I spent this bank holiday weekend in a place quickly becoming one of my favourite places on Earth. A bold statement, I know. The Tankwa Karoo is a vast semi-arid region located in the Northern Cape province of South Africa. A land of incredible natural beauty, characterised by rugged mountains, vast plains, and magnificent rock formations.
The area is steeped in history, with ancient rock art and fossilised remains dating back millions of years. The region also has a spiritual significance; the San people believe that the Tankwa Karoo is a place of great power and magic. So it is no surprise that the Africa Burn Festival is hosted in this part of the world. We are very fortunate in Cape Town, living only a 3-4 hour drive from this incredible location.
On my first visit a few years ago, I was there to ride bicycles. Probably the most spectacular way to experience this land. Riding along at sunrise, in a landscape that looks like another world in the purple morning light, I have yet to experience the serenity and silence as I did that first time riding in the Tankwa.
As is most often the case with Rolling Perspectives, there is generally some connection to cycling, and in this case, we were out there to recon for the upcoming Tanqua Karoo Bicycle race. A unique cycling race (festival) hosted in the middle of the Tankwa. However, no bicycles accompanied us on this trip, only cameras, drones and perhaps a few beers.
The Tankwa is unique not only for its natural beauty but also for being a melting pot of unique people and personalities. A place where time stands still and travellers from all over the world cross paths and swap stories around a campfire, often with a stiff double brandy and coke to loosen up the storytelling muscles. This trip was no exception, with the obligatory stop (and brandy) at the Tankwa Tented camp. Unique does not even begin to describe this place, and it has to be seen to be believed.
For me, it is around dusk that this place comes alive. The colours and evening light are genuinely impossible to describe. The vast horizons simply burst into life with golds and purples. The metal-infused rocks and stones glimmer, giving the illusion of a glass-scattered landscape.
The vastness of the landscape and the isolation from civilisation creates a true feeling of freedom and serenity.
So for an experience you are unlikely to experience almost anywhere else, do yourself a favour and jump on the N1, stop for fuel and supplies (and a spare tyre!) in Ceres and make your way up the straight and dusty R355. Keep driving until you say, "this looks like the moon". Then you know you are in the right spot.
You don't need to go out there with any plan or itinerary. You just arrive and let the Tankwa do the rest.
As my friend says, "We go out there to find nothing and always find it."