Tankwa Karoo bike packing - help please

[Stephan]

Planning a 4-day circular route starting in the Cederberg, venturing into the Tankwa via Biedouw Valley and then back to the start-point via Katbakkies.

Only problem with my planning is that I have never been into the Tankwa. 🙂

I used a combo of Strava heatmaps, Tracks4Africa maps and a few quick checks on Google Maps, Komoot and Ride4GPS to plan, but I found it really difficult since I don't know the area and accommodation options at all (ideally a place offering a bed and food). 

Option A

Day 1 https://www.strava.com/routes/3250812115739544092 (start near Op-die-Berg to Kromrivier) 

Day 2 https://www.strava.com/routes/3250813744534408732 (Kromrivier to Rooiputs, via Wuppertal and Biedouw Valley)

Day 3 https://www.strava.com/routes/3250817568495228498 (Rooitputs to Tankwa Guest Farm)

Day 4 https://www.strava.com/routes/3250818013866334748 (Guest Farm to start point)

Option B

Day 1 https://www.strava.com/routes/3253003413318015296 (Mount Ceder to Jai Yen Yen at Uitspankraal)

Day 2 https://www.strava.com/routes/3253004675992186552 (Uitspankraal to Ganna Lodge) 

Day 3 https://www.strava.com/routes/3253007885890920120 (Ganna to Rooidakkies)

Day 4 https://www.strava.com/routes/3253008752303007078 (Rooidakkies back to Mt Ceder) 

Is riding within the national park even allowed? The website says no (https://www.sanparks.org/parks/tankwa-karoo/what-to-do/activities/mountain-biking). 

Will appreciate any help and advice. 

[Anthem24]

Quote

Is riding within the national park even allowed? The website says no (https://www.sanparks.org/parks/tankwa-karoo/what-to-do/activities/mountain-biking). 

It doesn't sound like it then! If you book accommodation in the park, you can check with SANParks whether you can cycle to your accommodation along the access road, and how far "in the vicinity" is. 

Did you see this map, dated February 2024?

https://www.sanparks.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/tankwa-visitor-map.pdf

 

[Prince Albert Cycles]

I have cycled with groups at least a dozen times in and through the Tankwa National Park.  Entering from Ouberg Pass side , checking in at the Park office proceeding to Elandsberg cottages where we stay for 2 nights and ride in the Park and leaving the Park via Gannaga Pass .  In full sight of Park officials. Perhaps allowed because we used their accommodation ?

[DJR]

I have also cycled in the park. It now sounds strange, but it was so obviously "allowed" that we did not even ask. It is an open park with a public road crossing right through it, so, my take is that they cannot prevent you from riding at least on the main through-road. About the smaller routes in the park, I suppose I'll now have to ask next time.

[DJR]

https://www.sanparks.org/parks/tankwa-karoo/what-to-do/activities

https://www.sanparks.org/parks/tankwa-karoo/what-to-do/activities/mountain-biking

On their website, SANParks gives mountain biking as one of the activities for the Tanqua Karoo National Park, so, yes, cycling is allowed, but then they say also say this: 

".......overnight visitors are allowed to make use of marked roads within the immediate vicinity of their booked facility. No walking or bicycling is allowed in the rest of the Park."

Which means that only people staying over are allowed to cycle around their cottages. I still don't see how they can advertise "mountain biking" on their website and then say that. I also don't think they can prevent you from cycling in from one side and out the other, just like they cannot stop anyone using a public road using a car or a motorcycle. 

I suppose a phone call directly to the Tankwa admin offices is what you need to do. No use asking the SANParks headoffice, they won't know if the sun is shining outside their windows. Best to ask those IN Tankwa.

Edited July 30 by DJR

[eddy]

If you decide to check, I'd call the park directly and get your Afrikaanse maatjie  to gooi die taal.

 

[DJR]

31 minutes ago, eddy said:

If you decide to check, I'd call the park directly and get your Afrikaanse maatjie  to gooi die taal.

 

Ha ha, funny thing happend on the way to the comedy show............

I once spoke to a ranger in The Hell about the road that was closed because of flooding..........I switched to Afrikaans............and he said.........."ek is juis op pad soontoe, ek sien jy ry 'n Landy, volg my"🙂

[Skubarra]

2 hours ago, DJR said:

I have also cycled in the park. It now sounds strange, but it was so obviously "allowed" that we did not even ask. It is an open park with a public road crossing right through it, so, my take is that they cannot prevent you from riding at least on the main through-road. About the smaller routes in the park, I suppose I'll now have to ask next time.

This ^

As long as you stick to the public roads you will have no issues. People regularly cycle through there.

[Anthem24]

You don't say when you're planning on doing this, but you should contact the folk at Jai Yen Yen about the Doring river crossing before you go. Plenty of stuff online showing the effects of recent floods.

