In the desert
in the dry
before the breaking of the dawn
the temperature in the shade has hit 110 again
-Midnight Oil, “The Bullroarer”
Back from Langkloof, we dropped the key at the admin block. We asked the lady if there were any keys for Biesiesfontein, and she looked at me suspiciously.
“Keys?”
I nodded.
She shook her head.
“No, sir,” she said softly. “There is nothing at Biesiesfontein.”
The truth about Biesiesfontein is that it doesn’t really feature in online searches of campsites in the Tankwa. We landed there purely because we booked late – 2025 was a busy year for us!
I turned around to head back to the car.
“Excuse me,” said a man behind me. “Do you sell tyres at all?”
As I exited through the door, I heard the same, soft voice: “No sir, no tyres.”
I noted his Hilux, not far from mine. The rear tyre on the passenger side was a spare. I glanced in the back, the tyre had a sidewall tear so clean-cut it looked like it was slashed with a knife.
Tankwa isn’t for sissies.
The closest tyre shop would be in one of the surrounding towns. Oh, and I think I haven’t mentioned – fuel is also in one of the surrounding towns. No fuel in the park, or even close to it. The towns are Ceres (south), Sutherland (east) or Calvinia (north), over 100km away. An interesting fact that I was not aware of, is that the R355 (which we would use to leave the park) is the longest stretch of road without a fuel station, in South Africa.
Remember to fill up at your last stop before Tankwa!
We decided to delay Biesiesfontein for a while, and explore the park a bit. The park is full of old buildings that refuse to die. The structures date from the late 18th century, to the early 20th century. Some will say they are dead; and indeed, they are ruins. But they are far from dead – their stone and mud construction exposed to the elements through years of erosion, still stand as they did hundreds of years ago.
I could not not help but feel respect for these buildings that have have seen and heard so many things over the years. Their character blends with the landscape, in a way not even the animals do. I found it near impossible to skip over some of these; it was as if each photo opportunity offered something unique.
If you like the pic above, please check the photos section for more.
One can only imagine the harsh conditions under which people tried to farm in this area. But they did, and they survived, for many years. And yes, all around the Tankwa people are farming still.
A word on the animals of the Tankwa. We saw predominantly Springbok, but also several Red Hartebeest and Eland. We were grateful not to have seen any of the snakes and scorpions that were undoubtedly there. Strange thing about the antelope in the park, was how nervous they were. I have not seen this level of nervousness in any other national park or at game farms. I have only seen it on farms with active hunting.
Our fuel level was pretty good and I was sure that getting out of the car would result in instant melting. So, when I saw a signboard on the road to the “Da Doer” padstal (farmstall) promising “Yskoue Bier” (ice-cold beer), I made mention of the fact that our drinking water was a bit low. My companions agreed unilaterally that we should proceed to the farmstall with urgency to stock up on water.
The “Da Doer padstal” has a shop, a bar and a stoep of more or less equal proportions. It seems to be affiliated with both the Africa Burn event, as well as the Munga (an extreme bicycle stage race for the mentally unstable). The proprietors are friendly, and yes, the beer was cold (both of them).
They have a leader board for people who finish their 3L brandy and coke (yes, that is not a typo) in single setting. The top ten start around the 60 minute mark, second place was around 15 minutes, and a remarkable individual who goes by the name of “Pypies” managed the feat in around five minutes. I politely asked whether he was buried on the premises, but they insist that he still roams the earth (my guess is still somewhat inebriated).
Da Doer also has a small swimming pool, and offers accommodation. Find them on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/p/D%C3%A0-Doer-Padstal-100090320337886/) or Instagram.
With something in our bellies, a couple of cold ones still lingering in our throats, and water provisioned, we knew that we could no longer delay; Biesiesfontein was waiting.