Tabla de contenidos para Dec/Jan 2024/2025 en Go! Drive & Camp

It's the morning of Sunday, 11 August. My husband, Hein, and I are here at our caravan beside the beautiful Blyde River at the Forever Swadini resort, and I'm reflecting on the long weekend. The weather is fantastic – 30 ºC and warmer. Ever since Thursday, caravans have been entering. From morning till evening, cheerful children are on bicycles. Smiling families stroll past, heading for the swimming pools. In the road in front of us, a 10-year-old boy loses control of his bike and falls. My neighbour and I immediately rush over to help. Fortunately, nothing is broken, and there's no grazed skin or blood, but I can see tears welling up in his eyes. My neighbour picks up his bike, and he slowly pushes it back to his campsite.…

The caravan dealership Cara-Camp Caravan & Outdoor Centre in Somerset West has new owners and is now trading as All Out Caravan & Leisure Cara-Camp. Customers now have an even wider range of new caravans to choose from. Previously, Cara-Camp was an approved dealer for Tuff Cats, Nayela, Swift, Okto, Stealth, Invader and EdgeOut, but now Quantum Caravan World products are available too: Quantum models and Sprite. Ernie Jacobs takes over as dealership head, and together with his team of 13, they continue to handle sales of new and second-hand caravans, as well as camping and workshop services. The business began as Kara-Kamp years ago, after which a second owner changed the name to Cara-Camp. Later, Arnold Prosch took over in the early 2000s. Arnold says he left the corporate…

NEW CARAVAN Nothing beats experience. So, when a seasoned camper decides to build his own caravan, chances are he'll get it right.That's certainly true for Michael van Schalkwyk, who embarks on overland trips deep into Africa twice a year. He's owned a string of off-road campers but finds some too complicated for his taste. The results of his 50 years in the steel and engineering industry and his love for camping are two caravan models he designed himself, each boasting a unique touch or two. The Nyathi (Sotho for“buffalo”) is based on a teardrop design, while the Indlovu (Zulu for “elephant”) leans more towards the traditional off-road caravan style. Two or four? NYATHI Although the Nyathi resembles a teardrop caravan, it has several features that set it apart from other…

JOURNEY Travel with us over two days and 925 km from Namibia's Waterberg to the equally green Epupa Falls. Along the way, we visit bustling towns, Namibia's last standing finger rock (as far as we know), and a valley full of boabab trees. Pack your bag, hop in, and let's explore the Damaraland and Kaokoland. We're up bright and early on the first day, with 580 km ahead of us. It may not sound like much, but most of the route is on gravel roads, with stops planned for sightseeing and a resupply. Leave the Waterberg Wilderness Lodge, our overnight stop (see our previous issue for details), and make your way to the main B1 road, where we turn right towards Otjiwarongo. This is the largest town in the Otjozondjupa…

Leave your campsite early while it's still cool outside, as we'll be stopping often for photos along this first leg of the route. Follow the D3700 gravel road eastwards, passing a soccer field on bare ground at the bottom end of Epupa's airstrip. From here, we drive past the Kapika Waterfall Lodge, over a hill, and back to the Kunene River. In fact, on this first stretch, we'll follow the Kunene for 90 km before we turn inland and head back towards the Epupa Falls. At the river, we pause for photos at a scenic viewpoint overlooking the Kunene. There's also a Himba village called Omukazeze nearby, and before long, children emerge from the bushes, calling out, “Sweets, sweets!” During our visit to Epupa Falls, a Stellenbosch outreach group was…

The Thule Approach is spacious, comfortable and attractive. It has an almost impenetrable rainfly and large windows to let in a breeze. The materials are of excellent quality, and it's easy to set up and take down. So, what makes it different from other rooftop tents? A breeze to set up We visited Thule's store in Bellville, Cape Town, where it took the crew just a little over five minutes to unbox the tent and bolt it to the roof rails of our vehicle. They started by assembling two Thule roof bars, securing them to our vehicle's roof rails, and lifting the tent onto the roof bars – for this, you'll need two people who can lift 60 kg overhead. Lastly, the tent is bolted to the bars (Thule supplies…

