#wildcoast

As I write this I am sat in the valleys of Semonkong, Lesotho with the mountains surrounding me. We are about to hike to the highest waterfall in Southern Africa. First let me give you an update of all that we have been doing since I last wrote…

We left port Elizabeth and headed north east to Hogsback in the mountains. We stayed at away with the fairies for 2 nights. It’s quaint village that has almost got stuck in time. We explored the enchanted forest and found waterfalls and wondered the village. The backpackers is famous for an outdoor bath that sits on the mountain edge overlooking the range. Our time slot was set for 6, off we go thinking we will have a lovely time in a hot bath surrounded by beauty. About 10 mins in the high heavens opened and hail stones fell from the sky the size of golf balls. We had to run for cover under some trees before returning up to the backpackers, greeted by a crowd of people laughing at our misfortune. Let’s just say it wasn’t the experience we thought we were going to have!

After our time here we headed south to the Chinsta west on the Transkei coast. As soon as we enter the Transkei the change in landscape and culture is incredible. Rolling hills for as far as the eye can see, dotted with traditional rondavelle huts. Cattle free roam on the roads and dozens of children line the sides of the roads shouting sweeeeeeets as they see us drive by. We’ve reached the land of the Xhosa people, the home land of Nelson Mandela.

Chinsta west is our first stop and we camped at Buccaneers backpackers for 2 nights. Just a stones throw from the beautiful beach, golden sands stretch as far as the eye can see with hardly another person in sight. It was the perfect place to relax and start to unwind from a very busy few months.

On leaving Chinsta, we decided to take the 4x4 echo trail to see how ‘Troy’ would cope. To start we headed to Kei mouth and took a ferry across the river and headed to a tiny village where the train begins. What we came across on the trail was far more than we expected. Going up and down steer ridges, crossing over rivers and not to mention the huge concrete pipe in a dried river river bed we had to negotiate over. Someone must have been watching over us as Troy made it out with not even a scratch. The views we encountered along the way were stunning and not another soul to be seen. After what felt like a life time we arrived in Mazeppa Bay, there were no camping sites and so we decided to free camp on the grassland up on the cliffs overlooking the ocean. Dolphins frolicked in the sea and large yellow and black crickets hopped over the grass. The weather seemed to have another plan for us. The heavens again opened and this time brought with it thunder and lightning. We accepted defeat and managed to find a Rondavelle to stay in for R400 a night (£23).

The following morning we set off to Dwesa national park, no 4x4 route this time, just the unrated roads that have pot holes galore. At the campsite it was just us and one other couple camping. Monkeys filled the trees surrounding us and yet another beautiful deserted beach was ours to enjoy.

After 2 nights we headed to Mdumbi backpackers, a great alternative to coffee bay. The vibe was very chilled, locals playing on the bongos and some cool people staying there. The Xhosa people are super friendly and we ended up staying for 3 nights, our days filled with lazing on the beach, chris surfing and generally just chilling.

After 9 days of beautiful beaches we were ready to hit the mountains. We drove for 8hrs (400km) until we reached Cobham national park in the breath taking Drakensburg. It feels as though you have been transported to a scene from lord of the rings. The majestic giant mountains so lush and green surrounded us as far as we could see. We camped for 2 nights, hiked the 7km troutbeck loop that gave beautiful views over the mountain ranges. Wild horses roamed the campsite along with quite a few moles hiding underground. On our first night we also had an encounter with what we think was a Dassie, climbing on the roof of our tent scratching and sniffing as we tried to sleep. I’m not going to lie, in the darkness unaware of what animal may be on our tent I was quite petrified.

From here we took the famous Sani Pass to cross the border into Lesotho. The 23km long gravel/mud track that twists and bends it’s way up into the mountains is nothing short of spectacular. A 4x4 is a must, the views are outstanding. You cross the border into Lesotho at top of the mountain range at 2850m high. We camped for 2 nights at the sani lodge, overlooking the pass. Sani lodge is also famous for having the highest pub in Africa, it would have been rude not to sample the delicious mulled wine they had on offer. We trekked for 4 hours to reach the Hodgson Peak that sits 3250m high. The views were well worth it, as was sat overlooking the valleys and mountains of the Drakensburg range for as far as the eye could see.

Lesotho truly stands up to its name, The kingdom of mountains. We have drove half way around Lesotho now and each trip is full of beautiful mountains and passes. Along with the very friendly Lesotho people. We have stopped at Molumong, Limpofung caves and now to Semonkong where we are now.

Thanks for reading and I will update again soon.

BN15 – Allineamenti di Carnac & Costa Selvaggia di Quiberon 🌿🌊

Siamo arrivati alla tappa 15 del nostro viaggio in Bretagna! Oggi esploriamo gli Allineamenti di Carnac, con i loro misteriosi menhir, e la spettacolare Costa Selvaggia di Quiberon, tra scogliere mozzafiato e panorami da sogno. 🇫🇷✨

Cammineremo insieme tra file di pietre millenarie e spiagge spettacolari, perfetto per chi ama natura, storia e passeggiate tranquille.

🎥 Guarda il video qui: https://youtu.be/-GSpGmIpO4U

💬 Raccontaci cosa ti è piaciuto di più! E se vuoi vedere altre tappe, seguici per non perderti nulla! 😍

BN15 – Carnac Alignments & Wild Coast of Quiberon 🌿🌊

We’ve reached stop 15 of our journey through Brittany! Today we explore the Carnac Alignments, with their mysterious standing stones, and the spectacular Wild Coast of Quiberon, with breathtaking cliffs and scenic views. 🇫🇷✨

Join us as we walk among ancient stone rows and stunning beaches – perfect for anyone who loves nature, history, and peaceful walks.

🎥 Watch the full video here: https://youtu.be/-GSpGmIpO4U