Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 28 i Adventure Afrika

The British wildlife photographer, Will Burrard-Lucas, once said that in wildlife photography you never just take a picture – rather, you ‘ask’ for a picture. As an aspiring wildlife photographer and being fortunate to work in nature daily, this has made me observe my guests with their long lenses and fancy camera gear more closely. Mostly, our guests at Elephant Plains Lodge in Sabi Sands will not disturb nature to get that sought-after shot, some even inspiring me to be more conscious of my own impact on nature. Two such guests I’ve had the privilege of hosting were Shaheen Patel, the owner of Legend Safaris, and Christopher Tosi, who runs the “86 Days in Kruger” campaign in aid of the Smile Foundation. What talented and inspiring artists, filled with love…

Highly acclaimed in both conservation and environment education circles, Lapalala Wilderness is one of the largest private Big 5 game reserves in South Africa. Situated within the Waterberg Region of the Limpopo province, and spanning about 48 000ha, it plays a vital role in protecting critical biodiversity habitats found in this unique and picturesque landscape. This reserve is now working with the African Pangolin Working Group (APWG) to assist with the soft release of rehabilitated Temminck’s pangolin (Smutsia temminckii). Poached and captive pangolins are often kept in deplorable conditions and are incredibly stressed and in poor health upon arrival at veterinary hospitals authorised to treat them. After going through a process of rehabilitation and once they have veterinary approval, the pangolins are released into a safe and secure wildlife reserve…

Sossusvlei – with its epic dunes, unique Mars-like landscapes and eerie feeling of complete isolation, is probably the one place all visitors to Namibia must include on their itineraries. It’s been described as achingly beautiful – and it is, without a doubt. While no words or pictures can do it justice, I will try to explain why it is so magical. Undoubtedly Namibia’s most iconic landscape, the rust-red dunes, bleached white pans and deep blue sky are instantly recognisable and symbolise our neighbouring country’s vast, uninhabited expanses. The name is thought to originate from Afrikaans and Nama and roughly translates to ‘dead end marsh’ – pretty apt since the dunes of Sossusvlei meet to prevent the Tsauchab River from flowing any further. The area is home to some of the…

It will not be fair to not start this article without a very stern, very serious warning: If you venture to the Kgalagadi, you will lose your heart and you will never be the same again, always dreaming of going back! I have been blessed to join many group adventures in my lifetime, to various places – always as part of a convoy, with most arrangements taken care of by a tour guide or company. For me, it was about learning from the best and venturing into the wild, but with a safety net of sorts. However, it was time for Oksana and I to take our travel plans into our own hands and embark on our biggest self-planned adventure to date – a week-long trip from Durban to the…

Five species of albatrosses breed on Marion and Prince Edward Islands. The largest, with a wingspan of up to 3.5m, is the Wandering Albatross, iconic in life and literature. With nearly half the global population, South Africa is a stronghold for this threatened species. The Grey-headed Albatross is the most abundant on Marion, with approximately 9 500 annually breeding pairs for both islands combined, breeding in colonies on coastal and inland cliffs – unlike the approximately 3 650 annually breeding pairs of Wanderers that space themselves out to breed on low-lying boggy ground near the coast. Two closely related species are the Sooty (3 500 pairs) and Light-mantled (500 pairs) Albatrosses; chocolate-coloured birds that are consummate flyers, often as pairs in unison along the coastal cliffs where they breed in…

The / Ai / Ais Richtersveld Transfrontier Park has seven campsites, of which three offer chalets. Since the Orange River floods from time to time, the chalets are set well back from the water, which is not ideal when the temperature in the shade is 45°C. But if you camp, you can roll off your mattress into the water. There are no marked-out sites, simply a general area where you can choose where to unroll your sleeping bag. All sites have clean ablutions with cold water, flushing toilets and showers. Potjiespram is the first campsite after entering the park at Sendelingsdrif and is reached after only 20 minutes of driving along an easy track. There is only camping available. It’s near the river, but thick riverine forest between the campsite…

I’ve never understood how people can get excited about cooking. Both of my grandmothers would turn in their graves when they heard me say this, but I only cook tokeep the family alive by feeding them regulary-ish! Of course, there are a few dishes that I have a pretty good grasp of and that I can whip up when we are entertaining, but generally I prefer things simple and easy. So, all my fancy recipe books are sitting on the shelf gathering dust. Fortunately, I am blessed with a husband who loves cooking and is always trying out new recipes. And believe me, he knows his stuff! I tend to always fall back on the good old meat, rice, potatoes and vegetables and if the food is a bit boring…

