* In the heat of the night
* Lesotho Passes
* Garden Route Signage
* Ben 10 Eco Challenge (Day 3)
* Wild Coast V7 Tour (Day 4)
* Pass of the Fortnight
Some would say: "Well it is summer after all"
But the whole country has at some stage over the last six weeks, experienced sweltering heat waves. We are looking forward to some cooler weather in autumn, so we can 'unfry' these creative minds! We are not going to discuss going from stage 2 to stage 6 load shedding. That subject has already been beaten to death by news channels and social media. Just saying!
Our tours for 2024 are steadily being booked out. We have some spaces open for most of the tours (except Lesotho). You can use this link to view what's on offer and still available: TOURS & TRAINING
TEST REPORT ON THE NEW SUZUKI JIMNY 1.5 GLX AUTO
We traded our kinetic yellow 3 dr Jimny manual for a 5 door auto and are most impressed with it so far. We've only done just over 1000 km but here are the test results:
Improvements:
1. A far smoother and more comfortable ride on the longer wheel base. Gone is the jumpiness typically experienced in the 3 dr. The vehicle feels much more stable and safer.
2. Much better sound insulation - therefore far less road noise.
3. High definition rear view camera with PDC and a bigger, higher quality infotainment screen.
4. Much more packing space. The 5 door can accommodate 4 adults in comfort, plus it now has a decent sized boot.
On the downside:
1. Fuel consumption is worse. (We went from 12.6 km per litre in the 3 dr to 11.1 in the 5 dr - admittedly the automatic is obviously heavier on fuel than the manual), but its still acceptable for the size of vehicle and its capabilities.
2. The turning circle is not as small as the 3 door. So its not as nippy to squeeze into small spaces like the 3 dr.
3. It does feel a little underpowered on the highway (like the 3 dr). The little 1500 engine is very willing and is quite comfortable with the higher engine revolutions, but it's the 4 speed automatic gearbox that is somewhat wanting. This requires regular and judicious use of the overdrive switch to maintain a decent speed and good economy. Every vehicle has a unique cruising speed where everything feels just right. In the 5 dr Jimny it's 110 kph. Suzuki really could have fitted a 5 speed auto box to this vehicle. It would have made it an almost perfect offroad/onroad small vehicle.
Overall
When buying a Jimny, don't expect it to perform like a car on the open road. It's still a boxy 4x4 and it doesn't like crosswinds. Drivers have to adapt their driving style to the Jimny's quirks. When you get that right, all will go well. Just on closing on this subject, Suzuki out-sold Volkswagen in the month of January 2024. That's a first!
We will be taking the new Jimny on our first offroad venture later in February to do the recce for our proposed Winterberg Tour and we'll let you know how it performs. From videos posted by professional testing centres, they are raving about the new 5 door. We think so too.
LESOTHO PASSES
During May last year, we filmed about 10 passes in Lesotho. We have finally gotten around to producing those videos, which will appear on this website progressively over the next 4 weeks. You can find them under the LESOTHO tab under the FIND A PASS menu tab.
Not every attempt at filming was up to scratch, so we will make use of our two tours coming up in April, to film those that escaped our attention last year.
* Upcoming Tours
* Kouga-Baviaans Tour (Day 5)
* Signs of the times
* Ben 10 Eco Challenge (Day 2)
* Wild Coast Tour V7 (Day 3)
* Pass of the Fortnight
17th February: Atlantis Dunes Training Day. We've had a late cancellation, so there's 1 spot available if you fancy trying your hand at soft sand driving or simply brushing up on your skills. It's a fun day in the dunes with everyone doing their best not to get stuck. The sand will be soft, so it's a perfect time to get out there and have some fun whilst learning. The course includes a hard-copy training manual as well as a certificate of completion. BOOK HERE.
During March we will be heading off to the Hogsback/Katberg/Winterberg area to recce the proposed tour. Creating a new tour involves a lot of groundwork, so bear with us as we set things up for what promises to be a spectacular and popular tour, based on the volume of inquiries we have already had. The launch date of this new tour is likely to be in the second half of 2024.
