Riemvasmaak And Mier Area Advice

[paulventer]

Hi All

It looks like I may have a week available in December for a mog trip and am considering to explore the Riemvasmaak and Mier areas in the Northern Cape.

I'm struggling to find information about these areas. All I've found so far is a nice looking hot spring in the Riemvasmaak area (not too sure how good an idea a hot spring would be in December in the Kalahari though...).

Have any of you been to these areas?

Any advice on places to visit or places to avoid will be appreciated.

 

[LHD G]

I think Theo Vermaak spent some time there after the G35 event in the northern cape

 

[NJVermaak]

Hi Paul, hoop dit gaan goed.

Ons het vanaf Upington op die N10 rigting Ariamsvlei gery, draai regs op 'n grondpad rigting Rietfontein/Noenieput, dis rerig 'n mooi pad om te ry. Ry deur Noenieput, dit vat 2 minute...

Ons het by Koppieskraal pan geboskamp op 'n Kameel-melk boer se plaas, vriendlikke mense. Ek weet ook mense kamp op Hakskeenpan - nie presies seker waar nie.

Alternatiewe verblyf is dan Molopo Kalahari Lodge, kamp en huisies met aircon & swembad, tussen Askham en Kgalagadi.

Hoop dit help.

 

[paulventer]

Dankie NJ

Is die area sandveld, of klipperig? Nie dat dit verskil maak nie - ek probeer net 'n "mental image" form van hoe dit daar lyk.

 

[NJVermaak]

Ek whatsapp vir jou twee fotos, sukkel nou met my foon om met die rekenaar te gesels.

 

[Chris B]

I have been to Riemvasmaak twice many years back. Good gravel road to get to the place but the 4x4 trails are very rocky.

 

[paulventer]

Some feedback from the trip:
I really enjoyed the Riemvasmaak area. Just the right medicine to recharge my mental batteries after the year...

It was hot though - the four days I spent in the area were all above 40 degrees in the shade (and there's not much shade in the area).

Driving with the mog, it took me two days to get to Riemvasmaak, but it was fairly easy going since the roads to Upington are nice and flat. I camped at the hot springs for two nights and spent my third night camped on the banks of the Orange on one of the 4x4 routes (camping is allowed on the route with prior arrangement at the hotsprings).

A couple of pics to show what the area looks like:

First night on the banks of the Orange at Kakamas

Arriving at the town of Riemvasmaak - very weird - you drive on dirt roads for many km's and then suddenly find a tar road leading into town

The hot springs - fortunately there's a cooler pool down in the reeds (not visible in the pic) as it was way to hot during the day to spend any time in the hot pool. The camp site is 100m from the the pools

I then did one of the 4x4 trails in the area - the one I drove follows dry riverbeds and takes you to the confluence of the Molopo river and the Orange River

The mog being subjected to a proper "Kalahari car wash"

The old lady flexing her suspension a bit

Near the confluence

Anything left in the sun gets really hot!

 

[paulventer]

One last pic - of the camp site at the hot springs.

The campsite is in the Molopo river bed. Good thing it is a very dry area

This pic was taken early morning - once the shadow disappears the valley heats up pretty quickly...

 

[Riaan Harman]

Thanks Paul

 

[Chris B]

Awesome place and photos. Thanks Paul.

That "oilspill' against the mountain crane in the camping area, any idea about the cause?

 

[NJVermaak]

Thanks for sharing Paul.

 

[paulventer]

That "oilspill' against the mountain crane in the camping area, any idea about the cause?

Hi Chris

I don't quite understand the question? Are you referring to the white streaks on the mountain?

 

[Arnold Ross]

Chris - not sure what you are referring to, but any oil spill was most probably caused by a Land Rover?

Regards,

Arnold

 

[Arnold Ross]

Paul - Just wanted to add that this is my kind of holiday!

I truly envy you!

Regards,

Arnold

 

[Chris B]

Hi Chris

I don't quite understand the question? Are you referring to the white streaks on the mountain?

Ek het Riemvasmaak besoek ongeveer 15jr gelede. Die krans reg voor jou in die kamp area het hoog op n swart kol gehad, baie gelyk soos olie wat gemors het. Daar was beweer dat n Impala vegvliegtuig daar vas gevlieg het maar dit kon nooit bevestig word nie. Die kol het moontlik deur die jare al verdof.

 

[Arnold Ross]

Hmmm...

Chris, was dit 'n diesel impala (swart olie)?

Groete,

Arnold

 

[paulventer]

Hi Chris

Ai - ek het nie die kol gesien nie wat jammer is. Ek het vir lank gesit en gesels met die kampbestuurder en baie interessante stories by hom gehoor. Hy is gebore in Riemvasmaak, as jong kind saam met sy familie in die 1970's deur die ou regering verplaas na die noorde van Namibie, was vir lank 'n gids vir grootwild jagters regoor die hele suidelike Afrika en is nou weer terug by die huis in Riemvasmaak. As ek geweet het van die storie oor die kol sou ek hom daaroor uitgevra het...

 

[paulventer]

Chris - not sure what you are referring to, but any oil spill was most probably caused by a Land Rover?

I was treading carefully around this statement - my old moggy will give any landy a go when it comes to marking her territory...

Slowly but surely though I am making progress at reducing her bad habits one seal at a time

 

[Arnold Ross]

Eish broer...

Nie voor die kinders nie!!!!

Groete,

Arnold

 

[Andrew]

I dont know the exact details but there was indeed an Impala crash at Riemvasmaak in 1977 that killed two pilots, I think connected to 85 Flying school - two majors they were, Moody and Kerr, doing a night bombing exercise. That would explain a big black mark on the cliffs.

My cousin, Martin Silberbauer, was in 85 Flying School and also crashed, but two years before - ie 1975, and at Ysterplaat, but managed to safely eject his student pilot and himself out of the burning Impala. That crash also left a big black mark on the ground.

Unfortunately he lost his life in a Mirage prang in Louis Trichardt in 1979 which left a big black mark on our family that you can still see.