This year's Bakkie of the Year competition format had some changes: last year, there were three categories and one overall winner – the VW Amarok V6 – but this year had four categories with no overall winner. All double-cab 4x4 bakkies launched locally between September 2023 and August this year were eligible to participate in the second annual Bakkie of the Year competition. Unfortunately, this disqualified manufacturers including Volkswagen, Mahindra, Mitsubishi, Nissan, and Peugeot. The organisers invited the following manufacturers to enter their bakkies: Ford, Foton, GWM, Ineos, Isuzu, Jeep, RAM, Toyota, LDV and JAC. Four manufacturers didn't participate: LDV initially entered, but later withdrew its T60 because they wanted to make changes to the current vehicle; JAC simply didn't want to participate; and Ineos was keen to participate, but…

Ford South Africa celebrates its 100th anniversary this year. The company's first plant was a converted wool warehouse in Port Elizabeth (now Gqeberha), as shown here. “To be in business for so long and still standing strong is a remarkable achievement – and a very humbling one,”says Neale Hill, President of the Ford Motor Company in Africa.“Ford South Africa is defined not only by our legacy of resilience and innovation but by the people who bring it to life every day. Our strength lies in a deep commitment to supporting one another and uplifting our communities.” According to a media release, this celebration is a collective one that resonates across generations. “It reflects a legacy shared by Ford's diverse workforce, which carries forward a pride and identity rooted in the…

Any Bull Runner would agree that you have to be ready for anything when you arrive in the Northern Cape town of Vanwyksvlei for the last weekend of the short school holidays and one of the most popular and exclusive events for South African petrolheads and adrenaline junkies. It's well-known that the annual Drive & Camp Bull Run is unlike anything else. And how could it not be? For an entire weekend, close to 160 teams show up with their pimped-out rides – cars manufactured before 1985 and worth no more than R40 000 – to compete against each other in a series of unique and exciting challenges. Amid the roaring engines, racing and playing, there's also plenty of partying and fun. Hulle weet nie wat ons weet nie? Bull…

CARAVAN TEST Stealth has something for everyone, allowing you to choose between road caravans, gravelroaders and off-road caravans. Among the latter, you have a choice of three Overlander models: the Cub (we tested it a few months ago), the Bunk, and for this review, the 634ES. As you'd expect from a top model, the interior includes a bathroom, a proper bed and a lounge area that can be converted into extra sleeping space. The outdoor kitchen is on the left side, and for the 634ES, the entry door is on the right rear end. Lastly, the dishwashing basin is located at the rear. We travel for days with the 634ES along tar roads, a steep dirt track or two, and narrow sandy paths – and quickly realise the wild is…

GEAR FIND YOURS HERE campandclimb.co.za campcover.co.za frontrunneroutfitters.com thulestore.co.za booxe.co.za outdoorwarehouse.co.za TENTCO BAKKIE BAG Got your back The narrow space behind your double-cab bakkie's rear seat is often underused. This bag has four compartments – two large and two smaller – where you can store items like a fire extinguisher, high-visibility vests, a tyre-repair kit, and extra fuses and bulbs. The bag is made from Oxford nylon and hangs on an aluminium sliding track that you bolt or glue onto your bakkie. You can, of course, also bolt the bakkie bag to a trailer for extra packing space. The bag's dimensions are 96 x 40 cm. CAMP COVER DASHBOARD ORGANISER Dashboard declutter Your rig's dashboard has the potential to be a useful storage space with one of these organisers. It attaches…

…AND FINALLY The origins of these caravans trace back to the 1930s in America, a time when DIY projects were all the rage. Magazines like Popular Mechanics published blueprints for various projects, including a “two-person camper” that became colloquially known as a honeymoon caravan. Their popularity surged after World War II, when surplus materials like steel, plywood and aluminium became readily available and affordable. Some caravans were quite large, constructed from leftover bomber parts, while others were small and light enough to be towed by a motorcycle. By the 1950s, fuel prices dropped to as low as 10c per gallon, and vehicles became bigger and stronger. It was a prosperous time for Americans, and the humble teardrop camping trailer, as it came to be called, no longer fitted in with…

