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KWÊLA-ANGET
HIKING TRAILS
Thabazimbi, North West Province
Trail Closed
Part of the thrill of living in the
beautiful country of South Africa is the richness and diversity of its nature. This
richness is often hidden from the view of all but the more persistent of explorers. Hikers
are fortunate in being the most common explorers to be introduced to these hidden jewels.
When I booked the Kwela-Anget trail I thought that I had a good knowledge of what the
Waterberg mountains had to offer but our group was in for a pleasant surprise. The beauty
of this farm really adds a new dimension to hiking in the Waterberg.
Kwela-Anget is situated 27Km east of
the town of Thabazimbi, beyond the picturesque Bakkers Pass and 10Kms from Marakele
National Park in Limpopo Province.
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Accommodation
The old farmhouse used as
accommodation for the hikers is very comfortable and well equipped. It comprises of one
room with two sets of bunk beds, another with a double bed and a third room with two
single beds. Outside, there is a thatched rondavel with a further four sets of bunk beds. |
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Cooking
Inside the old farmhouse there is a
well-equipped kitchen and outside there is a lovely lapa to spend the hours after the
hike. |
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| The Lapa and Braai
fire |
Part of the kitchen |
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The Trails
Day 1
The main trail which is 7Km long
starts off with a walk to the main homestead which is a modern house built in an beautiful
setting with panoramic views of the Waterberg mountains and alongside a perennial stream
with lovely rock pools. |
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The vegetation along the trail
is surprisingly lush and varied. The trail has been laid out as a interpretive trail. The
farmer supplies a booklet to correspond with the numbered markers found along the route. |
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Although the trail
is only 7Km, don't be surprised if you find that you become so interested in the trail
that it takes you 7 hours to accomplish it! |
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The beautiful rock formations
make for interesting photography. The dead trees add character to the area as do plants
such as the Resurrection Bush. |
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Spine-Leaved
Monkey Orange (628) Strychnos pungens |
This is a small tree occurring in open woodland, often
in stony places and at the base of rocky outcrops. The bark is grey to brown
and smooth in smaller specimens. The fruit is spherical, woody-shelled and
up to 12 cm in diametre, bluish green when young and yellow when ripe. The
pulp of the fruit is pleasant tasting and refreshing when ripe, however the
unripe fruit can cause headaches, giddiness and vomiting. |
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The rock formations and views
across the Alma valley are spectacular. Here you can appreciate the true magnificence of
the Waterberg Mountains. |
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More superb rock formations! |
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A visit to the stream rounds of
a perfect day. |
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The Trails
Day 2
The second day of the trail is
advertised as only 3,5Km long but is as interesting as it is different from the first days
walk. |
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The Trail follows the perrenial
stream for its duration with lovely rock pools. |
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The stream passes through a
beautiful gorge. The official trail ends at the entrance to this gorge but it is well
worth exploring further. |
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| Pools in
the gorge |
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Conclusion
This is a gem of a trail and
certainly one to be taken at a slow pace. Take your camera along and savour the beauty of
the area and save the images for those weekends that one cannot get away. |
To book the Kwela-Anget trail
contact
Anvie Ventures
Telephone +27 (0) 12 662
1140/0586 e-mail anvie@xsinet.co.za
Footprint Hiking Club
To view other pages on
our website click on a hyperlink below
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