Baviaans & the Gamtoos Valley Groot Rivier Valley, Hankey, Loerie, Patensie, Steytlerville, Willowmore
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nd The 2 Wonder of our world BAVIAANS & THE GAMTOOS VALLEY GROOT RIVIER VALLEY, HANKEY, LOERIE, PATENSIE, STEYTLERVILLE, WILLOWMORE www.travelbaviaans.co.za CONTENTS INTRODUCTION 1 TOWNS IN THE BAVIAANS & GAMTOOS VALLEY AREA 2 MAPS 3 THINGS TO DO 5 PLACES TO SEE 7 PLACES TO STAY 9 USEFUL INFORMATION 15 Experience the true meaning of hospitality and adventure in the most beautiful of surroundings in the Baviaans and Gamtoos Valley. Known for the richness of its cultural heritage and abundance in bird and animal life, the Baviaans area holds ample opportunity for outdoor leisure and activities. Nature lovers can surround themselves in prime fauna and flora and the more adventurous can enjoy mountain biking excursions, 4x4 trails and hunting safaris. There are plenty of heritage sites just waiting to be discovered, as well as San Art which adorns the pristine cliffs. While travelling through this area, you will be forgiven for feeling as if you are the first person to set foot on some of the rugged mountain paths. Among the friendly and quaint towns situated in the Baviaans area are Willowmore and Steytlerville, each with colourful histories and surroundings which offer outdoor adventures, scenic routes and a variety of arts and crafts to appreciate. Willowmore is one of the only places in the Karoo with coastal fynbos, while Steytlerville is renowned for its variety of semi-desert vegetation. For clean skies, starry nights and sweet breezes, there is no better place than the Baviaans to spend your time. www.travelbaviaans.co.za 1 TOWNS IN THE BAVIAANS & GAMTOOS VALLEY AREA GROOT RIVIER VALLEY The Groot Rivier Valley has numerous game reserves, farm activities, hiking trails and unspoilt nature on offer. The route through the Valley winds its way through purple mountains and grazing fields, back into Steytlerville where good old Karoo hospitality is the order of the day. HANKEY Hankey, the oldest town in the Valley, is home to the largest sundial in Africa (diameter: 36.4m) as well as the remains of Sarah Bartmann, a Khoi-san woman who was laid to rest upon a hill outside the town after leading a tragic life of ridicule and shame due to her strange body shape. From the Toposcope in Hankey, onlookers will have the most magnificent views of the Gamtoos flood plains, while the 9-hole golf course offers the perfect opportunity to unwind. Tourism Information Centre Tel: +27 (0)42 284 0543 LOERIE The little town of Loerie is named after a rather elusive species of bird, the Knysna Loerie, and is probably best known for its annual Naartjie Festival which takes place during the month of September. There’s only a church, a fistful of houses and a local store, yet this beautiful and fertile valley is a blend of nature, agriculture and wilderness that makes it the perfect place in which to escape. PATENSIE Patensie, guarded by the majestic Cockscomb Mountain, is situated at the doorway to the Baviaans wilderness area. This little town’s activities primarily revolve around the citrus industry. Over time, it has become a very popular tourist destination with many B&B’s and self catering establishments, as well as fuel stops, banks and shops to choose from. The impressive Kouga dam, which was built in 1967, is a must see together with the unique rock formations (i.e. Queen Victoria’s profile) you can spot on your way to the dam. STEYTLERVILLE The little town of Steytlerville lies at the entrance to the north eastern parts of the Baviaanskloof and showcases a host of architectural gems such as quaint Edwardian and Victorian-era houses with tin roofs and large street-facing verandas complete with broekie lace and stained glass windows. Home to several South African personalities in the past, a holiday in this town easily leads to relocation. Tourism Information Centre Tel: +27 (0)49 835 0484 WILLOWMORE On the western side of the Baviaanskloof lies Willowmore, a town steeped in history and a prime spot to take a break from the 4x4 excursions. Boasting a host of interesting nooks and crannies, Willowmore offers weary travelers a place to rejuvenate both body and soul. The town lends itself to cozy weekends spent next to the fire relating folklore and recalling stories of a bygone era, while also offering various options for hikers to choose from. Nights here are filled with stars and are unpredictably cold, whilst day temperatures can soar to over 30 degrees. Tourism Information Centre Tel: +27(0)44 923 1702 2 OUR LOCATION SOUTH AFRICAN CONTEXT Pretoria Johannesburg Durban Eastern Cape Cape Town Port Elizabeth CACADU CONTEXT KAROO GRAHAMSTOWN Durban BAVIAANS ADDO SUNSHINE COAST Cape Town TSITSIKAMMA JEFFREYS Port Elizabeth INDIAN OCEAN 3 THE BAVIAANS & GAMTOOS VALLEY AREA 4 THINGS TO DO The Baviaanskloof Mega Reserve is a World Heritage Site rich in biodiversity with breathtaking mountain passes winding through the magnificent wilderness area. It offers deep valleys offset against towering peaks, lush riverine forestry against dry Karoo tumble-weeds and even snow-white beaches alongside clear, bronze waters. Activities for the adventurous include, mountain biking, hiking, camping, 4x4 trails, hunting safaris, rock and mountain climbing, bird watching and scenic drives. THE BAVIAANS BACK TO FRONT CIRCLE ROUTE With a multitude of routes to choose from, the Baviaanskloof can offer both short and longer breaks away from the hustle and bustle of the city. The Baviaans Back to Front Circle Route will take you by car (4x4 or 4x2 with diff-lock) through the culturally rich Karoo towns of Steytlerville and Willowmore to the lush crags of the Baviaanskloof and the ever-changing scenery of the Groot Rivier valley. Baviaans Tourism: Tel: +27 (0)44 923 1702 MOUNTAIN BIKING The Baviaanskloof offers outdoor enthusiasts the chance to discover the wilderness, ‘Karoovlaktes’ and Winterhoek Mountains, from the seat of a mountain bike. The valley is also home to the annual Trans Baviaans Mountain Bike Marathon which is considered to be the longest one-day mountain bike race in the world. The race starts in Willowmore, continues through the spectacular Baviaanskloof and ends 230 kilometers later. Baviaanskloof Mountain Passes Tours: Tel: +27 (0)49 8391122 5 4X4 TRAILS The spectacular Baviaanskloof offers no shortage of excitement for 4x4 enthusiasts. Winding trails will take you from the Baviaanskloof valley right up the Kouga mountain range, past Graskop to the summit and then down to Kareedouw in the Langkloof. En route, be sure to look out for a rich variety of wildlife and vegetation, including cycads which are centuries old. Much of the scenery is simply breathtaking and although not a particularly difficult 4x4 trail, some parts are sufficiently demanding to make it exciting. Chris & Tanya Lamprecht: Tel: +27 (0)49 839 1160 GOLF Hankey boasts one of the finest 9-hole golf courses in the area. The fairways stretch along avenues of large old trees which adds to the charm renowned in the heart of Gamtoos Valley. To book a game of golf while visiting Hankey, make use of the following contact details: Hankey Golf Club: Tel: +27 (0)42 284 0335 6 PLACES TO SEE B AV I A A N S K L O O F - VALLEY OF BABOONS The Baviaanskloof Mega Reserve, nestled between the Baviaans Mountain range in the north and the Kouga Mountain Range in the south, boasts a warm, pleasant climate all year round and is free of tropical diseases such as malaria. The Reserve is the biggest wilderness area in South Africa with a 192 000 hectares conservation area. It is home to an amazing diversity of habitat types and species including seven of South Africa’s 8 Biomes. From forests of Yellowoods to Karoo bossies, Spekboom Thicket to Fynbos and Proteas, the Kloof, as is affectionately referred to, is a nature lover’s paradise. LOERIE THE LOERIE STATION Unlike other similar establishments, the Loerie Station features a turntable which enables two men to turn a locomotive weighing 60 tons in the other direction in order to travel to different destinations. THE KOUGA DAM The Kouga Dam situated on the Kouga River – Kouga meaning hippopotamus - was completed in 1976 with the wall being 365 meters long and 94 meters high. It is the first double-arched dam engineered in South Africa. 7 HANKEY ASSEMBLY HILL OR VERGADERINGSKOP Assembly Hill or Vergarderingskop, as the spot is fondly referred to, offers the perfect vantage point from which to observe the raging waters of the Gamtoos River sweep by during one of its numerous floods. SARAH BARTMAN’S GRAVE Sarah Bartman’s grave, a National Heritage Site, houses the remains of the Khoi-san woman who was laid to rest upon a hill outside the town after spending a tragic and lonely life as an object of display in Europe during the early years of 1800. She was exhibited as the Hottentot Venus in both London and Paris. After she died at the age of 25, her remains became property of Musèe de I’Homme in Paris and in February 2002, precisely 213 years after her birth, Sarah Bartman finally returned home to the country of her birth. THE SUNDIAL The Sundial, said to be the largest (diameter is 36.4 meter) of its kind in Southern Africa, was erected by the late Dirk Shleringhout in 1989 after his arrival in the Gamtoos valley from Holland after the Second World War. THE VICTORIA TREE Stepping back in time, Hankey is home to a number of natural wonders of which the Victoria Tree is one. The tree, situated beside the railway crossing and only meters from the missionary graves, was planted on 22 July 1897 to commemorate the Jubilee of Queen Victoria’s reign.