Goegap Nature Reserve MTB Trail (Closest City/Town: Springbok)
Goegap Nature ReserveCLOSEST TOWN > Springbok TRAIL DESTINATION > Goegap Nature Reserve DISTANCE > 22km +
GRADING > Moderate to difficult |
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OVERVIEW Goegap is everyman’s desert: big enough to feel vast, small enough not to be intimidating. Kokerbome spike the powder-blue Boesmanland sky, the latter backdropping haphazard rock stacks rucking up from amber plains. Warlord Oryx hold sway upon these sandy swathes, rattling their rapier horns amid the heat mirage. Among the rugged jumbles of boulders – some the size of two-up-two-down apartment blocks – you might happen upon Hartmann’s mountain zebra or, even better, that shaolin monk of antelope, the klipspringer. Fascinating semidesert flora, including stands of kokerboom (Aloe dichotoma) and mythical halfmens trees (Pachypodium namaquanum), will add to the experience. August and September often go hand in hand with a spectacular display of wild flowers, especially after a good rainy season. On your bike Biking is along a 35km-odd network of 4X4 tracks and gravel reserve roads, starting off from the reserve offices set in a narrow valley bisecting the granite domes of the Klein Koperberge. Head onto the plains and turn left for a gentle climb before looping left again at the first signposted turn-off. A few sandy patches will test your bike skills, so keep the momentum going as you follow the rim of the valley. Various options await you at the next intersection, but at some stage you will have to start the ascent towards Carolusberg, the highest point in the reserve. The 4X4 track becomes rather rugged and steep as you wind your way to the top, with a few Moab-like rock slabs to test your prowess just before you crest onto a craggy kopje overlooking the reserve. Although there is quite a bit of rock and sand, it is possible to adapt the route choice in order to suit your personal level of fitness. The trail is harsh in places, minimalist in most, but eminently rideable if you are a moderate to accomplished mountain biker. There is no shame if you have to push or portage, as the feel-good factor will more than make up for it. All in all, Goegap Nature Reserve makes for a fascinating pedal-power exploration, but most enjoyable is the fact that it is a truly undiscovered landscape. Off the bike Goegap is a popular 4X4 destination, while most of the other gravel roads are suitable for ordinary vehicles. Hiking trails, game viewing and good birding also attract many day visitors. The town of Springbok, as well as the surrounding district, is famed for interesting fossil fields and deposits of minerals and semiprecious stones. CONTACT: Route information: Goegap Nature Reserve Website: www.northerncape.org.za GPS: 29°41′03.9″S 017°56′50.5″E Weather:  Could not retrieve weather informations for Springbok, South Africa |
FAST FACTSGRADING: Moderate to difficult DURATION: 2 to 3 hours CONFIGURATION : Circular 22km ride, plus various other gravel road options START POINT: Reserve office TERRAIN: Semi-desert, sand and some rocky sections MAP: Maps available from the office at Goegap Nature Reserve 027 712 1880 CELL RECEPTION: None ENTRY REQUIREMENTS: An entrance fee is payable at the gate and an additional rate is levied per rider FACILITIES: Self-catering cottages, safe parking within the reserve and ablutions BEWARE OF: Extreme temperatures |
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MORE INFORMATION: Moderate to difficult ride, with the terrain and surface adding to the difficulty level;
HOW TO GET THERE
BEST TIME OF YEAR Once again the best time to ride would be in spring, around August and September. You will enjoy the floral displays and avoid the extremes of the summer heat and winter chills.
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