Day 4The route for the day was vague. The general direction was clear - I was heading towards Charles Hill and Mamuno border post. The night before I had a chat and beer with the other hotel guest who worked as a nurse in one of the clinics out in the bush, which gave me rough idea about the lion situation (they are there), roads (dirt, mostly sand), campsites (almost in every village, but there are just about 3 - 4 villages on the way) and petrol (no petrol before Charles Hill). I still wanted to try to explore area around the Kaa gate on the northern boundary of Kgalagadi park. So I decided to wing it and head to Zutshwe about 70 km south west, where my GPS indicated a track going another 70 km south west to Kaa gate. There I would explore a bit the cutlines along the park and depending on time and energy left either push back north via another cutline to connect to the road to Charles Hill and push as far north-west as I will make it, or sleep over at the Kaa gate and continue the following day.
I ended up doing this:
I woke early, packed up and went for quick breakfast in the hotel. While eating I was lectured by a retired local gentleman about the beauty of simple illiterate life of botswanian bushman and evil of the corrupt, crime ridden modern South Africa - an opinion widely shared in Botswana, which may come as a surprise to some who may believe that SA is a Shangri-La for the rest of the continent.
After breakfast I geared up and set-off. To cover the expected distance I needed minimum range of 500 km - preferably 600 to allow for some exploring around Kaa. So I stopped at the garage and filled up two 7 litre plastic jerry cans with spare fuel (e.g. total of 39 litres of petrol). This would also help to test my set-up with the full load of petrol and water that I expected to use again up in Kaokoland for the trip up the riverbeds and Van Zyl Pass.
Once fueled I headed west out of town, where the tar turned into nice sandy dirt road that I cruised on for next hour or so until I reached Zutshwe about 70 km away.
Zutshwe as all villages/towns in the area is situated next to a pan - I assume because that is where the water is. I went for a quick photo shoot on the pan.
Then I pushed into the village looking for the south-bound track heading to Kaa gate another 70 km away.
Despite having the track on the T4A I got promptly lost and had to ask locals for direction - this is where the campsite is:
As a thank you I brought smile into their lives:
The track to Kaa turned out to be unused deep sand double track, which surprised me as I thought this is the main route to the Kaa gate - the only gate to Kgalagadi park on the northern boundary. As I found out later there is now new cutline further west going to from Kaa and this track is not used anymore.
The track was tough and felt iffy as I had to work hard on the heavy bike and potentially had to do at least 140 km on it (70 km both ways). I also wasn’t able to see far enough around the bushes and wouldn’t be able to get up to a speed allowing quick getaway should I bump into a lion or ten. To give myself at least some chance I decided after few km to go bundu bashing along the track, which was much easier than focusing on the line on track. I was winding around the bushes - which is probably not a smart move in lion country, but it allowed to get up to speeds in excess of 50 kmh and costed much less energy.
Initial intention was to bundu bash for a km or two to see if the double track wouldn’t get easier further on - and if not to turn back. But while there were some sections of double track with the sand more compacted, I ended up winding most of the following 20 km through the bush as I was having way too much fun to be sensible. The surface in the bush was flat sand, so I could throw even the heavy bike around the bushes with relative ease and steer the bike mostly with the rear wheel. It was sublime, the only potential danger (apart from lions of course) were frequent and barely visible animal dug-outs on few of which my WP forks saved my biscuit. Eventually after about 20 km from Zutshwe I came to this sign which explained why the track felt completely abandoned. I considered pushing on anyway but then decided against it and turn back as I didn’t know how the rangers at Kaa will react if I came via a closed track.
I have seen lots of game - herds of springboks, oryxes, wildebeest and other antelopes, but they were clearly not used to motorised vehicles and run away at the first sight. Unfortunately the helmet cam’s lens angle diminishes greatly anything more than 10 meters away, so these are the only pics I have:
Antelope:
Little bok:
And little foxy (barely visible unfortunately):
Back in Zutshwe I have joined again the main road from Hukuntsi and turned west towards Ukwi and Charles Hill. The road alternated between good dirt/cement road and recently graded sand sections with deep tracks dug into them. I could see that there is some maintenance going on, but the whole road had very remote feel. I have met only two cars for the whole day on about 220 km between Hukuntsi and Ukwi - one water truck next to Zutshwe and one Landcruiser full of locals shortly before Ukwi.
