Jonker Fourie, blogger and photographer over at
The Firefly Photo Files tells about his personal experience on the famed
Montagu Tractor Trip over the recent summer holidays.
The very first thing we looked up and booked when we decided to go to Montagu was the legendary Montagu Tractor Trip. "What makes a tractor trip so special?" you ask. Well, this isn't just any old tractor trip. The trip takes place on Protea Farm about 35 kilometers outside Montagu and was started in 1985. The tour meanders it's way up the Langeberg Mountain to an altitude of 1500m above see level with some of the most breathtaking views you can imagine.
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We made our booking for the morning trip and made sure we were there nice and early. Each tractor and trailer takes about 45 people and on the day we were there they had 90 people booked. The best seat in the house is the one on the front of the tractor although it really doesn't matter where you sit as the whole experience just rolls out all around you. Niel, who started the tours in 1985, and his son Pierre drives the two tractors themselves and expertly (you can see they've done it a couple of times already) navigates them up the the winding track.
The higher we went up the mountain the better the view got. Its one of those trips where you keep on taking photos because you don't think it can get any better, but it does. Better and better. The Koo Valley to the west opened up below us and we literaly had a bird's eye view all around.
On the way up the tractor stopped a couple of times to give us the opportunity to hop off and enjoy the view while taking a couple of pictures. Those with a bit too much energy who felt like stretching their legs could walk up ahead and got picked up by the tractor a bit later on again. Right at the top we stopped at a mountain hut where we had a snack of Muscadel (sweet dessert wine) and dried fruit before heading on again. While at the top we could see the second tractor make the trek up the mountain
The best view is kept for last when you get to the turning point at the top. Opening up on the other side of the mountain and stretching away below is the Robertson Valley. Wow! Now imagine doing this trip in the winter when the top of the mountain is covered in snow... That would be like double wow! This truly should be on every traveller's list of South African things to do just like going up Table Mountain or travelling down the Garden Route.
We visited Protea Farm not by invitation and at our own expense.
Their contact details in case anybody is interested in more infomation:
Visit Jonker Fourie's photo blog The Firefly Photo Files for loads of images and stories about and around South Africa.
