Cristine Wekenborg and her boyfriend hit the highway for an epic journey, with the aim of exploring the north of South Africa within the wake of the current heavy rains.
Driving from Cape City, to Sutherland, to the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park and ending off in Augrabies Nationwide Park earlier than heading again to the Mom Metropolis, the pair set off on an epic journey.
Wekenborg spoke to Getaway Journal about their journey, what sights are price seeing alongside the best way and the place to remain, should you’re planning to go to the roaring Augrabies Falls.
From Cape City, the couple drove to Sutherland and stayed at Sterland Tenting.
‘Sadly, the South African Astronomical Observatory (SALT) just isn’t open for guests in the meanwhile. However we stayed at Sterland Tenting and the proprietor has some telescopes himself, so he might inform us some attention-grabbing info about our universe,’ mentioned Wekenborg.
From Sutherland the pair continued north to Verneukpan, the place they spent the evening earlier than being bombarded with locusts.
‘It is extremely remoted and we had been a bit scared that our little Audi A3 wouldn’t make it to the pan. As soon as arrived, we had been all on our personal, raced the Audi for a bit and watched the sundown in the midst of the pan, completely gorgeous.
‘At dusk we had been shocked by tens of millions of locusts (pay attention to the wet season). Our romantic evening below the celebrities for my boyfriend’s birthday grew to become a little bit warfare zone and we determined to have dinner within the tent.’
From right here, the couple set off for the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park by way of Upington. They spent two nights in Twee Rivieren and an evening in Nossob and Mata-Mata.
‘The Kalahari was very inexperienced and we noticed a variety of wildlife. Heavy rainfalls within the evenings flooded the tenting areas, so pay attention to the place you pitch your tent, but it surely additionally made the roads very easy for our little automobile to drive round.’
After leaving Mata-Mata, the pair travelled to Upington to shorten their journey to Augrabies Nationwide Park. Right here, they spent the evening on a springbok farm simply outdoors the city.
‘Augrabies was our purpose for the following day. Fortunately it cooled right down to about 32 levels Celsius, so tenting was a extra nice expertise. We stayed one evening contained in the park. Sadly we arrived on a Sunday, which was additionally Valentine’s Day, so the park was flooded with day guests. We spent the day across the tenting web site and waited till 4pm to see the falls.
‘It’s unbelievable how a lot water is flowing down the gorge. The customer platforms are proper subsequent to the excessive water degree, which makes it very thrilling, but in addition a bit scary.
‘One platform is in the midst of a few streams, which makes it raining nonstop so your cellphone higher be waterproof. Within the afternoon one can see the rainbows across the waterfalls, which is simply gorgeous, the morning rainbows are a bit weaker. The sunsets have all the colours. As a result of rain within the space and the mud/sand, we acquired an superior pinkish/purple sundown,’ she continued.
‘Half of the park is flooded and all different climbing trails and driving routes are closed in the meanwhile. Solely a small a part of the park, which is the boardwalk across the waterfalls is open. All guests think about this little space. However should you keep within the park, you’ll be able to go to the falls after hours (the park is barely open till 6pm for day guests, final in at 5pm). The sunshine can also be unbelievable after 6pm. Moreover, you’ll be able to see the falls for dawn, which could be very particular. Even many of the campers are solely away after dawn, so that you might need the entire waterfall space to your self, which could be very particular,’ mentioned Wekenborg.
‘The falls had been unbelievable. I’ve seen the Victoria Falls, Iguazu Falls and Niagara Falls earlier than, however this was particular. The boardwalk has a number of lookout factors, that are completely totally different. From distant you may have a complete panorama view over the river, inexperienced bushes and elements of the falls. The center half is like standing within the rain and also you get fully soaked. The rainbow is sort of above your head and the huge quantity of water is taking pictures by means of the gorge beneath your toes. The nearer platforms convey you to the beginning of the waterfall, the place you’re feeling the water pumping down and vibrating. There isn’t any different approach than smiling and being blissful to witness such a flooded waterfall.
‘I’d have liked to see different elements of the park, however as a result of flooding, it was not attainable. Subsequent time, I’ll come again within the dry season. There may not be a waterfall, however there’s the likelihood to discover the desert in a sandy and scorching approach. You can’t have each. However seeing the Kalahari and the Waterfall in full flooding was a fortunate expertise and I’d not wish to miss it.
‘From Augrabies Falls we made our approach again to Cape City. Our final evening we stayed at Highlanders Campsite simply north of Clanwilliam to shorten our journey,’ Wekenborg continued.
‘I undoubtedly advocate this journey. As a Karoo lover, this journey was probably the greatest journeys we ever made. Though we typically felt like combating the Egyptian plagues with all the warmth, floodings and locusts. Tenting on this rural areas, seeing so many lions within the Kgalagadi, wine tasting on the orange river and feeling the facility of South Africa’s most magical waterfall. On this journey one spotlight follows the following,’ Wekenborg added.
