Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 5 (Mar 2021) i Adventure Afrika

Arriving in Durban for the latest Ford launch, the jokes about the brand flying us out to sample another "sticker pack" is rife. And I guess not entirely unwarranted – in its pursuit to plug every available bakkie gap in the market, there are now 44 Ranger options to choose from. Colour me confused, but at the same time impressed – it does speak to the brand's commitment to customised offerings within a mass market. Available in 4x2 and 4x4 guises, of the 2.0 Single Turbo FX4 model – based on the popular XLT spec – slots neatly in-between the XLT and the more refined Ranger Wildtrak. "Think of it as a Wildtrak-light," says product communications manager, Felix Sebata. Setting the FX4 apart on the outside is a set of…

A tablet as tough as you Take your desk further with the CORE-T4 tablet. Whether its for industrial, construction or adventure travel use, the CORE-T4 tables proves its mettle. The 8-inch screen covered in Gorilla Glass 3 is rich and bright, and the large 7 000mAh battery will last long. The textured surface on the back ensures a firm grip, even with wet or dirty hands. *Available from a limited number of retailers, including takealot.com, Vodacom, MTN and Celucity, the Crosscall Core T4 costs R11 000. It’s time to braai! The Quick Barbe is an excellent addition to every overlanding kit. Whether you want to prepare a meal or just light a fire for the ambience at any campsite, the Quick Barbe is the answer. It sets up in seconds…

An owner/operator tour and safari company striving to give guests the best value for money, George and Marlene van Deventer from Trans Africa have – through personal experiences – learnt about the pitfalls and surprises a trip through Africa can bring. Through careful research and planning, they turn your dream adventure in to a cohesive trip itinerary that will first leave your speechless and then turn you into a story teller of note. They offer more than just the normal tourist itineraries, taking adventurers places the normal tourist never see and by visiting the off-the-beaten-track destinations. Services include: Guided self-drive tours Camp equipment Bookings and adventure itineraries Equipped 4×4 vehicle rentals Customised tours Some highlights on the 2021 Calendar: GONAREZHOU & ZIMBABWE 16 – 26 APRIL 2021 R9 800 P/P…

The last few years in South Africa have been dry – bitterly dry. Add to this the past year spent in varying degrees of lockdown which brought about its own extraordinary challenges and the situation is more than dry. It is dire. With the inevitable change brought about by 2020, and struggles that followed, things tend to look hopeless and people stop dreaming. A national lockdown leads to adventurers like us feeling frustrated, our emotions in turmoil… We long to get out, to explore! I may not complain, I know. Despite the pandemic, our family are still blessed, healthy and happy. And I am grateful – very much so. But my adventurer's heart is left longing, thirsty for revitalisation that only being out there, exploring the unknown, can bring. My…

No matter what the salesperson told you, you must expect that the "featherweight, easy to tow" trailer is going to act like an anchor when going off-road. There are several things to consider when towing and this article will cover some of these. What is right for me? If one was to choose the main theme around selecting a trailer, it must be to select a trailer that firstly matches your vehicle's towing capabilities and then only fulfil your wish list. This means choosing a trailer with a similar track width as that of the tow vehicle; and that is within the towing mass limitations. Before going further, though: one piece of critical advice is that you should always choose the lightest trailer you can. As long as it is…

When the world was put under lockdown due to the c-word we no longer want to mention, camper and adventurer Mike Ilsley decided it was the perfect time to start building his first micro trailer. Fast forward a couple of weeks and several experiments on CAD (in consultation with his son) later, the first design was sent out for the chassis and body to be manufactured. Truly living his brand's slogan – Explore New Worlds – the first Afri Trak at. EZee Xpedition adventure camper was born. Similar to Mary Poppins’ magical handbag, this little trailer offers more than meets the eye. It comes standard with a 1.4m (wide) x 2.2m (long) Tentco Tour rooftop tent and there is ample space in the load bin hidden underneath the tent. Based…

