Katse Dam Trip

Ulysses bike club to Lesotho

Type: Accommodation and place of interest

We headed out to Katse Dam, Lesotho over the weekend. There were 16 bikes and a back up support vehicle that went with on the trip. We left Johannesburg down the N1 at 05:30am on Friday morning, with a brief stop for coffee and muffins at Villiersdorp.

Then we headed off to Thanda Tau for a buffet breakfast and a fill up for the bikes that needed it. This is a great little pit stop on your way to Durban.

Then we headed down south, through Harrismith and past the Sterkfontein dam to Little Switzerland for some drinks and photos with the Drakensburg in the background.

Then it was back on the bikes to head back around the Sterkfontein dam, through Phuthaditjhaba to Witsieshoek for lunch. But not before we stopped for another photo.

Some awesome pictures, and beautiful weather allowed for magnificent views over the valley. After lunch it was time to get back on the bikes and time to head towards Clarens. But half way through Golden Gate we did a small detour up the mountain to a look-out point and took more photos.

Then back on the bikes through Golden Gate, we headed past Clarens, 8 kms past Clarens to the Ash River Highlands Water Project. This is where the water enters South Africa from the Katse Dam Highlands Water Project. This is the size of the pipe that brings water from Katse Dam to South Africa.

Then back onto our bikes to our final stop in Clarens for the day. Time to refill to prepare for the following days trip, unpack, freshen up, enjoy a sundowner on the deck at the Maluti Mountain Lodge, supper and then bed.

Up early the next morning for breakfast and a quick route chat from our group leader Leon. We had a chance to catch this hot air balloon in the Golden Gate valley.

Then it was time to head to the Lesotho border at Caledonspoort. It was quick and easy through this border post and then on our way to Katse Dam. But not before our mountainous climb through 320 bends as we weaved our way to the top of the mountain. A quick stop for a picnic at the top of the mountain viewing point.

Back on the bikes, down the other side, once again weaving through what felt like another 320 bends. If you were not very comfortable in going through bends before this trip, believe me you would know your bike by the end of this trip. I was amazed at how well the fully laiden GS with panniers, top box and pillion just glided through those turns at 45 degrees. Then we headed towards Katse Dam. After dropping off our bags at our chalets, it was time to head to the information Centre for a tour into the dam wall.

Not only did we go inside the dam wall, but we then rode around to the top of the dam wall, where we stopped and popped some champagne in memory of a fellow rider who passed away just the month before. Then onto our chalets for some r&r before supper.

The next morning again an early start, all the way back through the 600 bends and turns to the Ficksburg border post, back to Clarens for lunch at Rotar Hahn. Then back to Villiers and Johannesburg. We arrived back home at around 4pm on Sunday afternoon with lots of memories and photos of an amazing trip with amazing people. New friends have been made and new experiences shared.

At the bottom of this blog, you can scroll all the way to the bottom to view all the places we have visited over the past 2 and a half years. Click on the name of the restaurant and it will open up, where we went and our experience of the place. Hope you enjoyed this blog, hope to see you out and about soon.