The land of the long (and sometimes winding) road

Part 1 of 4 - Exploring the Northern Cape, South Africa

Freedom tastes so sweet as we head out for a long-awaited annual holiday, South African style

Our first port o' call is a re-visit to Bankfontein in the Philippolis area

Time to chill out before the big push to the Richtersveld in the far north-western corner of our beautiful country

One of many tortoises we see on this visit

After really good summer rains, the Orange River has filled dams and the waters of the Vanderkloof has pushed right up into the usually dry rivers. On a previous visit, we walked almost a kilometer further to get to the dam

The exclusive camp on this lovely farm is perched high above the river offering wonderful views

This is such a lovely place to relax and enjoy nature, before starting a long road trip

We say goodbye to the sun and welcome the full moon

Previous visits yielded very little in the way of wildlife so we are overjoyed when we spot a duiker coming to the river for an evening drink

First morning and we take a slow, easy, short cycle to ease into exercise while enjoying the changes we notice on the farm after a good summer rainfall

The old stone barn makes a nice backdrop to the white flowers

Evidence of high waters on this riverbank with a tree's exposed roots

Beetles enjoying abundant food in the form of acacia flowers

Grey Rhebok slip in and out of the foliage before we become aware of them, another super surprise sighting

Gathering clouds create a spectacular sunset

The tent faces west and we are awoken to witness this incredible moon set

As the moon slips behind the mountain, the sun glides over the mountain and warms us with its golden light

Second cycle, we conquer the monster mountain and spot a couple jackals in the distance. Nearing home, meerkats scatter as we approach. Kudu and steenbuck also make an appearance - It's great to see some wildlife on the farm

Our hosts lavished us with gifts of home-made jam, sauce and pomegranates plucked from their trees for our journey. What a special place. All too soon its time to move on, Upington being our next stop some 560km away

Driving the long road towards Luckoff in the middle of somewhere, we slow down to cross a bridge, I scan the stream and catch a glancing look at this owl quietly sitting in the reeds...reverse back and manage to photograph him (on mobile) before he moves off. We think it was a white-faced owl, another lucky sighing

We have been warned the R48 is not in good shape and we find it better than expected although quite busy and we take it easy. Crossing the Orange river is fun especially as the bridge is a single lane

Orange describes our longest river, no need to ask why

Our route takes us on the R369 through Orania to Hopetown, then up to Douglas where the Orange meets the Vaal River, across to Prieska on the R357 and on to Upington driving the N10 (All roads so far are fantastic, although our GPS took us on a sand road to Douglas instead of the tar one)

Bezalel is our overnight stop about 25km's past Upington on the N14. Its a private wine and brandy farm on the banks of the Orange

Isn't life Grape?

Our room is comfortable and spacious with lovely gardens off the patio

Fun elements in the garden include hickory, dickory dock and 3 little pigs, makes this a lovely family stopover

Surprise, surprise, a wine tasting is included in our accommodation price and we enjoy all that Bezalel has to offer, pretty yum, including the Rooibos Brandy

We are recommended to a restaurant on Kanoneiland practically situated on the opposite bank from Bezalel for dinner

And enjoy excellent food in a fantastic setting

A delicious breakfast awaits us before we head out to our next destination, Port Nolloth, on the Atlantic Ocean, some 500km away

Evidence of rain, beautiful devil's claw pop out showering the desert in buttercup yellow. The Keimond and Kakamas area is stretching as far as the eye can see. New wine and citrus farms have sprung up on both sides of the road, and I wonder how much more agricultural development the Orange river can handle?

The drive to Springbok is colourful and stark. A few photos to share of the changing landscape...

