101 Trail Guide | 2010

Berakah 4x4 Eco Trail

Located within the folds of the 2 000 million-year-old geology of the Vredefort Dome World Heritage Site near Parys, Berakah’s trail runs through an ancient landscape.
This 15 km self-guided trail is divided into nine sections, each with its own challenges.
Signboards along the way correspond with a map, and the dangers of each obstacle, as well as the best way to negotiate them, are carefully explained before you depart.
From a raised log bridge at reception the trail heads off through forests, savannah and bushveld, and soon you are faced with just about every conceivable obstacle.
Before you begin, deflate the tyres and remove the running boards – there’s a good chance they won’t make it through in one piece. Low-range is imperative throughout.
On the first section, Riverbed Run, you have to negotiate a narrow, twisting track through a tightly-packed plantation, before descending the Otter Slide.
This descent brings you alongside the Enselspruit, a potentially difficult riverbed crossing, often closed after heavy rains.
A steep climb out and you’re faced with Rocky Mountain.
Steep side slopes only accessible with a precise line allow ascent of Bêrend se Kop – before it rudely spits you out, sending you plummeting downhill towards another wet crossing.
From here on, pole crossings become the name of the game.
Elephant Hill is next, taking you up a very steep, rocky, cross-axled climb.
At the crest, when all you can see is blue sky and cabin roof, it’s time to get out and plot your next move.
There is no room for error as you slowly edge forward, tipping your nose over what soon becomes a rapid descent into the river donga below, across a narrow log bridge. It’s not for the faint-hearted.
Between Elephant Hill and Country Crawl, the next section, there are a number of delightful braai and picnic spots. This is also your last chance to detour from the terrifying one-way mountain section ahead. 
The Rising Climb goes steeply up a kloof alongside the tumbling Kleinspruit, criss-crossing the river several times in its jagged rise north.
Low-range, first gear is the only way through.
Breathe deeply, because you might just forget to when you are negotiating the Mineshaft.
Take this steep descent nice and slow, and stick to all the basics of 4x4 driving you have ever learnt; it’s scary as all hell, but perfectly negotiable.

Accommodation:

All options are self-catering with a choice between chalets and camping.
Two of the rustic wooden twin-bed chalets sleep 4 each, and three smaller units sleep 2. Each has a kitted kitchenette, en suite bathroom and braai facilities.
The grassed campsite, about 500 m from the chalets, can accommodate 35-40 people.

What else?

As Berakah is situated within the Vredefort Dome, amateur geologists will find plenty to do.
Other activities include birdwatching, hiking, as well as mountain biking and quad biking on a separate track. There is horse riding, river rafting, abseiling and hot-air ballooning on offer in the surrounding area. 
 

What you need to know

Contact:

Lenie or André
Pretorius  056 818 1313,
082 339 9177;
www.berakah.co.za

Nearest town: Parys (14 km)
Best time to go: All year round
Trail distance: 15 km
How long will I be driving? 6 hours minimum
GPS: S26.82381 E27.36746

Full Review | Peter Levey (July 2009)

Berakah Eco Trails is quite simply one of those must-do trails, reckons Peter Levey. He returned to revisit an old favourite.

Located within the folds of the 2 000-million-year-old geology of the Vredefort Dome World Heritage Site near Parys, Berakah 4x4 Eco Trail has quite literally been around for a very long time.

This 15-km-long self-guided and well-marked trail is divided into nine sections, each with its own unique challenges.

Signboards along the way cross reference with the informative map you receive on arrival.

Before departure each driver is also given a photographic tour of the trail, with special focus on the more difficult obstacles.
The owner and trail manager explain the dangers of each obstacle, as well as the best way to negotiate them.
Safety is, justifiably, serious business here − they don’t ask you to sign the indemnity forms for nothing. Considerable time is then spent going over the map and identifying the problem areas and escape routes.

From a raised log bridge at the reception office the trail heads off through forests, savannah and bushveld.
And along the way Berakah throws just about every conceivable obstacle in your path.
Therefore, before you begin, deflate the tyres and remove the running boards – there’s a good chance they won’t make it through in one piece.

And remember that low-range is essential and the utmost concentration is imperative throughout.

Up the elephants’ hill

On the Riverbed Run, the first section, you will have to negotiate a narrow, twisting track through a tightly-packed tree plantation, before descending the Otter Slide.

This descent brings you alongside the Enselspruit, a potentially difficult riverbed crossing, often closed after heavy rains.

