Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 6 (April 2021) i Adventure Afrika

So, how did this Grenadier adventure start? The story goes that a couple of years back, Ineos boss and billionaire, Jim Ratcliffe and a couple of his mates were having a pint in a pub in London called the Grenadier. Deep in the discussion, they realised that one of the last great utility vehicles was about to exit the market. They all agreed they would sorely miss it. Thus, inspired by the pint or discussion (or both?), the gang set out to design a new vehicle where functionality and capability would be leading the engineering design. It would – in Jim's words – be the spiritual successor to the Land Rover Defender. It needed to pull a plough, clear a minefield and drive up to Buckingham Palace. "A no-frills uncompromising…

When you think about any adventure travel magazine, you would be forgiven to think it's only those extreme trips requiring a big 4x4 that would make the cut. However, we believe that the only person that can and should define your adventure is you – and with KIA's latest edition, the Picanto X-Line, you can without a doubt "go there" (to steal from their pay-off line). A few weeks ago, a team member was impressed with the 1.2 Automatic X-Line she drove during the media launch in Pretoria, saying it packs a tech-heavy, comfort-focused and surprisingly adventurous punch. With such a review, we simply had to take it on a more extended and more adventurous trip to really test its capabilities. Our gameplan for the trip was to make it…

Having lived in Bloemfontein for close to four decades, I had the privilege of getting to know Lesotho extremely well. I have seen the progress and development over the years, which admittedly is a good thing, but it does mean that some of the Mountain Kingdom’s magic has sadly been lost. One of the developments that makes me somewhat nostalgic is the tarring of the road from Sani Pass to Mokhotlong. This once magical drive through scenic valleys next to little streams is all gone now. Sadly, the Sani Pass – as we know and love it today – is constantly undergoing changes, all in the name of progress. One can only hope it does not lose all of its charm. There are not many "old roads" remaining in Lesotho,…

First off, you need to research and decide on a destination. There are numerous water bodies in Southern Africa where tigerfish are found. The most popular sites include the upper and lower Zambezi River, Lake Cahora Bassa, and Lake Kariba. For South Africans, Lake Jozini is a popular spot, while the Luvuvhu River north of the Kruger National Park has also thrilled some anglers with good catches. A lesser-known spot is the Runde River in the Gonarezhou National Park in the south of Zimbabwe. This is my local fishing spot and we have caught some big ones here before – up to 5kg! While tigerfish can be caught throughout the year, it is best to check with locals to find the best time of the year for the area you…

With over 30 years of experience in the build and design of trailers and caravans, Conqueror is one of the oldest off-road trailer and caravan manufacturers in the country. Conqueror originally manufactured trailers for military use but later expanded into the leisure and camping industry. With all this experience and in partnership with Recce Inc. – associated with the Recce Heritage Trust – the ultimate beefedup limited-edition Comfort Recce is uniquely designed, developed and manufactured with the best quality materials. It comes as no surprise then that the Conqueror Comfort has won The Great Outdoor Guide’s, off-road trailer of the year award in South Africa for three consecutive years. “This Comfort Recce, just like the other off-road trailers and caravans, are handcrafted by South Africans for Africa with one vision…

Sometimes you feel like going camping, but you are not up for a long drive to reach your destination. Fortunately for us, the beautiful Nona Rosa Bush Camp is only 20km from our house in Heidelberg in the Southern Cape, making it an ideal mid-week getaway. It is located only 17km from Witsand, widely known as a Mecca for anglers. This, of course, makes it an attractive option for fishermen who often descend upon the small town to wet their lines. The Breede River estuary, where Witsand is located, offers some of the best fishing opportunities in South Africa, with anglers coming from far and wide to catch cod. According to the local community, cods weighing more than 20kg are regularly caught in the Breede River. Other fish found here…

The Amarok range, launched in South Africa in 2010, has sold over 37 000 units. In the early days, Volkswagen only offered the Amarok with a choice of petrol and diesel 2.0-litre engines. In contrast, the competition – in the form of the Ford Ranger, Toyota Hilux and Isuzu D-MAX – offered a 3.2-litre and a 3.0-litre engine respectively. This approach seemed to put a damper on the overall attractiveness of the Amarok, despite it matching and even out-performing the competition. The Amarok was mocked for its milk bottle displacement which forced Volkswagen to silence the naysayers. A few years ago, the German automaker dropped a 3.0-litre turbo diesel V6 into the Amarok which developed 165kW and 550Nm of torque. At present, while the competition is downsizing their engines, Volkswagen…

