Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 27 i Adventure Afrika

The word Laluka comes from the Zulu culture and has a lovely meaning to it. This word came about from another guide who had the privilege of naming a young leopardess as she approached her age of independence. Generally female cubs will leave their mother and become independent between 14 and 18 months, while male cubs become independent from their mom around 18 to 24 months. This is after mom has taught the cub basic leopard survival skills and manners. Only some things are passed down from generation to generation when it comes to leopard lessons, though – like how to successfully hunt, which prey species to hunt and where to stash the kill to keep it out of reach of scavengers and other predators. The rest is left up…

*This month our winner is Henry Jonker, who shares a recent boys’ weekend trip to the Overberg with us on page 36. Send your contributions to info@4x4afrika.com Protea COFFEE There are very few things in life that can compete with enjoying a cup of fresh coffee as you overlook our continent’s beautiful scenery. With Protea Coffee, getting that coffee-shop aroma and filter-coffee taste is now feasible, even if you are out in the bush. It is available in espresso, supreme and breakfast blends, as well as a lovely decaf option. With every edition, we give away a hamper filled with Protea goodies to the value of R500 for reader contributions (these can be stories, letters or questions). *For more information: www.proteacoffee.co.za…

Judging by the number of them one sees on the roads, Haval’s Jolion is a firm favourite with the South African public. It was launched locally in 2021, the range consisting of five models, all utilising the same engine but with a choice of two gearboxes. The line-up has been expanded and now also includes the sporty Jolion S, featuring a new 1.5-litre engine with an updated turbocharger. The powerplant offers increases of 25kW and 60Nm above that of the standard Jolion and is good for 130kW and 270Nm of peak torque. It is mated to a seven-speed dual clutch transmission (DCT) that drives the front wheels. While much of the underpinnings match those of existing Jolion models, the S feature an independent multi-link system at the rear, which ensures…

BMW iX1 230kW494Nm 56seconds Upto440kmWLTP) 130kWDCor22kWAC Kia EV6 GT 430kW740Nm 34seconds Upto528km 350kWDCor11kWAC Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV 264kW568Nm450 model) or 400kW/858Nm (580 4Matic model) 67seconds450+ model) or 4.9 seconds (580 4Matic model) Upto490km450+ model) or 459km (580 4Matic model) 200kWDCor11kWAC Toyota bz4X 150kW265NmFWD or 160kW/336Nm (AWD) 84secondsFWD) or 7.7 seconds (AWD) Upto516kmFWD) or 460km (AWD) 150kWDCor66kW AC Volvo C40 Recharge 300kW660Nm 47seconds Upto451km 150kWDCor11kWAC…

As a kid I regularly travelled through the Kruger National Park with my folks and late grandparents. And it was there – in what is today one of South Africa’s biggest tourist attractions – that my love for the outdoors and wildlife was ingrained in my DNA. One of the most beautiful areas we ever visited was the region just north of the Luvuvhu River and for many years I tried to remember the exact location of some of the most amazing landscapes and scenery, paired with rare game sightings that I have ever experienced. Not to mention the absolute birders’ paradise this is, with visitors often spotting the elusive Pel’s Fishing Owl. So, when an opportunity to visit the Pafuri region (the Makuleke Contractual Park), just north of the…

We have long given up on the idea of spending our December vacations at the beach. For starters, my better half doesn’t like crowds, which can become a problem when you try to find an open patch of sand to spread your beach towel among the droves of holidaymakers. Also, we aren’t always able to get leave at the same time, so taking the 10 to 14 days off that are required for a decent seaside rest isn’t really viable. Instead, we prefer shorter breaks – usually carefully planned to coincide with public holidays so that we don’t have to use up too many leave days. The 2022 December period was no different, but this time around we did it twice! In both instances our destination was the Mpumalanga province,…

My daughter and I were driving on a tarred road from the northern KwaZulu-Natal town of Hluhluwe to the memorial gate of the Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park. The last time I did this trip was in 1975 with my parents and then this was a gravel road. I had come full circle as I was now bringing my daughter back to this ancient conservation area. I was very excited, but also a little apprehensive. My memories of the game reserve are of a group of rhinos lying on a misty mountain top and I was so excited to hopefully show my daughter the same scene. My apprehension was due to the fact that for the first time I was travelling with a tour operator (recommended to me by a friend), as well…

