Bushveld Break-Away

[ TRAVEL ] PILANESBERG, NC

- Richard Van Ryneveld

One doesn’t have to hit the road for weeks on end and travel thousands of kilometres to enjoy a real bushveld break-away. In a beautiful country like south Africa, there are spectacular destinations just a few hours’ drive from any major city.

My most recent trip was a three and a half hour hop from Johannesburg to Pilanesberg National Park, and a couple of other great campsites in the North West Province.

I flew in from Cape Town, and awaiting me at O.R. Tambo was a JMC Vigus 4x4 single cab bakkie – my tow horse for the next week.

I enjoyed the short shakedown cruise with the Vigus from the airport to the Echo 4x4 factory in Pretoria – it gave me time to drive the bakkie without an off-road caravan rolling along behind. I liked it from the start.

The cabin interior was neat and the seat was comfortable. I was off to a good start.

The good omens continued at Echo 4x4, where the crew were waiting for thing that impressed me about the Kavango was the ease of setting up the awning, which ingeniously folds away inside the roof for travelling. I mostly travel alone, so it can be a hassle. With my clothing and gear stored in the Echo (the Vigus didn’t have a canopy), I was soon on my way to my Holiday Resort close to Rustenberg.

ATKV BUFFELSPOORT

The sun had already set as I barrelled along the N4 towards Rustenberg.

This was mining country – lighting up the sky to my left were the orange and greenish sodium vapour lights outlining the shaft gear and masses of enclosed conveyors that moved the ore from deep underground. The conveyors looked like giant railway carriages throwing their shadows over the dark veld.

Turning off the N4 down to the entrance of Buffelspoort, the friendly security guys at the boom gate gave me a map of the caravan park, pointing out my site.