Your distance from there to the national park, with either option being over 100 km, seems quite ambitious given the road surface of the Uitspankraal Pass. This video from the Mountain Passes of SA channel is from a while back, but it's not likely that the road has improved:

If you're not set on going to Tankwa, the original Cederberg circuit from Algeria>Eselbank> Wuppertal>Heuningvlei>Clanwilliam>Algeria is an option, but has lost a lot of gravel section with the tarring of the Uitkyk Pass and Pakhuis Pass. 

[DJR]

About when to go:

If all the recent winter rains is anything to go by, then it will be a bumper flower year in the Tankwa this year. It is usually at its best from mid-August to mid-September. (A bit earlier that the traditional time for Namakwaland or the Great Karoo.) The Tankwa lies sandwiched between the winter rainfall area of the Boland and the summer rainfall area of the Karoo proper. Some years they get both, some years one or the other and every once in a while they get neither. It makes for very interesting botany with unusual plants.   In a good year the flowers can be absolutely spectacular. In spring you do have the risk of a very cold spell, even cold enough to have snow on some of the high passes, but you will not have the extreme heat of summer. As for headwinds.......this is cycling...... and headwinds you will most definitely have.........(most of the bad winds in spring will be from the West and just before a cold front blows in).

[Stephan]

Thanks for all the replies.

Current planned dates are 13 to 16 Sept. 

[tubed]

We did a similar route in Jan 2023, the challenge for you will be the Doring, with a wet winter we are having the river level may be high in Sept, it drains from the Matroosberg area and the Kouebokkeveld. Its a no go if it is deep.

We did Op die Berg, Mount Ceder (night 1) easy day, then via Eselbank/ Wuppertal to Enjo (night2), then you will try via Doring/ Uitspankraal direction R355, but if you turn south at Moed Farm and head to Elandsvlei on tracks and on to Die Mond (night3), then to R355 and Tankwa Padstaal, over Katbakkies back to op die Berg.

These are big days, the roads are rough or sandy and if the wind blows it can reduce your pace to a crawl, sandstorms are not uncommon. Fill up when you see water. We camped and were self sufficient. It can be a decent adventure if the conditions turn against you. Don't rely on cellphone signal as it is rare as are cars and anyone with the ability to help you.

If you are not up for the route (tracks) we did south after Moed Farm, you can go onward and join the R355 and either head into the Tankwa or head south toward Ceres.

Another option I have hear of is to head east from Wuppertal via the Tra Tra and for the last part bushwack yourself to Elandsvlei (small settlement, nothing on offer) where you will meet the Doring.

So many options if you are up for some adventure, otherwise just as good if you choose farmstays and stick to bigger roads.

Enjoy yourself.

[capediver]

13 minutes ago, tubed said:

We did a similar route in Jan 2023, the challenge for you will be the Doring, with a wet winter we are having the river level may be high in Sept, it drains from the Matroosberg area and the Kouebokkeveld. Its a no go if it is deep.

We did Op die Berg, Mount Ceder (night 1) easy day, then via Eselbank/ Wuppertal to Enjo (night2), then you will try via Doring/ Uitspankraal direction R355, but if you turn south at Moed Farm and head to Elandsvlei on tracks and on to Die Mond (night3), then to R355 and Tankwa Padstaal, over Katbakkies back to op die Berg.

These are big days, the roads are rough or sandy and if the wind blows it can reduce your pace to a crawl, sandstorms are not uncommon. Fill up when you see water. We camped and were self sufficient. It can be a decent adventure if the conditions turn against you. Don't rely on cellphone signal as it is rare as are cars and anyone with the ability to help you.

If you are not up for the route (tracks) we did south after Moed Farm, you can go onward and join the R355 and either head into the Tankwa or head south toward Ceres.

Another option I have hear of is to head east from Wuppertal via the Tra Tra and for the last part bushwack yourself to Elandsvlei (small settlement, nothing on offer) where you will meet the Doring.

So many options if you are up for some adventure, otherwise just as good if you choose farmstays and stick to bigger roads.

Enjoy yourself.

Jislaaik, now that sounds like a proper adventure...gonna break in first with Cberg loop but VERY keen to follow with this route!

[tubed]

Cederberg loop is a winner.

We bit off more than we could chew on the day to Die Mond, thankfully it was full moon, first time I have seen my brother barely pitch his tent and just crawl in and pass out.

I think ideally you want to have more time to stop and brew some coffee, swim in a stream and sleep under a tree (if you can find one) for a lunchtime siesta. It's not a place you want to be in a rush.

Mount Ceder has a good menu, Wuppertal is hit and miss, Lauren at Enjo has all sorts of treats in their small shop, Kyle at Uitspankraal always has cold beer, Die Mond has cold beer and Coke and Tankwa Padstal is a beacon of hope, just don't underestimate Katbakkies it goes on forever.

[Baracuda]

Quite strange, we stayed in the National Park last year and I went gravel riding every morning with out issue.

[Baracuda]

The Biedouw Valley road is incredibly scenic. Often take it on the way home from Afrika Burn (from the old site). The National Park was horribly corregated when we were there last year.