Established in 1912 and named after the town of Clarens in Switzerland, where President Paul Kruger spent his last days in exile, the scenic small Eastern Free State town is only 300km from Jozi. This, coupled with the vast array of activities on offer, makes it an ideal weekend escape for city slickers. Golden views A short 15-minute drive from the heart of Clarens, the magnificent Golden Gate Highlands National Park is cradled in the foothills of the Maluti Mountains. It is a must-see for any visitor to the area, nature lover or not. For those in search of culture, head to the Basotho Cultural Village which promises to take you for a walk down the pathway of time. It is here where the lifestyle and architecture of the South…

“Mom! He is breathing on me!”… “Are we there yet?”… “Mom! I want it hot, and she wants it cold!”… “Moooommmmmm!!!” As a mom of four little kids under the age of six at one point, I have always wanted a bus to move the ‘masses’! See, I am the proud mom of multiple multiples – yep, two sets of twins and I could not imagine anything better than each kid having his or her own seat, aircon, snack tray holder and whatever else needed to please the little prince or princess! Without giving away my age, I’ll just say that ‘back then’ there were limited options to choose from when it came to people movers (or rather Multi-Purpose Vehicles, or MPVs for short, as the clever marketing people called…

We truly are living our dream at the moment! We have always wanted to explore and find adventure across Africa and being able to make that a reality and experience some of the fantastic places on our continent is bucket-list stuff. We are truly grateful for the opportunity and pinch ourselves every day to make sure that we really are having our morning coffee on a Kalahari pan, landing an Okavango tigerfish on the fly, or watching the sun set over the Skeleton Coast’s dunes. We consider gear primarily as a means to an end, so we have always limited modifications to what we really need. However, the factory-issue Cruiser comes in plaasbakkie configuration, without a canopy and with one spare wheel on the back. This meant that we had…

A rural land restitution community in KwaZulu-Natal was one of the winners of the 2022 WWF Living Planet Award. The winners were named at WWF South Africa’s annual general meeting at the end of last year. The 300-strong Mgundeni community received the award for their pioneering role in community-led land stewardship. For over 20 years, this community has shown incredible foresight and consistent dedication as active custodians of their biodiversity rich land in northern KwaZulu-Natal. They received 1 472ha of communal land from the land restitution process in 1999. Located about an hour from the town of Utrecht, in the Amajuba District, they are mostly reliant on livestock and small-scale farming within this high-altitude, biodiverse part of the grasslands biome which also falls within a strategic water source area. The…

Cruising along The Toyota Land Cruiser 70 Series is well known for its overlanding prowess. What it’s not known for is its abundance of tech. In fact, in standard form, it’s rather basic. One key feature that is conspicuously absent is cruise control. Big Country 4x4 has come to the rescue with its AutoCruiser system, which is very user-friendly and easy to use. It is compatible with all Land Cruiser models except those with the 4.2-litre 1-HZ straight-six engine. The system is a breeze to operate. You simply start up your Land Cruiser, accelerate, stabilise the vehicle at the required speed, and press ‘Set’ on the control stick. Disengaging it is as easy as switching it off, setting it to ‘Coast’, or by engaging the brake and clutch. To return…

Dubbed the Prince of Africa, the Toyota Prado comes from a lineage of superb off-road capability, 4x4 prowess and the legendary Land Cruiser DNA. And much like Disney’s princes, the updated 2021 Land Cruiser Prado will undoubtedly make many admirers go weak at the knees. It certainly gets my heart racing a little bit faster! The current facelift of the Prado will most likely be the last in this generation (the fourth) and we are hoping to see a brand-new version in the next year or so. Although it is getting slightly long in the tooth, it is jam-packed with features. The Prado VX-L that we drove comes with everything but the kitchen sink, ticking all the boxes in terms of comfort and capability. With adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring…

December holidays are meant for family and fun. Often this also involves travelling and exploring, so having a comfortable, reliable, and well specced vehicle in which to do so is important. After spending numerous kilometres in Hyundai’s new Creta, we are happy to report that it offers all that, and much more. In a market where compact crossovers seem to be ruling the roost, the Creta sports a fresh new look that includes an imposing front grille and an attractive headlight design. The rear is equally attractive, with the Creta name in bold chrome letters taking pride of place under the brand logo. Viewed from the side, an attractive silver inset that runs from the A-pillar to the C-pillar and new 17-inch alloy wheels complete the picture. We found the…