Ranger Base The Ranger Base model offers an economical package that ticks the basic requirements in the no frills workhorse segment. Dual front airbags, a driver seatbelt minder and ABS with Electronic brakeforce distribution are fitted as standard. So is a 12V power point plug and radio with Bluetooth and USB to make long drives more enjoyable. Ranger XL Sport The Ranger XL Sport offers nut and bolts practicality as well as an appealing lifestyle allure after Ford garnished the entry-level XL with an optional Sport kit. The kit includes 17” black alloy wheels, black side steps, black styling bar at the rear, black rear bumpers, black rims and a gloss black grille. The interior also benefits from the optional 8” colour touch screen infotainment system, which offers Apple CarPlay…

The problem with living on a continent as beautiful and diverse as Africa, adventurers often look past the reasonably easy destinations. The concept of "the further you go, the more beautiful it will be" gradually becomes part of your travel planning and you are always looking to push the envelope to get your fix. This concept is described perfectly in Johan Bakkes' book, Openbaring, where the premise is that they always plan trips with extremes (the "-est" trips). In his travel journal, he refers to late-night chats in his bar, where he and his travelling companions plan the next big adventure, emphasising the extreme ("-est") principle. The hottest, coldest, highest, farthest, prettiest, smallest, and most unknown places are prerequisites. He later confesses that this methodology is often successfully used to…

Make sure you never miss out on your copy of Adventure Afrika by subscribing at 25% less and stand a chance to win an amazing get-away to Mapesu Game Lodge THE PRIZE: A 3-night luxury stay for two people at MOPANE BUSH LODGE in Limpopo including breakfast, dinners and 2 activities per day PLUS a spa treatment for two at the Wellness Sala Spa. VALUE: R25 000 HOW? Email us on: info@4x4afrika.com (use “Subscribe & win in the subject line) Visit https: https://4x4afrika.com/subscribe/ Digitale subscriptions are available from: https://www.zinio.com/za/adventure-afrika-m38003 MOPANE BUSH LODGE @ MAPESU PRIVATE GAME RESERVE MAPESU PRIVATE GAME RESERVE pursue conservation efforts that are coupled with responsible tourism to help build the symbiosis between the people that work here, the land and its animals; as well as our…

Send yours to us at: info@4x4afrika.com Des Paton 2010 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sahara 3.8 V6 “My Jeep – called Thanos – is not just a car. It is my passion and my escape from a busy life, my gateway to creating priceless memories with my family” *Follow Thanos’ adventures on instagram: @thanos_the_jeep Congratulations on your big news, Des! May this new edition to your family bring you only joy and happiness. - Ed. Rechard Temm 2016 Toyota Hilux 2.8 GD6 4X4 D/C “I am a complete outdoor junkie and love my ride as it combines my love for the outdoors and gives me the freedom to explore. Rocky ensures we can take on any adventure we want to, always in comfort and with reliability.” *Follow Rechard and Rocky on Instagram:…

Dreaming of undertaking a trip from Cape Town to view the Aurora Borealis (Northen Lights), Rohann is completely smitten with his Jimny and already have many modifications planned for Oubaas “I am only starting out and still have loads to do, but this car is a already a machine. It goes wherever I need it to and allows me to live my passion of travelling and exploring,” says Rohann, who loves putting Oubaas to the test at surrounding 4x4 trails. Having already fitted a couple of accessories, Rohann’s top tip is to speak to fellow enthusiasts to get some advice and ideas. “Yes, it may change your initial plans but this way, you ensure you don’t make the same mistakes others have made. To this extent, I have made peace…

The General and the Raptor The locally assembled Ford Ranger Raptor now comes fitted with the award-winning General Grabber AT3 all-terrain tyre as a standard original equipment (OE) fitment. This is a significant accolade for this tyre range, produced at the Continental Tyre South Africa plant in Port Elizabeth. Independent testing has proven the Grabber AT3 to be the all-terrain tyre segment benchmark. Its 50/50 on-road/off-road design delivers well-balanced performance for all surfaces. Additionally, the General Grabber range is renowned for its exceptional value for money, which benefits Ford in managing its production costs. Ford invests $1 Billion to modernise its Pretoria plant Ford Motor Company recently announced an investment of US$1.05 billion (R15.8 billion) in its South African manufacturing operations – the biggest investment in Ford's 97-year history in…

