As mentioned in the last posting we were immediately off hiking in Camdboo National Park to an overnight hut in the mountains. Well, it turned out to be quite the adventure and a definite lesson in African backpacking. First of all, we were given very little information by the park--a map, a set of keys for the hut & the gates & when I pressed them, details about freshwater & the actual distance. Everything started out just fine...we packed our backpacks, loaded up about 5 litres of water & everything we needed for a night & left our car hidden behind some trees in the park (it was very open grassland).
For about 1-2km everything looked good--we followed a road & little zebra signs which pointed us along the trail. Suddenly however, they stopped & there was no indication of where to go. Our map did have the route marked & showed topography so we guessed at the mountains & started heading up, hoping to reintercept with the trail. There were lots of animal paths so walking was reasonable for bush-whacking, although in dry areas there are some mighty thorny plants...ouch! We saw the rare Black Wildebeast & many other "bok" on our way. Up we began to climb, and following a river bed, started to ascend quickly up the dry peak. Suddently a voice, "Jump" or perhaps "Help"! Were there other people? No, it turned out to be the alarm call of the baboons--a very awesome but alarming sound as you climb as it sounds almost human. Up & Up we climbed, fooling ourselves somehow that the trail interception was nearby--we were just taking the "steep" route. Eventually we reached a plateau & could see for miles--but no trail or hut was visible. We wandered around for awhile, looking at the map & through binoculars. Eventually, we decided, we were never going to find the trail & we needed to head back before it got dark & before our water supply was depleted. But...we couldn't get down! It was so steep where we climbed that it was very dangerous to go back down again...so instead we hiked one valley, then two trying to find a way down. Just as we had decided it was too far to go back & we were going to have to go thirsty & sleep out in the open we popped our heads over a valley & starring at us was...the trail--an old road! We were one valley over the whole time! We decided, that although it would soon be dark, our best bet would still be to climb down the valley (about 1/2hr of bushwacking) & follow the trail to the hut so we could obtain water & a good night's rest.
We made it down to the road as the light faded & then had an apple, a sip of water & continued on for 3km or so in the dark & finally as we were just about wiped (having been quite dehydrated and only having eaten an apple for all of the 6hrs of hiking we had done) when we found the rondavlea (round hut). And inside this hut were bunks 6, fresh water and even electricity!
For about 1-2km everything looked good--we followed a road & little zebra signs which pointed us along the trail. Suddenly however, they stopped & there was no indication of where to go. Our map did have the route marked & showed topography so we guessed at the mountains & started heading up, hoping to reintercept with the trail. There were lots of animal paths so walking was reasonable for bush-whacking, although in dry areas there are some mighty thorny plants...ouch! We saw the rare Black Wildebeast & many other "bok" on our way. Up we began to climb, and following a river bed, started to ascend quickly up the dry peak. Suddently a voice, "Jump" or perhaps "Help"! Were there other people? No, it turned out to be the alarm call of the baboons--a very awesome but alarming sound as you climb as it sounds almost human. Up & Up we climbed, fooling ourselves somehow that the trail interception was nearby--we were just taking the "steep" route. Eventually we reached a plateau & could see for miles--but no trail or hut was visible. We wandered around for awhile, looking at the map & through binoculars. Eventually, we decided, we were never going to find the trail & we needed to head back before it got dark & before our water supply was depleted. But...we couldn't get down! It was so steep where we climbed that it was very dangerous to go back down again...so instead we hiked one valley, then two trying to find a way down. Just as we had decided it was too far to go back & we were going to have to go thirsty & sleep out in the open we popped our heads over a valley & starring at us was...the trail--an old road! We were one valley over the whole time! We decided, that although it would soon be dark, our best bet would still be to climb down the valley (about 1/2hr of bushwacking) & follow the trail to the hut so we could obtain water & a good night's rest.
We made it down to the road as the light faded & then had an apple, a sip of water & continued on for 3km or so in the dark & finally as we were just about wiped (having been quite dehydrated and only having eaten an apple for all of the 6hrs of hiking we had done) when we found the rondavlea (round hut). And inside this hut were bunks 6, fresh water and even electricity!
We arrived at 8:30pm, had a guzzle of water then slept for 11hrs before we awoke, had a small meal of porridge (we still weren't hungry) & trekked back to our car--an uneventful hike which was much quicker (although we never did find a connecting trail). In the end, all ended well & although we found our car covered with baboon poo & hand-prints, everything intact.
It was both a good lesson on the "African way" of information, park maintenance & our own preparedness & a test of our endurance & our bodies to endure physical strife. Next time, hopefully we'll have a better trail, & I"ll remember to bring my compass! (It was left in the car...)
2 comments:
oh my god... thank god you guys are ok. and that I wasn't along.
I repeat your mom's comments--thank god you are OK after that tremendous trek. Loree
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