Traversing the untamed Kalahari
04/01/2007 07:55
Hennie Homann
Have you ever been to a place where time passes without you keeping track of it? Where your surroundings are open grasslands with sand dunes popping out here and there and the scattered trees are no taller than three metres? Roaming wild animals like eland and gemsbok complete the picture setting the mood for a relaxing trip?
One such a place is the untamed Kalahari. Here time is a virtue and every whisper sounds like a piercing scream.
The last time I visited this rugged area was about seven years ago and you won't believe how much it has changed. Especially with all the rain they have had over the last couple of months. The bare-backed red dunes are now covered with grass as far as the eye can see.
All out action
Thanks to an invite from Kalahari Tours and Travel and KTM Nelspruit, seven other keen outdoor enthusiasts and I visited the area on the back of KTM motorcycles. With the likes of Brian Bontekoning, the 2005 national senior off-road champion on his KTM 950cc Super Enduro, the trip meant just one thing: All-out action with a bit of fun, fun and more fun.
The rest of the team consisted of Jaco Liebenberg (general manager KTM Nelspruit on a KTM 950 Super Enduro), PD Terblanch (on a KTM 990cc Adventure), Igna de Villiers (also on a KTM 990cc Adventure), Glenn Foley (editor of Quad & Dirt magazine on a KTM 640cc) and Kobus van der Merwe (on a Honda Rincon 680cc quad). The most senior member of the group, Leon de Villiers, or 'OB' as I called him, and I manned the back-up vehicle, a short-wheel base Toyota Prado.
Upon our arrival in Vanzylsrus, we met up with the rest of our hosts, Magda and Johan Wessels at the farmers' hall where we got to know everything about everyone in town in the first 60 minutes. One thing about the locals, hospitality comes by the bucket and you make friends for ever, even on your first visit.
After a couple of cold ones and a ton of food, we headed for Madalla Lodge, our overnight stay, where day temperatures can easily reach 40�° plus. We experienced the exact opposite. A cold breeze blew the whole night and resulted in a layer of ice on the bike seats and vehicle windows, but this did not dampen our enthusiasm although I was glad to man the back-up vehicle with OB then.
The first couple of kilometres took us on the R31 gravel road towards Askam, but we turned off towards Middelputs where the guys made another turn onto a small farm road in the direction of the Botswana boarder. From here, for more than 100km, our route alternated between graded roads and dirt tracks.
'n Boer maak 'n plan'
Once at the Molopo Lodge we enjoyed a couple of cold drinks and met up with Glenn Foley before heading towards Mier.
Only ten minutes after leaving disaster met the newcomer Glenn, causing him to stop with a puncture. But as the saying goes, 'n Boer maak 'n plan', and with lots of experience, Jaco Liebenberg had us back on the road within minutes.
As I said, the trip was all about fun and the guys enjoying their machines. This was quite evident at one of the numerous dry pans on the way to Mier.
It was here that the locals were entertained with rides and we encountered the red dunes of the Kalahari for the first time. We were also joined here by Hendrik Bot our host, chef and tour guide for the next couple of days. With his team, Grieta and Sonja, a large tent was erected on one of the dunes for our million-star hotel (well, after a long trip it surely felt like a hotel).
We feasted on traditional 'roosterkoek' from the grill, chicken potjie and of course Hendrik's speciality, tripe (of which the two Englishmen, Brian and Glenn also had). Nothing could be better than a good night's rest in old-fashioned Christmasbed-style.
The aroma of fresh coffee and the early morning sun, woke us up and we had a glimpse of the more than 400 dunes that stretched ahead towards Pulai, all along the Namibian boarder.
Lunch was served in the shade of a thorn tree at Geisemap with 14 Dodge pick-up wrecks as part of the scenery, Pulai being a long way to go still.
The hunters' cabin at Pulai served as our base camp for the next couple of days. From there the dune riding continued and the long, lazy evenings around the fires with local tales told by Hendrik and Adoons Cloete (our other guide) was the order of the day.
After five days, six nights and more than 800km of serious dune riding, it was back to the grindstone, but certainly a trip not to be missed.
Let's be honest, it was definitely not for the faint-hearted. You not only had to be fit but had to have a fair amount of riding skill and endurance. But having said that, it was a great opportunity to break away and enjoy the company of other outdoor enthusiasts.
https://www.wheels24.co.za/Wheels24/BikesQuads/BikingNews/0,6119,1369-1962-1964_2050788,00.html
04/01/2007 07:55
Hennie Homann
Have you ever been to a place where time passes without you keeping track of it? Where your surroundings are open grasslands with sand dunes popping out here and there and the scattered trees are no taller than three metres? Roaming wild animals like eland and gemsbok complete the picture setting the mood for a relaxing trip?
