Baviannskloof - September 2006

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This trip incorporated a spectacular tour in different areas of the country. We went with friends and it was a wonderful experience. A big advantage was that being with them we were with another vehicle. Often we travel alone and that is slightly more stressful as if you have a problem it is lovely to have another vehicle nearby. Some of the trails we drove on required recovery.

The tour started at the town of Graaf Reinet and here Sylvia is with our friends at the Valley of Desolation overlooking the town below.

Various views from the top.

Pretty aloe flowers.

Folds in the rocks.

The road down on the way to Patensie area. This was a very interesting route not traveled by many people.

Crossing the river below. There had been a lot of rain and we were concerned that perhaps the river would not be crossable.

The valley below.

Off road.

Ravine with water below - Karoo National Park.

Pink flowers in bloom after the rains.

The road winding down in the distance.

Lovely delicate veldt flowers.

Two Rhino in Karoo National Park.

Time to look around.

Lovely terrain - Karoo National Park 4x4 route.

Recovery time. I did not notice that the lower Hi-Lift jack pin had broken and needed another jack to let the vehicle down. (I reversed over a rock and hung on the differential.)

Elephant shrew.

Cottage in the Karoo National Park.

The Orange River near Boegoeberg Dam.

The group we were with at Boegoeberg Dam. (Radio Sonder Grense Tour with Francois Rossouw.)

River Crossing near Hankey

Swarthak tree - unusual as the flowers are usually white but in this case they are pink.

Moon over Boegoeberg Dam.

Camping at Boegoeberg Dam

Competition to see who can get up the dune.

Lovely Protea.

Flowers in the field.

Road wash away.

Largest sundial in South Africa.

Baviaanskloof area.

Cycad.

Erosion after the rains.

Water flowing over the road below. From above it was difficult to assess how deep it was.

Baviaanskloof 4x4 trail.

Wheel came off.

Roadside repairs- re affixing the wheel and brake drum.

Oyster Bay dunes.

I was invited to join in but declined.

What I expected.

Well now I am stuck too - not enough speed and down it went.

Pincushion Proteas.

At one stage a car drove off the bridge and recovery was necessary.

Swartberg Pass

After the rains the flowers at Prince Albert looked as if we were in Namaqualand.

This was a lovely trip where we went to Graaf Reinet, Baviaanskloof, Karoo National Park and Boegoeberg Dam. (Some of the pictures are out of sequence but if you have never been there you will not notice this.)