HomeDestinationsEswatiniMalkerns to Bhunya 4x4 Loop
Hard
Off-Road
🇸🇿 Eswatini
Recorded Trail

This track was recorded on the ground by an actual expedition vehicle.

ID: SZ-MA-01

Malkerns to Bhunya 4x4 Loop

Added on 2 Oct 2026
Logged by @trailxon11 May 2014

Off-road loop from the Malkerns valley up through the highveld forests to Bhunya and back.

Trail Map

Initialising Map Engine...

Trail Profile

General Instructions

Steep gravel climbs; avoid after heavy rain.

Weather check

At Start
769m

Sampling Micro-Climate...

-26.5066, 31.2492

Slide to preview conditions across the entire route • Point: -26.5066, 31.2492 @ 769m

Quick Stats

Distance
136.73 km
Type
Off-Road Trail
Elevation Range
693m - 1528m
Max Elevation
1528 m
Max Gradient
45%
45%

Highlights

  • Malkerns valley
  • Highveld forests

Field Radio Protocol

VHF-UHF Communication

Emergency Simplex
146.520MHz
Team Coordination
446.006MHz
Scout Primary
146.400MHz

Propagation Telemetry

Ridge Line

92%

Gorge Floor

18%

Sector Relay: Sector Alpha Relay• 12-18 KM Range

Regulatory Compliance

VHF/UHF frequencies are for monitoring and emergency coordination only. Transmitting on these bands may require an Amateur Radio License or regional government permits. Check local telecommunications laws before operation.

Technical Analysis

Total Ascent

+1820 m

Total Descent

-1819 m

Ruggedness Index

Terrain Roughness Index

Vertical displacement per km. Typical range: 0 (Smooth) to 100+ (Extreme Mountain).

0 (Smooth)50 (Steep)100+ (Extreme)
26.6

26.6

Tortuosity Index

Route Curviness Index

Ratio of actual path to straight line. Typical range: 1.0 (Direct) to 3.0+ (Switchbacks).

1.0 (Direct)2.0 (Winding)3.0+ (Serpentine)
1.98

1.98

Gradient Distribution

Flat (0-3%)38%
Moderate (3-8%)41%
Steep (>8%)22%

Surface & Hydrology

Paved87%
Unpaved13%

Surface Spectrum Analysis

Asphalt
87%
Gravel
8%
Dirt Track
5%
Water Crossings

Includes only technical water fords where the vehicle actively enters a stream or riverbed. Permanent bridges are excluded from this count.

0

Difficulty Analysis

SCORE: 53

Difficulty is determined by a technical multi-vector analysis of elevation profile, surface quality, and topographic intensity.

Resulting CategoryHard

Bounding Box (WGS84)

MIN LAT: -26.683564
MAX LAT: -26.450262
MIN LON: 30.919533
MAX LON: 31.250012

Point Spacing: 54 m • Engine: TrailX Precision GPX ANALYTICS v1.0.0

Reviews & Discussion0

Expedition notes, route modifications, and surface updates shared by the community.

Log Expedition Notes

You must be signed in to contribute reviews

Authenticate Identity

Be the first to review

No reviews registered for this technical sector yet. Share your experience, surface observations, or gear recommendations!