A steep climb up and out and you’re faced with Rocky Mountain, the appropriately-named second sector. Steep side slopes, only accessible with a precise line, allow ascent of Bêrend se Kop – before it rudely ejects you once again and sends you plummeting downhill towards yet another wet crossing.
From here on, pole crossings become the name of the game, with numerous log bridges used to crisscross the river’s course.

Precision is key, and you need to ensure your vehicle is properly lined up before attempting any crossing.

The sedate Farmhouse View section is next, but just as you start to relax and restore your somewhat erratic breathing, you are directed sharply skyward yet again, this time up Elephant Hill – a very steep, very rocky, cross-axled climb.
At the crest, when all you can see is blue sky and cabin roof, it’s time to get out and plot your next move. There’s no room for error now as you slowly edge forward, tipping your nose over what soon becomes a rapid descent into the river donga below – across a narrow log bridge. It’s not for the faint-hearted.

There is an escape route before Elephant Hill for less-experienced drivers … or those suddenly overtaken by the need to stretch their legs.

The departure angle for hell is …

Between Elephant Hill and the next section, Country Crawl, there are a number of delightful braai and picnic spots, and your last chance to detour from the terrifyingly steep one-way mountain section ahead. 

The Rising Climb rises steeply up a kloof alongside the tumbling Kleinspruit, crisscrossing the river several times in its jagged hiccupped rise north. Low-range, first gear is the only way through.

Although the really tricky sections have been concreted − mostly to prevent environmental damage from spinning wheels − it doesn’t detract from the experience.

I took it slowly and was rewarded with a sighting of a group of grey rhebok at the top of the climb. From here, all your efforts and hyperventilation is rewarded. The view from the summit over the surrounding area gives an amazing insight into the geology of the dome.

If you don’t stop here for the usual photo break, there is another picnic spot slightly further on, just before the final descent, which I recommend you take.
Inhale deeply, because from here on out you may just forget to breathe. Why? The Mineshaft is one of the steepest descents on any trail I have seen – and I’ve seen quite a few.
However, if you take it nice and slow and adhere to all the basics of 4x4 driving you have ever heard, or thought you have heard, it is perfectly negotiable. Scary as all hell, but perfectly negotiable.

Tight turns, rocky climbs on the way out

The final two sections of the trail, Natures Valley and Bushy Trail, provide their share of descent exhilaration.
The tight tree-lined turns and rocky climbs are nothing to scoff at, but minor compared to where you have just been.

Rather thankfully the final run to the chalets is a sublimely welcoming farm road home.

Back at base, the overnighting choice is between comfortable chalets and camping.
Two of the chalets sleep four each, and three smaller units each sleep two. Each has a kitted kitchenette, en-suite bathroom and braai facilities.

The fully grassed campsite, about 500 m from the chalets, comfortably accommodates 35-40 people.
There’s even a separate area where a communal campfire can be made to discuss the day’s thrills.

All the accommodation is self-catering, although catering can be arranged for groups if notice is given.

Quite frankly, after a day spent tackling Berakah’s trail, it would be worth it – you welcome any pampering you can get.

Drive Out says: This is a must-do trail with a wide variety of obstacles for all skill levels. It’s one of those trails that just never disappoints.

What you need to know

WHY SHOULD I GO?
This is one of those once-in-a-lifetime trails; a fantastic test of driver and vehicle abilities in a World Heritage Site.

EN ROUTE
How long is the trail? 15 km
How long will I be driving? 6 hours minimum
Maximum number of vehicles? 40 vehicles
Do I get a map? Yes
Will my car get scratched? Unlikely
Should I remove the running boards? If you plan on doing the whole trail, yes.
Should I take a compressor? Yes
Can I turn around half-way?
No, it’s one-way – but you can turn off at any of the escape routes.
Can we have a braai en route? Yes, at the designated spots

THE SURROUNDS
Best time to go? All year
Can I take my family along?
Definitely. Kids of all ages should have a blast on the 2 000-million-year-old roller coaster.
Just for the day or the weekend? It’s up to you.
Are there ablution facilities for day visitors? Yes
Can I see game? Yes, but they are shy.
The nearest town and nearest fuel? Parys (15 km)
How do I get there?
On the N1 from Johannesburg to Cape Town, take the Sasolburg / Parys off ramp. Turn right to Parys. Follow the “S” road through Parys to the traffic lights at the Potchefstroom/Fochville signboard. Turn right at the traffic light. Cross the Vaal River bridge and follow the Berakah signs.

WHERE CAN I STAY?
Well-maintained and comfortable self-catering chalets or camping

WHAT ELSE CAN I DO THERE?
Berakah is situated within the Vredefort Dome, the biggest and oldest clearly visible impact structure on earth. Amateur geologists and birdwatchers will find plenty to do.
Other activities include hiking, mountain biking and quad biking.
The mountain bikes and quads have their own separate track.