When the end of the year approaches, it’s always a treat to get away with a few good friends… to rest up before we go on vacation with our families because then us men do nothing but work, work, work! After all, having to braai every night requires a great deal of effort! Accutely aware of the fact that I am now tempting fate with my jokes, let me rather stick to telling you about our recent boys’ weekend exploring the beautiful Overberg district. And since it was just us men, it gave us a golden opportunity to keep things simple and minimalistic. Even the tents were left at home! Our first weekend stop was at the 1854 Restaurant in the popular weekend destination of Greyton. After an ice-cold beer,…

Most people have dreams. Some more ambitious than others, I’ll admit – but one specific South African had a dream to complete twenty Dakar races. Giniel de Villiers has just done exactly that. A proud South African, in a proudly South African Toyota Hilux… but that is just one small pixel in a much larger picture. I’ve just returned from the 2023 Dakar Rally. The 45th edition of the famed race. As a guest of Toyota South Africa Motors (TSAM), I attended the last two stages and the podium ceremony in Dammam, Saudi Arabia. While I’ve followed the Dakar at times over the past years, and thought I had a good idea of the scale – I in fact had no idea at all. However large you think it is…

Badplaas (Mpumpalanga) The resort is located at the foot of the Hlumuhlumu Mountains and although the main attraction is the hot spring, there are also a host of other activities and facilities to enjoy. There are 48 hotel rooms and 161 log cabins, chalets, rondavels and guest houses. For campers, there are around 300 campsites to choose from. However, no campsites are allocated in advance and are granted on a first-come, first-served basis. Guests can go bowling, or play golf, putt-putt and tennis. Activities and facilities to keep the children busy include a playground, pony rides and a super tube. TYPE OF ACCOMMODATION: Camping and self-catering NEAREST TOWN: Carolina (50km) STANDS: 300 (8 people per stand) SHOP: Yes PET FRIENDLY: No FISHING: Yes CELL PHONE RECEPTION: Yes ACCESSIBILITY: Tarred roads…

Having debuted in 2022 as the replacement for the Sedona, the Carnival sports Kia’s powerful yet efficient Smartstream 2.2-litre CRDi turbo engine, looks too good to be a MPV, boasts a sumptuous cabin with a plethora of features, offers car-like handling, and is more practical than your neighbour’s boxy SUV. The Carnival is designed to make any drive a pleasure, be it on the long road or for urban driving – and while testing, the fuel efficiency, comfortably sitting between 7 litres/100km on the highway and a respectable 8.1 litres/100km in city traffic, certainly impressed us! With its 72-litre tank, it’s great for longer trips – you can clock at least 800km before having to find a filling station! Comfort-wise, there is certainly nothing to complain about. The inside of…

The SUV market has changed a fair bit in the last two years. While some competitors had engine upgrades, others added derivatives to their line-up in order to secure a larger slice of the sales pie. Isuzu went all out, launching the second generation of its mu-X… and it’s a completely different kettle of fish. I have driven the new mu-X a few times and I have to say it impresses more each time I get behind the wheel. Driving comfort is very good and in a standard configuration, this vehicle actually offers you a lot. All the standard safety features and driver assistance systems are there, and true to the Isuzu brand, the vehicle’s off-road capabilities are up there with the best. The mu-X has a new version of…

You might have read about the Defender Trophy in previous issues and wished that you too could be a part of such an amazing adventure. Well, here’s your chance! The next event – the MBT Defender Trophy Limpopo – is scheduled for 26 March to 1 April and it’s going to be a biggie, with sponsors such as MBT Petroleum and Tyrelife Solutions (the exclusive South African distributors of Cooper Tyres) already on board. Adventure Afrika is a proud media sponsor. Registration and festivities will kick off at the MBT South Gate Filling Station just outside Polokwane on the R37. The next morning the group will depart for the first overnight stop at the Blouberg Nature Reserve. From there it will be on to the Medike Nature Reserve, where the…

