ABF2502 The return - Victoria Falls to Cape Town
The whole group has safely arrived in Victoria Falls and are raring to go. It's quite a relaxed start to the tour as today we just have the welcome meeting - all the motorcycles are in Kasane awaiting our arrival. We make the tour briefing and then head upstairs to the restaurant for dinner. The whole group is German speaking so language is no issue and everyone quickly gets to know one another. After dinner most take an early night as we head out to visit the falls in the morning.
Everyone awakens refreshed so after breakfast we head straight down to the falls. There is a lot of spray in the early morning but the wind is blowing away from us so keeps most of it in the gorge and not falling on us. We take a leisurely stroll around enjoying the views and then return to the hotel for our transfer to Kasane. The border is remarkably quiet today and we get through quickly and easily and in time to take lunch at the Lodge. In the afternoon we board our ship and take a sundowner cruise along the Chobe river and around Sedudu island. There are elephants, buffalo, crocodiles and we can see some hippo but only in the distance. We arrive back at the hotel just as the sun is setting and then there is time for a quick beer in the bar before dinner.
We go for an early morning game drive to start our day. We enter the park and drive around viewing the game - impala, kudu, giraffe and we even get a spotted hyena running right in front of the jeep. We venture further into the park but the lions from the other day have disappeared and are nowhere to be found. We start our drive out and bump into elephant, more giraffe and some baboons - it's been a fun start to the day. We head out of Kasane and it's an easy ride to Elephant Sands - until we reach the driveway. There is lots of deep sand and the 800 gs goes down and gets a hole in the engine casing courtesy of a big stone. It is very hard work and by the time we get to the lodge everyone is sweating buckets (it's 30+ degrees!). We go to the bar and have some well earned beers and then 3 elephants walk right up to the watering hole - amazing. They stay with us the whole evening as we have dinner and then sit out by the camp fire just watching them - it really is quite a special experience and a great end to our first riding day.
We fortunately had some liquid metal paste so the 800 gs has been repaired :-) We fight our way out of the sandy driveway but it seems much easier this morning - and it's not nearly so warm yet! We pass through Nata and then some go to the Nata Lodge for refreshments while the rest venture into the Nata bird sanctuary. It's also sandy here and we have a few ups and downs, but we make our way slowly and steadily until we reach the lookout point and then stay there a while to take in the views. There's also a fair breeze today while is keeping the temperature down. We head back to Nata Lodge and take some rest and refreshment there as it's already been a busy morning. We set off again and then stop in Nata to refuel, then head straight out again heading towards Maun. The first 30-40kms the road is in very poor condition which slows us down a bit, but we make it to Planet Baobab without any mishaps. We take some refreshment there then head out again for Maun. As we continue we see some more wildlife - Ostrich, Giraffe and some Elephants. The temperature in into the 30's now so we stop quickly once for a drink but then keep going. We reach Maun just before sunset and then head into the bar for some refreshments before dinner.
It's an early 6am start as we head out of the Lodge and make our way towards the Moremi south gate. The sun is just rising but it's a temperate 16 degrees so not too chilly in the open jeep. After 3 hours we arrive at the south gate and stop for a packed breakfast, which everyone is very welcome of. Already along the way we have seen Elephant, Giraffe and many Impala. We head into the park and keep our eyes peeled for more game. There are over 200,000 elephants in the park but it's extra nice when you see a large group, especially when they are playing in a water hole. We see Zebra, Antelope, Baboons and many different bird species, but the cats are missing. We stop for a picnic lunch in the shade and take a bit of time to rest as the temperature is pushing towards 30 degrees. We set off again and meet other jeeps who talk of lion and cheetah but we cannot find them. Then towards the end of the day we get our bonus for being patient - a cheetah with 4 cubs. We follow them along for a while watching as the cubs are running around frolicking - it really is the highlight of our day. We start to head back but there is deep sand and the pick up gets stuck - but we don't have to wait long and then get a tow out. We drive back to Maun bumping around with Bebe the driver telling us "the road is very bad" - no kidding. We arrive back at the hotel just after sunset - it's been a great day out and everyone is ready for dinner and an early bed.
The day starts with a relaxed helicopter ride over the Okovango delta. The water level has gone up again and there's lots of wildlife to see - many hippos splashing around in the water, elephant, zebra, antelope, giraffe but they are all much more spread out now as the water is covering much of the delta already. We do not have so far to travel today so it's a relaxed start after 11 as we set off towards Ghanzi. First we ride to Lake Ngami which according to AI has water in it now. We ride into the middle of the lake (according to navi) but there's not a drop of water to be seen anywhere. However, there is grass everywhere which wasn't the case last year! Disappointed, we head to the Shell station for some refreshments and gas for the 800 (still not leaking!). Afterwards it's an hour or so, through the police checkpoint and boot/tyre disinfectant and a quick drink stop by the roadside. Then the final stretch to Ghanzi which we reach in time far a quick dip in the pool for those who are inclined. Tomorrow we head to Windhoek in Namibia and our longest day of the tour - 520km!
