Africa Wild

Wonder how many bikes were involved?

That would be interesting to find out RP. I see they were transported for a part of the route, so can only assume it wasn't a great number. I still don't think this particular event is such a bad thing for the Richtersveld. There doesn't seem to be any ideas of hotels or lodges in their plans.......yet......and it looks like they stuck to exisitng routes which a rugged rock and shale 4x4 tracks. The last time I was there (about 5 years ago) some sections of those tracks had to be worked on to get through, in that we had to stop and pile a few rocks in front of big obsticles to make it over them. If big, loaded 4x4's leave little damage, I don't thing even a few 100 mountain bikes are going to do anything. Of course the concern would be that they decide to build lodges or buildings in the camp sites. At the moment you have to be pretty self sufficient to go there.

100 riders (+ x accompanying persons) allowed in 2012 and there was a lot of support involved: camping, toilets, all meals and snacks en route, water stations, first aid and technical support and the hiring of canoes.

This is going to be a mass event over the next years

I am not against self guided MTB trails where tourists enjoy the park on their own, but these events become an epidemic and don't fit into a nature reserve

It is all the "garnish" that is disturbing as Toko has already said
....And 100 are too many considering the above

The conoes and the infrastructure for this type of eco adventure are already there. Felix Unite is the biggest of the 4 or 5 operators who run canoe safaris down the Orange and have been doing so for many years. I would imagine that this type of thing would not entail a back-up vehicle for every rider as would be the case in a cycle race. It could be more like a few 4x4 trucks carrying the particpants kit, food and equipment from overnight spots to the next, which is already happening with the canoe safaris at the moment.
As I said, I don't have a huge problem with the cycling event, but would have a massive problem if it all resulted in lodges and hotels etc in the future.

Exactly my thoughts, iNdy

Toko wrote:
I would be more concerned if the plans to develop river safaris would be realized in the last remaining pristine portion of the Orange river between Gamkab and Tatasberg. This is the last remaining portion where there are no impacts from roads, tracks, tourism infrastructure or mining activity.
Three products were suggested:
(1) Traditional or classic river trips, with an Adventure Hub to be developed close to Gamkab gate, with a lodge, self catering chalets, and campsites, facilities for storing, servicing and maintaining rafts, canoes and kayaks.
(2) A luxury river safari, with new lodges along the river at Tatasberg; Bo-Plaats and at Nuab,
(3) Fishing charters, providing motorised access to the river for fishing and birding. A Fishing Charter Camp should be developed at Nuab, close to that of the luxury river camp.

Link

And here an update (from 2011)

Good bye to the last really wild one

http://www.sanparks.co.za/about/news/de ... p?id=55247


Date: 20th August 2012

Namibia Wildlife Resorts is pleased to introduce the 2012 Desert Knights Mountain-Biking Tour within the |Ai-|Ais Richtersveld Transfrontier Park which will take place from the 28th October to the 1st November 2012.

This is a 5-day multi-stage mountain-biking event starting at the Fish River Canyon View Point in Namibia and ending in the Richtersveld National Park in South Africa. Cycling is scheduled to take place during late afternoon into the late evening, at night over the full-moon period, and the event includes a portion of canoeing in the Orange River. The total distance to be covered is 275 km cycling and 34.5 km of canoeing down the Orange River.

This event is a collaboration between NWR, the Ministry of Environment and Tourism (MET), the South African Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA), South African National Parks (SANParks), and Peace Parks Foundation (PPF) as part of the trans-boundary conservation program.

The cost of participation is N$/Rand 5 000 per cyclist. Costs for non-cycling accompanying adults are N$ 3 750, and N$ 2 500 for children between the ages of 6 to 12 years. This fee covers camping for 6 nights (Sunday – Friday), all meals and snacks en route, water stations and the hiring of canoes for participants on Day 3.

Participants wishing to upgrade to accommodation may do so at an additional cost, at |Ai-|Ais and at Sendelingsdrift (subject to availability). Namibia Wildlife Resorts is also offering a 50% discount on accommodation at all of their facilities for participants who wish to extend their stay in Namibia (subject to availability – bookings to be made through the contact given below).

The |Ai-|Ais–Richtersveld Desert Knights Mountain-Biking tour is poised to become an annual event, and a must do on the regional biking calendar.