Trip Report - Moordenaars Karoo, South Africa

[Silverspiders]

Hi all,

This is my first post of this forum. I live in Cape Town, South Africa, and since joining have received a few PM’s asking me to post trip reports of some of the trails/routes etc that we do in this part of the world. So, here is a first attempt …

As part of my job I am fortunate to ‘’have’’ to travel to some of the more remote parts of Southern Africa. Whenever feasible I try to combine a bit of work and pleasure and take the back roads there and back. This trip was no different. I needed to be in Beaufort West, a town about 5.5hours drive North East of Cape Town along the N1 (major highway running from Cape Town in the South West to Johannesburg and eventually up further north), on Thursday afternoon and then on Friday I had to meet a landowner near the town of Sutherland (widely regarded as the coldest town in SA).

After a very hectic start to the week Wednesday seemed to arrive in a flash. On Wednesday night I quickly packed a few bits of essential gear into my faithful 2002 LR Discovery 2. As I’d be travelling alone and planned on staying in self-catering cottages, I didn’t bother with a tent but (luckily) packed my sleeping bag, hiking mattress, gas cooker, etc. My ‘’camping box’’ is permanently in the car, along with my spares box, first aid kit etc so it was not long before I was loaded and ready to go.

Loaded and ready to go



Day 1: Thursday

Up at 5am, and on the road by 5.30am. As I needed to get to Beaufort West for a meeting at 12h00, I decided to head straight up the N1 highway. I don’t have many pictures of this part of the journey as it is not exactly that exciting. This one gives you an idea – lots of wide open semi-desert.



I stopped in the town of Laingsburg at about 9am for a much needed cup of coffee, and a chance to finally give some thought to my route over the next couple of days. In terms of commitments, I had a meeting that day (Thursday) in Beaufort West, then another near the town of Sutherland on Friday at 2pm and I needed to be back in Cape Town by 1pm on Saturday to attend my nephew’s first birthday. I figured that the route to Sutherland would give me the chance to drive up through ‘’Die Moordenaars Karoo’’ – Moordenaar is the Afrikaans word for Murderer.

Afrikaans is derived from predominantly the Dutch language, which was what was spoken by the first Europeans settlers to arrive in SA in the 1650’s. Karoo is a word that I believe derives from the native Khoisan Bushman language and generally refers to a large semi-desert area that makes up the bulk of the western and central part of the country. In turn there are various areas within the Karoo, the boundaries of which are not really defined on a map. I’d be travelling through the Moordenaars Karoo on my way to Sutherland, then drop down the escarpment (in spectacular fashion - more on that later) into the Tankwa Karoo before climbing back over the mountains (and out of the Karoo) into the Cape.

Approximate route taken



Laingsburg suffered a devastating flood in the early 1980’s, which destroyed almost the entire town. At the memorial in the town the level of the flood waters is recorded, which approximately the same height as the tree tops in the photo below.



Coffee over, I head on to Beaufort West and attended the meeting’s etc as planned. This took up a good few hours and by the time I had finished it was nearing 4pm. I headed just out of town to the Karoo National Park, one of the many national parks in South Africa. Not all of them have predators, but this one does, so it made a great chance to go and try and spot a few lion.

I checked in, got the keys to my cottage and headed out into the park on one of the many 4x4 loops. I saw plenty of game, but unfortunately no lion. I did manage to get quite close to a rhino, which is always a sobering experience. They really are a lot bigger than you imagine, and their size and obvious mass makes you very conscious of how fragile even something as solid as a landrover is when it is all between you and close on a ton of animal.

Stream crossing



Various antelope:



Rhino



After enough excitement for one day, it was back to the cottage for a braai (local word for barbeque – but only ever wood, never gas, gas is cooking). After a nice rump steak, cooked over the coals and washed down by a few cold beers, it was time for bed.

 

[hikingff77]

Wow. Cool. Rhino, I can't imagine seeing them in the wild.

 

[Silverspiders]

Day 2: Friday

Up early and was greeted by a herd of Springbok grazing just a few meters away from the cottage. These animals once graced the plains of th eKaroo in their millions, and their migrations used to strike fear into the hearts of early settlers as the shear number of them often spelt disasster for the farmers, with grazing etc being wiped out for 100's of km's.

After a excellent breakfast at the restaurant at the Park HQ I hit the road, back in the direction of Cape Town. I had a meeting in the small town of Leeu Gamka, before heading back to Laingsburg. Once I got to Laingsburg, I turned north and at long last onto the dirt roads, direction ... well, the photo kind of gives it away.



I headed into the Karoo, climbing slowly up the escarpment towards Sutherland. On the way I past some abandoned farms, and the signs of some of the floods that tend to devastate this part of the world every few decades or so.

Boarded up farm house



Slightly used car for sale



View back



I eventually reached the top, and stopped to take a few pics.