When Mahindra first entered the South African market in 2004, nobody would have predicated the impressive sales success it would achieve. Yet, here we are, almost 20 years later, and it is one of the fastestgrowing vehicle brands in the country. Its range of authentic, reliable and competitively priced models continues to woo buyers and some – like the Pik Up and the Scorpio – have attained virtual cult status. Taking its onslaught on the market a step further, Mahindra has now added some spice to its line-up with the introduction of the Scorpio N and believe me when I tell you that it will forever change your perception of Indian vehicles. The all-new Scorpio-N is designed and engineered to global standards. Its creators had their sights firmly set on…

Getting there The gravel roads leading to this beautiful part of the world are not always well maintained. Take a spare tyre and allow enough daylight to travel. Distances are long, and since the roads can become very busy with tourists, drive times can be even longer. Also, remember to be on the lookout for free-roaming animals. We recommend a 4x4 for visiting these areas as it makes the experience more comfortable. Fill up whenever you can, and always keep your lights on. Finally, do not rely on cell phone reception. Where to stay We recommend you stay at one of the campsites at Sossusvlei to explore the dunes in the early morning for magical photographs and to allow enough time to visit the Sesriem Canyon (at the right time…

We were first introduced to Simon and Des from Ultimate Adventures on social media. The various trips they offered to exhilarating destinations around the world caught our attention, particularly their December tour to Botswana. As passionate bird photographers, and having only visited Botswana once before, there was no hesitation. We booked immediately and then had to endure eight long months of excited anticipation until our departure. Finally, the big day dawned. Like boisterous teenagers, with our Land Cruiser and off-road caravan in tow, we hit the open road two days after Christmas (thankfully, the road north was open as the entire Gauteng was heading south to the coast). Our two-day trip from Kloof in Durban to Elephant Sands in Botswana to meet Simon and Des and the rest of the…

Tourist landings on Marion Island, a Special Nature Reserve, are not permitted and cruise ships very rarely go that way. A sub-Antarctic cruise elsewhere can be prohibitively expensive. So how do ordinary South African bird watchers get to see albatrosses for their life lists? Don’t worry, there is a way! Regular guided day trips, known as ‘pelagics’, on small vessels are made from the Cape Peninsula. The boats look for a trawler with its net down, and close-up views of the often attending albatrosses and petrels from the Southern Ocean allow for ‘lifers’ and excellent photo opportunities for those with long lenses. Up to half a dozen species of albatrosses can be seen, expertly pointed out by the guides, with the Black-browed Albatross being the most abundant. *For more information:…

Located at the foot of the Magaliesberg Mountains, Piesangkloof is the ideal relaxation spot for nature lovers and adventurers. In addition to a campsite, there are beautiful hiking trails and 4x4 routes, as well as picnic areas where you can simply unwind in the shade of the beautiful trees. Piesangkloof was founded in 2016 by Mike and Maritza Els and is located on a farm that has been in their family for five generations. With beautiful scenery, a variety of activities and well-appointed facilities, it is suitable for couples, larger families and groups of friends. It offers off-the-grid camping at its very best! What makes this camp so special is that it is small and private, with campsites and log cabins scattered throughout the property. The ablution blocks have recently…

Hiking for beginners can be intimidating, but there’s really not much to it. You don’t need any special skills to hike – you just have to be able to walk and have some sense of direction. And, of course, South Africa is a hiker’s paradise, with some of the finest hiking trails in the world, where opportunities for adventure are endless. Whether hiking along rivers or treading up mountains, our country has trails for hikers of all fitness and skill levels. But before we get into where to go, let’s start with the basics. The definition of hiking is “the activity of going for long walks, especially in the country or woods”. Basically, any kind of walk that isn’t on a road or sidewalk is a hike. Types of hikes…

Our little Jimny, called Louis, was the first to arrive. Immediately plans were set into motion to make it our expedition vehicle! We enjoyed every bit of the modification process (an ongoing and never-ending process), and the trips we took made us fall head over heels in love with our Jimny. The Defender was not a planned purchase but rather an opportunity we couldn’t let pass by. I had always longed for a Defender because I was raised in a Land Rover family and followed Kingsley Holgate and the Camel Trophy Adventures with great interest. This was a unique moment to make that dream a reality. Owning two 4x4’s that can do the same thing may seem like an overkill, but we think our vehicles complement each other perfectly! Although…

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 *This month our winner is Game Ranger Gabe, who shares his daily adventures from Elephant Plains Lodge in Sabi Sands in his monthly column. Send your contributions to info@4x4afrika.com…