Porsche has enjoyed a relatively long and successful run in the world of cross-country rally. One of the most iconic is the German automaker's stint in the famous Dakar Rally. Let's take a drive down memory lane to see whether this sports car maker’s involvement in Dakar and other motorsport events played a part to shape them as one of the most prominent players in the luxury SUV segment. It's the early 1980’s, and I haven't been born yet. What was born, though, and already in full dramatic swing was Group B rallying. This class of rallying was seen as one where the rule book didn't exist. Even the laws of physics were put to the test. Manufacturers had no restriction of power – and thanks to the development and…

After completing the extremely adventurous Route 5, our convoy headed out to relax and unwind at the Wildlife Camp on the banks of the Luangwa River in Eastern Zambia. Wildlife Camp is one of those campsites that always leave you longing – regardless of how long you stay, it is never enough. It is situated high above the river, overlooking the winding stream and the Mopani Forest on the other side. The Luangwa River is one of the Zambezi River's major tributaries and one of the big five rivers of Zambia. It generally floods in the rain season and fails considerably in the dry season. The bonus of staying at Wildlife Camp is that you do not need to venture into the park to view the abundant wildlife; they come…

A year ago, I wrote a blog post stating that I would be spending the 21-day #lockdown on my own with my two dogs. And now, a year later, we are still in #lockdown. Yes, the restrictions have been lifted, and I also fell in love, but some things did not change. As much as I like cooking, I also like eating, but there are some things I don’t really eat. One of them is regular toaster or sandwich bread. There is nothing wrong with it – I am just not a fan. Two years ago, I attended ‘bread school’ with Babette’s Bread and expanded my bread repetoire quite significantly. However, with back-to-back ZOOM meetings (also a new element that krept into our lives, courtesy of the C-word!), I often…

Built primarily to handle the harshest of African environments and outdoor conditions, the 2021 Outbound Thunder Camper is taking South Africa by storm. The camper was designed, developed and manufactured to the highest quality standards and flaunts an independent suspension with coil springs and dual shocks that support the 15-inch wheels with aluminium alloy mags. According to Clive van der Vyver from Kempton Caravans, this robust unit was designed with the off-road adventurer in mind and is easy to operate, making it manageable on the campsite and stable on the road. Setting up the camper is relatively quick and easy. Two people can open the lid manually, but if you are alone and need some assistance, it is a lot easier to use the winch. It also boasts a 1…

In the middle of nowhere, in the heart of the Klein Karoo, is a camp oasis. A stone’s throw from Calitzdorp and Oudtshoorn, next to the incredible Gamkaberg Nature Reserve, you will find the incredible campsite, Karoowater Guest Farm. As the name suggests, it offers a delightful refresher in the arid Karoo – ideal for anyone who needs a break from the daily hustle and bustle On arrival, all the necessary COVID-19 regulations were complied with and, at reception, we learned more about the campsite and what we could expect from the resort. After a fairly short drive from our home in Heidelberg (Western Cape), we were eager to set up camp and were greeted by very tame Springboks grazing on the lush green grass banks surrounding the sites. We…

When the KIA Picanto was restyled about three years ago, my then 15-year old daughter loved it and “booked” one as her first car. As she had to share a car with her 1.92-meter tall twin brother, we did not really consider the Picanto as we had thought it would not be big enough. Having recently driven the brand’s latest offering in the popular Picanto line-up – the X-line featuring a modern and distinctive cross-over styling – I regret our decision not to consider the Picanto. Yes, it is on the smaller side (being an entry-level A-segment model, after all), but it packs a techheavy, comfort-focused and surprisingly adventurous punch. Taking it on a test-drive through some city congestion, a small gravel section and then out onto the open road,…