Waterval Boven Guide - December 2011.pdf - Climb ZA

pleasant climber campsites on the planet! Some of the best crags at Boven are not more
than a 5 to 10 minutes walk; there is a swimming pool, hot showers, fridges and great
fire sites. Mornings are spent drinking coffee and relaxing on the lawns until 11-ish
(when the crags go into shade) and climbers gather around camp-fires during the
evenings. If you book in advance you can stay in one of the small but well equipped
chalets or safari tents. Roc „n Rope also manage Tranquilitas so direct enquires to them.
There are also a few self-catering houses and lodges in the area that can be rented if the
Tranquilitas chalets are booked out, some can accommodate larger groups (up to 15).
How to get to Boven
Best is by car but see bus info below. There is actually no need at all to venture into
Johannesburg itself (not that it‟s such a bad place, some people love it!). From
Johannesburg airport (O R Tambo International) take the R21 south for a few
kilometers then the N12 east towards Witbank, which becomes the N4. These are
excellent highways and within two hours (several kilometers after the second toll gate)
the turn-off to Waterval Boven is reached on the right. Note: the highway splits into two
1.5 kilometres after the second toll gate. Both are still signed N4 Nelspruit, but only one
of them passes Boven! Keep straight, don‟t take the left fork, many first time visitors
make the mistake of going left which leads in completely the wrong direction!
The expensive toll gate just before Boven can be fairly easily avoided by turning off
(right) at Machadodorp, approximately 15 kilometres before Boven. Drive into
Machadodorp then take the tar road towards Badplaas (signed) for approx 13 kms, then
turn left towards „Nkmomati Mine‟. After 3.2 kms turn left onto a gravel road signed
Waterval Boven. Keep on this, keeping left at the fork at 6.5 kms, the road leads past
the Tranquilitas Adventure farm and the Wonderland crags and after another 8
kilometres or so into Boven town, about 10-15 minutes later than if you had gone
through the toll. If it‟s been raining very heavily this road can be unpassable in a normal
car, however it dries very quickly (within a few hours).
Once in Boven, Roc „n Rope Adventures is easily found, on the opposite corner is the
Shamrock Arms pub. Stop in and say “howzit” and get directions, either to the
Climbers‟ Lodge or to Tranquilitas. While in town pick up some beer and some cheap
(but excellent) steak and boerewors from the butcher (Slaghuis), be sure to ask for the
climbers‟ discount.
There are a couple of shuttle-bus services that leave/return to Joburg once a day. At the
time of writing „Jereh‟ will drop you off at roc and rope. Contact them on 082 378
3614; they will soon have a website. The other service is the Lowveld Link
(www.lowveldlink.com) but they only drop at the Boven turn off from the N4 but its
only 1-2 kms from there to Roc and Rope. Expect to pay between R 300 and 400 return.
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