Dirty Weekend
Wild Magazine|Summer 2017/2018

Looking for a last-minute adventure that will satisfy your hunger for wander? This story takes in one national park, two nature reserves and a wilderness area — all in two days of travel on gravel from Cape Town.

Calvin Fisher and Kelly Lodewyks
Dirty Weekend

It was Sunday, midday. Normally at this point I’d be fighting off a food coma on the couch with my Staffies, but this time I was sitting alongside South Africa’s longest dirt road, the sun beating down on my back, with a too-hot wheel spanner in my hands. The massive carcass of a recently exploded 4x4 tyre was nestled on my lap. I’d just replaced it after winching the spare-wheel free from under our Nissan Navara’s belly with Kelly’s help. But, and this part is crucial, we were still smiling.

How did we get here?

The plan was simple enough. We’d bust out of work at around 16h00 and point our 4x4 in a northerly direction along the Cape–Namibia route. We wanted to get our tyres dirty. See, doing great distances off the paved road is a lot like taking your shoes off when you get home after a long day. You tend to unwind, unravel somewhat in the most therapeutic of ways. When you depart the asphalt and allow the rubber to bite hard into the dirt, that’s soul food to a South African. We had two nights to unwind before hitting the grind again on Monday morning, so it was clear that we’d need to beat a tarmac retreat for the first leg of our journey, which would begin at sunset on this warm Friday evening at the West Coast National Park along the R27.

We made it narrowly, five minutes before the gates closed. Once in the park we ventured off the tar and onto the dirt roads where permissible. We barely scratched the itch, knowing full well that by the time we fell asleep it would have grown once again. But that’s fine as we had easily 250 kilometres of untarred goodness to enjoy the next day. Not to mention the sort of food that road trips are famous for. Warm inside and out from the fire we cooked on in our Morocco-like Duinepos chalet, we retired to bed. Kelly would utter ‘roosterkoek’ more than once in her sleep that night.

Bu hikaye Wild Magazine dergisinin Summer 2017/2018 sayısından alınmıştır.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

Bu hikaye Wild Magazine dergisinin Summer 2017/2018 sayısından alınmıştır.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

WILD MAGAZINE DERGISINDEN DAHA FAZLA HIKAYETümünü görüntüle
Wild Magazine

Seeds of success

A champion at the indigenous nursery at Skukuza, Meurel Baloyi is on a mission to make all the rest camp gardens in Kruger water-wise.

time-read
2 dak  |
Summer 2019 / 2020
Wild Magazine

Six of the best

|Ai-|Ais/Richtersveld Transfrontier Park guarantees visitors a solid serving of adventure, often with a dash of adrenalin on the side. The rugged mountain desert now boasts even more outdoor activities.

time-read
5 dak  |
Summer 2019 / 2020
Marvellous  meerkats of Mata-Mata
Wild Magazine

Marvellous meerkats of Mata-Mata

Brace yourself to be welcomed suricate-style the next time you pitch camp at this ever-popular spot in Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park.

time-read
3 dak  |
Summer 2019 / 2020
Wild Magazine

Who's who?

Even regular park-goers struggle to distinguish a rhebok from a reedbuck. The differences are subtle but significant.

time-read
3 dak  |
Summer 2019 / 2020
Friends of the fluffball
Wild Magazine

Friends of the fluffball

White-fronted plovers breed in summer – the same time many people take their seaside holiday. A significant decline in their numbers means life is hardly ‘a day at the beach’ for these birds

time-read
4 dak  |
Summer 2019 / 2020
Wild Magazine

Festive Karoo

On a Christmas holiday in the Karoo, a keen birder and his family soak up the heat in four Wild Card parks. Their reward included special sightings, endless views and a wilderness feeling.

time-read
5 dak  |
Summer 2019 / 2020
Love struck
Wild Magazine

Love struck

A leopard mating ritual is a rare and thrilling sight. Even more extraordinary to witness an amorous affair involving three members of this elusive Big Five species in Kruger.

time-read
3 dak  |
Summer 2019 / 2020
Challenge the clock
Wild Magazine

Challenge the clock

For centuries Table Mountain National Park has inspired exploration, from hardcore climbing to gentle walks. Now runners and hikers can set a record or push boundaries for a personal best on an epic adventure to the top of 13 peaks.

time-read
4 dak  |
Summer 2019 / 2020
Loud and clear
Wild Magazine

Loud and clear

Woodland kingfishers are common in most rest camps in the Kruger National Park. Enjoy their evocative call during the summer months.

time-read
1 min  |
Summer 2019 / 2020
Wild Magazine

BEACH MODELS

Rocky shores and sandy beaches are where you’ll find the African black oystercatcher. Summer is breeding season, so look out for nest scrapes close to rocks and kelp.

time-read
2 dak  |
Summer 2019 / 2020