VALLEY OF THE BABOONS
Getting to know the spectacular Baviaanskloof.
Ivisited the Baviaanskloof for the first time two years ago. I still remember how enchanted I was by the landscape, how quiet and peaceful it was in the campsites, and how exciting it was to drive the mountain passes and water crossings. And I also remember how bad I felt about damaging a vehicle for the first time when the Ford Ranger I was driving came into contact with a tractor. But now I’m older and somewhat wiser, and when I read up on the Baviaans recently I realised there’s quite a bit that I didn’t get to see during my last visit. So I load up my bakkie – this time a brand new Mazda BT-50 – and hit the road to go and explore the Baviaanskloof properly from end to end.
Welcome in the kloof
I depart early in the morning from Willowmore, a small Karoo town with a collection of 19th-century buildings, a historical boer cemetery, and the Willow Limo, a donkey car that shows you around town. It’s a place where you could easily get stuck for a day or two, but it’s also known for being the western gateway to the Baviaanskloof and it’s for that reason that I’m here. The Willow Limo will have to wait for another day. About 4 km out of town I turn onto the R332, a gravel road that runs in a south-easterly direction through the Baviaans Mountains.
This road continues all the way through the Baviaanskloof to Patensie, and if you leave early enough you could cover the distance in a day, but you won’t have much time for stopping. And you don’t really just want to drive through, because the Baviaanskloof is much more than just a lekker gravel road through the mountains and to discover its true gems you need to take your time. At the top of the Nuwekloof Pass a sign officially welcomes me to the Baviaanskloof.The pass winds down between cliffs that tower above the road like skyscrapers in a city. At Raaskrans, the highest and most imposing rock face, I pull over briefly so I can announce my presence with a whistle.The cliff stays true to its name and answers back, welcoming me in the valley.
Cave dweller for a night
Shortly thereafter I reach one of the most famous attractions in the Baviaanskloof: the Makkedaat Caves on Rietfontein, a guest farm where you can sleep in a cave. I’ve slept in many exotic places, but so far a cave has eluded my tally. It’s therefore an obvious choice for my first evening in the valley. Boetie en Henriëtte Terblance moved to the Baviaanskloof 19 years ago. In those days nature conservation asked private land owners in the valley to develop accommodation options to help boost tourism. That’s when Henriëtte had an idea. “We have a lot of caves on the farm. So I said to Boetie, ‘Why don’t we close them up?’” That’s exactly what they did and now they have various caves that can host anyone from couples
At Raaskrans, the highest and most imposing rock face, I pull over briefly so I can announce my presence with a whistle.”
to family groups. And the caves are spread out on the property so you’re isolated in nature, just like the permanent residents of the Baviaanskloof. “You are isolated and have to be content with little, but you have so many other joys here,” says Henriëtte when I ask her what it’s like to live here. “When we do go to town we are so happy to come back home, away from the hustle and bustle!” she laughs. “Here you find a piece of the Lord around every corner.” Henriëtte directs me to my cave, Dawid se Bak, and I go settle in for the evening. I page through the visitor’s book in the cave and read that some of the entries say there are spiders who like to pop in at night. There are even a few children’s drawings of the eight-legged monstrosities. I wish I’d never read that, because for the rest of the evening my eyes keep scanning the rocky walls around me. And later when I go to bed, I pull the bed away from the wall.You know, just in case.
A spectacular ravine
The next morning the crisp cold air of the night still lingers in the shadow of the mountains when I depart eastwards again. I make a quick stop at the Baviaans Craft Shop, which is filled with all sorts of handmade crafts,T-shirts and other souvenirs from the Baviaanskloof. Outside the shop there’s a collection of bonsai trees, some of the indigenous spekboom, and across the road you can chow a fresh vetkoek at Vero’s restaurant. Roughly 14 km down the road I stop at Bokloof. Of all the hiking trails in the area, the Waterkloof route, which takes you to a mystical ravine in the mountains, is probably the most famous. If you’ve ever read an article on the Baviaanskloof it’s likely that the accompanying picture was of this valley. And with it usually a photograph of Skollie the farm dog who loves this route so much that he plays unofficial tour guide to all who visit the ravine. As soon as I step out