Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 20 (Jun 2022) i Adventure Afrika

While checking the final pages of this issue, before going to print I realised that there are two underlying themes here: compactness and rains. Well, actually there are three as adventure is another one, but as a reader of this magazine you know that already. Adventure means different things to different people, but for us it’s about trying new things, visiting destinations near and far, sharing fantastic tales of great experiences and inspiring you to find your adventure. Sure, not everyone wants – or can afford – to pack an overland vehicle, leave the hussle and bustle of city life behind and head into the great unknown for weeks on end. Some people prefer weekend breakaways, short camping trips, spending valuable time with loved ones or exploring our beautiful country,…

Find the names and terms of sightseenig spots in South Africa in the wordblock. Words can appear horizontal, vertical or diagonal and can be in any direction. Diaeresis and circumflex are not used. Words in brackets per explanation. AFRO (CHIC INTERIOR HOTELS) BASS(LAKE 4X4 TRIAL) BLOUKRANS BUNGEE (JOHANNES)BURG CLARENS DOLPHIN (COAST) EVITA SE PERRON GOLD REEF (CITY) HARTBEESHOEK (SATELITE SITE) HOUTBAY JOCK (OF THE BUSHVELD) KAAPSE KLOPSE KALABAS (LOUNGE) KANDUM KAROO KNYSNA KWV (CELLARS) LONG (TOM PASS) MAROPENG MODJADJI NAVY MUSEUM PELLA QUNU (MANDELA MUSEUM) ROUTE (62) SEWEWEEKS(POORT) SUDWALA (CAVES AND PRE HISTORIC PARK) SWARTBERG PASS TULBACH TWELVE APOSTLES V&A WATERFRONT WALTER (SISULU BOTANICAL GARDENS) AMPHI THEATER (IN DRAKENSBERGE) BAVIAANS(KLOOF) BLYDERIVER (CANYON) CAPE TOWN CLIFTON DRAKENSBERG MOUNTAIN FLATS (CAPE) GOLDEN (GATE) HECTOR PETERSON MUSEUM INDWE JUNK (PARK) KANGO (CAVES) KGALAGADI…

Honda has introduced the next generation of the HR-V compact SUV in South Africa. It offers exceptional space, comfort and utility, as well as advanced safety and technology features, all within a bold and sleek coupé-inspired form. The new-generation HR-V has a contemporary coupé-SUV body that gives it a sleek and dynamic design while delivering exceptional space efficiency. The spacious interior has a solid, premium SUV feel, with a good mix of contemporary fabrics and soft-touch materials. A host of brand-new features are also now available on the new HR-V, elevating the driver experience with unrivalled levels of comfort and utility. Important SUV attributes such as loading convenience is enhanced by a hands-free power tailgate with so-called Walk Away Close function (depending on the grade/specification). The smart key proximity function…

You’ve got the power When setting up a dual battery and trying to get all those wires to be neat and safe – not to mention ensuring that each one has a fuse to prevent fires in your vehicle – can be quite a tricky and a labour-intensive exercise. Fortunately, Ring Automotive have just the solution in the form of the RSU60 12 V Wireless Switching System (with remote control). It is the smart way to control power to ancillary electrical products. The single central tech hub connects to the vehicle’s 12V battery, allowing up to eight ancillary electrical products to be wired to one location. Then, through unique signal pairing, each device can be wirelessly accessed through the switch remote. This can save up to 45 minutes per product…

Kia has been experiencing a bit of a Renaissance in recent years. It has pushed out a bunch of new products while updating some of its existing nameplates, and even changed its logo. The Seltos was one of Kia’s first new models at the start of this Renaissance back in 2019. It was envisioned to be an affordable compact crossover SUV for the middle class, and it quickly became one of the brand’s most popular offerings. And with good reason! For starters, the Seltos is really good looking. As part of the so-called Kia Renaissance, it adopted a new design language that signalled a move toward a more digital, refined era. Some might miss the signature Tiger Nose design which was a Kia staple in the past. However, I welcome…