In April we will be running back to back tours to Lesotho. Both remain fully booked with waiting lists.
May: Our 8th Wild Coast Tour will take place from the 14th - 25th. The tour will be run on our tried and tested routes and if you're one of those that doesn't like mud, the May tour is usually the driest time of year. ITINERARY AND BOOKINGS HERE
July 7th to 13th - Swartberg Tour. Our ever popular Swartberg Tour marks our midwinter offering with dazzlingly clear skies and if the weather plays along, there's a good chance of seeing some snow. The tour covers the very best of the Swartberg range. There is 1 ticket left. ITINERARY & BOOKINGS HERE
11th August - Grabouw 4x4 Training Day - This course comprises a full day covering all the aspects of offroad driving, safety and recoveries. You'll receive a certificate of completion at the end of the day. BOOK HERE
September 23 - 28th - Kouga-Baviaans Tour. For the 2024 version of this tour we will be reverting to our traditional format starting in Kareedouw and ending in Steytlerville. We have also added an extra day into the tour, taking in some new passes and fabulous scenery. ITINERARY & BOOKINGS HERE
November 5-16th - Wild Coast Tour V9. The wet season tour offers more challenging driving as well as mud to up the ante. The route remains the same covering all the very best the Wild Coast has to offer. ITINERARY & BOOKINGS HERE
December 1st - 7th: The new Ben 10 Eco Challenge includes Joubert Pass, Heuningneskloof (new), Otto du Plessis, Bastervoetpad, Lundeans Nek, Dangershoek (new), Volunteershoek, Carlisleshoekspruit Pass, Naudes Nek & the Potrivier Pass (new). This is a wet season challenge, so expect rain and mud and challenging driving. Earn your badge and enjoy the adventure of a lifetime. The Ben 10 is not just about challenge passes. There are a host of other attractions to enjoy including some fantastic birding. ITINERARY & BOOKINGS HERE
With the convoy punctually ready to go, we started the final day at the Doringkloof farm, where we stopped briefly to pay for our permits to drive the 4x4 Rus en Vrede Trail over the Kouga Mountains. Farmer Chris Lampbrecht was on hand to arrange everything and off we went in excellent weather.
The first bit of drama came when the lead vehicle (your scribe) mistook one of the signs on the farm and headed off in the wrong direction, having to stop periodically to prune the fast growing thorn trees. It's not called Doringkloof for nothing! Theo Hammond wielding his impressive DeWalt portable chainsaw made short work of the job, allowing the convoy to drive along scratch free. We ended up at Joachimskraal - one of the outlying guesthouses on the farm, where we realised we were on the wrong track. A quick turnaround saw us heading back the way we had just come, but for Ian Teepe in his Toyota Fortuner, a slight lapse of attention saw his vehicle getting stuck in a sandy ditch.
* Trips & Tours in 2024
* Ben 10 Eco Challenge (Day 1)
* Wild Coast V7 Tour (Day 2)
* Kouga Baviaans Tour (Day 4)
* Pass of the Week
Welcome to our first newsletter of the year. We wish you good health, happiness and lots of travel adventure. It is with sadness that we have learned of the sudden passing of Magriet Kruger of Zandvlakte farm. Piet and Magriet Kruger have hosted our groups over many years. Our condolences go to Piet and the family as all the communities of the Baviaanskloof. Magriet was a smart lady who wrote books on the flora and fauna of the kloof. Her influence in establishing tourism to the Baviaanskloof is immeasurable as well as her efforts to bring literacy to the locals via a schooling system Rest in peace.
Our tours for the year have been launched and here are the details.
February 17th - Atlantis Training Day (Soft sand tuition) - 1 place available
April 3-10th) - Lesotho V2 Tour - Fully booked
April 13 - 20th - Lesotho V3 Tour - Fully booked
May 14-25th - Wild Coast V8 Tour - 8 places available
July 7 - 13th - Swartberg Classic - 3 places available
August 11th - Grabouw 4x4 Training Day - 8 places available
September 23 - 28th - Kouga Baviaans Tour - 6 places available
November 4 - 16th - Wild Coast V9 Tour - 4 places available
December 1 - 7th - Ben 10 Eco Challenge - 4 places available
With an upside down weather forecast, we had to make some decisions. The name of the game is to tackle the notoriously difficult Bastervoetpad on the driest day. Despite the forecast of 5 days of rain, the volume of rain was the lowest on the first day. We made the announcement early that morning that we would be swapping some of the days around in the interests of group safety. Bastervoetpad here we come - with no preamble or soft introduction!
