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Dust & glory

The recipe was simple: bring together a bunch of SA’s topperforming bakkies and put them head to head in an epic adventure. From the urban sprawl of Johannesburg to deep within the Okavango Delta, these five vehicles would be tested to their limits and beyond. We had a real mix-and-match of vehicles, too, ranging from the ubiquitous Hilux 2.8 to the allpowerful V6 Amarok, and including the handsome 3.2 Ranger, surprising Triton and, of course, the Mazda – which showed up on the back foot, as rear-drive only. Th is would be an interesting trip with more than a few…

Richtersveld cycling adventure

Pedal Paradise

We join Richtersveld Tours’ new MTB route in this arid heartland for an unforgettable chance to explore the stillness that comes with so much space… By Richard van Ryneveld I was staring at the brand-new ‘longloan’ Mazda BT-50 parked in front of our offices. I was daydreaming. The RTI canopy with the side-hatch kitchen had just been fitted. On top was an aerodynamic Alu-Cab rooftop tent, and on the side, a 270-degree Shadow Awning, also from Alu- Cab. How the hell was I going to get my claws on this lovely beast? The ringing of my phone shatters this line of…

Water filtration and purification

If you are open to their clues, various animals can lead you to water in an emergency, but once you have found a water source, you should not simply go and drink it, even if it looks clean. Water is a two-edged sword. It is the most important element we need to keep our body working, but it can house bacteria and pathogens which can cause us great harm. It is therefore important that we treat all water, irrespective of how ‘clean’ it may appear, in such a way that we render these harmful organisms harmless to us. Before we…

Zambian Migrations Expedition

EXPLORE AFRICA WITH SA4x4 & ULTIMATE ADVENTURES Guided Self-Drive 4×4 Tours 2017 Basics Dates: 29 October – 11 November Cost: R12 500 per person Includes: Accommodation & Park Fees, Dinner Daily Excludes: Fuel, Border Costs, Drinks, VHF Radio Hire Distance covered: 5000km Tour details Each year, Zambia plays host to two of the best kept secrets in the natural world. These two wildlife spectacles are only ever witnessed by the avid adventurer due to the remoteness of the areas in which they occur. This year, we have combined two of our most popular tours in order to witness both migrations in one magnificent Zambian expedition. The tour will…

2017 Defender Trophy

Adventure: 2017 Defender Trophy

By Patrick Cruywagen Land Rover may have ended Defender production at the beginning of 2016, but their popularity and prices have continued to soar. Th e 2017 Defender Trophy held in the Limpopo province provided ample proof of this. Twenty competitors and five support Defenders of varying configurations (and with every accessory imaginable) lined up at the Copacopa Lodge start, which is only a few kms from the Punda Maria Gate of the Kruger National Park. Here, the vehicles were stickered up to the max. While most of the competitors hailed from South Africa, Richard Bennett and wife Jacqueline had…

Karoo National Park - 4x4 Eco Trails

Karoo National Park – 4×4 Eco Trails

View Trail Gallery & Information Below One of the greatest advantages of experiencing new 4×4 tracks is the taking of roads less travelled to get there. And the back roads from Bot River to the Karoo National Park, via Sutherland, certainly made a worthwhile detour. On our first day, my travelling partner, Lionel ‘Tau’ Williams (his Setswana nickname, meaning Lion, will be explained later) and I got off the N2 as quickly as possible and made for Swellendam on the Klipfontein dirt track. From there to Sutherland, we chose dirt tracks wherever we could, losing ourselves in the world behind…

Mana Pools & South Luangwa

Ultimate Adventures: Mana Pools & South Luangwa

Basics Date: 2 – 19 September Cost: R18 500 per person Includes: Accommodation & Park Fees, Dinner Daily Excludes: Fuel, Drinks, lunch, border fees Distance covered: 5800km Tour highlights: Two of Africa’s best game parks, Lake Kariba, superb game viewing Mana pools & South Luangwa Tour Details Mana Pools National Park is synonymous with the Zambezi River, elephants, lions, remoteness and wilderness. This unique park is a World Heritage Site based on its wildness and beauty, together with its wide range of large mammals, over 350 bird species, and its aquatic wildlife. The name “Mana’’ means “four” in the local…

Travel: East Griqualand

Travel East Griqualand

By Stephen Smith “This is why I’ve been coming to EG for the last ten years!” Andy James screamed out of the darkness. “For this fish!” It was just after sunset and the two of us had been throwing ‘last casts’ for the past 40 minutes, all in the hope of hooking one of the trophy trout for which this area, and this farm in particular, is legendary. When I wanted to take the new Nissan Navara on a trip to see what all the fuss was about (it was awarded the International Pickup Award in 2016) I phoned a…

Travel: Lesotho

Travel Lesotho

By Simon Steadman, Photography by Desiree Steadman Riding a donkey has never really been high up there on my bucket list, but I guess that when you are in Lesotho, “When in Rome, do as the Romans do” is very fitting. So there I was, camera around my neck, ready to mount my trusty steed and begin our Donkey Pub Crawl. But let’s backtrack a little… Waking up at four in the morning is something that I will never get used to, or be a fan of, even after having been in this job for nearly ten years. This time…

A World Uncovered

Regular contributor Des Featherstone and her partner have been camping at Theewaterskloof Dam for the past 20 year, and have never seen it so empty. The terrible drought in the Western Cape has left Theewaterskloof Dam looking like a desert wilderness. The dry, cracking mud and dwindling pools of water are shocking to see. But in the midst of this devastation is a wonderful, unique opportunity for 4×4 drivers. The receding waters have exposed a landscape last seen before it was opened in 1980. The old farms, with vineyards still in neat rows and irrigation pipes exposed, are very interesting…

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