Ruaha National Park and Selous Game Reserve (now called Nyerere National Park) certainly did not disappoint with their scenic vistas and spectacular game viewing. On the contrary, it was quite breath-taking. But it was now time to focus our attention on the main highlights of the expedition, with the Ngorongoro Crater and Serengeti National Park next on the menu. The three days’ drive from Selous to Arusha is very scenic, especially as you travel through Moshi, and on a clear day you can be treated to a great view of Mount Kilimanjaro. However, these drives fade into oblivion once you reach the town of Arusha and the excitement starts to boil over as the main event of the trip draws ever nearer. Arusha is the gateway to the northern safari…

The name Kalahari is derived from the Tswana word “Kgala”, meaning the great thirst, or “Kgalagadi”, meaning the waterless place. It is a large, semi-arid sandy savanna in Southern Africa that extends over 900 000 square kilometres, covering much of Botswana, and parts of Namibia and South Africa. The Kalahari Desert, as its known, is not as a desert in the strictest sense of the word. It is a semi-desert. The driest areas receive 110 to 200mm of rain per year and the wettest can receive more than 500mm in very wet years. Traditionally, an area is classified a desert if it receives less than 250mm of rain annually. A more accurate definition of a desert is a region in which the evaporation rate is twice as great as the…

If a campsite’s arrival time is 10:00 on a Friday and your exit time is only 17:30 on a Sunday afternoon, you should know that the campsite owner has the campers’ best interests at heart. This is most certainly the case with Bergenwater, a beautiful and intimate campsite on the water’s edge on Altus and Monique Smith’s farm. Fortunately for us, they like to share this beautiful piece of land with campers. Bergenwater is located on a working wine farm, just outside Rawsonville. As it is only an hour’s drive from Cape Town, it is ideal for a quick getaway. The campsite we selected for our two-day visit gave us the most beautiful view of the river and the surrounding mountains – hence the very appropriate name for this camper’s…

When the day-to-day life of raising two busy boys gets too much for Henry Jonker, he knows that he can find his solitude in the great outdoors. “Exploring this beautiful continent and country of ours is my saving grace, my sanity in a world that often threatens to swallow you and spit you out without much thought,” says Henry. Tigger the Cruiser has been part of the Jonker family for the last decade. “I saw a fully kitted Cruiser 80 while driving past Strand years ago and knew I simply had to have one, not knowing that the 80 series Land Cruiser was seen as one of the Japanese brand’s finest products.” Citing the Doodsakker in Angola as a bucket list trip, Henry and the boys have travelled the length…

The instructions from our team leader, Mary Willemse, were clear: “Meet us at our house in Kempton Park, from where we’ll leave to rendezvous with the rest of the group at Alzu, on the N4, east of Middelburg.” I don’t do well with instructions, so I was late. I arrived at the Willemse residence in a tizz and was met by a stern-looking boss lady with a stack of luggage that included a huge cooler box, goodie bags, snacks, camera kit and other paraphernalia. Fortunately, Anton Willemse Snr is a practiced – and impressively quick – packer, so we were soon on our way. Thankfully we were first to arrive at Alzu. It had started raining along the way and it was now coming down in buckets. It was cold…

Some older readers might recall a humble little car brand named Datsun. It became known for its little 1400 bakkie, which replaced the big American gas guzzlers during the fuel crisis of the 1970s. Now fast forward to 2022, and we find ourselves amidst another fuel crisis. And here to save us from the large gas guzzlers yet again is another humble little Japanese vehicle, the Nissan Magnite. The Magnite isn’t our sole saviour though. The entire crossover segment is providing respite during these challenging times. It’s a highly competitive environment though, so in order to make its mark a product has to stand out from the rest of the pack. Looks-wise, the Magnite does just that. The space-age styling is completely bold and different, and it perfectly suits the…

Ultimate Adventures is run by Simon and Desiree Steadman. They offer top quality self-drive adventure tours throughout the continent and beyond, always going the extra mile with top-notch catering, courtesy of a chef on each trip. Their trips are immensely popular and the 2023 calendar is filled with amazing bucket list adventures: Ultimate Botswana Adventure: 8 – 17 February 2023 Iceland Arctic Trucks Experience: 4 – 11 March 2023 Ultimate Kalahari Adventure: 19 – 31 March 2023 North to South Luangwa Expedition: 13 – 30 April 2023 Okavango Delta Adventure: 14 – 25 May 2023 Ulitmate Tanzania Expedition: 10 June – 13 July 2023 Kafue National Park Adventure: 29 July – 10 August 2023 Mana Pools Adventure: 20 August – 2 September 2023 Morocco Sahara Desert Experience: 30 September –…