Boarding a plane just before midnight on a Saturday, our group of motoring scribes headed for Inverness, the capital of the Scottish Highlands and only a stone’s throw away from Gordonstoun School, where King Charles III went to school. It was a long flight, with a layover in Amsterdam and then a short two-hour flight over the North Sea. Inverness International Airport is smaller than Skukuza Airport and border control is probably the most relaxed one in the United Kingdom. It took me five minutes to clear and another five minutes later I set eyes on the Grenadier parked right in front of our overnight accommodation, which was walking distance from the airport. We quickly checked in and then headed off for a bite to eat which, of course, consisted…

Rumours about a new purpose-built 4x4 coming to the market started in 2020. Pictures flew across the internet and in the 4x4 and overlanding community there was a buzz. This new 4x4 would supposedly be everything the new Land Rover Defender was supposed to be. Besides, no-one flippantly sinks £1bn-plus into building an entirely new car company… certainly not Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the British billionaire and larger-than-life personality behind the Grenadier. So, the first drive was a big deal! Here in sunny southern Africa, there were a few first production units running around and every now and then we would have a glimpse of these vehicles. From the onset, it impressed everyone. There were no funny curves, no bragging about the 0-100km/h sprint time or anything like that and the…

Maroela Rest Camp is often overlooked by visitors who are unfamiliar with the Kruger National Park. However, seasoned campers know that you must book months in advance if you want to pitch your tent in this piece of heaven on earth, which is particularly popular in winter. A dry riverbed winds past the well-kept campsites, and if there is good summer rain, a natural wonder will unfold before you as the river brings new life. Large jackalberry trees provide ample shade during the hot summer months, and birders will love the active birdlife in the camp. We have spotted African Green Pigeons, Long-crested Eagles, Verreaux’s Eagle Owls, African Scops Owls and various nightjar species in and around camp. There is even a White-backed Vulture nest in one of the large…

The Tati River forms the border between western Zimbabwe and eastern Botswana. This area was once known as the Tati Concession, with Francistown at its centre, and it was here that Daniel Francis found gold in 1870. A gold rush ensued, and as prospective miners flocked to the area more discoveries were made to the east in what became Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe. Prospectors went at it hammer and tongs. Mines such as Todd’s Creek, Selkirk, The Moth, Double Luck and Signal Hill were developed but the Monarch Mine, which was in operation until the late 1960’s, turned out to have the only worthwhile deposit. The bush in the Tati area around Francistown – which, incidentally, developed as a result – is littered with abandoned workings, pits, shafts, and holes, some…

Akkedis Pass is the second of the more serious passes in the / Ai / Ais Richtersveld Transfrontier Park and, together with the Swartpoort and Halfmens Pass, connects the main entry point at Sendelingsdrif with the central and northern sector of the park. The scenery is truly magnificent and along the entire pass you are fully immersed in a true mountain desert. It takes a good 40 minutes to drive this 6km-long pass, and there are some sections on the northern ascent where low range should be utilised. The pass – also sometimes referred to as the Penkop Pass – climbs through 169m to the summit at 578m above sea level, producing an average gradient of 1:36. However, several short sections get as steep as 1:5. From Sendelingsdrif, enter the…

There was much excitement when the day finally arrived for us to set off on our Namakwa adventure. Our convoy left early on a Friday morning and travelled along the very wet and muddy R355. After a stopover in Loeriesfontein, we headed north along a 200km stretch of rough and corrugated dirt road to Pofadder. Thankfully all the vehicles – a Toyota Land Cruiser 78 Series, Toyota Hilux Vigo and Nissan Navara D23 – had RAW 4x4 suspension kits installed, so with deflated tyres we made good headway and soon arrived at our destination. It was finally time to start the trail! We travelled along the track to Pella, and then took a 4x4 route to Klein Pella. It took a little longer than expected as it involved some tricky…

The previous generation of the Ford Everest made massive waves when people first saw it. At the time, the look was a return to form for Ford’s design team after skipping the first stint of the 3.2-litre era and leaving its brother, the Ranger, to fend for itself before making its first appearance in 2015. Between 2015 and 2022, much remained the same in the styling department for the Everest, with only minor tweaks and some special editions unique to South Africa to keep it fresh. In Ford’s defence, though, the looks of the previous generation were fine. More than fine, actually – I always thought it was a great-looking vehicle, on par with its rivals (and even surpassing them in some regards). The only thing that ‘bugged’ me was…