Sani Flower Walk

[Harold]

Sani Walk:
Yesterday (Sunday) a small group of us joined the ‘Sani Wildlife Society’ for their annual flower walk down Sani Pass. The cost of the walk was R150 per person and this included transport to the top of the pass. Payment for the jaunt had to be done in advance to facilitate the planning of the transport.

The day started with us all participants meeting at the Back Packers at 5.30am where we had to sign indemnity forms. The W.Life Society had arranged transport up the pass with local taxi drivers using 4x4 Hilux mini buses. I had never seen a 4x4 Mini bus before and would be interested to know who does the conversion and what it costs.

Of interest to me was that all the mini-buses used Firestone ATX as did most of the other 4x4’s belonging to local farmers who assisted with the transport. With 10 of us crammed into the mini bus we set off praying that the driver had not done his training on the melee of Soweto. After a kilometre we relaxed as our driver, who could not speak English, appeared to be a cautious driver, except the brakes squealed and we wondered if the brake linings were worn through, thankful we did not have to come down by taxi. Our mini bus was not the newest had experienced a few knocks in its day. The interior was tatty and the seats were hard and lumpy .

First stop was the SA Customs Post that had recently been upgraded.
The buildings freshly painted with toilet facilities that were spotlessly clean.

Formalities were quickly dealt with we again wormed our way into the mini bus and began to grind our way up the 8 kilometre long rough, rock strewn road up the pass.
Every now and then there were loud crunching sounds from underneath as the mini bus lurched over a large rock.

Our next concern was whether the minibus would make it to the top as it was carrying about 1200 kilograms of passengers. This fact was discussed until someone stated that we were actually under loaded as they would normally squeeze in a few more passengers.

Finally we arrived at the Lesotho border and customs post at the top, 2850 meters above sea level, the highest pass in Africa. One web site states that Sani is also the 3rd highest pass in the World; I find this difficult to believe considering the mountain ranges of Europe, the Americas and especially the Himalayan Mountains of Nepal.

Some wag remarked that for many this would be the closet they ever got to heaven. We disembarked from the bus and realigned our body parts. Some immediately set off back down while we, and others, decided to go to the ‘Sani Lodge’ for a cup of coffee. (I thought a stiff Scotch would have been more appropriate.) To do so we had to first go through customs. We were warned not to go to the ‘Lodge’ without first clearing customs as the Lodge is in Lesotho and anyone wanting to go there you must get their passport stamped.

At the lodge, also the highest in Africa, there was a merry crowd.
Some had breakfast but mostly just a cup of tea or coffee. A cup of coffee and one scone cost R20. By comparison breakfast must have cost plenty.
By 9.30 we walked back to the Lesotho customs then started the trek down the pass.
In total there were about 85 doing the walk. Every one set off when they pleased.

There were very interesting people on the hike. A few botanists and flower fundis, a geologist who gave us some interesting info on the structure of the Drakensberg and a good many bird watchers. There were very interesting people on the hike. A few botanists and flower fundis, a geologist who gave us some interesting info on the structure of the Drakensberg and a good many bird watchers. There was not an abundance of flowers but what there was must have been worthwhile as the ‘flower folk’ got very excited and quoted botanical names that you could never say while eating rice.

Our party gradually split up with some setting off at speed down the pass while we dawdled taking photos and chatting to others. Everyone was friendly and it was a great social walk. At the top of the pass there was a keen wind but as the day progressed and we descended down the wind dropped and it got hotter. By the time we got to the SA Customs post at the bottom and 4 hours later it was very hot.

The pass is very steep and the road very rough with plenty of loose rock.
One had to walk with care so as not to slip. A walking stick or staff was a great help. Few people fell and one lady had a nasty fall with a gravel rash on her hands and elbows.

We met one lunatic with a monocycle coming up the pass. About an hour later he passed us on his way down riding the monocycle. We were speechless to see this.
I would have said it was impossible to do. He apparently arrived at the border post and entertained the folk there with a number of tricks. We passed him later that afternoon a few kilometres from Bergville still pedalling strongly.

Besides the mono cyclist there were a few tour operators that came up with their tourists gawking at these crazy folk walking down the pass. A fellow on a motorcycle passed gingerly making his way down.

Half way down we came across a man carrying some firewood. He was dressed in tatty clothing, rags and a filthy old blanket. He stopped and just stared at us. We tried to speak to him but he just stared back; could he be a deaf mute?
I gave him two granola lunch bars, he slowly took them with no acknowledgement, and we carried on. Looking back I saw he had started his slow plod up the pass without a backward glance in our direction.

The Wild Life Society had two vehicles that followed the walkers down.
They were the sweepers to pick up a few that could no longer carry on.

It is not an easy walk. Eight kilometres of steep downhill. By the time you had gone halfway the feet and legs muscles were definitely beginning to hurt.
It took us 4 hours to get down to the SA customs post others did it in less time.
There were still a number of folk behind us. There we waited until a pick-up arrived to ferry us back to collect our vehicle at the Back-Packer.

On the walk I spoke to a number of the locals concerning the upgrade and tarring of Sani Pass. They are busy upgrading the road to the SA Customs post and it will probably be tarred. However the tarring of the Pass itself is still uncertain.
The locals are against it and the general feeling is that it would be impractical to do.

Today my legs and feet are tired, very tired, I think they will be for a few days. At least I’m not alone in my agony as all our group seem have similar aches and pains.

[2.8 d/cab SFA]

Nice report, interesting reading
toyota 4x4 bus are imported from japan
4x4 hliux and even 4x4 corollas check import 2nd hand jap
Whne i was in botswana they had alot

[Family_Dog]

Harold, you're a far better person than I could ever hope to be! I very much doubt - No, I definitely would not! - walk down the Sani Pass now. The old legs need looking after, so that they remain fit to operate the brakes and accelerator pedal when called upon to do so.

Well done!


-F_D