I have been resting the last couple of days, getting the last fews things organised, starting to pack now and we leave very early tomorrow morning to meet up with our fellow walkers in Wellington for the transfer up to Springbok.
Our final itinerary has arrived and looks quite marvellous.
Eco Ventures Namaqua Ultra Walk
Programme and
Route 2015
Travel from Paarl, Cape Town to Kamieskroon via
Kardoesie, at the top of the Piekenierskloof Pass, for breakfast. Along the N7
to Springbok, in the heart of Namaqualand
Accommodation & Dinner : Elkoweru guest House
Briefing before dinner
Day 1
The
“Big Walk” starts at Goegap nature reserve. The route takes you along
Namaqualand scenery with Quiver trees and flowering succulents. .
Overnight and Dinner: Klein Pella Guest Farm 30km
Day 2
Start
before breakfast on the banks of the Orange River and walk along the
unbelievable ‘forest’ of
17
000 Date Palms. After breakfast, walk to Pella for tea with the nuns at the historic
Cathedral, built by French priests.
Overnight and Dinner: Klein Pella Guest Farm 30km
Day 3
Walk
from Klein Pella, leaving Boesmanland into the ‘Swart Rante of Steinkopf in the
Copper mining area
Overnight and Dinner:
Randspaar Guesthouse, Kamieskroon. 30 km
Day 4
From
Grootvlei to ‘Skilpad” – Namaqualand Nature Reserve and back to
‘Bowesdorp”. Stop for ‘Pannekoek’ along
the way!. Meet Lita Cole at her nursery – the real flower of Namaqualand
Overnight
and Dinner: Randspaar Guesthouse, Kamieskroon. 30 km
Day5
Walk
the Wilde Perdehoek Pass, one of the oldest Passes in Namaqualand built by
Italian prisoners of war and the Messel Pad Pass down onto the ‘flats’ of
Namaqualand. (Optional change to
Nourivier due to roads that is washed away)
Overnight
and Dinner: Randspaar Guesthouse, Kamieskroon 30 km
Day 6
Walk
from Arkoep into the Kamies Mountains for Lunch at the tea garden of
Taaiboskraal. Sulene Archer will entertain you with stories of the area. Walk after
lunch to the top of Kamies Pass, surrounded by farmlands and scenes that are
only a reality for 6 weeks per year.
Overnight and Dinner:
Randspaar Guest House, Kamieskroon 30 km
Day 7
Take
on the Kamies Pass to Leliefontein along the ridge of the mountains to Garies.
Visit G’nis se winkel for dinner, and shop while drinking a glass of wine
Overnight and Dinner: Garies
Guest House 30 km
Day 8
Drive
to the Knersvlakte Spens for coffee and a talk of the succulents find in this
area. Walk ‘Brand se Berg’ into the Cedarberg Mountains with its amazing rock
formations and fynbos. Today the going gets tough and the tough get going!
Overnight and dinner:
Boskloof Swemgat Chalets. 30 km
Day 9
Walk
from Boskloof, a green valley with beautiful farms and rock formations to visit
‘soldaat kop’ and the grave of CJ Louis Leipoldt. Visit the Rooibos tea factory
in Clanwilliam.
Drive
to Lamberts Bay
Dinner:
Isabella’s Restaurant in the harbor of Lamberts Bay.
Overnight:
Albatros Guest House, Lamberts Bay 30 km
Day 10
Along
the coast from Elands Bay to Lamberts Bay for the last leg of the 301 km
Walk. Finish on the beach at Lamberts
Bay.
Dinner
and Prize giving evening at Steenboksfontein at the Plaaskombuis.
Overnight:
Albatros Guest House Lamberts Bay 30
km
Depart from Lamberts Bay to Cape Town International Airport, via the Pepper
Tree Restaurant in Philadelphia for breakfast.
"This
Ultra Pilgrimage walk offers every one that participate an unbelievable
challenge.
It
was designed professionally to renew the “whole being” - the physical as well
as the psychological."