It's another beautiful sunny day as we leave Ghanzi and head for Windhoek. There isn't a cloud in the sky and it's a pleasant 19 degrees. There is also not so much traffic so we reach Charles Hill and stop for gas and some refreshments before continuing the next 5km to the Namibian border. There is a bit of chaos going on and a bus of chinese tourists appears just after us but we grit our teeth, go through the african bureaucracy nightmare and manage to get everything completed by around 12:30, which isn't so bad. We head out again and then stop in Gobabis for a quick lunch break - it's nice to sit down and relax for a few minutes. After lunch we head out again on the final 200km to Windhoek. A quich drink break about half way and then we arrive just around 5pm which is good going for a 530km drive with border crossing thrown in. Time to freshen up and then head to the rooftop bar for a sundowner or two........
Well, today turned out to be a pretty tough one! We leave Windhoek on a sunny morning, blue skies and 19 degrees. We make out way to Okahandja and stop there for coffee and cakes - it's a really good little place! We carry on and stop at Usakos for lunch - there's not so much to see along the way and the last 30km is roadworks but no issues. After lunch is when the fun begins. We turn off for the Spitzkoppe onto gravel - and there's some sand traps along here! There are a few troughs where the road just dips down a little and the wind blows the sand in - not horribly deep but for sure enough to start a wobble and make life "interesting". We make it to the Spitzkoppe with only 1 additional bike on the trailer and spend some time there recuperating, admiring the views and snapping some photos. The way back starts off well but then the sand traps play their part and there are a few more offs. Eventually we make it to the main road. much to everyone's relief. A break to compose ourselves and top up with fluids then its the final 120km to Swakopmund where we arrive just before sunset. There are some beers in the cooler and we celebrate our arrival at the Atlantic coast.
Today we conquered C14 (death from below!). It's cool and overcast with a bit of a sea mist rolling in as we leave Swakopmund and head down the coast road to Walvis bay. The tide is out and so are most of the flamingos - they are visible but only in the distance. We stop at the Dunes mall for a good coffee and some shopping for extra layers for some folks - it's cooler than expected and will cool down more the further south we get. We stop at the Vogelsfederburg and load one bike (not recommended to ride injured from here) and to take some photos. Afterwards we continue and then take a 50km detour to avoid the C14 as much as possible. We come back to the C14 just at the point the compact earth road starts after the gravel which is great and continue onwards. We drive through the passes here and the scenery is stunning. We have the sun at our back and the sun illuminates the yellow grasses like a sea with the mountains in contrast behind - it's beautiful here. We take the obligatory photo at the Tropic of Capricorn sign and then steel ourselves for the next bad stretch of road. But we have lady luck on our side - the road has been graded from here to Solitaire so we can continue without any issues. We gas up and ride to the Lodge where we enjoy some cold beers while celebrating the day.
It's another 6am start for us as we head down the C19 towards Sesriem and the entrance to Namib Naukluft national park. We arrive at the park entrance just as the sun comes up over the mountains to the east - its very pretty. We head into the park with hall the other trucks, buses and 4x4's streaming along the only piece of tarmc road in the area. There are some balloon rides going up today and it looks like great fun. But we have our schedule to stick to as walking up the the Dead Vlei (or to big daddy dune) is not recommended in the heat of the day. The brave head up along the crest of the dunes while the rest take the easier stroll up to the Dead Vlei. We take in the scenery here and look up at the ant like formations climbing big daddy - hmmmmm not today Josephine. We have a great packed breakfast picnic and then start to make our way back to the lodge, where we arrive just after 2pm. Time for a swim or a rest or lunch - the sun is high and it is too hot for anything energetic!!
We have a breakfast with a view today as we gaze over the vast expanse in front of us from the Namib Naukluft lodge. We start a little later but it's already 26 degrees as we head towards Solitaire before heading across to the C14. the road is in significantly better condition than the C19 and the scenery here is awesome - the valley we are driving through has grasses covering the hillsides and the rock formations and undulations make it a spectacular view. There is little traffic on this road but now and again we meet some oncoming 4x4's and they leave a huge dust cloud for us to battle through. Once we reach the other side of the pass there is a side wind that clears the dust away which is a blessing. There is not much to see here except the vast expanse of Namib countryside that stretches in every direction as far as the eye can see. The land is all fenced though and one wonders what the people here actually do with these enormous tracts of land as there is no livestock to be seen. We stop at Maltahohe for a quick lunch and then we are on our way again, but now we are back on the tarmac. We blast through the countryside again just viewing the huge expanse that stretches in every direction. We pass quickly through Mariental and not long after reach the driveway to the Lodge - just 3km of sandy road to finish the day. We work up more of a sweat in this stretch than the rest of the day combined but we eventually make it to the lodge. Time to celebrate again with a beer on the terrace.
