South Africa. The Insider's Guide, by Ian Michler and Tessa van Schaik

South Africa. The Insider's Guide, by Ian Michler and Tessa van Schaik.

In this excerpt from their Guide 'South Africa. The Insider's Guide', Ian Michler and Tessa van Schaik describe places of interest within the South African part of the Kalahari.

Ian Michler  Tessa van Schaik  

Kalahari

This is the place to be forthose in search of wide open spaces and long and lonely roads. The greater region stretches west of the N12 across the harsh, dry landscapes of Namaqualand, and from north of the Cederberg mountains and Nuweveldbergeto South Africa's border with Namibia and Botswana. Solitude, silence and stark beauty - these are the characteristics that make the Kalahari such an immensely appealing place in which to travel. And then there are the small, dusty country towns, sun-drenched and filled with charm and character, that await you at the end of each stretch of road. The region forms part of the Kalahari Basin, which is covered by a sand mantle that is the largest unbroken mass of sand that exists on the planet. While often referred to as the Kalahari Desert, it is in fact not a true desert, but rather an extended region of similar soil types characterised by their well-leached and nutrient-poor condition. The vegetation type is mostly scrub and acacia-type woodland, although these are interspersed with the characteristic rolling red dunes, which are often topped with blankets of faded yellow grass. The region experiences low and erratic rainfall and remarkable extremes of temperature. While the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park (see the On Safari chapter) is the region's most well-known destination, there are many other appealing sights and stopovers.

THE RAPTOR ROUTE
For avid bird-watchers, the region offers wonderful raptor-viewing, particularly during the hotter summer months. More than 40 raptor and vulture species (South Africa has 6? listed species) and seven owl species (12 listed species) have been recorded. The route includes the triangle shaped by the Augrabies Falls National Park, the Tswalu Kalahari Reserve and the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park.

AUGRABIES FALLS NATIONAL PARK
Augrabies Falls, the sixth largest waterfall in the world, lies west of Upington. Where the ancient granite rocks edging the Orange River narrow, they form a 90 m plunge that ends in a series of swirling rock pools below. The area surrounding the waterfall is a national park where visitors can find an interesting selection of mammals, birds and plants, many of which are adapted to the harsh semi-arid climate.

THE ORANGE RIVER
This large river offers holiday-makers a range of exciting activities. Here are some options.

• Between Onseepkans and Noordoewer

On the stretch of the Orange between Onseepkans and Noordoewer, canoe and raftingtrips are an extremely popular activity. Highlights include passingthrough most spectacular rocky, mountainous landscapes and nights sleeping out under the stars.

• Between Kakamas and Upington

The area around the section of road that tracks the river between Kakamas and Upington is fast becoming an important wine-producing region. While the area is not quite up there with the Cape wine routes, this region still offers something that wine fundis can get excited over. The Ebenaeser Guest House (www.augrabies-falls.com), a delightful country home set among vineyards on the outskirts of Kakamas, is the place to base yourself.

Riemvasmaak
Further alongthe Orange River lies the community-owned and -run concession of Riemvasmaak, which was one of the first land restitution projects undertaken by the new government after 1994. Having been forcibly removed inthe early 1970s, hundreds of Nama, Xhosa and Damara families were allowed back to claim their heritage. The communities have since opened a section of the land to ecotourism, and they run a fantastic campsite with numerous self-catering chalets set amidst the rugged mountains. It is an incredible value-for-money getaway, and mountain bikers and hikers will find it particularly worthwhile. [...]

This is an excerpt from the Guide: South Africa. The Insider's Guide, by Ian Michler and Tessa van Schaik.

Title: South Africa – The Insider's Guide
Authors: Ian Michler; Tessa van Schaik
Publisher: Random House Struik
Imprint: Travel and Heritage
Cape Town, South Africa 2009
ISBN 9781770075559 / ISBN 978-1-77007-555-9
Hardcover, 18x23 cm, 208 pages, throughout colour photos