Ford South Africa, along with Neil Woolridge Motorsport (NWM), recently showcased their latest entry, an all-new Ranger. Set to compete in the premier Production Vehicle category of the South African Cross Country Series (SACCS), the highly-anticipated new Ford Ranger will be the first vehicle in its class competing locally under the FIA’s new international cross country regulations for turbocharged petrol engines. Power for the new FIA Ranger is derived from Ford’s impressive 3.5-litre V6 twin-turbocharged EcoBoost engine, which powers the exceptional Ford GT supercar, as well as the Ford F-150 Raptor in North America. The clean-sheet design is a significant upgrade from the current Ranger V8, which scored a debut victory in 2013, and clinched the SACCS Class T titles in 2018 and 2019. In this application, the EcoBoost engine…

It has been said that fishermen are the world’s best story tellers but they often opt to not spoil a good story with facts. Now, when we read about some magnificent tigerfish being tamed at the Makuya Game Reserve, north of the Kruger we took the same approach: let’s ignore the facts to be able to tell a great story! The facts of course being that after a heavy rain season fish would probably not be in abundance – but we would not let that stand in the way of our adventure. Rounding up some fellow overlanding and fishing enthusiasts, we headed out for a long weekend in the wild. Anton arranged to meet our guide, Aubrey, at the gate and again the “facts” were less than accurate. According to…

I was thrilled to hear we would be taking the upgraded Toyota Fortuner – offering a decent 150kW and 500Nm of torque, thanks to the new 2.8-liter GD-6 engine first introduced in the Hilux – to the bush for a few days. As we were wild camping, we chatted to the guys from Conqueror Connection East Rand who were more than happy the let us try out their Conqueror Comfort Recce. The Fortuner have always been a favourite for me and having the chance to finally tow with it was exciting. Our destination laid north of the Soutpansberg which meant about five hours on the tar. Towing on the N1 is a breeze – the roads are well-maintained and fairly straight, apart from a couple of hills before Polokwane. The…

Tick the tyre box New tyres are definitely your first stop when going on your adventure. Most SUV and bakkies come standard with tyres that are more suitable to road conditions and not really up to taking on serious gravel roads. A decent set of tyres will allow you to go much further with less possibility of punctures and tyre loss. Be sure to consider thread depth, load capacity and price when looking for the perfect tyre fit. In suspense Overlanding takes you down the most extreme off-roading trails and more often than not an upgrade to your suspension will not only ease the bumps and dips in the road, but also improve your towing ability. Your suspension will also help you carry that extra load you want to add…

One of the reasons it took me so long to embrace the outdoor and camping lifestyle related to the fact that the only squat I feel comfortable with, are those done in a gym. I am by no means a "glamper", but the whole boys to the left, girls to the right thing has never quite tickled my fancy… Thankfully, the camp genies over at Tentco have some great solutions available for campers. Keep it clean There are very few things better than a nice hot (or even cold – especially when the mercury rises well above 40 degrees in places like Botswana) shower after a long day in the bush. Upon closer investigation, I was surprised at the large number of types and styles of camping showers available on…

Send yours to us at: info@4x4afrika.com Arriejan van der Laarse 3.9 V8 Landrover Discovery (1996 model) “Stofgevreet, our Landy, has been a passion project and together with my brother we have rebuilt this vehicle into what it is today. We avoid tar roads as far as possible and love exploring small towns to learn more about our beautiful country… And where the roads end, we build trails.” Ivor du Plessis 2018 Dakar 2.8 GD-6 Auto 4x4 “I love the confidence the Toyota brand gives me, not ever having to worry about safety or reliability when driving anywhere with my family. Furthermore, I really dig the way the bakkie looks thanks to some modifcations and upgrades – it certainly amped up the attractiveness.” WINNER Roux Esterhuyse 2018 Ford Ranger 2.2XL 6MT…

Ford Everest gets sporty Similar to the battle between the Toyota Hilux and Ford Ranger, the brands compete head-on in the SUV segment with the Fortuner and Everest respectively. Ford has now extended its Everest offering with the introduction of the new Everest Sport. This newcomer features a black mesh grille and unique Everest badge on the bonnet, along with black mirror caps and door handles – replacing the chrome finishes on the Everest XLT. Further reinforcing the dynamic appearance is the black treatment for the front bumper and rear valance in the place of silver, along with ebony roof rails, striking 20-inch black alloy wheels; as well as unique Sport decals on the rear doors. Priced from R662 800, customers have the choice of 4x4 and 4x2 models, both…