SHOULD I take anything special?
Camera, binoculars and bird books are a must, and compressors are essential. And a plastic bag for rubbish – what you take in, you take out.

COST?
Trail:

• Vehicles: R200 per vehicle
• Quad bikes: R75 per bike 
• Quad bikes for hire: R175 per hour

Accommodation:

• Chalets: R150 pppn (R85 per child under 12 years per night) 
• Camping: R45 pppn

CONTACT?
Contact Person Lenie or André Pretorius 
Tel 056 818 1313;
Email carl@multinetgroup.co.za;
Web www.berakah.co.za 

Full review | TOP TEN 2006

Nearest town Parys (14 km)
Contact Lenie or André Pretorius
Tel/fax 056 818 1313 or 082 339 9177
Email berakah@absamail.co.za
Website www.berakah.co.za
Best time of year All year
Maximum vehicles 25
Route distance 14 km (3 – 6 hours)
GPS Points S26 49 25.9 E27 22 03.0

Simply put, Berakah is the best trail in Gauteng. Period.

Not only does Berakah provide for an excellent off-road experience, it actually takes you into the heart of the Vredefort Dome - one of South Africa’s seven World Heritage sites, and the ancient impact zone of a meteorite that collided with Earth some two billion years ago. The collision wrinkled the landscape and formed the Bergland Mountains. The Vaal River flows through the Vredefort Dome. This 360km geographic saucer is a very special place indeed.

The trail at Berakah heads off into a north-west direction into the folds of the mountains. It’s a well-marked trail, easy to follow, but its true beauty lies in
the diversity of terrain and varying degrees of difficulty.

The route starts on the farm and the first section follows the river between trees on a black turf surface. It starts off innocently enough, but don’t be fooled – from there it steadily progresses into some rather white-knuckled, wide-eyed driving.

The first leg, which is about 7 km long, provides you with interesting challenges, including several log bridge river crossings, switchback turns and technical ascents and descents. After following a river for some time, you are basically going up the mountain through a spectacular gorge. Various trees along the way are marked for easy identification.

Once you have reached the plateau, you slowly head back in a south-easterly direction towards Berakah’s rest camp, spectacularly situated at the top of the mountain. Your reward for climbing up all those impossible-looking slopes is the view. A spectacular panoramic vista of Nature’s Valley and the surrounding landscape. Breathe it in!

In fact, this marks the halfway spot on the trail. We highly recommend that you camp here, although chalets are also available.

The following day, you will slowly head down the slopes of the mountain into the valley below. Now the fun really begins in earnest. Here you can experience some serious mud and river crossings, so if you decide to take this route, a vehicle with decent wading depth is essential. This is definitely mud driving at its best. Beware though and proceed cautiously. Not even the best mud tyres will perform here as the speed is just too slow. The trees carry the marks of over-enthusiastic drivers.

A highlight of the trail is the Mineshaft. You think you’re going to land on your head because this is about as close as you’re going to get to a vertical drop-down, but even though this optical illusion will have you gripping the steering wheel with white knuckles, owners Lenie and André Pretorius are too environmentally and safety-conscious to simply create a hair-raising experience just for the hell of it. The drop is safe, and so are you.

The duration of the route can vary between 3 and 6 hours depending on your intention and skills. The driving here does require some experience, and there are some sections where it will be impossible to turn back. Low range is essential but a diff lock is not. A good ground clearance is recommended.

If you’re up for a challenge, Berakah is definitely the trail for you. It’s professionally run and thouroughly absorbing.

WHY GO THERE?
• A great family experience in a natural environment of unspoilt beauty
• Find at least 350 bird species, 58 tree species and 57 species of mammal
• Hiking, mountain bikes and river rafting are offered
• Diversity of terrain caters for all levels of experience

THE COST
R200 per vehicle;
R20 per day visitor;
Bring your own quad: R75;
Hire a quad: R160;
self-catering chalets: R120 per person per night,
camping: R75 per child under 12 camping:
R35 per person per night,
R15 per child under 12;
mountain camping: R45 per person per night.

Only open weekends. Weekdays by appointment only.

WHERE TO STAY
Three comfortable, neat self-catering bungalows with shower and toilet,
serviced daily.
Campers can choose from rustic, shaded camping on top of the mountain
with lovely views or basic camping in a well-maintained camping area with good ablution facilities and electricity. Pool and braai facilities are available.

WHAT ELSE?
A night adventure trail can be organised on special request with clues positioned along the trail.
Quad bikes available for hire.

Download: 

DO_Trail Barakah.pdf