I was concerned about the Mercedes Benz GLE 400d as it's not a true 4x4. It does however have a 9 speed automatic gearbox and plenty of power to spare. It also has the ability to raise it's suspension below 20 kph. To be safe I slotted the Merc in just behind the lead vehicle, as I was fully expecting that I would be recovering the vehicle. My fears would prove to be futile as the Merc completed Bastervoetpad without any problems.
We left the hotel at 08.00 after breakfast heading west on the R58 for a short drive, turning onto gravel towards the Bottelnek Pass.
* Season's Greetings
* 2024 Tours
* Ben 10 Eco Challenge (Overview)
* Kouga-Baviaans Tour (Day 3)
* Wild Coast Tour (Day 1 cont.)
* Pass of the Week
By the time you read this Christmas will be history, but we do wish every one of you the very best for the Festive Season and a New Year filled with lots of gravel travel - with us, of course!
It's been a very busy year at MPSA having completed no less than 10 tours. We will be slowing the pace down a little in 2024 and changing a number of tours for the better and some tours we will only run in alternate years. We also need to create at least one new tour for 2024, which requires a considerable amount of time and effort. We have mentioned it before - the Winterberg Tour, which will be focused on the mountainous area between Addo and Cathcart and will include Hogsback and the Katberg. We plan on doing a recce trip there during January/February.
This weekend we will be posting our tour schedule for 2024. As most of you know, the tours get booked out quickly, so please make your bookings promptly if you want to join a tour: This is the provisional programme, subject to amendments.
Our final tour of 2023 was the Ben 10 and as always this tour never disappoints. Initial weather forecasts indicated five clear days for the challenge but a week ahead of the tour that changed to the exact opposite of five rainy days. We had an interesting collection of vehicles from the diminutive, but capable Suzuki Jimny all the way through to a Lexus LC600 - one of only 3 in the country, but perhaps the most interesting entry was Johann Moller's Mercedes Benz GLE 400d, which is a more of a car than a SUV. Our biggest concern was the low profile standard road tyres. Would they manage the rigours of Bastervoetpad?
We had a really nice group of people from all over South Africa including 3 Belgians. About half the group were existing clients so the team spirit gelled really quickly. The tour wasn't as wet as the 2022 version, but it was wet enough to provide lots of slipping and sliding. We'll show you some of those video clips in the coming weeks.
* Christmas is a-coming
* Garden Route Tour - Day 5
* Kouga-Baviaans Tour - Day 2
* Wild Coast Tour - Day 1
* Pass of the Week
With just 18 days to go before Christmas, it's that time when South Africa goes into that predictable silly-season mode. We spend money we don't have; we leave our gift shopping to the last minute; we have stressful family gatherings; we stress about whether a family member will like the gift or not; we eat too much; drink too much; drive too fast and generally do silly things. But why?
It's apparently a release of the year's frustrations, victories and struggles. The road death toll will no doubt be another barometer of the South African mind-set over the next four weeks. Take it easy folks. Be rational. Be careful. Stay off the roads where possible. Be kind. We would really like you around in 2024.
At the time you read this newsletter, we will be halfway through our 7th Ben 10 Eco Challenge, celebrating the birthday of one of our guests, Peter Emmanuel (73). A cake has been baked for him and Mountain Shadows Hotel will no doubt be in ebullient mood this evening. We will do a full report on the tour in due course. This will be the first time we are doing the new Ben 10 format. We have taken out the Ben MacDhui Pass as it's no longer accessible; the Barkly Pass - as it's too easy and the TTT as it's been deteriorating lately and can get quite boring. The new passes we have added include the Heuningneskloof Pass, Dangershoek Pass and the Pitseng Pass. We believe that the new format will be a considerable improvement over the old Ben 10 format. The proof will be in the driving!
