Table of contents for March 2016 in SA4x4

Okay, so the December holiday travels are almost forgotten, but the glow of the better memories probably still remains. Most of the country was sweltering under a blistering heat cloud, and much of the interior is still ravaged by drought. Up north, beyond our borders, dams are at record lows. It’s not a pretty picture, and most regions known for game are in distress. But when we were putting this issue together, our greatest worry was beating the wet. First off, we get a small taste of the wonder zone that is the Busanga Plains, in the north-western corner of Kafue National Park in Zambia. Morgan Trimble drove up there in the mid-year dry season, in a largely unmodified Pajero shorty, and had the time of her life with birds,…

The fourth generation Lexus RX suite of mid-size SUVs impresses at a number of levels. The Toyota premium brand has tossed out its jellybean generic fare and developed a range of cars with striking looks, superb detailing and very sophisticated technology. That the cars have a distinct Lexus identity was amply demonstrated at the local launch of the new RX 350 EX and hybrid petrol-electric RX 450h SE. Bold, distinctive design is everywhere, from the aggressive inverted arrow (‘spindle’) grille, to the sharp origami-like creases in the sheet metal, and to the blacked-out C-pillar which appears to ‘float’ into the rear window glass. The new range is 120mm longer, has 50mm more in the wheelbase, and is 20mm lower. Both cars look sleek, hunkered down on 20-inch rims decked with…

DAY 1: Hermanus to Somerset East — via N2 to Mossel Bay; Robinson Pass to Leeudrift/ Botlierskop turn-off and via Moordkuilsrivierpad to Groot Brakrivier (dirt); then on the R102 (tar) to George; Montagu Pass (dirt) to Herold on the N9; to Steytlerville via Willowmore; to Jansenville via Mount Steward (mostly dirt); to Pearston on the R337 (dirt) and then to Somerset East on the R63 (tar). Distance: 800km; 150km on dirt. DAY 2: Somerset East to Fort Fordyce Nature Reserve — to Cookhouse via R63 (tar); to Adelaide via N10 and R63 (tar); to Fort Fordyce via R344 (dirt); Katberg Pass (dirt), R67 (tar) to Blinkwater and FFNR entrance road (dirt). Distance: 226km; 121km on dirt. DAY 3: Fort Fordyce Nature Reserve to Great Fish River Nature Reserve — Waterkloof…

We were still a day’s drive from our dream destination: Busanga Plains. Hidden away in the far-flung north-western corner of Kafue National Park, this is one of the more remote, secret and fabled features on the continent. We were already hours into the journey before my companion, Ashley, and I stopped for mid-morning coffee. This was at one of the few places where the dirt track through the miombo woodlands breaks into a clearing and offers a glimpse of the Kafue River, and our arrival at the riverbank sent an African Finfoot splashing for safety. Usually a rare, secretive bird, a Finfoot is a twitcher’s prize; but their sudden, startling lunge from bank to water had become familiar during our two-week trip. Using the Pajero’s rear wheel as shelter from…

Most people arrive at Mpumalanga’s spectacular Panorama Route to see the sights via the nicely tarred and very scenic Long Tom or Robbers Passes, whooping it up on the lovely long S-bends. I was no different, but when overnighting at Misty Mountain Hotel just above the Devil’s Knuckles on Long Tom Pass, I chatted to co-owner Lisa Sheard about lesser-known sights. She made me promise to detour up the Vaalhoek Valley, a pretty (though dusty) back road that connects Pilgrim’s Rest to Bourke’s Luck Potholes. It takes you along the base of spurs of the Drakensberg mountains and right off the beaten track. My pass-chasing instincts locked in when I studied a map and found Casper’s Nek Pass looping off it through the mountains, to join the R36 north of…

My love affair with Timbavati started in the mid-1980s, when I went there with a fellow nature conservation student whose father was managing the southern Timbavati for the landowner, Hans Hoheisen. We spent our study breaks helping out on the farm. The prospect of being in proper ‘big game’ country is the epitome of excitement for any budding conservationist and wannabe game ranger. In my newest position, I have now come full circle. Old man Hoheisen was a wonderful, humble man who loved coming to his bushveld farms to escape the hustle and bustle of the corporate world. He always spoke about the bush with a twinkle in his eye. His father had emigrated from Germany to South Africa in 1903 and Hans had grown to love the Lowveld while…

