TOYOTA CONNECT I
nteresting folk, quirky towns and memorable scenes ensure that a trip to Namaqualand and along the West Coast should be
top of your road trip bucket list. Vanrhynsdorp is arguably the
gateway into the central section of the Namaqua West Coast tourism region. And, yes, we’ve all missioned past this little dorp at warp speed on a family holiday to Namibia at some stage. Well, do yourself a favour next time and slow down; maybe even pull in at Letsatsi Lodge on the left-hand side of the N7. This outstanding establishment boasts superb overnight
Above: Superb wild camping sites line the coast south of Hondeklip Bay and in Namaqua National Park.
Left: Flowers do not only happen once a year; the Namaqua landscape blooms with different species throughout all four seasons.
temperatures to below zero. Come summer, it’s best to bank
those early hours when adventuring in the interior, while the Atlantic Ocean makes for a cool-down escape on sweltering summer days. Head further north beyond the
Groen River mouth and you’ll enter the Northern Cape Province, with the craggy landscape of the Namaqua National Park. The coast and adjacent interior here are gaining more and more traction along the “Namaqua Coastal Route” and Open Africa initiative aimed at promoting this stretch of remote and wild country. Here arid desert land tumbles down
accommodation, by the way, but the real reason you want to stop here is its Red Ox Restaurant. I’m prepared to bet that you won’t get a better steak anywhere; the rib-eye’s served properly rare and on the bone, with a bunch of organic sides to select from. Once you’ve satisfi ed your red meat
craving, look up and let your eyes wander across the eastern skyline. There’s no chance you can miss Gif erg, an imposing mountain massif looming high from the surrounding Namaqua scrubland. This inland wilderness fl anks the hideaway Kobee Valley and is criss-crossed with remote gravel roads. I was fortunate enough to cover a
recent Expedition Africa “Adventure Racing” event here and had ample opportunity to immerse myself in what turned out to be a surprisingly diverse region. Anything goes, from quirky hideaway towns along the tempestuous coast to rugged mountain passes
onto the tempestuous Atlantic Ocean shores and intrepid travellers will time- line into a head-space place known as “Eenkantland”. This “Land on the Side” is breathtakingly diverse, with a semi- desert escarpment transitioning to a dramatic, turbulent shoreline. Rich and varied botanical biomes are
side-winding into hidden dales and emerald vineyards all along the Olifants River Valley. This northern part of the Western
Cape seems to magically morph around every corner as soon as you venture off the N7. There are the seemingly endless plains of the Knersvlakte, juxtaposed with the verdant farmlands along the river course, the soaring amber Gif erg cliff s, the near- impenetrable Kobee Canyon and, of course, the bossiesee [“sea of bushes”] stretching up to the Namaqua National Park. The good news is that the combination of ever-changing ecosystems and extreme climate make for an exceptional wine terroir, both on the Sandveld plains and in the Olifants River Valley. And weather-wise, you can bet the sun will be shining. A lot. Sure, it gets chilly in winter and occasional epic fronts are sure to plummet the
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strafed by a vigorous climate, with extreme elements having shaped a space rugged beyond belief. It makes for an arid semi-desert bristling with a profusion of bulbs and succulents, where quiver trees and dramatic granite koppies stack against a time-warped horizon. During spring, and seemingly
overnight, the dusty valleys and plains of Namaqualand are magically transformed into a fl oral wonderland with the arrival of the annual wildfl ower bloom. “Bloom season” is very much “boom season” for the local tourism industry, with an infl ux of fl oral fanatics arriving from all over the world. Here’s a better plan, though: skip the
crowds and head up to Namaqualand during autumn, when the secret “green season” reigns supreme. A myriad life forms other than fl owers await,
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