All good things must come to an end and so the final day of this most enjoyable and laid back tour dawned gently over the misty forests and heather clad hills at Portland Manor. The final day on this tour is an easy one, where the focus is on chilled sight-seeing and frequent stops.
After another good breakfast at Portland Manor, we ran our usual radio roll-call at 09.00 to ensure no-one had overslept and took the road east to Knysna through the Garden of Eden and Plettenberg Bay. We stopped at Old Nick's Village for coffee and a comfort break, before heading to the The Crags and Kurland, where guests could choose to visit the Elephant Sanctuary, Monkey land or Birds of Eden. Most guests opted for Birds of Eden, which is a marvellous experience. Once inside the roofed/netted area it feels like you're in a movie set from Jurassic Park.
Next up, was a slow drive down the freshly resurfaced Grootrivier Pass (Well done Western Cape Government) for a beach lunch break at Nature's Valley.
* Wild Coast Tour V7 - Another winner
* Swartberg Tour - Crossing the Gouritz
* Garden Route Tour - Klein Langkloof
* Kouga-Baviaans Tour - The river is deep!
* Cederberg - Uitkyk Pass
* Pass of the Week
Another amazing Wild Coast Tour has just been completed a week ago. This was our 7th tour and we keep getting better at it. Our motto is we can always do better. Despite choosing November as our 'muddy' tour (and it certainly was last year) this tour turned into more of a dusty tour, as we only had one day of dodgy weather with strong westerly winds and some light drizzle which cleared up by lunchtime. The week before South Africa as a whole, experienced hectic weather resulting in heavy rain and even good snowfalls in Lesotho and the Drakensberg. On the day of arrival we had chilly weather with the mercury registering just 2C the next morning. Apparently this is not uncommon for the area in November.
Only one recovery had to be done. A Fortuner bogged down in the mud on our way to the Msikaba Vulture colony, requiring a winch recovery, which went smoothly. There were just two punctures on the entire tour, which is nothing short of remarkable. Both were swiftly resolved.
One of the ladies on the tour tripped and fell, resulting in a shiner of note. Another (less fortunate) client slipped and fell on a rock crossing the river at Magwa Falls, where a sharp rock sliced into her thumb muscle, necessitating two stitches at a local doctor in Lusiksiki.
There was a lot of laughing, fancy dinners, seafood for Africa, and general merriment as the Wild Coast worked its magic on the guests. We discovered whisky gingers and other hitherto unknown concoctions - all designed around one common goal; to have fun. There were a few hikes; some easier than others, beach walks, and wild swimming. Photography was of a high standard and we have a massive collection of photos and videos to share with you over the next few months as we unwrap the story day by day, chapter by chapter.
Love was in the air too, when two of our solo guests teamed up and fell in love during the tour. That was a first on one of our tours and it added a wonderful vibe when the announcement was made, much to everyone's delight and surprise.
The vultures flew for us; the locals smiled and waved; our guests bought trinkets and beads. It all came together on the final night at Crawfords Beach Cottages in Chintsa East in a festive evening of laughter, joy and merriment. A very, very enjoyable tour. The next Wild Coast Tour is scheduled for May 2024. Bookings will open soon.
The drive westwards from the Gamkaberg Reserve to the Rooiberg Lodge at Vanwyksdorp is via a lovely, quiet back road, jam-packed with aloes, rivers, farm gates and soothing mountain scenery. There was one last obstacle I was a bit concerned about and that was the crossing of the Gouritz River. It had been coming down in flood for several days during the previous week's flood episode and intel coming in from some of my contacts indicated that we might have a problem. We had a Plan B up our sleeve, just in case.
