting out of the worst of it. Two wheel drive yes 😁 but a light vehicle with three experienced occupants to push when it got stuck. Nothing beats local knowledge/lore. Very grateful for them.

[@DRDOverland]

Looks like tons of fun!

[@TravelGigolo]

One of our best adventures!

[@seanfrench1029]

Your #1 asset is a good attitude which is sometimes more useful than all the best recovery gear and a bigger group. Bad attitude with the best kit is a bad mix. Sounds cliche but you can't always choose your circumstances but you can choose your mindset. That makes you a valuable asset in any team and a survivor when alone. Regards from Iraq - planning my post-lockdown trip to Namibia.

[@TravelGigolo]

Thanks for those wise words. Hope you have a great trip to Namibia, it's a fantastic country to explore. Where do you plan to go in Nambia?

[@seanfrench1029]

@@TravelGigolo Southern half. (will do Northern part like Kaokoveld, Etosha & Marienfluss next year). Gonna be a mix of lodge & camping. Cutting in from Botswana in East to Whk for two days to visit friends & former colleagues from my days working there as flight paramedic in early 2000s. Also stocking up fridge, food boxes & wood for camping along Khomas Hochland, Spitzkoppe etc. After 3 days in Swakop Walvis Bay for 1 day for dunes, kayaking etc then after topping up food for camping, down to Solitaire, Sossus Vlei, Wolwedans etc then on to Luderitz. Then exit southern Namibia back home to Pta. Just my wife and I driving Everest 3.2L TDI 4x4. Botswana also on bucket list. Been there with Adventure bike. My wife has not been to Namibia or Botswana yet. Exciting times ahead. (had a Nissan Patrol & safari trailer for my 3 yrs in Namibia. Going to explore places that I flew to on many medivac flights)

[@TravelGigolo]

Excellent! That sounds like an epic trip. I think it will be great for your wife especially since you know the country well. We've really enjoyed our Namibia adventures. Haven't done Lüderitz yet, so we plan to head that way in the future and then up the coast for a revisit of Torra Bay to do some fishing and stay a bit longer than we did previously. Those are future plans though, at present we want to do Zimbabwe as soon as practical. The lockdown has set that trip back a while, but hopefully we'll be able to get to it soon. Hope the planning goes well. Have a great trip 👍🏽👍🏽

[@seanfrench1029]

@@TravelGigolo thanks. All the best with your plans too. While I'm stuck at work abroad my wife is project manager for overland prepping our Everest in collaboration with 4x4 Mega World and Front Runner. Hopefully when I get home the adjacent borders will be open then we can just pack & go. 😊

[@adventuresoverland4x472]

very rad video! enjoyed that!

[@TravelGigolo]

Was an epic adventure! Glad we could capture some of it.

[@frankrydberg5188]

You guys are awesome!

[@TravelGigolo]

Thanks for the positive feedback 👍🏽. This was one of the best experiences ever. Definitely recommended, just not in the middle of the rainy season 😄

[@exploringbotswana]

Cool edit

[@TravelGigolo]

Thanks

[@LuaiADV]

That Nissan sounds so good. What engine/turbo/exhaust setup you got?

[@TravelGigolo]

Originally a 4.2 naturally aspirated diesel. Got drowned in a river. Was then overhauled with a turbo added and high performance pistons. Free flow exhaust system. Exhaust sounds 👌🏾 when the turbo is at full boost 😁

[@LuaiADV]

@@TravelGigolo subscribed! It sounds amazing. Would be nice if you did a walk around for it 👍

[@tecnospark6231]

What a mess. Wonder who washed that vehicle.

[@TravelGigolo]

I washed it. A couple of times 😄

[@oerknol]

Awesome! What time of the year was this?

[@TravelGigolo]

Early January

[@oerknol]

@@TravelGigolo Thanks!

[@colett4954]

Significant other needs to by hubby some nice shiny MAXTRAX for Xmas to get dirty with

[@TravelGigolo]

Will pass the message on 😉

[@jakstracks8981]

Would you go in an BMW X3?

[@TravelGigolo]

Depends on the season. In the rainy season, that would be difficult and I would not recommend it. The low profile tyres are an issue unless you have all-terrains that you can let down. Another concern might be wading depth and risk to electronics. In the dry season I think it should be fine as long as you stay on route and don't get into areas where there is sludge. Perhaps a bit uncomfortable at times with the stiff suspension. My main concern would be the tyres. Also bush rash on the northern side where the roads are narrow and our car was at times touching bush on both sides. Obviously a spare tyre would be good as well assuming your X3 doesn't have a full spare. Ground clearance is generally not an issue. The main thing is to stay on the well trodden routes.

[@S.AlienLife]

Thought the X3 could do it too... Will not take the chance with Pirelli run on flats, I tried to fit all-terrains but they are just too tall & compromised the steering angles & suspension travel, hitting the wheel arches in a very short test drive in the tyre dealers forecourt!

[@TravelGigolo]

I think you would need to consider smaller rims to maintain the total tyre radius. I have 265/75/R15 on my land cruiser, primarily because I want to be able to have a large profile without increasing the overall radius too much. So that would mean a whole set of new wheels for the X3. Expensive but probably the cheapest mod you can make to get a significant improvement in off road capability.

[@rynoopperman5010]

Nice video It however never seizes to amaze me, the chances people will take 1 Car with road tires, no max tracks, no hi-lift jack or any sign of recovery gear... 🙄🤔

[@TravelGigolo]

Glad you liked the video. Hopefully it will be of value to people who would like to visit the pans in the rainy season. There isn't a lot of visual info out there so we're glad to pass on our lessons learnt. Recovery kit in car, that was my snatch strap used. All terrain tyres as this was part of a larger 6000km trip. Not sure maxtracks would have helped much but we'll never know. Had boards as recommended by a well travelled mate but they were completely useless. Main lesson is to stay on the main track though. Also, like you hint at, have more than one car if possible. Probably wouldn't be as much fun though 😉

[@hyltonleaf-wright4298]

@@TravelGigolo Mud terrain tires are not always the answer. They dig you in deep and quick.

[@TravelGigolo]

Thanks for the advice. We'll be doing some muddy driving later this year if all works out, so good to know. We'll stick to the ATs.

[@CGVega]

sometimes you dudes worry me.

[@TravelGigolo]

Sometimes we worry ourselves, and those are the best times 😁😁