Wacky Adventures near Hopefield is a playground for young and old – and they've added a new campsite. Entertainment varies from quad bikes, go-karts and trampolines to a selection of pools and waterslides. Best of all, campers have free access to the water park. Wacky Adventures, located 22 km inland from Langebaan as the crow flies, is still a relatively new enterprise that arose from the COVID-19 pandemic, explains owner Chris Hatton. They were on holiday in Scotland when the virus struck, forcing them to stay longer than planned. As a result, Chris's initial venture took a hit. He then decided to make use of his 40 ha patch of land in a different way. He started with six quad bikes and go-karts, and before long, guests were looking for…

NEW WHEELS Rumours have circulated for years that Kia would make a bakkie, but it wasn't until April 2024 that the Korean automotive giant officially confirmed the name Tasman. The name is inspired by the Tasman Sea between Australia and New Zealand, as Kia considers these two countries crucial markets for their bakkie. In fact, Kia calls the Tasman“the most Australian vehicle”it has ever developed – Kia Australia indeed contributed to its design and engine choices. The vehicle was unveiled at the end of October, sparking plenty of discussion. On Kia South Africa's Facebook page, we read the following comments: Jeanette Slabbert:“I'm sorry but it looks like a Lego car. Kia you lost the plot with this.” Wayne Coetzer:“Looks like the car you draw when you first learn to use…

The tunnel through Kalkoenkrans, between Ashton and Montagu in the Western Cape, is considered the gateway to the Klein Karoo. It's not an imposing tunnel nor one that worms through the earth for kilometres, but simply a 15 x 5 m opening that looks almost natural and catches you off guard. From Ashton's side, the R62 meanders along the Kogmanskloof River for a few kilometres, and you can't help but marvel at the rock formations. Suddenly, it feels like the road will run straight into the mountain, and there before you is Kalkoenkrans. The tunnel also feels like a boundary between good and bad weather. We went camping there this past winter, and when we left the Mother City, it had been raining for days, with fireplace fires burning instead…

André's camping journey began as a child in his parents' Jurgens Penta. The campsite, Pine Lodge in what was then Port Elizabeth, is still close to his heart because it's where he met his wife, Elaine, in 2000. With the arrival of children, camping took a back seat. But as the kids grew older, André bought a Mobi Lodge in 2016 so the family could explore the bush – with a Toyota Land Cruiser 200 leading the way. Before long, several of André's friends joined in with their own Mobi Lodge caravans. After many years of enjoyable bush camping, it was time for a new adventure. “I considered another caravan, but you get used to all the luxuries. I'm not one for tin caravans with all those storage pouches. One…

CAMP BOFFIN Should you pick an Invader or Stealth? What about Nayela, AlphaGo or Overlander, or any of the other 63 caravan manufacturers? Is the Quattro X or Bush Lodge the one for you, or does a Sahara X, an S6 Air V4 or a 590 Custom tug at your heartstrings? It's an impossible task to visit every showroom, and if you go online, you'll simply get lost down the rabbit hole and definitely overlook a model or three. In our 2024 Buyers' Guide, everything is in one place, and you get a overview of the local caravan industry's menu – from the cheapest to the most expensive. When you compile the information in the guide, a picture emerges that wouldn't otherwise be possible. Rands and sense How much you'll…

PIETER'S STORY My parents weren't exactly big on giving Christmas presents, and various “foolproof” reasons were put forward over the years to justify this decision. As a young boy, I heard on more than one occasion that Father Christmas was unbelievably busy in the run-up to his gift-giving rounds and therefore couldn't reach the caravan park in Mossel Bay in time. He did, however, send a telegram saying that he'd delivered my big gift to our house in the Boland – he supposedly had a key to the garage – and I'd find it there after the holiday. In the meantime, here's a little something so you're not left with nothing. And so, you graciously accept the bag of marbles, the Coca-Cola spinning top and the Schmeisser toy gun, even…