Kalahari: the arid western interior of south africa
Long and straight, follow the N14 through the Boesmanland to Kakamas. Arid, desolate and incredibly beautiful for those who are willing to look past its bleak exterior.
Along the way the road goes past Aggeneys. Once a sleepy (read fast asleep) little town, it is now the centre for the Black Rock mine where zinc, lead, copper and silver ore is mined before the ore is exported from Saldana for further processing.
At Kakamas I turn north to the Augrabies Falls National Park. Here the mighty Orange River tumbles down a 56m high waterfall into the 18km long gorge below. The name Augrabies comes from the Khoi word “Akoerabis” which can be translated as “The place of great noise". Compliment to the staff for the excellent condition of the chalet I stayed in – worth it!
How desolate is the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park really? Just outside Upington you get this sign, and apart from the tiny settlement of Askham there is very little indication of the modern world out here. Karoo shrubs makes way for saltpans, and from the saltpans the road leads over kilometres and kilometres of sand dunes.
In the one horse and two camels town of Askham, just across the road from the only filling station, you find the Diamond T. Coffeeshop, restaurant and curio shop selling some fine local produce. Fair warning: if you don’t stop here for Milktart you will struggle to see big cats in the Park. The venison pies also carry my stamp of approval!
Twee Rivieren, headquarters for the South African section of the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park. Do the paper work, reduce tyre pressure, maybe grab a cooldrink and an ice cream. You are now in Red Dune heaven.