Audi The updated Q8 e-tron electric SUV line-up should be gracing our roads before the end of the year. The range-topper will be the S Q8 e-tron, which combines three electric motors to produce 370kW and 973Nm, along with a 104kWh battery. The claimed electric range is in excess of 500km. BAIC BAIC is expected to expand its local product offering with the BJ80 4x4 SUV. Exact details are still to be confirmed, but a 3.0-litre V6 engine mated with an 8-speed automatic transmission is likely. Chery It has been confirmed that the Omoda 5 crossover SUV will be arriving on local soil this year. There’s no word on powertrain options yet, but it will more than likely feature a turbocharged 1.6-litre petrol engine with 145kW and 290Nm of torque…

Awake to a choir of birdsong and watch elephants crossing the river from your very own veranda, before taking on some of the activities on offer. These include hiking or driven safaris (offered twice daily), bird watching, spa treatments or simply enjoying the beautiful, tranquil camp. Sightings of buffaloes, elephants, antelope and hyenas near the camp are a common occurrence and since the property falls on a RAMSAR protected wetlands pan, it is home to over 400 species of birds. Iconic sites for exploration include Lanner Gorge, Crooks Corner and the fever tree forest. Experience the magic of the area on foot with expert local guides, or simply enjoy the setting of the camp site from your luxurious tented room. Pafuri Tented Camp offers an assortment of unique experiences, a…

We have to own our retirement, make the most of it, embrace all adventures and challenges and be unapologetically thrilled by all the opportunities coming our way. This is what ‘they’ say and I could not agree more. Who who would’ve thought it possible that we could sit here, on a fine Sunday, my fingers flying over my keyboard, while my photographs download. Under a tree, a mere 600m away, four lionesses are catching up on some shuteye while a large male guards and tussles with the oryx they hunted during the early hours of this morning… Unbelievable, right? And yes – we will own the privilege. Refired and refined we’ll eventually be! One lioness keeps watch, occasionally getting up to chase the cheeky black-backed jackal back a few yards.…

1854 Restaurant Many things happened in 1854… Sherlock Holmes was born, Abraham Lincoln gave his very first political speech in Illinois, and the construction of the lighthouse on Alcatraz commenced. Closer to home, the Orange Free State was declared independent, and a small town in the Western Cape, Greyton, was founded after an English nobleman named Herbert Vigne bought a farm at the foot of the Sonderendberg range and named it after the governor of the time, Sir George Grey. Now, almost 170 years later, the 1854 Restaurant is a must-stop in the area. CONTACT: +27 82 929 0938 | https://1854.salive.co.za/ Fish and More A fish shop with much more to it than meets the eye, Fish and More offers some of the freshest fish in the Struisbaai area, delicious…

This beautiful pass, situated midway between Clarens and Fouriesburg in the Eastern Free State, is well-known and much-loved by motorists and motorcyclists alike. The road surface is excellent, the corners are cambered correctly, and the views over the entire length of the pass, particularly near the summit, are breathtaking. For history buffs – this is the location of one of the defining moments of the Anglo-Boer War when Bloemfontein was formally surrendered… hence the name. The pass lies on the tarred R711, connecting the small towns of Fouriesburg and Clarens. To approach the pass from the south, travel from Fouriesburg in an easterly direction, where it starts exactly 15.6km from the intersection of the R26 and the R711. When approaching from the north, travel from Clarens in a southerly direction…

I enjoy a braai as much as the next guy and if my husband had his way, we’d throw something on the coals every day of the week. I’m not ashamed to admit that we were those people who even baked banana bread in our trusty kettle braai during lockdown… and it was delicious! Thanks to loadshedding, we now have no choice but to braai a few times a week. Hubby is, of course, in seventh heaven. Me not so much, because the side dishes are my responsibility. And one can only serve so many braaibroodjies and garden salads before mutiny erupts. So, my search for new ideas for salads and side dishes began and before long I had more recipes than there are holes in a braai grill. I’m…

Send yours to us on: info@4x4afrika.com (Subject: My Ride & I) Ian Theron 1975 Land Rover Series 3 “For a vehicle to be a classic, it has to be two of three things: interesting, beautiful, or rare. That means that my Series 3 shorth wheelbase is definitely a classic. Its military lineage and heritage within Africa definitely make it interesting. It certainly is beautiful, although I concede that looks can be subjective. As for being rare… the Series 3 Land Rover wasn’t always a rare sight in South Africa; but they are becoming extremely valuable. As a result, most have become collectable museum pieces… but not mine. Mine is still being used for its intended purpose of being a superb overlanding vehicle. I’ve travelled to Namibia a few times, and…