Tankwa Camino
How it all started…
Founder Danie Pieterse had a dream to one day walk from his grandfather Jan Pieterse’s grave in the Tankwa Karoo to his other grandfather’s grave in Rawsonville. After sharing the idea with his friend Charl van der Merwe, the concept evolved into a modern pilgrimage — the Tankwa Camino. The route was designed to introduce people to this starkly beautiful part of South Africa that connects Calvinia (in the Northern Cape) with Ceres (in the Western Cape) via the Tankwa Karoo. Today, Danie and his wife Rhina manage the Camino, along with several other hiking routes centred around the town of Calvinia.
Image: Tankwa Camino
The Route
The Tankwa Camino follows the R354 between Calvinia and Ceres. It’s the vast nothingness that makes this world so enchanting. Our group of around 60 walkers often found ourselves completely alone — endless horizons and pure silence. While the road appears flat when driven, walking reveals gentle but persistent hills. Fortunately, a support vehicle provides water, and luggage and tents are transported daily to the next campsite. Even years later, it’s the stillness and wide-open spaces that linger in my memory.
Image: Marlize Stander
The food
Breakfast and lunch come from your personal supply crate. I’m not the fastest walker, so Louis and I carried our lunch to enjoy along the way. Imagine walking 25km in the middle of nowhere and arriving to the smell of freshly fried skuinskoek wafting through camp! Truida’s teatime treats were legendary — no one could believe what she managed to create out on the plains of the Tankwa. Each evening, we were spoiled with hearty potjie or braai meals, made with love and plenty of flavour.
Image: Marlize Stander
Bang for your buck
Walking the Tankwa Camino is a privilege — one well worth saving for. According to the official website, the fee includes:
- Meet-and-greet dinner the night before the event (6 pm at Calvinia Moederkerk hall)
- Transport of luggage along the route
- Support vehicles and team accompanying hikers
- Morning and evening coffee, tea, milk, and sugar
- Daily seasonal fruit
- Boere high tea on arrival at camp
- Daily dinner of potjiekos or braai, with pot bread and homemade jams
- Hot water for washing (5L per person per day)
- Daily drinking water supply
- Closing ceremony with lunch and drinks at the Ceres Museum
- Tankwa Camino T-shirt and certificate
Image: Marlize Stander
Image: Marlize Stander
My Story
I walked the Tankwa Camino a few years ago when my children were small — four and six years old. Life at that stage was a blur. As a woman and mother, I had momentarily forgotten who I was. I often joked that if you want to know whether you can marry someone, do a five-day hike with them — everything about your character is revealed. My husband and I skipped that step and jumped straight into marriage and parenthood, so the Camino became our rediscovery. I needed to reconnect with myself and with him — and we made it!
This photo was taken on day 8 after about 200km. Image: Marlize Stander
How fit do you have to be?
I’m not a fitness fanatic — quite the opposite, actually — so walking 25km a day was tough. After the first day, I told myself I’d only walk 5km at a time, focusing on reaching each next marker. That mental shift saved me. My mind was strong, but my body protested daily around the 20km mark. To keep peace with my husband, I’d pop in my iPod, say “don’t speak to me,” and just push on. The Tankwa Camino is not easy — the distance is long, the sun relentless, and the gravel road unforgiving. But if you’re walking fit and determined, you can do it. It’s not just your legs that earn the medal — it’s your mindset that carries you through.
Image: Marlize Stander
Image: Marlize Stander
Image: Marlize Stander
There is so much more…
Since launching the Tankwa Camino, Danie and Rhina have expanded their offerings to include several other routes — each with its own character and charm. Options include the Roggeveld Enduro, Sterrewag Enduro, and Hantam Enduro, catering to different fitness levels, timeframes, and budgets.
The Tankwa Camino is proudly Green Flag Trails accredited. You can view the detailed trail criteria here.
For more information and stories, visit:
www.tankwacamino.com
www.facebook.com/tankwacamino
Tankwa Enduros Facebook page
Image: Marlize Stander