Namaqualand and Westcoast

We are planning a trip to Namaqualand and the West Coast in September this year. The trip will be dual purpose - to get our last extreme point at Alexander Bay and (hopefully) see the flowers on the route!

Any tips on nice routes (mostly GS ) to ride, must-see places and nice places to stay? Our route will take us to Augrabies, Port Nolloth, Alexander Bay, then down the Westcoast all the way to the Cederberg and back. Any advice will be appreciated!

I also want to go see the flowers! We can put some heads together around the routes - some awesome riding to be done there!

May or may not travel down to the Cederberge... we'll see.

Any dates in mind?

That sounds good Marnus. I have worked out some high level routes already, but any inputs are welcome. We will be leaving 3 September, returning 12 September.

Hi Daleen,
Dilla and I did the West Coast ride in July, and we saw lots of flowers along the way, although that was not the reason for the trip!
We stayed in Pofadder at 'Rus 'n Biejie' caravan park in the 'flats', we did not camp!
Port Nolloth was great! We booked a place called Matchbox, but the main place is Bedrock. They have different places in and around Port Nolloth.
If you are camping, McDougall's Bay has clean but cold camping sites on the beach.
From PN there is a road south to Kleinsee, and then to Hodeklipbaai.
You could also get to Hondeklipbaai via Springbok and the Namaqua National Park, you will see lots of flowers there!!
The flowers also change colour the further south you go. We saw flowers right down to Vanrhynsdorp.

The Pakhuis pass at Clanwilliam has now been tarred up to at least the Wupperthal turn-off. But if you keep going N-E, you will be able to ride Botterkloof pass back to the R27 and Calvinia. Great sceney and road!

Hope this will help.
Mike

Thanks Mike, this helps a lot. I have been wondering about Pakhuis and Botterkloof passes if we would be able to do it with the bike. Will definitely take that route as well.