Pajero Owners Club of South Africa

I can't post this under 'Trip Reports' because of the fact that my Pajero did not take me there!

I used the Touareg in stead, so I will concentrate on the trip rather than the vehicle!

I had business to attend to in Aliwal North on Thursday morning, so after finishing that (in good time!) we made our way to the foot of Sani Pass.

(The photographs are re-sized for display - they are better in full resolution)

Our first excursion was Joubert Pass, just outside of Lady Grey, and from there to Barkley East

From there it was a bit of a rush to get to our overnight before darkness fell.
Originally we planned to drive via Tiffendell and Naude's Nek, but time did not allow that - next time!

We stayed overnight at Sani Lodge Backpackers Hostel, which was a bit of a disappointment:

• It's a backpackers lodge (which was not made clear to us when we asked for a self-catering chalet. We prefer not to cook/braai in communal facilities. Although the name says 'backpackers' we were assured that the 'self-catering chalets' are up-market!
• The property was un-kept. The grass needs mowing and to get to our rondawel, we had to barge through over-grown vegetation. The grass which had been cut was left in heaps to rot and attract vermin.
• They have a borer-beetle investation in the thatch roof, so the entire rondawel was covered in the grey residue left by their 'excavations'
• the shower's drain was semi-blocked.
• the mosquitoes forced us inside into a near 'Auschwitz' scenario with all the Doom and mosquito coils!
• the bedding was less than 'squeaky' clean, fortunately we had a duvet with us and covered the pillows with our own towels.
• from the car park to the rondawel was a long distance with no indication of anybody to help lug the luggage.
• a note on the door says that you are to remove 'everthing' for the car, because they have a theft problem! That's the stuff that make you sleep well, right? No possibility of security, like a decent lodge would have!
• PS The rates are not that cheap either

Not for us!

The next morning, up with first mossies, and up the pass!

My take on Sani Pass (going up):

• It is very rocky. In the rain (or snow) it will be a beast.
• You need clearance! I had the Touatreg in 'offroad clearance' to be sure! (or you are going to pack rocks!)
• good tyres will make it easier, but I did it (carefully) with the V-rated gum-balls. Not one puncture, not one cut!
• Traction is required where there are serious axle-twisters, especially at the short uphill hairbends. The Toureg's TC made it feel easy, but I know it would have been difficult with the Pajero's open diffs. I suspect the Pajero would have required a few 3-point turns because of the axle-twisters.
• That guy who took his AC Cobra up the pass must have packed quite a few rocks, or used his ladders a bit

A Porsche Cayenne V8 Turbo went up just ahead of us. We later caught up with him at the Katse Lodge.
A couple from Mpumalanga saw the article in the Weg and thought it was a nice drive for the Fortuner. They were in shock when we spoke to them at the Katse Dam.

Sani Top Chalet.

The "Have To Stop" place on the route!

What a nice setting!
I can just imagine the place in the snow with Gluwine, Jagermeuister or OBS!
Nice people (Greg the manager is a treat!)
Great atmosphere, great facilities.
Pity we could not stay longer.

Wow.

Volgende keer byt ek aan die wiel vas!

Rural Lesotho to Katse Dam

We took on the long haul from Sani Top to the Katse Dam via Thaba Tseka.

It would be natural for us to compare Lesotho to the Transkei.
(we exclude the area 'below the mountain' - Ha Lejoni to the Free State border, which is typical Africa next to a Western Country - overpopulated, no traditional architecture etc)

The scenery:
The Lesotho scenery is spectacular and very impressive.
There is however not much variation. The mountains and valleys look very similar.
It was noticeable how some areas are more arid than others, though.
In the mountainous region, the contrast of the vast amount of water vs the dry land, made us refer th the Lesotho Highlands as the Desert with an Abundance of Water.
In summary, it gets a bit boring, with little prospect of 'something new' around the next corner.

The People:
We found the Basutho to be much more reserved than the Xhosas.
We tend to greet all vehicles and pedestrians we pass, and the response was not as natural or spontaneous as in the Transkei.
The Highlands are very sparsely populated, compared to the Transkei.
We experienced no aggro, stone throwing or efforts to extort anything from us.
The donkey seems to be the commercial way of transport. We saw many loaded with groceries, being led/driven home.
We even encountered some with a load, walking (home we presumed), without anybody near them at all!

The Villages:
We liked the houses built out of natural stone, because it blends in so well with the surroundings. More so than the Transkei huts which are nowadays painted anything from ANC Green to pink!
The rural villages are neat and well organized.
We liked!
What was noticeable, was the few 'General Dealers' and other shops, compared to eg the Transkei.

Katse Dam and Katse Lodge

We arrived at Katse Lodge and booked in for the night.
The Lodge is run by Orion resorts. It used to be the single quarters during the construction of the Katse Dam and associated works.

The service is excellent, the food great and the view from the veranda spectacular!

The pictures tell it all, but we have no pictures of the interesting and good tour of the dam wall.
Now move 82 kms as the crow flies (175km by road) to the outlet of the tunnel into the Axle River, just north of Clarens:

Golden Gate National Park

From the Katse Dam we travelled first to Clarens and the tunnel outlet and from there to the Golden Gate National Park in the sandstone hills of the Eastern Free State.

We stayed over at Glen Reenen resort, which was (typical of SANPARKS) excellent value for money.
We had a braai and I watched the Bulls win their Super14 match!

Goeie *%^#@# dis mooi daar!

Summary and the Trip Home

The Trip:

• 2187 kms
• Average fuel consumption 11.3 l/100km (8.8 km/l)

After conquering Sani without as much as a sweat, having travelled the gravel roads and potholes of the rural Lesotho Highlands, Toureg needed to prove one final attribute - open road cruising! (... and 4e was in a hurry ):

• Distance 735 kms
• average speed 119 km/h
• Average fuel consumption 10.3 l/100km (9.7 km/l)

I think the Touareg passed its inaugural test run!