West Coast | From the Cape to the Orange River

The tour group meet at Ganzekraal, a beautiful campsite next to the beach about 70km from Cape Town. Here you'll find your tent and the camp kitchen already set up, a salty ocean scent in the air and the sound of crashing waves in the background. A crackling campfire provides the perfect setting to meet the Bhejane crew and your fellow travellers.

Each vehicle must ensure that all final logistical details (filling of fuel tanks, Jerry cans and water containers, etc.) are done before arrival. At dinner time we'll discuss the route itinerary and what to expect on our first day on the road.

After a hearty breakfast and a radio check, we start our journey north. Our first stop is a visit to a San heritage centre for some insight on the first inhabitants of the West Coast. By mid-morning we make our way to the West Coast National Park, renowned for its annual flower display and excellent birding. 

In the afternoon we arrive at one of the most picturesque villages in the country, Paternoster. We spend two nights here to fully soak up the quintessential West Coast atmosphere.

Today we continue our journey north via a number of charming coastal villages.

We travel through St. Helena Bay, the place where the famous explorer Vasco Da Gama first set foot on South Afican soil. We travel onwards to Velddrift, the home of a dried fish delicacy known as a bokkom. Here we take a boat cruise to explore the Berg River and its rich birdlife. The journey continues on to Elands Bay, a beach town much loved by surfers for its waves. From here we continue on to our destination for the evening, Lambert's Bay. 

A visit to Lamberts would not be complete without a spectacular sea food luncheon - a grand seafood buffet awaits us!

(We always try to secure Muisbosskerm but in the event they are not open, we find an alternate venue!)

After an early breakfast we head to the Bird Island reserve in Lambert's Bay. Once a guano collection site, the island is now home to a massive Cape Gannet breeding colony as well as crowned cormorants and even nesting penguins. Bird Island is one of only six places on earth where Cape Gannets breed and a neat bird hide provides an up-close view of these beautiful sea birds.

We continue past the villages of Doring Bay, Strandfontein and Papendorp before refuelling in Lutzville. This will be your last chance to stock up on padkos, from here we travel to a wild stretch of coastline. We deflate our tyres for the sandy tracks along the coast and arrive at the remotest camp site of the tour.

Today you wake up on a stunning beach far away from civilisation. After breakfast we keep the ocean on our left hand side once again as we continue north, soon reaching the Groen River Mouth. We cross the river and enter the Namaqua National Park's coastal section. We journey at a leisurely pace to our campsite in the northern part while sight-seeing on the way.

The Namaqua National Park is world renowned for its stunning spring flower display, but the park is also home to over 120 bird and 73 mammal species. We spend two nights in the park to fully explore all of its treasures.

We make an early start, so we'll have ample time to explore the northern section of the Namaqua National Park. In flower season this part of the park is truly spectacular. We travel along a 4x4 trail through remote sections of the park past abandoned farmhouses, up the winding Wildeperdehoek Pass and finally exit the park at Soebatsfontein. From here we make our way to the tiny fishing village of Hondeklip Bay where we spend the night.

On our final day on the road, we set our sights on the northern end point of the West Coast, the Orange River Mouth. After breakfast we travel via Koingnaas to Kleinzee. Here we meet a local guide to learn more about the diamond mining industry and the people who inhabit this remote part of the coastline.

After lunchtime we reach Port Nolloth from where it is a short push to Alexander Bay. We visit the river mouth where celebrations are in order because we have now travelled the entire length of the West Coast!

Our final camp site is near the Orange River a short drive outside of town. As always, the campfire and one of our signature dishes await you one last time.

After our final breakfast together the guide and crew bid you a fond farewell. From here you may continue to the nearby Ai-Ais/Richtersveld Transfrontier Park, or head back to Port Nolloth for the connection to the N7 highway.