Founder's fav's · Namibia
The Orange River road
My favourite piece of road anywhere. I've said it twice now, so it must be true.
The C13 follows the Orange River from Rosh Pinah to Noordoewer, and for most of the way it's you, the gravel, a green ribbon of river on one side and mountains that look like someone forgot to finish them on the other. South Africa is a stone's throw across the water. Nobody waves back.
I first rode it in 2004, too fast and on the wrong tyres, and again in 2020, slower and wiser, which mostly means older. Both times I stopped more than I meant to. Not because anything broke. It's just that kind of road.
Plan a trip hereOpens the planner with The Orange River road as your finish. Set where you start and how many days, and it works out the route, fuel, night stops and weather.
Get there
- Flights to Cape Town ›Compare fares into CPT
- Hire a car ›Pick up at Cape Town airport
- Places to stay nearby ›Within about 40 km
Some of these links pay OneTrackMind a small fee if you book, at no cost to you. It's what keeps the planner free.
Good to know
- Fill up in Rosh Pinah or Noordoewer. There's nothing in between that sells fuel.
- Ride it west to east in the afternoon and the sun is behind you.
- Corrugations come and go. Air down a little and stand up.
The trip it's from
Places change. Check opening times and conditions before you go.