Riemvasmaak

Riemvasmaak is a stretch of desert mountain country north of the Orange River, and its hot springs sit at the bottom of a narrow rock gorge: pools of water at around forty degrees in the shade of red cliffs, with a small camp beside them. The land has a specific history - the community living here was removed in the 1970s and the area used for other purposes, and after 1994 the land was returned to its people in one of the country's early restitution settlements. It is now community-owned and the tourism operation belongs to them, which is why the money you spend matters more here than at a commercial resort. Around the springs are 4x4 routes through granite canyons, mountain biking and hiking, and the Molopo and Orange river country nearby. Facilities are simple, the roads in are rough, and the quiet is the product.

What you actually see

• The gorge springs - hot pools at about forty degrees between red rock walls.
• The restitution history - land returned to a community removed from it in the 1970s.
• The community operation - camp and tourism owned and run locally.
• The 4x4 routes - granite canyon tracks through the surrounding desert mountains.

When to go

April to September - summer heat makes hot springs unappealing and the drive hard. A day, or overnight at the camp.

Honest expectations

The gorge track is rough and 4x4 is strongly advised. Facilities are basic - bring food and water. Summer temperatures make the springs unusable in the middle of the day. Booking goes through the community office, which can be slow.

Nearby

Augrabies Falls is south; Kakamas and the Orange River are downstream.