Eventually we were able to meet with the chief. In exchange for some cash and a bottle of gin he said we were allowed to climb the mountain.
After graduating, two friends from the Western Cape decided to bid their student days adieu by travelling through Southern Africa in an old Landy.
There was only one way best friends David Griesel and Frans Grotepass wanted to celebrate their graduation from the universities of Cape Town and Stellenbosch – they wanted to explore Southern Africa an epic 14 000 km trip, lasting six weeks.
A day after the respective ceremonies, they hit the road north in David’s old Land Rover 300 Tdi (with more than 460 000 km on the clock), with a quick stop to see Kimberley’s Big Hole and visit Orania.
They spent the night at David’s parents in Tzaneen and the next day set off for the Kruger National Park, where they slept over before crossing the border to Zimbabwe for the first part of their journey. Frans tells their story.
Gonarezhou, Zimbabwe
It was both David and my first visit to Zimbabwe and needless to say we were extremely excited about the prospect. We arrived late that evening after a long day of travelling. The following morning we set off early and first explored the southern section of the park, spotting various types of animals. We were surprised by how startled and scared they seemed. We lunched at a picnic spot and then headed north to the famous red mountains of the park. We arrived just before sunset and were treated to a nature scene one can only dream of. The mountains glowed red and above it hung the dark grey clouds of an approaching thunderstorm. We saw lions near the camp and a herd of elephants crossing the river with the red mountains reflecting off the water.
That night we lit a fire to braai but were interrupted by the thunderstorm, with flashes of lightning illuminating the world around us. It was a truly incredible experience.
We left Gonarezhou the following morning for Chimanimani. The road conditions worsened with each passing kilometre and we were shaking and bouncing around in the Landy. Luckily the giant baobabs on the side of the road more than made up for any discomfort
we experienced. Soon we reached the foot of the mountain and we drove on a narrow, winding road to Chimanimani. We reached the small settlement late that afternoon, only to hear that the tree we actually wanted to see was five hours’ drive back in the direction we came from. We pitched camp in a small campsite, made lunch, and chatted until late night about our experiences in Zimbabwe.
Gorengosa, Mozambique
Mozambique was the country where we would spend most of our time and we had two main destinations on our itinerary: Mount Mabu and Pemba. Mount Mabu was first on the list. David had read about this mysterious mountain – one of the most recently discovered places in the world – and was eager to visit it. We thought it would take two days to drive there, but we were wrong. Way wrong.
After ducking pothole after pothole the first day and having to drive on the side of the road to avoid reckless truck drivers, we were finished. We saw a turn-off to Gorengosa and because David had been there before, we decided to go there.
At the gate the security guard explained to us that he had malaria and that the reserve was locked. We pleaded with him and eventually he allowed us to spend the night. The next morning we went on a game drive and were treated to lala palms, fever trees, and waterbuck as far as the eye could see.
Mount Mabu, Mozambique
We were sad to leave Gorengosa, but we hit the road again. We spent the next 10 hours exactly the same way as the day before: dodging potholes. We even came across some locals washing their clothes in the road.
We drove until sunset and found a spot where we could pull over and rest before tackling the last stretch to the majestic Mount Mabu.
We departed at 5 am and by lunchtime we saw the mountain for the first time. At the foot of the mountain there was an unpleasant surprise waiting for us… the bridge over the river had washed away. We were disappointed and frustrated, but we decided to approach the mountain from the other side.
Later that afternoon we reached the mountain from the east and we asked two locals to help us find the road up the mountain. After about an hour’s hike we reached the local chief’s hut where we were told we weren’t allowed to go any further.
Eventually we were able to meet with the chief and it took us an hour to negotiate with him. In exchange for some cash and a bottle of gin he said we were allowed to climb the mountain.
The next morning we started early, climbing higher and higher, until we finally reached a forest that took our breath away. The flat crown trees stood 60 m tall and even Tarzan would have been in awe of this exceptional piece of Earth. We were so thankful to finally be there we took photos of every tree, creeper and insect. >
Pemba, Mozambique
After the mission to get to Mount Mabu, we wondered how long it would take us to reach Pemba. To our surprise, it was only a day’s drive and upon arrival we made ourselves at home at a campsite called Russel’s Place.
The next day we explored the area and the local beaches. The views were incredible, the water crystal clear and warm, and the local fishermen sold crayfish for R7,50 each.
The following morning we sailed to the Quirimba Islands to snorkel around the coral reefs. It was absolutely fantastic to experience so many different reefs in one place and we were awestruck by all the colours under the water.
Ibo Island, Mozambique
We were eager to explore the Quirimbas Islands some more and especially wanted to visit Ibo Island. But things don’t always work out according to plan, we were soon to learn.
