The second annual Roof de Karoo mountain bike traverse took place between Mountain Zebra and Camdeboo National Parks over the past weekend.
The 200km challenge is hosted by the Mountain Zebra-Camdeboo Protected Environment (MZCPE) in partnership with SANParks, with participants cycling over numerous private properties which form part of the 268 000ha Protected Environment.
Repeat participants would have been happy that the weather gods smiled down on them this year, as the event was characterised by wet and cold conditions, making the event rather unpleasant last year. Blue, sunny skies and picturesque sunrises and sunsets were the order of the event this time round, though.
A total of 25 two-person teams arrived in Mountain Zebra National Park on Thursday 5 April for registration and briefing session ahead of an early start the next morning. Pop-up camps were set up at all three overnight stops over the journey.
The first day’s 98km trek sent participants crisscrossing the impressive Karoo landscape – with its unique and diverse fauna and flora and magnificent views. An elevation gain of 1 260m took the group to their resting place for the night – beneath the imposing 2 430m high Nardou mountain peak.
Day 2 had them making their way over Nardou along an old ox-wagon track. Their destination – the Winterhoek campsite in Camdeboo National Park. The majority of the day’s 102km trek was downhill towards the Park, as participants crossed the Sundays River numerous times along the way.
A visit to Camdeboo National Park is never complete without a trip up to the world-famous Valley of Desolation. Those who still had some energy and even some who didn’t, drove up (not on their bikes, but in vehicles, thankfully), just in time to see the sun set from there.
Their weary bodies later welcomed a restful third night under the Karoo stars, knowing that this epic journey was behind them, and looking forward to the next adventure



Issued By
South African National Parks (SANParks) Frontier Region Communications
Tel: 082 888 0201
Enquiries
Fayroush Ludick
Regional Manager: Communications, SANParks
Tel: 082 888 0201
Email: [email protected]