Words & Images by Jacques Marais
Finding Total Tranquilo
Going BOLD in the D-MAX has never been so much fun. The next stop in our Mzansi Cross Country Expedition was at Tranquilitas, a true 'Adventure Farm' boasting a range of rocking rides, hikes and rock climbing routes. Or, if you choose to, you can just chill out and enjoy the incredible tranquillity of this exceptional nature destination.
The town of Waterval Boven is known as Emgwenya these days, and if you translate this into English, you get 'Place of the Crocodile'. Right. This does sound slightly ominous, but luckily the trails surrounding this laidback town seemed generally free of Flat Dogs (or any other reptilian dinosaurs) during our recent visit.
There is a fair bit of wildlife, though, especially if you should happen upon the thousands of rock climbers who come here to worship at the amber cliffs towering up on the edge of the Highveld escarpment. Some locals even go so far as to say this little Mpumalanga dorpie is a 'drinking town with a climbing problem'.
This was not an issue to me, Simone and Densen, though, as we saw it as just another way to get a natural high. The journey in the D-MAX from Mankele to Tranquilitas was a quick-sticks affair, with nothing to really challenge this beast of an ISUZU bakkie (but we did have a few proper off-road tests awaiting us along the wet farm roads).
Our mission here was to capture some gritty mountain biking action, and in order to do that, we'd have to head right into the plantation-covered hills. And boy, the landscape here certainly is off the charts, especially when you arrive and the heavens open up to dump a solid 100mm of rain on the red-clay tracks.
The Behr Family own Tranquilitas Adventure Farm, and a more rooted and earthy bunch of outdoor folks you won't find anywhere. These guys all ride bikes, often in a fast and furious fashion, so what a jol it was to have Mike, Ruth, Talia and Arielle there for the ride.
Arielle is the youngest and she is also the current SA Junior Downhill/Enduro Champ, so the rollicking combo of Tranquilitas singletrack and off-piste trails may just as well have been purpose-built for her. We knew we would have a tough job keeping up with her and her fellow riders on the trails, that's for sure.
"When we headed onto the farm trails on our first day there to capture the Enduro riders, I had to drive to a turn-around point in search of the team", says Simone. "Mike explained what I had to do and made it sound complicated, saying I would need to do a 6-point turn up ahead and to be careful not to roll off the cliff."
"I just smiled and nodded and wondered what the big deal was, but when I got there, I understood - Mike had not been exaggerating about the U-turn I needed to navigate! In the end, I had a great time doing it, but if I did not have supreme confidence in the ISUZU D-MAX's capabilities, it would certainly have been a stress", she explains.
The plantation roads and 4x4 tracks we had to negotiate included super-tight corners and slippy-slide sections, especially after the rain, but the scenic viewpoints and a few historical landmarks made it absolutely worthwhile. Even on the muddy ascents, the low-range 4x4 and diff-lock options never faltered in the D-MAX - very impressive.
"I felt worried when we headed into the misty forests in the high mountains", adds Densen. "It rained for the duration of our adventure here in the heart of the Panorama Region, and this meant it was properly misty, too - fortunately, the lights did an excellent job, even when we had to start our morning missions way before sunrise".
Tranquilitas is a true 'adventure farm', and it delivers way beyond just mountain biking trails. Superb hiking and trail running come as part of the package, but the jewel in the outdoor activity crown has got to be the exceptional rock climbing.
Tranquilitas Cracks' - and other nearby crags such as 'The Restaurant', 'Waterfall', 'Triple Tier' and 'Wonderland' - boast more than a 1000 marked routes, and it is no wonder the area is known as the 'J-Bay of Climbing'. Choose between solo, sport, trad and bouldering options, and chat to either Gus or Alex at Roc 'n Rope for info, gear, or accommodation.
The beauty of Tranquilitas Adventure Farm is that - although you are in a peaceful and rural environment, you are still only 20 minutes away from town (the Tranquilitas gravel access road has become properly gritty, unfortunately, so take it slowly).
Accommodation on the farm covers all bases (and pockets), with Camping affordable for all, and with hot showers guaranteed! There are also new Eco-Tents for those with a premium outlook on life, as well as the Tranquilitas Chalets and fantastically equipped Farm House! A cool pool with a climbing wall for 'deep-water' soloing, great coffee, tuck shop and kiosk, and communal clubhouse with fridge and microwave - this really is paradise.
