Travel Africa & beyond with 4x4 stories from readers and journalists.

Songimvelo Nature Reserve & Barberton – Where the sun rises

We are invited to test-drive two long-closed 4×4 trails, experience Songimvelo Nature Reserve, and get a taste of Mpumalanga’s lesser-known natural wonders Story Jacques Viljoen Photography Jacques Viljoen & Anton Willemse Mpumalanga is Zulu for ‘the place where the sun rises’, and its major natural attractions have long been a favoured escape for travellers the world over looking for wildlife and dramatic scenery. But there’s a lot more for the traveller once the Kruger National Park, Blyde River Canyon, and Dullstroom have been ticked off the list. Truth is, many of these places are a long drive from the main

ANGOLA ADVENTURE – Cruiser Country

Toyota lays on an action-packed few days in south-western Angola with a trio of Land Cruisers Story Angus Boswell Pictures Cornel van Heerden & Angus Boswell It’s taken Angola a long time to emerge from the civil war which ended in 2002. Its effects have dragged on for more than two decades. When war broke out in 1974, tourism effectively stopped. That’s changing. The old ruling elite are being sidelined, minefields have largely been cleared, and officialdom is letting go its cranky and slow Soviet practices when it comes to getting things done. One great aspect of the new spirit

Travel – Floods in the land of thirst

In a land known for being parched and barren, sudden heavy rains can change conditions overnight. This is the background to a great adventure on a recent Kaokoland tour with Simon Steadma n Story Simon Steadman & photography Desiree Steadman When you think of Kaokoland in the far North Western corner of Namibia, your mind fills with images of vast open spaces, long, dusty gravel roads and dry riverbeds. Definitely a land of thirst, in need of water, you would say. However, at the right time of year you can see a completely different side of this desolate wilderness; one

Ultimate Adventures 2020 Calendar

2020 Tour Dates Prestige Tours Our Prestige range of tours are aimed at the off-road adventurer that enjoys a bit more luxury on their travels and the intimacy of small groups . These tours are limited to a maximum of 4 guest vehicles and no children under 12 are permitted. Our qualified bush chef will spoil you with a delicious breakfast and dinner every day so you have more time to enjoy the bush and not worry about cooking. We pride ourselves on our exquisite bush cuisine and attention to detail. Accommodation on our Prestige tours is a mixture of

CONGO to CONGO

Is the DRC passable? Can one get through from one part of the Congo to the next? Big questions for an overlander. This is Dan Grec’s experience, on his way down Africa’s West Coast in a familiar Jeep Wrangler Rubicon… My thumbs-up is answered with two honks, so I gently ease off the clutch. The slack goes out of the tow rope and I barely notice the additional dead weight the Jeep is hauling, such is low-range first gear in the Rubicon. I’m towing a pickup loaded with food sacks and locals that has broken down in the worst possible

Mozambique – with a purpose

Blue Sky Society’s series of Journeys with Purpose is making headway in conservation and education programmes all over Africa. This time, a team of five women made good on a 17-day expedition through Mozambique Images Emily Scott & Tori Bohn Day one on the road in Mozambique taught us one thing: We weren’t going anywhere fast. Between rutted dirt roads, cavernous potholes, and sharing the highway with everything from errant goats to massive trucks, overland travel was an exercise in patience. Our expedition vehicles (leader Carla Geyser’s signature pink Land Rover and a rented Toyota Hilux) were put to the

BUSH to BEACH

SA4x4 is joined by representatives from Toyota, Suzuki, and Kia as we meander through eSwatini’s magnificent national parks before darting down to the southern coast of Mozambique – all under the expert guidance of Riaan Jooste of Complete 4×4… It’s a sad truth that many South Africans take our neighbouring countries for granted. Those in the know are fully aware of the awe and splendour on offer just beyond our borders. With that in mind, we enlisted the services of Riaan Jooste, a passionate 4×4 tour operator and enthusiast who would be plotting our canter through Swaziland – these days

Of Desert Sands, Camels, and Serpents

A team of adventurers re-create the original 1969 East-West Australia Expedition Perched high on the crest of a sand ridge, the rising sun cast my elongated shadow to the west, which dissipated like a heat-induced mirage in the thick clumps of spinifex below. Beyond was another sand ridge, then a hundred more until the most distant collided with a waning dawn sky. Three hundred kilometres further lay Old Andado Station, our next objective. I breathed in deeply and closed my eyes, letting the crisp air fill my lungs as I mentally prepared for the day ahead. Opening them, I scanned

Take the high road…

If you’re not chasing the best roads in South Africa, you’re simply not doing it right. By roads, of course, I mean dusty mountain passes with spectacular views. As travellers and overlanders, we live for the langpad, and the Eastern Cape Highlands has long, winding roads in abundance. On my way back to the Cape from a recent Wild Coast expedition, I couldn’t help but sample the region famed for the ‘Ben 10’ passes – a collection of mountain routes that traverse the highest roads in South Africa. Among them is Makhollo, AKA Ben MacDhui, which, at 3 001m, is

Poachers Beware…

When SA4x4 was invited to join an anti-poaching initiative hosted by Mapesu Private Game Reserve in Northern Limpopo, it didn’t take much persuading to get the folk from Opposite Lock and Front Runner along for the experience…

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