We booked a boat ride to the island with a Captain Moosa, but his boat wasn’t up to the task and it wasn’t long before we were caught up in a storm on the water. Another boat actually had to come rescue us. Back on dry land, our adrenaline levels sky high, we jumped into the Landy and started driving back to Pemba. But the storm over the sea caught up with us and we had to drive in the rain on a slippery, muddy road. The next moment I heard David say, “Here we go” as the Landy slid off the road, getting stuck in the side. The car sank so deep the mud pushed up to David’s door handle and he had to climb through the window to get out.
At that stage all we could do was stand there in the rain, shaking our heads, thinking about the road we took that day, which happened to be Christmas Day. But fortunately a good Samaritan on a tractor came to our rescue and after a struggle he got us out of the mud swamp.
Liwonde, Malawi
After the challenging enchantment of Mozambique, Malawi was our next stop. We drove for two days through the Cabo Delgado and Niasse provinces and the potholes and pools of water in the road ensured that it wasn’t a quick trip to the border post. We arrived at Liwonde National Park late that night and immediately got into bed. The next morning we drove through the park, but because of recent rains and overgrown pastures, we didn’t really see anything worth mentioning.
Cape Maclear, Malawi
The next moment I heard David say, “Here we go” as the Landy slid off the road.
From Liwonde we headed north in the direction of Lake Malawi. Here we met two Spaniards, a Swedish couple and a family from South Africa. The South Africans recognised us from our internet campaign which focussed on our charity project to donate books to local settlements we encountered during our trip.
Lake Malawi is exactly as Livingstone described it: a lake of stars. Everyone has to experience it at least once in their life.
The following morning we went snorkelling with the Swedes and wouldn’t you know it, our boat sank again! All we could do was laugh.
Victoria Falls, Zambia
We set off west in the direction of the Vic Falls. We were looking for some excitement and wanted to go whiteriver rafting on the lower Zambezi. We arrived late at night and booked in at the Zambezi Waterfront.
The next morning we visited the waterfall and marvelled at its size. The following day we got up early for our adventure on the water. On the first rapid our rubber duck got a puncture. We looked at each other and started laughing. That was the third boat this trip and all three had started sinking. We could, however, travel in this one until we stopped for lunch next to the river, after which we had to get in another one for the rest of the trip.
It was one of the most exciting things we had ever done and the adrenaline rush made us feel almost lightheaded. We were so sad when it was over.
Namibia
With the unforgettable Vic Falls behind us, it was time to head back to the bush, and this time we set off to Namibia’s Zambezi Region, previously known as the Caprivi Strip.
We dawdled a bit and left late, so when we got to the border post the customs official didn’t want to let us through. We camped near the border post and the next morning we were able to complete the necessary paperwork.
We were on our way to Mudumu and Mamili national parks. We were overjoyed when we finally arrived because in the parks there are no fences and the game roam free. We met two German couples who told us about being stormed by >
elephants the day before. Shortly after, we saw the elephants and started laughing when we spotted the Germans speeding past in their rental car.
The following day we handed out some more books to the locals. David was very excited about this because it rained so much in Mozambique we didn’t get to do it there. This was his opportunity and he enjoyed every minute of it.
Our next destination was the Nkasa Rupara National Park, which borders on the Chobe in Botswana. We didn’t see much here except for the odd warthog.
Moremi, Botswana
David visited Botswana as a child and he really wanted to drive the sand road that stretches over three large reserves, namely Chobe, Savuti and Moremi. We deflated the Landy’s tyres and set off. In Savuti we saw more than 200 elephants enjoying a mud bath and from there we pushed through to Moremi, where we drove next to the Khwai River. While we drove the sun was sitting at the perfect angle and it looked like the entire veld was alive. It was an exceptional experience there between the different bodies of water and trees. On the way back to the camp we crossed the new Mopani Bridge and came across a pod of hippos in the water.
Makgadikgadi Pan, Botswana
The last stop on our trip from the Okavango back to reality was the salt pan. We set out early from Moremi and gunned to Maun. We enjoyed a well-deserved burger and then hit the road again in the direction of the Makgadikgadi Pan.
From Gweta there’s a host of dirt roads stretching in every imaginable direction, but thanks to our trusty Veronica Roodt road map we stayed on course and before long the only thing in front of us was a dry, white landscape.
We unpacked our camp chairs from the Landy and plonked down right there to enjoy the sunset. We suddenly realised that our journey of six weeks was nearing the end and we relived every experience there in the quietude of the salt pan. The next morning we packed our chairs back into the Landy. There was still one destination before heading home: Kubu Island. The last stretch of road to get there was over the pan.
The farther we drove, the deeper the Landy sank. Getting stuck here was not an option but luckily our trusty steed got us there in one piece. As we got out we saw the Landy was white from the roof to the wheels – just as white as the salt pan. We walked up to the island and marvelled at the towering baobabs. What a place! What a trip!