Richtersveld Quiver Tree Route

The Richtersveld Quiver Tree Route is a demanding but extraordinarily rewarding adventure cycling traverse through the quiver tree (kokerboom) and halfmens succulent forests of the Richtersveld mountain desert. The quiver tree — Aloidendron dichotomum — reaches its most dramatic concentrations in this UNESCO World Heritage area, where forests of ancient specimens stand against the mountain desert sky in a landscape that has remained essentially unchanged for thousands of years.

The Halfmens Mystery

The Richtersveld is also home to the halfmens (Pachypodium namaquanum) — a bizarre succulent that grows with its head permanently angled toward the north, which the Nama people explain through legend as the souls of their ancestors, turned forever toward their homeland north of the Orange River. Riding through a concentration of halfmens on a desert hillside is one of the most atmospheric and strange cycling experiences in South Africa.

The Route

The traverse between Lekkersing and Eksteenfontein follows a gravel road through the heart of the mountain desert quiver tree country. Eksteenfontein is one of the most isolated communities on the South African mainland — a Richtersveld community settlement accessible only by this road, where the descendants of the Nama people who have inhabited the Richtersveld for centuries continue to maintain a semi-nomadic relationship with the desert. The community welcomes visitors and basic accommodation may be arranged — contact via Sendelingsdrift Gate or Richtersveld park office.

Getting There

Access via Sendelingsdrift Gate (80km from Port Nolloth by 4×4 road) or via Alexander Bay and the northern approach. GPS: -28.3167, 17.2000. Tel: +27 27 831 1506. This is extreme wilderness — full self-sufficiency, detailed route planning and an experienced riding partner are essential.

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