‘There isn’t any break in between, as every single day brings a lot journey. It might need solely been 10 days, but it surely looks like I made reminiscences for for much longer,’ she concluded.
The journey in a nutshell
The journey was 10 days/ 9 nights in whole.
- 1 evening Southerland
- 1 evening Verneukpan
- 4 nights Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
- 1 evening Upington
- 1 evening Augrabies
- 1 evening Clanwilliam
Roundtrip distance:
2863 km (round 3000km incl. sport drives and grocery buying)
What you shouldn’t depart behind:
A raincoat and mosquito repellent
Swimsuit and chilly beer
Map define of the journey:
Cristine Wekenborg’s suggestions for lodging and locations to go to alongside the best way:
- When you’ve got a 4×4 or a excessive clearance automobile or you’re simply as mad as we’re and prepared to take your little automobile up there (which was no issues aside from some sections in Kgalagadi), you’ll be able to drive the identical route as we did.
- We spent a while in Namaqua Nationwide Park in September, that’s why we didn’t select to go there once more, however when you’ve got time, undoubtedly try their coastal campsites. When you’ve got a 4×4 and time, drive by means of the 4×4 routes of the park from the N7 in the direction of the coast: sand dunes, distant seashores and an superior flora & fauna.
- Sadly many of the Orange River Lodging round Vioolsdrift are closed as a result of floodings
- When you’ve got much less time for the journey and prepared to take 2 driving days in, the journey can also be attainable in a shorter time frame
Sutherland
- Sterland Tenting (R150ppn, stargazing R150pp/Sundays R200pp)
- SALT (when open once more for guests, not in Degree 3)
- Restaurant: The White Home (beers R22)
Verneukpan
- Verneukpan Tenting (R150ppn)
- No eating places round, BYO
Kgalagadi
- Twee Rivieren, Nossob, Mata-Mata tenting (between R280-350pn)
- Swimming pools, Eating places are closed in the meanwhile, retailers with primary groceries out there, laundry solely in Twee Rivieren
Upington
- Kalahari Monate Lodge (R150 ppn), 12 km north of Upington
- Purple Ox Steakhouse (R95 breakfast, R48 craft beer)
- Orange River Wine Route
- Orange River Cellars (cellars aren’t open on Saturday afternoons and Sundays) This vineyard will get their grapes from 300km alongside the Orange River, due to this fact there are 5 wine tasting choices alongside the river, we went to Kakamas, simply outdoors Augrabies Falls (30 min). Wine Tasting R10 for five wines or R0 whenever you purchase some wine (value vary R35-R180 per bottle)
- Die Mas van Kakamas: This vineyard can also be in Kakamas and has an superior terrace overlooking the orange river. Wine Tasting R30 or R0 should you purchase some wine (from R60 per bottle). There are additionally Brandy and Gin Tastings out there
- Different wineries of the Orange River Wine Route are Bezalel (Upington) and Landzicht (Douglas)
- Upington is superior for filling up, shopping for groceries or fixing your automobile (a number of garages) on the best way to and from Kgalagadi/ Augrabies
- There could be floodings in Keimoes, so that you might need to cross a river along with your automobile (or plan some extra time to drive round it)
Augrabies
- Campsite (R285 pn)
- Swimming pools, Outlets with primary groceries out there
- They’ve a variety of availabilities for spontaneous individuals. For weekends, it’s higher to pre-book 7 days upfront
Highlanders Campsite (Trawal, simply north of Clanwilliam)
- Campsite (R150ppn)
- Pool, no restaurant or store
Traveller ideas:
- Have Roosterkoek/wine tasting at Piekenierskloof (N7, south of Citrusdal)
- In case you are driving N1 (route Southerland), begin early and have your Breakfast at Du Toitskloof wines (or within the space)
- A lot of individuals stopover additionally within the Cederberg (I met some individuals who stopped over in Kliphuis or Ceres or Calvinia)
- Most individuals took the R27 up (to not drive the N7 twice), we met a British couple who deliberate on driving by means of Namaqua on the best way to Cape City
- Nobody ever heard of Verneukpan (we had been the one ones there and the final reserving, in accordance with the visitor e-book, was January 4)
- It may well get very popular in the course of the day, be ready for temperatures typically over 40 levels Celsius
- It may well rain lots in a really brief time interval, be ready for that and select your tenting spot correctly (we had 38mm in 2h at Mata-Mata Camp, the entire space acquired flooded)
- A 4×4 just isn’t essential for the roads, however you may want a bit greater automobile to see the animals (we might typically not see over the savanna grass)