* WILD COAST
* CEDERBERG - PART 3
* GARDEN ROUTE - DAY 4
* SWARTBERG - DAY 5
* KOUGA BAVIAANS - DAY 1
* PASS OF THE WEEK
With our Wild Coast Tour coming up on the 31st October, we will be at Kob Inn by the time you read this. We had to write this one quite a long way ahead of the publishing date, so a lot of water will be under the bridge - figuratively and literally. We have an interesting mix of vehicles: 5 x Toyota Land Cruisers, 3 x Toyota Fortuners, 2 x Toyota Hilux's, 3 x Suzuki Jimny's, 1 x Pajero and 1 x Isuzu 250 DC. It's the rainy season so there will be plenty of mud, mud, glorious mud! There are no changes to the tour itinerary and we will no doubt be having a whale of a time.
Once safely over the flooded Matjiesrivier, the gravel route to Eselbank beckoned. We only saw one other vehicle on this section - a beautifully kitted Unimog camper driven by an enthusiastic young couple, who it turned out, are MPSA followers on Facebook. We stopped briefly for a chat in the near perfect weather, surrounded by the peaks of the Cederberg. They were on their way to Kagga Kamma.
The roads were better than I was expecting and we made swift progress towards Eselbank, which was typically dotted with pools of winter water. The first target for the day was a visit to the Eselbank waterfall. As lovely as this waterfall is, the best views are from the north-east - the very direction that is most difficult to access. Crossing the fast flowing river was not really an option, so we put the drone up to get some stills and video. (See cover pic)
* Training & Tours Updates
* Western Cape mopping up.
* Kouga-Baviaans Tour Overview
* Swartberg Classic Tour - Day 6
* Cederberg Part 2
* Garden Route (Portland Manor)
* Seven Sisters Tour (Gawie se Water)
* Pass of the Week
While the Western Cape is mopping up and most of the damaged roads have been reopened, the bad weather moved further east, hammering the Baviaanskloof, Garden Route and Eastern Cape with deluges of rain. In South Africa, we never complain about too much rain. Much to the relief of the residents in and around Port Elizabeth ( I still can't spell Gqeberha without looking it up), their water shortage appears to be over. At the time of writing this newsletter there are snowfalls forecast for this weekend in Lesotho and the Drakensberg, whilst KZN and the Wild Coast have received plenty of rain, turning gravel roads into mud baths.
Our Wild Coast V7 Tour which starts on October the 31st in Matatiele indicates a temperature range of 4/11C for the start of the tour. And it's supposed to be a balmy summer tour!
Our tours programme gets a bit hectic at this time of year. We have just completed the Kouga-Baviaans Tour and are prepping for the Wild Coast Tour which starts in 5 days' time, followed by the Ben 10 Eco Challenge on the 4th December. We are going to take a decent break early in 2024 to recharge our batteries, before settling down to plan the 2024 calendar.
We will more than likely run a sand training day during March at Atlantis Dunes.
This year's tour was a memorable one in every way. We had a really nice group of people who bonded well and with Barrie Barnardt (of Barrie die Bek fame) on the guest list, there was instant and ongoing humour over the radios. We had a mixed bag of weather to contend with in the form of some light rain on three of the five days. For this tour we had reversed the route to our normal south-north programme. It worked really well and we will more than likely be alternating the direction each year to add some spice. We also booked in at the Karroo Theatrical Hotel on the first day with the Steytlerville Follies cabaret show as entertainment.
* Overberg road closures
* Kouga - Baviaans - Wet conditions expected
* Raising funds to promote tourism
* Cederberg splendour
* Swartberg Classic - Day 4
* Wild Coast V6 Tour - Day 11
* Pass of the Week
As if to to flirt with the universe, Mother Nature walloped the Overberg region, still buckling under the damages from the Heritage Day storm, throwing another big load of water on the already flood ravaged region. Many roads are still damaged. At the time of publishing the following roads are still closed:
N2 at Botrivier (Bridge washed away)
The Buffelsjagrivier Causeway at the old Sugar Bridge
Chapman's Peak Drive
Drew Bridge
Hemel en Aarde Road (Harmanus)
Karwyderskraal Road (Between Hermanus and Bot River)
Hermanus to Tesselaars
Malgas Pont
Nagwag Bridge Between Bredasdorp and Arniston
DR1271 Swartvlei Road
DR1288 Van der Stel Pass
De Mond Reserve
R44 Clarence Drive
Franschhoek Pass
As you receive this newsletter, we are driving from Steytlerville in the Karoo via the Antoniesberg Pass to Patensie on the first day of our annual Kouga Baviaans Tour. After several seriously dry years, the rains have finally arrived, leaving the Baviaanskloof flooded. The eastern bioreserve has been closed to traffic for over a week. Latest news is that the eastern bioreserve has been opened to 4x4 vehicles only.