The exertions from the prior day special section, today’s enduro special and midsummer botswanian heat started to get better of me and I eventually dropped the bike for the first time in one of the deep sand sections. Nothing dramatic, I just didn’t have any will left to hold the bike up when I caught a bit of a wobbly and stopped. I was too hot and tired to pick the bike straight away and retreated under the nearby bush for a bit of rehydration and cooling. That’s is how that local Landcruiser full of locals and jolly driver with beer in his hand (and by the sight of things not first or fifth one) found me. They stopped to check on me. We chit chatted a bit and then they set-off again saying that if I don’t come right the drive will be returning in few hours back on the same road.

I have eventually cooled down sufficiently to pick up the bike and rode the rest of the 30 km or so to Ukwi. I have arrived there in the early afternoon, and under normal circumstances would just push on towards Charled Hill about 160 km away. But I was knackered, so I just stopped at the general dealer for a drink and decided to stay the night in the village.
I asked if there is any accommodation and the shopkeeper confirmed that there is an guesthouse and camp, but didn’t know where - so he send me to the center of the village 1 km further on, where there was a village gathering and village elders should be able to sort me out. And indeed there was a big festive looking gathering on the schoolyard with people clearly dressed up for the occassions. My arrival caused a bit of commotion as most of the people there probably have never seen a bike, but it settle down quickly.
The gathering turned out to be a monthly government handouts payout day - so I knew that tonight is probably going to be a party. Normally that would be a good new, but I was feeling pretty exhausted and hoped for a good rest.
I found a helpful local lady speaking some English (not widespread there) and enquired about the campsite or guesthouse. She went to fetch a councilman to sort me out - a young chap who didn’t speak any English and a lady who was the guesthouse keeper. The councilman couldn’t explain how to get to the campsite, they suggested that he can accompany me on the bike, but I wasn’t keen to ride in deep sand with a dude behind me, so I went to check the nearby community guesthouse - I guess build by government and catering mostly from travelling government officials.
To say that the guesthouse was elementary would be great overstatement. It had four rooms of double beds with linen that has not been washed for a long time, a common kitchen with the wall thick with oil and sickening sweet stink, and one tap. The toilet was communal outhouse - not comunal for the guesthouse, but for the whole village. For washing in each room there was a bigger bucket to step into and small bucket to pour water over yourself. There was no shade so the heat inside was oppressive. Now I have slept in worse places, but I have to say that the sweet stinking kitchen had my stomach turning.
I asked again about the campsite, but the locals got themselves so confused that I gave up and decided to rough it out in the guesthouse. At least the price was good - if I remember correctly 20 Pula, which included candles - the whole village was of the electric grid, the closest wiring about 70 km away. I hoped I will have the whole guesthouse for myself but got joined later with two councilman - not a problem except they did some cooking that kept me out of the house for most of the evening.

Once I settled in and washed I was keen to find some food. There was no eatery of any kind, but the locals sent me to one of the houses where one of the local ladies baked and sold bread. When I came there she had a bit of a ladies party going on in the courtyard, the center of which was a big cauldron on fire filled with oil and potato chips - exquisite delicacy in this parts. I had two servings and loaf of bread and retreated back to the guesthouse for a dinner of corned beef and bread. After that I headed to the local bar, which was by now pumping about km away.
As expected at the payday, it was quite a sight with the music blaring distorted from some ancient speakers, ladies standing and dancing around the perimeter, and pissed bushmen inside bar screaming constantly at little bar lady, who screamed back with equal vigor. The screaming was clearly the generally accepted mode of communication and didn’t result (at least while I was there) in any physical insultation. I had probably doubled the sales for the day by buying 3 beer cans and a pack of local cigarettes - it took a while for the lady to understand that I really want whole pack. With my goods I weaved through the outer ladies perimeter, declining politely numerous offers to dance (I think) and requests for bear and retreated back to the guesthouse to sit on the porch and hopefully drink myself into sleep.
The hot night, tons of mosquitos and festivities lasting till early morning didn’t provide for very restful night, but I managed to squeeze in few hours of interrupted sleep.