Rebellie 4x4 Trail near Clarens in the Eastern Free State separates the wheat from the wets, Philip Sackville-Scott discovered.

The Cruiser is idling as I try to figure out how to drive down a steep mountain slope, across a narrow steel bridge and up a steep, uneven, slippery slope - all in one go. I’ll have to keep left, because if I hit a step up onto the rock on the right too fast, my vehicle could flip. If I stall, it could roll back down the mountainside.

From a standing start, I need all the power my vehicle can muster to see us safely up this section of the Rebellie 4x4 Trail on the Bokpoort Holiday Farm near Clarens in the eastern Free State.

I’m twitchy. Willem, my guide, is dead quiet in the passenger seat. My heart is pounding in my ears as I gun the Cruiser. Down, over the bridge and up the other side we roar.

Phew - made it!

Let’s face it, Rebellie isn’t a place where you come to learn where the diff lock switch is. After all, you are 2200m above sea level in the infamous Golden Gate Rooiberge, a stone’s throw from the Lesotho border. You and your vehicle better be as thick as those cattle thieves that sometimes slip across the border.

On a private game farm a mere 14km from the picturesque town of Clarens, Rebellie is one of the highest 4x4 trails in the country. There are two trails: the 18-km grade-4 Kloof Route, and the tamer grade-2-to-3 Mountain Route that doubles as a game drive with grand views. To the south is a massive mountain range, a Bastille-like fortification that curves around the farm in a semi-circle. Below you winds the Caledon River, and beyond that, Basotho huts dot the rural landscape. It’s stunning.

However, it is much more than just a 4x4 playground - it is a great all-round holiday destination, chockfull of activity options for the whole family, ranging from abseiling, mountain biking and clay-pigeon shooting, to horse riding and trout fishing.

Tough Kloof Route

Always ready with a cup of coffee, manager Nic Prinsloo welcomes and signs in arriving guests. Once the indemnities have been signed, I head out on the Kloof Route with Willem as my guide.

From the reception area, the trail heads east towards a ravine after which the trail is named. The route traces the course of the ravine, sometimes crossing it, sometimes hugging the cliff edge. This is where you will discover whether you have a head for heights.

The trail lulls you into a false sense of complacency at the start. It looks tame, with some mud, some slopes, and a few cross-axles - nothing dramatic up to a picnic spot. You can braai and relax at the lovely restful spot.

Enjoy it while you can, because a metre-high rock step confronts you almost immediately after the picnic spot. You need low tyre pressure and momentum to limit wheel spin.

Immediately afterwards an uneven 40-m climb with severe cross-axles awaits.

It takes you to a flattish sandstone area where a small board warns of a “Grade 5” ahead.
We approach cautiously, dropping gently down into the ravine. “Not too bad,” I think to myself as we cross another rock plate. A few moments’ respite follows as the Cruiser rolls onto grassy jeep tracks.
Diff locks will be handy on a steep climb with more crossaxles that leads to Bushman Lodge, an 8-sleeper chalet.

The going is so slow, it has taken us more than an hour to drive 4 km.

After the chalet we bear south across another rock plate and up another huge stone step.

I stop a while for a breather just before the road heads skywards, tracing the edge of the ravine. There is no respite in sight and the intense concentration is wearing me out.

Willem calmly talks me through the obstacle as I somewhat reluctantly inch my beloved vehicle down another very steep step, halting it briefly on the rock plate.

From here, it’s into the ravine, where we hit that awesome down-and-up section over the little bridge described earlier. This obstacle is the scariest one on the trail; treat it with respect.

For those who want to sidestep the difficult obstacles, escape routes have been built on the Kloof Route.
The rest of the trail is a doddle by comparison. You travel north for a bit to the boundary fence and then turn left up a graveltrack slope to the gravel road on which you came in. A few kilometres on it spits you out at the main gate.

It has taken us 4½ hours to complete the 18-km trail, which indicates how tough the trail is.

Easy Mountain Route

The second trail, the 17-km Mountain Route, is much easier than the Kloof Route. More staid but very spectacular, the out-and-back trail gently climbs the contours of the surrounding mountains that form the semicircle on the southern boundary of the farm.

The going on firm gravel tracks is generally relatively easy, interspersed here and there with loose-rock sections, some minor cross-axles and some eroded areas.

We arrive at the first lookout point after 3 km. At 2 162 m above sea level, it offers sweeping views of the Maluti Mountains and the Golden Gate Highlands National Park in the distance. If you’re willing to brave the winter cold, you could see the peaks capped in snow.

Beyond the lookout point, the road passes through a gate and heads to a boulder, next to which the Cruiser has to squeeze through an impossibly small gap. We just make it through without a scratch.
We drive the last few kilometres to the second viewpoint and the turn-around point.

As you slowly roll down the mountain, you can take it easy and just enjoy the return drive. Keep you eyes peeled for eland, Burchell’s zebra, springbok, blesbok, black wildebeest and grey rhebok grazing on the plains.

Afterwards, you can sink into a Jacuzzi in one of the luxury lodges or relax in the campsite.
 
Drive Out says: Technically tough, Rebellie offers exceptional off-roading to the experienced driver. A rush of blood or a failure to inspect obstacles could be disastrous on the Kloof Route. If you or your vehicle are not up to that challenge, stick to the Mountain Route.

What you should know

WHY SHOULD I GO?
It challenges your driving skills while offering great views of Lesotho.

EN ROUTE
How long is the trail? Kloof Route 18 km, Mountain Route 17 km
How long will I be driving? 4 - 5 hours
Maximum number of vehicles? No limits, but a minimum of two for safety’s sake
Do I get a map? Yes
Will my car get scratched? Not likely
Should I remove my running boards? Yes
Should I take a compressor? Yes, you have to deflate your tyres to at least 1.5 bar.
Can I turn around halfway? Escape routes have been provided on the Kloof Route and there are a few places on the Mountain Route where you can turn around.
Can we have a braai en route? Yes, but only at the picnic spot on the Kloof Route.

THE SURROUNDS
Best time to go? Year round, but the management reserves the right to impose driving restrictions after heavy summer rains.
Can I take my family along? Definitely
Just for the day or the weekend? A weekend at least
Are there ablution facilities for day visitors? Yes
Can I see game? Yes, they have buck such as eland, springbok, blesbok and grey rhebok, as well as Burchell’s zebra and black wildebeest.
The nearest town? Clarens (14 km)
How do I get there? From Clarens, take the R711 towards Golden Gate. The turn-off is 4 km from town. From the steel gates it’s 6 km to the reception.
The nearest fuel? Clarens (14 km)

WHERE CAN I STAY?
You can camp or stay in one of four fully equipped self-catering lodges, two of which have Jacuzzis. Numerous options are available in Clarens and Golden Gate.

WHAT ELSE?
Must I take anything special? Camera (and anti-vertigo medicine)
What else can I do there? Mountain biking, hiking, abseiling, claypigeon shooting, horse riding and trout fishing

COSTS
Trail: R200 per vehicle per trail or R300 for both trails. Lodge residents pay R200 to drive as many of the trails as often as they like during their stay.
Camping: R100 per stand (maximum of 4 people per site), Lodges (sleep 7 - 12): R960 - R1480 per night. Contact the manager (details below) for a quote.

CONTACT
Nic Prinsloo 083 627 8391; rebellie@mweb.co.za, www.rebellie.co.za