LULA IN ATLANTIS
53km from cape town
-33°34’0.05″ s 18°29’0.06″ e
Lula, our Land Rover Defender 110, was but mere hours old, at least to our family, so of course, we packed her up with a day’s worth of cool drinks and snacks, and headed over to The Atlantis dunes to test her out! The Atlantis dunes cover an area of roughly 32 km² of ever-changing landscapes. We’d heard that whilst Atlantis is well-loved for those who enjoy adventure sports, it also makes for some amazing photo opportunities with its pure white sand dunes reaching up to 50 metres (160 feet) high.
The dunes are a haven for sandboarding, quad biking, extreme 4×4 rides and self-drive dune tours, and off-roading, but they’re also protected within the Witzand Aquifer Conservation Area, a 3000 hectare (7,400-acre) patch. This reserve protects an important part of Cape Town’s natural & cultural heritage, including the Atlantis Aquifer.
lula, our land rover defender 110, was
but mere hours old…
LULA IN ATLANTIS
53km from cape town
-33°34’0.05″s 18°29’0.06″e
Lula, our Land Rover Defender 110, was but mere hours old, at least to our family, so of course, we packed her up with a day’s worth of cool drinks and snacks, and headed over to The Atlantis dunes to test her out! The Atlantis dunes cover an area of roughly 32 km² of ever-changing landscapes. We’d heard that whilst Atlantis is well-loved for those who enjoy adventure sports, it also makes for some amazing photo opportunities with its pure white sand dunes reaching up to 50 metres (160 feet) high.
The dunes are a haven for sandboarding, quad biking, extreme 4×4 rides and self-drive dune tours, and off-roading, but they’re also protected within the Witzand Aquifer Conservation Area, a 3000 hectare (7,400-acre) patch. This reserve protects an important part of Cape Town’s natural & cultural heritage, including the Atlantis Aquifer.
our trip
Hout Bay to Newlands via Rhodes Dr
Left onto M3 until N2 onramp
Take the M5 onramp to N1
Exit N1 onto the N7 Malmesbury direction
Turn off the N7 onto Melkbos Rd/M19
Turn right onto the West Coast Rd/R27
Continue up the West Coast Rd until
Right onto Dassenberg Dr/R307
Travel 3kms to Atlantis Dunes on your left
- We arrived at midday during the week & it was nearly deserted. Once we were inside, there wasn’t a soul around for hours.
- While we were deflating our tyres we met a fellow Land Rover owner who was giving Quad Bike tours. He gave us a few tips before we entered the dunes. Maybe he could tell we were first timers.
- It was the most perfectly clear day with bright blue skies & fluffy clouds, but the wind did pick up! Despite being a little sandblasted, we had a lovely few hours. We left tired & happy.
- The sand is quite fine, so we ended up kicking off flip flops & sandals & walking barefoot instead.
- There were a few tricky spots while driving, so with Lula being so new (to us), we didn’t want to push her too hard. We imagine though, that with a little more experience, she would have nailed some of the steeper dunes! Her people were a bit nervous!
- On the way out, a lizard came to chill with us as we inflated the tyres.
our trip
Hout Bay to Newlands via Rhodes Dr
Left onto M3 until N2 onramp
Take the M5 onramp to N1
Exit N1 onto the N7 Malmesbury direction
Turn off the N7 onto Melkbos Rd/M19
Turn right onto the West Coast Rd/R27
Continue up the West Coast Rd until
Right onto Dassenberg Dr/R307
Travel 3kms to Atlantis Dunes on your left
- We arrived at midday during the week & it was nearly deserted. Once we were inside, there wasn’t a soul around for hours.
- While we were deflating our tyres we met a fellow Land Rover owner who was giving Quad Bike tours. He gave us a few tips before we entered the dunes. Maybe he could tell we were first timers.
- It was the most perfectly clear day with bright blue skies & fluffy clouds, but the wind did pick up! Despite being a little sandblasted, we had a lovely few hours. We left tired & happy.
- The sand is quite fine, so we ended up kicking off flip flops & sandals & walking barefoot instead.
- There were a few tricky spots while driving, so with Lula being so new (to us), we didn’t want to push her too hard. We imagine though, that with a little more experience, she would have nailed some of the steeper dunes! Her people were a bit nervous!
- On the way out, a lizard came to chill with us as we inflated the tyres.