Baviaanskloof
A Component Of The UNESCO Cape Floral Region Protected Areas Inscription (2004) And One Of The Largest Wilderness Areas In South Africa: A Hundred And Ninety Kilometres Of Mountain Valley Between The Karoo And The Coast, Crossed On A Gravel And Rock Track That REQUIRES A 4x4, With Seven Of The Country'S Vegetation Biomes, Leopard, Buffalo And No Settlement, Fuel Or Signal On The Traverse · Patensie, Eastern Cape
The Baviaanskloof is a hundred and ninety kilometres of mountain valley between the Karoo and the Eastern Cape coast, and crossing it is the best wilderness drive in South Africa. There is no tar in the middle, no fuel, no shop and no mobile signal for most of it; the track climbs the Grasnek and Holgat passes on rock and gravel, fords rivers, and REQUIRES A 4x4 - two vehicles travelling together is the sensible standard. What you get for that is one of the largest wilderness areas in the country, a component of the Cape Floral Region World Heritage inscription, holding seven of South Africa's vegetation biomes in one valley along with leopard, buffalo, kudu and almost nobody else. The name means valley of baboons and there are a great many. It takes two days to cross properly with a night in the middle, and people who try it in a day in a saloon car are the reason the signs at either end are so emphatic.
Between Willowmore and Patensie in the Eastern Cape, a 190 km traverse with no tar and no fuel in the middle, Patensie, Eastern Cape, South Africa
The reserve's core is entered by permit through the Eastern Cape Parks authority with daylight access and camping inside, and the traverse itself runs between Willowmore in the west and Patensie in the east. A 4x4 IS REQUIRED for the full crossing and TWO VEHICLES TRAVELLING TOGETHER IS THE SENSIBLE STANDARD - the Grasnek and Holgat passes are rock and steep gravel with river fords, and THE ROUTE CLOSES AFTER HEAVY RAIN. THERE IS NO FUEL, NO SHOP AND NO SIGNAL across the middle of the crossing: fill and stock at Willowmore or Patensie and carry water. Accommodation is reserve campsites and a handful of private farms along the valley, booked ahead. The western and eastern ends can each be driven in from tar as a day trip without the full traverse. It is MALARIA-FREE and very hot in summer.