Today we have a much more relaxed schedule. We leave the Lodge around 10am and tackle the 3km sand before it warms up too much and becomes slippery. That part achieved we head out towards the Hardap dam to have a quick look around there. The dam is only 60% full at the moment but there is significantly more water than last year. We drive up to the restaurant, take some photos and chill for a bit - no rush today. Once we are done we ride back to Mariental, gas up and then drop into the Spur restaurant there for some drinks and coffee to perk us up a little. From there its a 230km straight ride towards Keetmanshoop and the temperature is already 33 degrees now. About half way we stop for some refreshments and to look over towards the Brukkaros cater which we can see through the haze in the distance. We continue towards Keetmanshoop then turn off towards the Quiver tree forest where we have accommodation for the night. It's gravel from here and as we ride along the road a huge truck blasts past us covering everyone with dust and leaving a huge dust cloud in his wake - thanks for that! We arrive at the lodge and have time to down a quick beer before the Cheetahs feeding time. then we head over to the Quiver tree forest as sundown approaches - the birds are still busy flying in and out of their nest and there's an inquisitive Dassie running around. Eventually some of the group remain to watch the sun go down by the Quiver trees while others return to the lodge to freshen up before dinner.
We start out early today and our first stop is just 5km from our lodgings - the giants playground. The rock formations here really are amazing and even more so once you climb up and realise they stretch into the distance as far as the eye can see! Once we are finished snapping fotos we head into Keetmanshoop for a quick gas stop and then we are on our way again heading towards Fish river canyon. We turn off back onto the gravel about 20km outside Keetmanshoop and head for a morning coffee near to the Naute dam and at the Naute Kristall distillery (no shots allowed though!). The coffee and cakes are really good here and there's some purchasing of gin for later consumption :-) The roads are in really good condition here so mwe make good speed and are able to arrive at our lunch stop at the Canyon roadhouse in good time. I have never seen it so busy here - it's rammed with people! Anyway we have some refreshments, fill up with gas and then head for todays highlight the Fish river canyon. There's a totally different perspective seeing it in the afternoon light and we spend time here taking in the scenery and snapping shots at different viewpoints. On the way back to the gate we get a flat tyre but we fix it in record time and then continue on our way to the Canyon village. It's overcast today so not really a good day for sundowners but anyway we sit around the bar by the pool, reminiscing on the days events and relaxing before dinner.
After a good nights sleep we awake to a cool but sunny morning - the further south we ride the cooler it is getting. We have a morning on the gravel ahead of us so we set out towards Ai-Ais where we plan to stop. The roads are in great condition and there is not much traffic so we make good time. The desert stretches away from us on all sides and to the west we can see the edges of Fish River canyon as we ride along. It's a beautiful ride and we soon drop down into Ai-Ais and stop for coffee. There is not so much going on today here so we drink up and head out again on our way to Noordoewer and the South African border. We stop for fuel and a quick lunch and then head to the border. There is nobody here! On either side so we are into South Africa in 45 minutes - that is a real record. As we head towards Springbok the countryside brightens up - first with some purple flowers/bushes and just before we arrive it starts to get much more colourful with a lot of orange and yellow thrown in. At the hotel we have a boot beer to celebrate our arrival and then go to freshen up before dinner. Let's hope the flowers of Namaqualand are in bloom tomorrow.
It's cool and overcast in Springbok this morning and as we roll out onto the N7 it's only about 13 degrees - amazing to think that only a couple of days ago it was 33 degrees! We roll down through the rolling hills until we reach Garies where we stop for fuel and coffee. The coffee shop is rammed with people buying trinkets - what are they all doing here?!?!?! Seems it's a big group all travelling together!! We continue on our way and take a quick stop to look at some of the famous Namaqualand flowers - you can see many in the fields but it is cold and they have not opened up yet today. However there are a few by the roadside so we have to be content with those. We have lunch in Vanrhynsdorp and warm ourselves up a bit as it is still cool. After lunch it's a straight shot down to Citrusdal but at least the sun has poked it's head out and it's a bit warmer now. The countryside has also changed as we are now rolling though the orange groves that cover the countryside here. We end up in the lodge bar drinking some local Citrusdal brewery ale to finish the day off.
It's again cool and overcast this morning. We split the group into two with some opting for the gravel road over Middelberg pass while others choose to stay on the tarmac with the goal to meet up in Ceres. We head out of town and then run into some fog as we start the Middelberg pass ascent but after a few km it starts to thin out and then amazingly we are out and above it in blue skies and bright sunshine. We stop at the top of the pass to take in the views - it is beautiful up here. The road is in good condition so we make good time and then we reach the tarmacked road again. There are a couple of short delays due to road works but we are cracking along and just taking in the stunning scenery as we ride. We reach the top of Gydo pass and stop for the views and some photos. Then we are down into Ceres to meet up with the group at a cafe there - yummy coffee and cakes. Afterwards we head out towards the Bainskloof pass - but its looking a bit cloudy. The first half of the pass goes without issue but then we are in thick cloud all the way to the top. we regroup and then head quickly down to the cafe at the bottom for lunch which has a nice fire going! We make a quick stop at the Taalmonument which celebrates the 11 official languages of South Africa and then it's a last blast down the N1 into Cape town. Mission accomplished and we all celebrate our arrival with a well deserved boot beer.