Day 61 – 66: Keetmanshoop to Malelane via Riemvasmaak

Total distance travelled during trip: 13 269 km

We enjoyed the company of our family in Keetmanshoop before embarking on the long road home.

The border crossing at Ariamsvlei | Nakop was a non-event. We opted for the rapid Covid test at Nakop, and did not do tests beforehand. It took us 50 minutes from entering Ariamsvlei to exiting Nakop – 20 km apart as well as the Covid tests.

Riemvasmaak

One last item on our list was to visit Riemvasmaak Hot Springs camp near Kakamas.

What a pleasant surprise! This oasis amidst rocks and rocks and more rocks.

The camping area is in the Molopo riverbed approx 12 km before the river runs into the Orange river. The road to the camp is 5 km of serious descending into the ravine and the camp lies in the corner deep down.

Our route from the border to Riemvasmaak and then to Kakamas

Campsites in the ravine corner

Our campsite

The spring’s temperature is a constant 38’C and a small pool and a colder rock pool below are the places to sit and relax.

The road we took towards Kakamas away from Riemvasmaak runs through Vredesvallei and Blouputs and one crosses the Orange river after 30 km of tracks through beautiful rocky and arid landscape. On the other side of the Orange river the commercial wineries and grape farms are lush and green.

View towards the Orange river valley

Orange river at Blouputs

Kakamas to Malelane

We then camped at Red Sands Lodge near Kuruman – always a winner and very busy this time. Then onto Gauteng and Malelane.

Summary

A wonderful trip with absolutely no negatives. We enjoyed many new places and routes despite the fact that we have visited Namibia and Botswana numerous times over the years.

Hopefully we can return to these places in the years to come.

The complete route