Hi all
This year we made a bit of a tour down towards the usual holiday destination of the in-laws and parents in the Southern Cape. The tour was via the Karoo (Camdebo), then over the Kouga mountains from Kareedouw to the Baviaanskloof, and then on our way back we stayed for a couple of days in a very remote house inside the Karoo National Park.
Our first destination was a cottage 10 km outside of Nieu Betesta called the vleihuisie. It is fantastic for bird watchers. From this base we visited the Valley of Desolution. It was 44 degr in Graaf Reinett. There are a couple of 4x4 trails inside the reserve. We only had time for the tame one. The "boss", on my left, who also acts as my "farm gate opener", would not allow me to drive the grade 4 trail also in the park. Not without the company of other more experienced drivers. No accommodation inside the park yet, but SAN Parks is working on this.
- 2 Vleihuisie (near NieuBetesta).jpg (43.06 KiB) Viewed 2923 times
From here we travelled down towards Kareedouw in the Langekloof from where we ascented onto the mountains seperating the Langekloof from the Baviaanskloof. This is a tight and on some places steep dirt road taking you across the Kouga dam. The destination was the Baviaanslodge on top of the mountains. It is one of the prettiest settings and probably the second most remote place that we have been to in a car. We will get to the most remote place later on...
- 3 On way to BaviaansLodge.jpg (34 KiB) Viewed 2923 times
- 4 Baviaanslodge.jpg (34.69 KiB) Viewed 2923 times
From the Baviaanslodge we drove the Kouga 4x4 trail towards the Rus & Vrede farm in the Bavaanskloof. A thousands hills of Fynbos, rocky road, very narrow path at times and very steep looking down. It is a grade 2-3 track for about 34 kilomters and takes between 4 and 5 hours to complete (depending on how long it takes you or your co-driver to open the many farm gates along the way).
- 7 KougaRoute.jpg (39.12 KiB) Viewed 2923 times
Along the way you will find the spot where Katok Meyer dropped his Cruiser 300 meters into a kloof. Apparently the hand brake slipped while he was taking a picture of the view...Katok then subsequently went to recover his vehicle and was able to re-use many parts. The little plate on the route describes the fall of the vehicle and recovery. Katok apparently manages the Burchell route between Knysna and Uniondale (still on my to-do list)
- 5 KatokMeyer.jpg (43.71 KiB) Viewed 2923 times
From here on we drove the remainder of the Baviaanskloof Eastwards
- 8 Baviaanskloof.jpg (36.29 KiB) Viewed 2923 times
While in the Southern Cape we also took the opportunity to drive the Vleesbaai Sand dunes.
A very different ball game to rocky roads. The trail is a guided tour to avoid drinking and dune driving, which apparently is something 4x4 drivers tend to do on dunes.
My car is of course the pretty one in the center of this pic.
- 9 VleesbaaiDunes.jpg (29.04 KiB) Viewed 2923 times
For the final dune, I took the pressure down to 0.8 Bar. After my third attempt up the hill, I settled on running up in third gear (low range) and having dropped the pressure down to 0.6 got over. So, not the best performance of the day. However I think the 265/70 16'' tyres are too small for a truck this size and the footprint on the sand too small.
From here on the Camka 4x4 trail is only a 20 minute drive away. It is featured in the December issue of Weg. Graded 3. Mostly sand. The trail is not nearly as well marked as claimed by Weg and we got lost! Not the most exciting 4x4 trail, but a treat for those fond of Fynbos flowers.
- 11 CamkaFynbosRoute.jpg (37.38 KiB) Viewed 2923 times
Having spent some beach days in Vleesbaai and Stilbaai we started our trek back via the Karoo National Park. This is where we opted for the most remote place we have been in a car, a cottage 3 hours' drive form the main entrance. It was extremely hot (40 degr - not recommended in the summer). The fridge was a life saver, because 3 hours is a long way to drive for a cold beer. The trail is graded 1, but is apparently a very different story when wet. This does not happen often in the Karoo though.
- 12 KarooNatPark.jpg (35.33 KiB) Viewed 2923 times
- 13 KarooNatPark.jpg (33.78 KiB) Viewed 2923 times
So what was my highlight? Probably the Kouga trail. There is something to be said to drive for 5 hours of a rocky 4x4 trail without meeting another soul. We did however cross paths with a Hilux and an Isuzu going the opposite way. Luckily not anywhere near the very narrow parts.
If anyone needs any more detail on some of the places we have been to, let me know.
So what is next? The Kalahari Transfrontier Park in April.
Cheers
Wys jou nou net weer van "assume". Ek het daai bonnet scoop net een kyk gegee. Sal volgende keer eers die specs gaan op swat 
