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Past Trips

Mountain Biking
20 June, 2009 (All day)
Mountain biking
Nothern Farm

 

Mountain Sanctuary
13 June, 2009 (All day) - 16 June, 2009 (All day)
Rafting
Hiking
Kayaking
Mountain biking
Magaliesberg

We are planning a winter trip to Mountain Sanctuary from 13 to 16 June.

You can join us for any period your diary allows - the full 4 days, or just for a day trip without staying overnight.

Rheebok Mountain biking
1 May, 2009 (All day) - 3 May, 2009 (All day)
Mountain biking
Rheebok Bush Camp, Waterberg

 We are organizing a mountain biking trip to Rheebok Bush Camp on a 12,000 ha game reserve in the Waterberg in May There are about 60 km single track and 120 km jeep track on the reserve.
 
 
See rhino, buffalo, kudu waterbuck, impala, giraffe, eland, zebra, wildebeest, red hartebeest, klipspringer, mountain reedbuck, crocodiles, and many more, from your bike, on foot or climb the Koppies to enjoy the views over the plains.

Lesotho Hike
24 April, 2009 (All day) - 27 April, 2009 (All day)
Hiking
Maluti Mountains

 Jono is keen to explore more of the mountains of lesotho, and is organising a hike through this uncharted part of the Maluti's.  

Kayak School
28 March, 2009 (All day)
Kayaking
Parys

 Kayaking skills are primarily technique based and include correct paddle strokes and the eskimo roll.  Hugh Du Preez has years of experience in teaching the best techniques and his courses are always fun and really worthwhile

 

Baviaanskloof
14 March, 2009 (All day) - 17 March, 2009 (All day)
Hiking
Baviaanskloof

 Katja had a fantastic trip through the baviaanskloof 

contact Katja Nordwig 0825514677 for info on her hike through this pristine area

The only way to recover from a hangover
14 March, 2009 (All day)
Rafting
Kayaking
Crocodile River - Highveld

Saturday morning came way to soon with a phone call from Lindin calling at 7.15 am - I was supposed to have picked him up at 6.30 - only 45 minutes late. Fortunatly we had pre-packed the trailer the night before. A quick phone call to Lewis had a change of planns and we met at Friday Farm at 8.30

 

Beginners Meet - MTB and Paddle
7 March, 2009 (All day) - 8 March, 2009 (All day)
Kayaking
Mountain biking
Bronkhorstspruit

Join us at the Bronkhorstspruit Camp Site for an ESSA beginner's meet.
Try out some paddling, bring along your mountain bike and get to know your fellow members.
 
Contact Jono Heher on 083 325 4397

Vaal River Rafting
24 January, 2009 (All day)
Rafting
Vaal River - Parys to Gatsien

Join Essa for a trip down the Vaal river.  This section offers fun rapids, and some great rafting only a hour away from jozi.
Contact Piers on 082 920 1752

Orange river rafting
29 December, 2008 (All day) - 3 January, 2009 (All day)
Rafting
Kayaking
Orange River Hopetown to Douglas

 

The stretch we're going to do is from above  Hopetown to Douglas (near  
Kimberley). It's a truly mellow section of the Orange, with mostly  
lazy meandering flats & lovely sandy dune-beaches.  There are a few  
current accelerations & 'wave-trains' further down, & the river  
narrows into a shallow, ebony rock-sculptured gorge.

Upcoming Trips

Sediba Hike
18 July, 2009 (All day) - 19 July, 2009 (All day)
Hiking
Memel

 

For those of us who have a fascination for Arctic expeditions, we have a much less intimidating South African version.

Stargazing
22 August, 2009 (All day) - 23 August, 2009 (All day)
Star Gazing
Magaliesburg

 Join ESSA & ASSA for an evening of star watching, telescope discussing and good food and wine.  This weekend out on the Witwatersberg offers dark skies, and a roaring fire.  Only an hour from Johannesburg or Pretoria you can scuttle back home afterwards or stay over to enjoy the great outdoors.  ASSA members will be bringing their fantastic scopes (many hand made) and will point out some of the fascinating objects in the sky.  Afterwards sit around the fire enjoying the fresh air and interesting discussion.

SA's Largest Cave
29 August, 2009 (All day) - 30 August, 2009 (All day)
Caving
Carltonville

Apocolypse entrance

Apocalypse has 13km of surveyed passage with an additional 3km's added in the last year or so. The entrance to the cave is a 56m abseil to the bottom of a large sinkhole, The plan is to spend the night in the cave and to push passages seldom seen.

Golden Gate
5 September, 2009 (All day) - 6 September, 2009 (All day)
Hiking
Clarens

 The Golden Gate is formed by spectacular sandstone cliffs bordering Lesotho near the town of Clarens.  This trip will do the 28km Rhebok hiking trail which starts at the Glen Reenen Camp before heading through the mountain grassland.  The first day goes past some spectacular Sandston cliffs and ends at the Rhebok hut which has hot showers!  The second day follows the path of a mountain stream with it's pools and waterfalls, before finishing up back at Glen Reenen.

Fly-Fishing
19 September, 2009 (All day) - 20 September, 2009 (All day)
Fishing
Dullstroom

 Many credit the first recorded use of an artificial fly to the Roman Claudius Aelianus near the end of the 2nd century. He described the practice of Macedonian anglers on the Astraeus River:

 

Inhaca Island paddle
24 September, 2009 (All day) - 28 September, 2009 (All day)
Kayaking
Inhaca island

 Katja Nordweg is organising a sea-kayaking trip to Inhaca island.  This trip has restricted places so don't be surprised if you can't get on it.   Inhaca is situated in the bay of Maputo (the great escape of the 70's) and is a stunning Island with flowing beaches surrounded by coral reefs.  Don't forget your goggles and snorkel.  The trip will drive up via White river (to collect additional kayaks) and will involve three magnificent days of kayaking.  Steve Hardy will be providing logistical support.

Ash River
10 October, 2009 (All day) - 11 October, 2009 (All day)
Rafting
Clarens

 The Ash river forms part of the Lesotho-Highlands water scheme and now enjoys as constant flow to keep Joburgers supplied with hot water bottles.  It boast continuous rapids and exhilarating rafting and great kayaking(experienced kayakers only).  Lewis  is organising a trip on this exciting grade 3 & 4 river and will be assisted with a professional guide (unless he can persuade Adrian to do it).  There will be a recce trip in August prior to this trip.  This trip is based out of Clarens and is a one day trip.

Wolkberg Formal Dinner
17 October, 2009 (All day) - 18 October, 2009 (All day)
Hiking
Formal Dinner
Wolkberg

 View of Wolkberg from the Lowveld      The knucklesJoin Essa on it's 21'st Formal Dinner in the Mountain heights of the unspoilt Wolkberg.

Kasanka Game reserve
5 December, 2009 (All day) - 20 December, 2009 (All day)
Overland
Kasanka Game reserve

 Kasanka a game reserve of 560 square kilometres on the southern tip of Lake tanganyika  has the greatest recorded concentration of mammal life on the planet. There is 2,500 tonnes of bat life there - the equivalent of around 500 elephants - hanging across an area of forest measuring the equivalent of ten rugby fields . .  Each year in November and December 8 million bats decend on the park and this is the aim of this trip- to see a bat or two.  Contact Sharron on 082 553 5258 for more info