Water levels at Smitskraal were measured at 800mm deep, so an exciting time awaits our group filled with adventure. We will be doing a full report as usual. Adventure awaits! We will also be stopping in at the overflowing Kouga Dam, which is quite a landmark event locally, having not seen water over the spillway since 2015.
We have so far raised R12,700 of the R20,000 needed to replace the sign at the Dolphn Point view site on the Wilderness side of the pass. Remember we are happy to give your business good PR via our social media platforms. Donations can be made online via the link below:
The Cederberg is one of those spaces that captivates the soul - for life. One of my three daughters put in a request for a father/daughter breakaway to the Cederberg. What an honour it is that a grown up child actually chooses to spend quality time with a parent. I was really impressed with the idea and planned a three day sojourn, picking out all the best back roads and enjoyed the fully focused time with my daughter, Mandy.
It was one day after the storm that ravaged the Cape Peninsula and Overberg, so I knew some of the river crossings would be a problem. Our route took us over the old Du Toitskloof Pass where dozens of spectacular watertfalls thundered down the ravines on both sides of the road. It was still raining lightly, but we managed to get a few videos and photos.
This was undoubtedly our most interesting training day to date. What made it different was the weather. Two weeks ahead of the date, the forecast was looking fine, but as the days slid past, the forecast started changing, getting progressively worse. Two days before the date, the forecast changed to rainy and windy with an 80% chance of rain. So the question was whether to postpone or cancel the event. To add to the drama the SA Weather Bureau issued a Level 9 Severe Storm warning for the very area of the training course, but the time that the storm would hit the Overberg was scheduled for 1600. A bit of rain only adds to the skill set required in offroad conditions, so we decided to go ahead with the training day.
It rained non-stop from before we arrived until we left at about 15.30 that afternoon, but not so hard as to make the course dangerous. Our group of 13 trainees were first given a classroom style lecture in the dry comfort of the Orchard farm Stall who gracefully gave us the space to operate. This was followed by radio checks and we were on our way to the tracks to put the theories to the test.
We first took the group over an easier section just to get their confidence levels up and to experience the feel of their vehicles in low range as well as how the diff locks worked in the field. We stopped for a brief lunch break at the dam/waterfall, then tackled the more technical section on the southern side. We decided to do the route in an anti-clockwise direction which meant most of the difficult obstacles would be encountered in the descending mode.
We only had a couple of vehicles getting stuck, but with some guidance over the radios, everyone was able to self-recover. There were no punctures or mechanical issues.
As we were descending down the last part of the mountain, the skies lit up with a bright flash of lightning and a loud peal of thunder. We were going to make it back safely just in time. We returned to the Orchard Farm Stall for the check-out process and handing out of competency certificates.
A big shout out to father and son team of Philip and Tyler Wantling for their support roles in fitting radios and creating some cool videos and images of the action. This was a very successful training day where the weather conditions added another element to the quality of the experience. Hopefully we will have 13 new adventurers taking to the mountains!
After the recovery of the taxi and the bull, our route continued towards Collywobbles. There are two good viewing sites to see the vultures, with the better one (based on previous visits) being the higher one.
On our way to Collywobbles, we came across a local man lying face down in the road. We had to, by necessity, pass close by him. I stopped, rolled down my window, and asked him if he needed help. He just lay there motionless. Meanwhile another man came bounding down the hillside and motioned to us that the prone man was OK. The only conclusion we came to that the man was more than likely mentally incapacitated.
Page 3 of 56
|
Mountain Passes of South Africa | 2024 © Trygve Roberts |
disclaimer |