One such a place is the untamed Kalahari. Here time is a virtue and every whisper sounds like a piercing scream.
The last time I visited this rugged area was about seven years ago and you won't believe how much it has changed. Especially with all the rain they have had over the last couple of months. The bare-backed red dunes are now covered with grass as far as the eye can see.
All out action
Thanks to an invite from Kalahari Tours and Travel and KTM Nelspruit, seven other keen outdoor enthusiasts and I visited the area on the back of KTM motorcycles. With the likes of Brian Bontekoning, the 2005 national senior off-road champion on his KTM 950cc Super Enduro, the trip meant just one thing: All-out action with a bit of fun, fun and more fun.
The rest of the team consisted of Jaco Liebenberg (general manager KTM Nelspruit on a KTM 950 Super Enduro), PD Terblanch (on a KTM 990cc Adventure), Igna de Villiers (also on a KTM 990cc Adventure), Glenn Foley (editor of Quad & Dirt magazine on a KTM 640cc) and Kobus van der Merwe (on a Honda Rincon 680cc quad). The most senior member of the group, Leon de Villiers, or 'OB' as I called him, and I manned the back-up vehicle, a short-wheel base Toyota Prado.
Upon our arrival in Vanzylsrus, we met up with the rest of our hosts, Magda and Johan Wessels at the farmers' hall where we got to know everything about everyone in town in the first 60 minutes. One thing about the locals, hospitality comes by the bucket and you make friends for ever, even on your first visit.
After a couple of cold ones and a ton of food, we headed for Madalla Lodge, our overnight stay, where day temperatures can easily reach 40�° plus. We experienced the exact opposite. A cold breeze blew the whole night and resulted in a layer of ice on the bike seats and vehicle windows, but this did not dampen our enthusiasm although I was glad to man the back-up vehicle with OB then.
The first couple of kilometres took us on the R31 gravel road towards Askam, but we turned off towards Middelputs where the guys made another turn onto a small farm road in the direction of the Botswana boarder. From here, for more than 100km, our route alternated between graded roads and dirt tracks.
'n Boer maak 'n plan'
Once at the Molopo Lodge we enjoyed a couple of cold drinks and met up with Glenn Foley before heading towards Mier.
Only ten minutes after leaving disaster met the newcomer Glenn, causing him to stop with a puncture. But as the saying goes, 'n Boer maak 'n plan', and with lots of experience, Jaco Liebenberg had us back on the road within minutes.
As I said, the trip was all about fun and the guys enjoying their machines. This was quite evident at one of the numerous dry pans on the way to Mier.
It was here that the locals were entertained with rides and we encountered the red dunes of the Kalahari for the first time. We were also joined here by Hendrik Bot our host, chef and tour guide for the next couple of days. With his team, Grieta and Sonja, a large tent was erected on one of the dunes for our million-star hotel (well, after a long trip it surely felt like a hotel).
We feasted on traditional 'roosterkoek' from the grill, chicken potjie and of course Hendrik's speciality, tripe (of which the two Englishmen, Brian and Glenn also had). Nothing could be better than a good night's rest in old-fashioned Christmasbed-style.
The aroma of fresh coffee and the early morning sun, woke us up and we had a glimpse of the more than 400 dunes that stretched ahead towards Pulai, all along the Namibian boarder.
Lunch was served in the shade of a thorn tree at Geisemap with 14 Dodge pick-up wrecks as part of the scenery, Pulai being a long way to go still.
The hunters' cabin at Pulai served as our base camp for the next couple of days. From there the dune riding continued and the long, lazy evenings around the fires with local tales told by Hendrik and Adoons Cloete (our other guide) was the order of the day.
After five days, six nights and more than 800km of serious dune riding, it was back to the grindstone, but certainly a trip not to be missed.
Let's be honest, it was definitely not for the faint-hearted. You not only had to be fit but had to have a fair amount of riding skill and endurance. But having said that, it was a great opportunity to break away and enjoy the company of other outdoor enthusiasts.
https://www.wheels24.co.za/Wheels24/BikesQuads/BikingNews/0,6119,1369-1962-1964_2050788,00.html