Snatch that strap We've all seen the videos on social media where recoveries go very wrong due to the incorrect ropes and straps, making this an important accessory to pack whenever venturing out into the bundus or onto a 4x4 trail. The Australian-based company, Tough Dog, is the leaders in developing recovery gear, and one of their top-sellers is the 11T/9m Snatch Strap. Made from 100% Nylon, it has reinforced eyelets and boasts a three-year warranty (material & manufacture). *Available at Opposite Lock for R1 495: www.oppositelock.co.za (You can also look into purchasing a full kit with all gear required for successful recovery from R5 895. – Ed). It's not inside, it's on top! Space is like gold when packing for an overland adventure, and any way to create additional…

One of my favourite things about travelling is the great friends I have made along the way. These are people who have showed me places that I would otherwise never have been able to discover on my own. I also gained invaluable insight into how many ex-pats (there is a significant South African farming community in Zambia) and local residents like to travel and explore their own country. What I have found is that Zambia is truly an adventurer's dream. There are some proper wild places left in Zambia, and you can really lose yourself if you want to. The parks are also not overcrowded, the shops are well stocked, and the roads are… well, let's just say the roads are part of the adventure. Any adventurous traveller who enjoys…

As the sun rose over the horizon, beams of sunlight streamed into my bedroom on a cool August morning, six months into the national lockdown. For the first time in a very long time, I woke up feeling as excited as a kid on Christmas morning. Today marks the official start of my journey to convert my vehicle into an overlanding beast. As the saying goes: it's not what you know, but who you know… And for this build, I knew I would have to rely on those in the know that I knew. The build started at Thekwini Toyota in Durban with my good friend David Lucien. David has been in the motor industry for many years and, based on his advice and understanding of what my plans were…

Having grown up spending weekends on his family farm nurtured Stephen Mogapi's love for the rough outdoor lifestyle from a young age. "I simply love the fun and freedom offered by the great outdoors," he said, adding that he always preferred adventurefilled activities such as quad-biking, ziplining and hiking over typical urban adventures. It then comes as no surprise that the adventure and 4x4 bug bit him fairly quickly after being invited to join a colleague on a hunting trip in 2017. This was his formal initiation into the world of gravel travel, campfire cooking and bush living and he fell in love with it. "I later moved away from the hunting and focused more on the camping and 4x4 elements,” Stephen said. “It really is the best therapy in…

Founded at the end of the 1980's in Iceland, the Arctic Truck is a four-wheel drive vehicle that has been reengineered to accommodate larger tyres. Demand was driven by the very challenging terrain such as rocky tracks, snow, sand and rivers. The requirement for vehicles capable of transporting teams and equipment to some of the world's harshest environments grew from there. Today, the company can convert just about any off-road vehicle and has a long list of Toyota, Isuzu and Nissan products. They have also added a few other brands into the mix, such as Hyundai's Santa Fe. Where can I get one? There are no official Arctic Trucks vehicles available in South Africa. However, the company operates from Iceland where it was started, Norway and now the United Kingdom.…

As the Langkloof opens up into the Keurbooms River valley, you will pass several points of interest before crossing the Keurbooms River over a low level concrete causeway. The road passes through rugged and spectacular scenery. You will pass a rock formation signposted as Tata Riet se Gat, a rudimentary cave-like shelter right next to and slightly above the road. This dates back to when one of the farmhands known as Tata (Outa) Riet used to take the children for walks on Sunday afternoons and spent time in the shelter. Three hundred meters further, as the road curves through a gentle S bend, a distinctive rock formation comes into view with a solitary column rising on the western side. Named Bain's Pillar, this is one of many landmarks named in…

We are blessed to work outdoors and through the careers we chose, we have seen some of the most beautiful parts of the world. Our hearts remains in Africa, though and we love exploring our continent at every available opportunity,” said Richard. One of his most memorable trips in the Fortuner – who does not have a nickname as it does not like being called anything but extremely capable – has been exploring Botswana’s famous Hunters Road with his brother, Frank. “While the drive and sightings were incredible, the thing that really gets me going is spending time around a campfire, connecting with like-minded enthusiasts,” he said, adding that they have made some great friends on their many adventures. “I have learnt two things on this overlanding journey: know and…