Llandudno to Wildernis and Danabaai to Van Zulsrus
The previous Latitude and Longitude excursions have been very popular and this will be the first time we will be driving two degree trips back to back. Use a map or Google to check where 34 Latitude South west to east and 22 Longitude south to north starts and ends, as well as the interesting places we will encounter while driving as close as possible to the two imaginary latitude and longitude lines.
Travelling down a dry riverbed on a previous trip
Our 4x4 encounters en-route will be determined by the elements and the weather, as well as the routes we choose to follow to our final destination. One of our goals will be to light our evening campfire on the line of 34° Latitude South and 22° Longitude. How we are going to achieve this will be one of the en-route challenges, adding flavour and excitement to this expedition. It is around these communal campfires that the next day’s route will be discussed, ensuring good group participation. A good map of South Africa and more detailed maps of the area we will be travelling through will add to the excitement of your expedition. A GPS loaded with Tracks 4 Africa will be a great benefit but definitely not a prerequisite for this expedition.
To add flavour to this expedition, we will collect water at the start of our expedition, in a special calabash, from the Atlantic Ocean on the West Coast and transport it all the way to Wildernis, our end destination on the East Coast. When we arrive at our destination of 34°Latitude South on the East Coast, we will deposit the water into the Indian Ocean, indicating another successful Latitude South adventure completed. The second part of this adventure, starting at Danabaai near Mosselbaai, we will once again fill the calabash with water in the Indian Ocean and empty it in the dry riverbed of the Molopo River, which forms the border between South Africa and Botswana, north of Van Zylsrus in the Kalahari.
34° Latitude South - Llandudno to Wildernis
Our adventure drive along the imaginary line of 34° Latitude South from West to East will start at Llandudno near Cape Town and end on Wildernis beach just north of George. Interesting suburbs and areas around Cape Town will be driven through before we will negotiate the mountains on our way to Villiersdorp and Swellendam. Many interesting road options are available from start to end, increasing as this adventure progresses, ensuring good group interaction regarding the choice of roads will be required to follow.
22° Longitude - Danabaai to Van Zulsrus
The first plots at Danabaai, just south of Mosselbaai, were up for sale in the early 1970’s. Who would have thought that thirty years later we would collect Indian Ocean water at Danabaai, now a well established East Coast holiday destination, aiming to drive north in as straight a line possible to the Botswana border and empty the calabash in the dry riverbed of the Molopo River. Departing from Danabaai and heading north will come with many interesting options and challenges. Numerous mountain ranges will have to be negotiated, taking us over the Robertson and Swartberg Passes. Having driven these two very well known passes in the Eastern Cape, one experiences a feeling of great achievement, but this is short lived when you realize that the greater Karoo and Kalahari still need to be negotiated and driven before we reach our final goal, southern border of Botswana.
Great Trix!!!
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