BOTSWANA HUNTERS ROAD – MUD, GUTS AND GLORY 7 – 14 January & 21 – 28 January 2023 | R5 250 per person sharing GONAREZHOU, VUMBA MOUNTAINS AND ZIM RUINS 10 – 21 February 2023 | R12 700 per person sharing MABUASEHUBE WILDSIDE 1 – 7 March 2023 | R6 750 per person sharing MAPUNGUBWE, TULI BLOCK & CENTRAL KALAHARI 12 – 24 March 2023 | R11 500 per person sharing THE GREAT NAMIBIAN ADVENTURE (CAMPING & GLAMPING) 7 – 18 April 2023 | R12 950 per person sharing KAOKOLAND/NORTHERN NAMIBIA 20 April – 2 May 2023 | R9 900 per person sharing FACES OF THE KGALAGADI AND MABUA 9 – 18 May & 22 – 31 May 2023 | R7 600 per person sharing SWAZILAND AND MOZAMBIQUE 12 –…

Lighting is a significant part of your camping arsenal. Trust me, it’s no fun wandering around in the dark when preparing food, going to the loo, or repairing something. So, what light sources do you need when you go camping? Well, for me, lighting solutions fall into three segments: ambient lighting, work lighting and personal lighting. Setting the mood Ambient lighting can be crucial, not only for setting the mood but also for practicality. Ambient lighting also acts as area lighting for your campsite, increasing your light ring and in doing so deterring some of the local wildlife. So, what options do you have for ambient lighting? Most overlanders who have been at it for a long time will probably install ambient lighting on their rig, probably connected to an…

When and where: The place, the season, and the time of day will determine what you will be able to photograph. Do some research before heading off to a destination, to avoid disappointment. The gear: The type of photographic gear you have will determine what type of bird photography you can achieve. Long lenses and fast shutters will put you in the position to photograph birds in flight but won’t capture the mood and drama of a flock of flamingos at sunset. Make realistic decisions on the type of gear you have and concentrate on the scenes that will work. Stabilise: It’s important to stabilise properly to get razor sharp images. Even when shooting out of hand, adapt your stance to be balanced and sturdy. Settings: Your bird subject will…

My first impression – and probably your first impression – of the Kia Sorento was that it looks fantastic. It’s a massive departure from its predecessor in the best possible way. I had great respect for the previous generation Sorento, though. It was our first-ever test vehicle in 2020 when we started the magazine. We took it to Mapungubwe and did some soft bundu bashing with it. The year after, it was the lead vehicle on a cross-country trip through South Africa, which I attended. It was never a proper off-roader, but I always felt it was an excellent alternative to the Toyota Fortuner and Ford Everest, a true trooper of a car and a real underdog. So, as a fan of not only the Sorento but the Kia brand…

The Highlander Hotel This luxury boutique hotel and conference centre in Dullstroom offers city dwellers well-deserved tranquillity and luxury. Set in the heart of the magnificent trout fishing village, The Highlander reveals the timelessness of a bygone era combined with luxury, elegance and breathtaking surroundings. The Highlander was named after the Scottish Highlands, as the area around the hotel has many similarities to the northern country of the United Kingdom and is over 2 100m in altitude. The hotel was formerly known as Peebles Country Retreat and has been voted the ‘Most Romantic Hotel’ during the International Luxury Hotel of the Year awards. In keeping with the romantic and restful setting of the hotel, the rooms feature log fireplaces to ward off the extreme Dullstroom cold. The bar at the…

