PROLOGUE #cangocarnival

Hewn by millennia of underground rivers flowing through Precambrian limestones the Cango Caves provide the unique starting point for the Dryland Traverse. Heading underground, from the start ramp, the Prologue time trial takes trail runners on an unforgettable underground adventure. Magical photo opportunities beckon for the less competitive while the racers will have to watch out for low hanging stalactites in the first subterranean kilometre before emerging into the afternoon sunlight and following the Grobbelaars river uphill towards De Hoek over the remaining 8.5 kilometres. Rocky Klein Karoo running, through stands of ancient Acacia Karoo thorn trees and the spekboom super-plants, set the scene for a carnival of trail running over the coming three days.

STAGE 1 #Swartbergsugarbush

New trails await atop the spectacular Swartberg Mountains, as do veritable forests of the Swartberg Sugarbush, Protea montana. Starting at Ou Tol the first 1.5 kilometres are on the Swartberg Pass and then Die Hel gravel roads. After a leg-loosening opening the trail and the climbing begin as the route takes on a Cape Nature footpath that ascends to 1 900 metres above sea level. From the highest point the Dryland Traverse has ever visited, a technical descent takes participants down to Die Top, the summit of the Swartberg Pass. From Die Top, runners descend the pass and then traverse farmlands towards De Hoek – all at the foot of the Swartberg as part of the exciting new route.

For the Adventure participants, Stage 1 follows the same spectacular route but, after waterpoint 2 they continue along district road to finish with a 4 km tar road to De Hoek, offering a more gradual finish.

STAGE 2 #lenteindiekleinkaroo

To misquote Koos Kombuis: “dit was lente in die Klein Karoo… al die drawwers het baljaar.” Starting at De Kombuys Stage 2 is a day of undulations and trails through ever changing scenery. Showing off the diversity of the Klein Karoo, after a wet winter, the route winds through the bushveld towards the brimming Raubenheimer Dam. There the climbing begins in earnest, ascending a koppie and dropping back to De Kombuys. The final 10 kilometres of the route trends uphill, passing Cango once more and following a mix of jeep and singletracks back to De Hoek through farm lands, along the Hoeksrivier and across low ridgelines vegetated with spekboom.