* 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.
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