The veld looks burnt and on closer inspection, grey shrubs lay dormant until the next rains

Nearing Port Nolloth, our first glimpse of the Ocean

Bedrock B&B is situated on beach road and had a number of renovated, historical self catering homes as well as bed and breakfast rooms

We are upgraded to the Blue House as guests have stayed on for another few nights. A lovely house with a 'gunshot' passage, all rooms lead off it. Comfortable and equipped with every essential. (Bathroom taps and shower could do with some maintenance)

Time to do a little exploring and we make our way to MacDougal Bay

Obviously, Covid has affected tourism here too. Restaurants and shops have closed. The hotel has an open kitchen as well as the cute Vesper seafood cafe, which unfortunately has no credit card facility or liquor license, what a pity, the hotel is chosen and we enjoy a good dinner as the sky turns all shades of orange

A 'before' breakfast walk along the broadwalk. It's a lovely seaside town, impeccably clean and well maintained

The harbour is still active and the boats bring in fresh fish daily

A great broadwalk stretches between the dune vegetation

Back at Bedrock for breakfast, outdoor or indoor dining? Its that fresh ocean breeze that takes us indoors

A real hearty, homemade breakfast to set us on our way for an adventure into the unknown, Richtersveld National Park, often read about, until now never visited

To get to the park, one needs to drive Alexander Bay, on a great tar road (beware, only 1 petrol station in the town, sometimes there is no fuel) and then follow the Orange River inland for 82kms to the park gate. The sand road is as corrugated as it gets which does not make for super fun driving but the approaching mountains are mesmerizing. A few photos below express more than words

It's a long, slow drive

I made a booking for Pootjiespram as De Hoop camp site was full when planning the holiday. On arrival, the clerk quickly changed us to De Hoop, so instead of a 10km drive to camp, it is now 44km, up 3 mountain passes that stretch the eyeballs and test the driver significantly. On reaching the summit, we wolf down a sardine sarmie and continue, speechless, until a gorge was reached which took us through a rocky riverbed. Thankfully we didn't meet any vehicles leaving because the nerves are somewhat wrecked

We are so, so lucky! THE best camp site is vacant and we settle in like jack flash

What a veranda!

Our trip is of 2 parts, the 4 wheel, road tripping part and the 2 wheeler explorer part. This is how one should experience an extreme environment

Back the way we came yesterday, but on bikes, what a thrill!

I mean, Really? Wow!

The gorge might look a little tame, but pictures can be deceiving

We take a left turn and settle into some amazing cycling

Looking towards the Tatasberg in the extreme horison. Sublime vista

Back at the gorge, I take a sip thinking the water will be sweet, but its extremely salty

After breakfast, we settle down at the river. Colourful damsel and dragonflies keep me entertained while some fishing is taking place

The fish are hungry and in no time a few are caught (and released)

I'm more interested in the mountain chat that's scratching about nearby

Distant Namibian mountains shimmers. The river provides instant relief from the 36deg heat

As the sun dips behind camp, the mountain in the east turns orange, unforgettable memories

A beautiful moth pays a visit and we are spellbound by the dozens of fireflies that come out at night

A tradition each holiday is to capture a 'bare feet' photo. On the bank of the orange river seems a good place to take this years one

A rest day from cycling and we take a drive to explore the park and I'm on a mission to inspect the flora as there is no other desert on our planet with similar species richness. It is said that of one square kilometer, more than 360 flowering plant species are found with an average rainfall of only 68mm per year

The oldest rocks found here date back 2000 million years!

Some late (or early) rains have fallen giving us a tiny peak into the flowering season

Geological masterpieces at every turn

A shepherd's tree finding root in the rocks

Capturing droplets of early morning moisture help nurish the plant

The Richtersveld is one of the last areas in South Africa where semi-nomadic stock farming still occurs. The inhabitants are known as Namas and their livestock consists of Boer goats and fat-tailed sheep

Vygies in flower

Quite an array of plant species found in this dry river bed

Who doesn't love unusual plants?

Namaqua Sandgrouse are so perfectly camouflaged, they won't be spotted unless they're on the move. What a special sight!

