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

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…

Bokkeveld Back Roads

If strenuous hikes, quiver tree forests and unspoiled mountain vistas get you going, then a tour to the Bokkeveld is a must.

Do go chasing waterfalls…

For most South Africans, the Wild Coast is simply too far away and too arduous to access to make it a worthwhile destination. An absolute travesty, if you ask me. After spending just over a week combing the beaches, bluffs, waterfalls and river mouths of the wildest Eastern Cape, I’ve been converted. This is paradise, my friends. But hurry – it may not be this way forever. The long haul It’s a long drive from Cape Town to the north coast of the Eastern Cape. It’s more than 1 000km of Garden Route meandering that quickly deteriorates into pothole-ridden, fatigue-inducing

Ultimate Adventures Iceland Experience

Come and join Ultimate Adventures and Arctic Truck Experience for an off-road adventure of a lifetime. You will get to drive your very own Toyota Hilux Arctic Truck while under the expert guidance of the AT guide that will accompany us for the full duration of the tour, sharing local knowledge and ensuring the best off-road experience Iceland has to offer. The itinerary has been designed to include all of the highlights one would expect to experience while travelling in this winter wonderland with the best chance of seeing the Northern Lights. Space is limited to 8 persons sharing with

Rainforest Challenge

We head to Malaysia for the Rainforest Challenge, a world of crimson mud, black scorpions and specially-adapted crawler rigs.

Nam-packed

It’s what you put in the miles, not the miles you put in. Strange for Namibia? The Ironman 4×4 lads, based in Windhoek, prove a point when they put together a rich and varied tour focused on the Erongo region…

Tankwa time-out

A few weekends ago we had the pleasure of once again travelling to the Tankwa Karoo. The Tankwa is a very special place for us. It’s where my fiancé Simon and I had one of our first Rolbos Overland adventures, which led to me penning our first blog and the two of us becoming full-time explorers. This time around we decided to try something new and travel along the Old Postal Road. Our final destination was a campsite called “Die Mond” situated on the banks of the Groot River. We left promptly at 06:00 on a Friday morning, taking the

Dune domination… in an X3

When BMW South Africa drops you a line asking you to join them for some dune driving in an X3, you might be a bit reluctant at first. The 4×4 community views BMW’s off-road capable offerings with healthy scepticism, and you won’t find an X3 or X5 off the beaten track that often. Historically, there have been a few simple explanations for that: minimal ground clearance, lack of off-road tires, poor underbody protection, and an off-road system more geared towards icy European roads than rocky African adventures. BMWs have, thus, always been relegated to the bench when it comes to

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