I also noticed the jet streams forming above. I fly back and forth from my home in Cape Town to the financial capital of the country, Johannesburg, probably 3 or 4 times a month. I often sit on the plane looking down at the Karoo and all the roads I have yet to explore. It was nice, for once, to be doing the opposite ...



Not long after I reached the town of Sutherland. The town regularly records the lowest temperatures in South Africa during winter, but even though it is only just starting to feel like spring has arrived the temp in town was baking hot. I got my business committments out the way and stocked up on a few cold beers, some local lamb and a few bags of ice for the cooler. It was a Friday afternoon, and it was as if the town has been deserted. I managed to find a gas station to fill up, and paid the most I have ever paid for diesel in South Africa ever - R13/litre !



Stocked up with the essentials,I was ready to go by about 3pm. Destination was a village called Middelpos. Middel, in Afrikaans, means (you guessed it) middle, and pos means post (as in outpost). The town lies approximately half way between the regionally important towns of Sutherland and Calvinia, so I guess it used to be a half way stop in days gone by. For me it will always be somewhere I remember as it was here, in 2010, that I limped into town on a Saturday afternoon with one shredded tyre and another one that had two plugs in it and had to be pumped every 30 mins to keep enough air in it. The kind ''gentlemen'' who owned the garage took one look at me and told me it would cost R500 for a tube (about $60). When I mentioned it was rather expensive he suggested, with a dead straight face, that I should try ''the other repair shop just up the street''. What repair shop, hell, what street for that matter ...

 

[Silverspiders]

Once in Middelpos I decided to visit the general store. It is one of those old school stores that stocks everything. Right next door is the Middelpos Hotel, which unfortunately didn't seem to be open, even though there appearded to be at least one guest parked outside. Then again, the hotel is the proud owner of what appear to be the only two trees offering shade so no wonder it is so popular.

On the way out I drove past the Post Office, which looks like it either sell shaded seating or must have had a mail delivery that morning. Either way, I enjoyed a bit of banter with a few of the locals, you know, usual stuff about when last it rained etc - important topics for people living in a dry part of the world.

Hotel



Post Office



Having reached Middelpos, my direction would now take me South East towards the town of Ceres, about 250km away. My plan was to spend the night at another of the national parks, this time the Tankwa Karoo National Park.

Ceres here we come



The road from Middelpos to Ceres leads directly through the NP, but most importantly it takes you down the Gannagaspas. This pass it a spectacular road (the photo's just do not do it justice) which drops over 500m in a few km's down into the plains of the Tankwa Karoo. I really think it is one of the most spectacular views in the western part of South Africa.







Soon after reaching the bottom I arrived at the Information Centre for the park. I enquired about accomodation and was stoked when they told me they had one of the Elandsberg Cabins available. I have stayed there before and they are amazing, built out of natural materials and most importantly have a small swimming pool.

This pic from when we stayed at Elandsberg in 2010.



This was a big plus as it was still rather hot, with the temp gauge in the car still showing 37 deg C (almost 100 deg F).

As my mind was dreaming of the swim that lay ahead, I heard the words "oohhh jammer meneer, ek het 'n fout gemaak'' (sorry sir, I have made a mistake). My day dream was shattered by the news that the lady behind the counter had been looking at the wrong date and, unfortunately, they had no accomodation available - except for a camp site.

Well, it was now about 6pm and I had been on the go since early that morning. It was another 4.5-5 hours back to Cape Town and I was not in the mood for more driving, despite the fact it showed little sign of cooling down outside. So, I ordered two more bags of ice and paid up for a camp site. Ice, firewood, beer and lamb in tow I headed out of the air conditioned luxury of the park office and on to my camp site.

Now, I know it might sound like I am complaining, but seriously it was hot. I finally arrived at my camp site, under two small thorn trees, and set up my very basic one man camp. The slight breeze was actually very plesant and the cold beer helped.



I sat down to write up my travel journal and enjoy the peace and quiet. The temp was finally dropping, I got the fire going and opened another cold one. Feet up, fully relaxed, life was good in this corner of Africa.



To round off the day, mother nature put on a pretty good sunset to bring the curtain down. I finished my lamb cutlets, had a final beer and unrolled my ground sheet. There is nothing like sleeping out in the open, staring up at the stars, praying that a scorpion will not decide to make your trouser leg a sleeping place....

 

[Silverspiders]

Sorry, not quite sure how I messed up that photo but here is the sunset pic

 

[Silverspiders]

During the night the wind picked up, and I could see clouds starting to gather. I woke up at first light, about 4.30am, just as the birds started their morning song fest. I got up, made a quick cup of coffee and hit the road to make it back to Cape Town in time for my nephew's first birthday party.
Sun starting to rise above the escarpment







Once in the town of Ceres, I headed back over the mountains to Cape Town. I arrived home at about 9am, happy and fully recharged after a little ''break'' from the world.

 

[mrchips]

Very good, South Africa is a beautiful country. I lived there for 10 years mostly on the Skeleton Coast, my father worked for De Beers Diamond Mines.