A splash of color

Time to head back to camp and we spot Klipspringers in the distance

'Fishing is not an escape from life but often a deeper immersion into it'

I leave the fisherman to take a walk along the riverside. Throughout the park, rock formations tell their story, and show evidence of intense geological activities

Gravel beds along the Orange River were formed some 2 million years ago when the Northern Hemisphere was in an ice age. The silt beds along the river were formed when the river flooded. Some occur 30m above the present river bed and marks one of the biggest floods in Southern Africa

A baboon family swims cross the river. The alpha male waits until the whole family is safely over

The fisherman has had some success with multiple small fry

Ending the day with a cold one in hand and contemplating...well...nothing

Liquid gold pouring over the mountain as we cycle a tough route thick with sand and corrugation

28km's of desert cycling has knocked the stuffing out of me and I need a hug from my favourite tree before heading home

Why do humans find the need to carve their names into the trunks of majestic and ancient trees?

Our umbrella at the waters edge. This pic shows just how high the river rose a couple of months ago

Sunrise over our exclusive camp (we still can't believe our luck) We have a late start to the day, enjoying a camp sun rise for the first time and breakfast before we take a scenic drive

'I cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the water to create many ripples'

Giant cacti locally known as bushman poison are so hardy, seemingly growing out of the rocks, are a unique species. Water condensation forms on the stems after sunrise which brings life to many animal species

On route to Domorogh pass, a quiver tree or kokerboom catches my eye. These aloes can live up to 400 years

Domorogh pass is truly impressive and the nooienskonkerboom's in the foreground a super find

Paradysberg looks like a watercolor

The road far below leads the adventurer to the notorious Hellskloof pass

Finding anything flowering in this harsh-land is a treasure to behold, notwithstanding tiny critters either

A ground squirrel finds a snack

The klipspringer family is closer to the road as we make our way home. The baby took off but the parents are more tolerable and pose for the camera

A sicklewinged chat's soft call has me hunting behind the tent to find it

This darter has entertained us all week. He arrives late afternoon and fishes for about half an hour, swallowing many fish, then rests, dries his wings and has another go. A fascinating hunter to watch for sure

All dried out and ready for another round

Our last day has finally arrived. We cycle the river road to Richtersberg camp. This road had flooded after the summer rains and was closed to vehicles

What a fantastic sight it must have been to see the floodplains in full flood

4x4 only? 2x2 works well enough

Melkbos shrubs are widely distributed and offer protection and shade to many insects, reptiles, rodents and scorpions as well as a food source

An abandoned nomad settlement

Magnificent in their bareness, layers upon layers, evidence of the numerous cycles of geological activity

Another visual sensory experience accentuated on a bike

Camp empties and I check other sites, none are as 'enclosed' and private as ours, but a few are on the rivers edge and very nice

One set of ablutions and a lovely shady camp nearby

For such a small bird, threebanded plovers have a big voice, a couple are minding their own business when an intruder comes sniffing around and all hell breaks loose. The female is left on the beach while the male chases the other off. Nature is so absorbing when you take time to watch

Damselflies in their abundance, mating and laying eggs

Such a calm day, the reflection of the Acacia karoo sweet thorn is a lovely contrast against the green reeds and grey background

The time has come to say goodbye to the Richtersveld. It has been an eyeopening experience, this land of contrasts, where the silence envelops you, where the night sky leaves you spellbound and the daily struggle for survival reminds you of the wonders of nature

Leaving De Hoop early, we head back to Sendelingsdrift over Akkedis, Penkop and Halfmens Passes

A beautiful specimen of the less common Aloe Ramoisissima or Nooienskokerboom

The winding road...

Do visit this bewitching desert wilderness with its rugged gorges, high mountains, dramatic landscapes and silent, star-filled night skies. You'll rediscover your humanity

Part 2 takes us on a three day road trip down south, through tarred and sand passes, picturesque towns, padstals and nature reserves