The crossover revolution isn’t the only one taking place in the automotive world. Electric (EV) and hybrid technologies are becoming increasingly popular. For various reasons EVs aren’t really considered to be a completely viable option for the South African market. Toyota realised that hybrid tech can be and introduced the first-ever hybrid to be manufactured on this continent: the Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid. And being a hybrid makes it a bit of an outlier. Now the Corolla Cross is a good-looking vehicle for me, at least. Unlike most of its competition, it doesn’t quite look the part of an SUV. It’s sleeker and more minimalistic, like a midrange hatchback. Although it is smaller than some of its main competitors it offers good ground clearance and ample space for a medium-sized…

Where is Maputaland? Are we going into Mozambique? Do we need passports? Is this event based on the Camel Trophy? Will I damage my Defender? These are some of the questions I was bombarded with when Defender aficionados started registering for the event. registering for the event. The answer to all of the above was a loud and resounding no. This is a family-friendly event for Land Rover Defender enthusiasts. Driving skills and fitness levels don’t play a role. So where is Maputaland then? Encompassing a vast swathe of northern KwaZulu-Natal, this pristine wilderness area stretches from the scenic splendour of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park in St. Lucia in the south, to the South African border with Mozambique in the north and is home to a number of the province’s…

The name “Nyarhi” means buffalo. It is here, in a pristine area in our national game park where only a select few ever get to, where you can chase your dreams. Here, life makes sense and here you realise the futility of man compared to the mighty, beautiful creation. The bush is my happy place. The bush as you experience it here, in this special spot, is the next level. Dark. Quiet. Peaceful. With the night sky above and in the light of a lone gas lamp, you find yourself. This is when you count your blessings. Your mind is captured. The love of nature leaves you speechless. Those often-ignored gaps in your heart and soul are filled – with philosophy, with gratitude. With the sudden appearance of an ibex…

Once we had turned off the R56 onto the R392, it was back onto gravel, or rather mud. The route south would become increasingly muddy as we headed in the direction of Dordrecht. The Kraai River lured us down its steep-sided gorge one more time to cross via a fairly new curved concrete bridge. A few kilometres further we reached the bustling metropolis of Clanville, which consists of one set of farm buildings, followed by two old ruins on the right. There is an intersection here where the left-hand option traces a shortcut through the mountains, with some excellent scenery as you make your way to the R396. This road was as muddy as a farm road can get. Things were going along nicely, with no punctures for the day…

It’s been about a year since Leefek took over the rights to build the brands that were part of Jurgens CI, including Jurgens, Jurgens Safari, Sprite and Gypsey Caravans. Since then, this Gauteng-based manufacturer, body builder and exporter has been hard at work to bring the full range back to the market With our current licencing system, we have two significant differences for passenger vehicle licenses: the normal B licence you get when doing your vehicle licence and the other is the EB licence. The significant difference between the two is what you are allowed to tow behind your vehicle. The B licence only allows you to tow a trailer or caravan with a GVM of up to 750kg, whereas an EB licence allows you to tow up to 3…

When the current version of the Ford Everest was introduced locally in 2016 it was an instant hit, thanks to its good looks and remarkable engine. Along with the Ranger it made Ford’s intention to take the fight to Toyota in the off-roader market abundantly clear. This bakkie/SUV duo even succeeded in trumping the Hilux and Fortuner on occasion. The 3.2 variant is so popular that it’s still available on the showroom floor. However, the main question is how well this vehicle ages and if it would be a wise decision to purchase one pushing close on 100 000km on the clock? So, we got a 2018 Ford Everest Limited 3.2 with 91 000km on the odometer and a sticker price of R529 950 on test. I was immediately impressed.…

Send yours to us on: info@4x4afrika.com (Subject: My Ride & I) Jon G 2020 Toyota Hilux GD-6 Auto 4x4 “What is not to love about this Hilux and Metalian Maxi off-road trailer? I believe I have created quite the unique build for South Africa, with all the modifications – ranging from an upgraded suspension and improved tyres to the roof rack – with overlanding in mind. My ride is my partner on adventures, so I need to know that it will always perform as I expect it to – and to date, it has not disappointed me in any way!” *Follow Jon’s adventures on social media: @empire_overland Adriaan Zulch 2012 Toyota Fortuner D-4D “For the longest time, I dreamt of owning a Toyota. I have a special place in my…