“Water was pouring through the air vents and door seals and the thought of becoming very religious on the spot was starting to look appealing” A passion for all things outdoors, and an absolute obsession with detail, is what makes Johan de Villiers tick. And the Land Rover you see here is an expression of the owner’s style (and his love of the colour orange). With this Landy, every inch, every nut and bolt – right down to the heater controls – has been reworked to Johan’s taste. His Defender 110 double cab might have started out as a blank canvas, but is now a rolling art form – and since SA4x4 arrived in the picture, is now painted with stinking mud. Having been trained by the 1994 West German…

BRYAN JONES FORD RANGER SUPER CAB 3.2 4X4, PLUS NORTH STAR 600SS DEMOUNTABLE CAMPER Age: Well matured. (Clue: first drove in early Series Landies). Occupation: Overlander. Yep, no more “work”. Modifications: ARB bull bar, Gobi bash plate, KC HID driving lights, Ironman snorkel, Old Man Emu 300kg suspension upgrade front and rear, plus Firestone air suspension on rear. Burnco cab storage system, Burnco rear steel bumper with swing-out second spare-wheel carrier and Hi-lift jacking points, forged steel drop pin tow hitch, Front Runner 63-litre additional fuel tank, Escape Gear seat covers, Ring 300W inverter, security safe, fire extinguisher. Future modifications: BFG or Cooper A/T tyres. Dream vehicle: This combo is it. The rig goes off road where our Defenders used to go. The North Star camper has every creature comfort:…

We had such a good laugh when reading the article in the February 2016 issue which was titled ‘Shoebox on wheels – Zim, Zambia and Bots in a VW Syncro’. It brought back so many memories, as we and two friends had attempted Botswana’s Moremi and Chobe game reserves in my Dad’s VW Syncro in October of 2009. It was unfortunate timing, as Botswana experienced some of its highest water levels in 40 years during the time we had chosen to visit. I was in absolute hysterics when reading the part about the Park officials giving the vehicle a strange look and thinking that they were ‘nuts’ to attempt this in the Syncro, as that we upon entering the Moremi Game Reserve - looks of utter disbelief when we were…

WHERE TO STAY Many lodges in and around Kafue are of the expensive, luxury variety, but there are several camping options. One important consideration is whether to stay in the park or outside in a GMA. Lodges based outside the park benefit visitors on a budget by not charging daily ZAWA conservation and overnight fees unless guests take game drives or boat trips into the park. There’s still plenty of wildlife around. We heard lions nightly and once even a leopard’s harsh grunts at our camp near Hook Bridge. Elephant, puku, impala and flocks of Grey Crowned Cranes were frequent sightings. Mercifully, camps near the water don’t struggle with tsetse flies. In the south, try Nanzhila Plains (www.nanzhila.com) from $300 per person per night for the royal treatment, $90 for…

‘‘Dammit, I’ve come to someone’s farm track,” I remember thinking. As the friendly receptionist at Kagga Kamma had told me, “All our tracks are 4x4 only,” I already knew what to expect: dirt roads for tourists who wanted to see a zebra. The tracks would be declared “4x4 only” to help reduce corrugations caused by chattering two-wheel-drive bakkies, and would present nothing more challenging than opening a new packet of Lays chips. How wrong I was. Let’s start from the beginning. Kagga Kamma is a nature reserve in the southeastern region of the Cederberg, in the Swartruggens district. It’s hot, dry and rocky - make sure that you bring your hat - and has a variety of animals to look at, but that’s not all (cue infomercial voice). Kagga Kamma…

OFF-ROAD DNA Approach angle 32° Departure angle 24° Ramp angle 25° Ground clearance 230mm Wading depth 700mm Ramp Travel Index (RTI) 447 Land Cruiser owners are very loyal. They won’t buy anything else. When the old one has clocked up plenty of miles, say beyond 300 000km over many years, they simply go out and buy the next one offered by Toyota. And they still get a good trade-in – but that’s another story. The previous 200 SUV launched here in 2007 was only offered in VX grade, so the clever thing Toyota SA was able to engineer this time around was access to the fleet-grade, no-nonsense GX version; similar to the derivative offered for the 100 Series. In sum, the perfect choice for mines, construction companies, and anyone else…

“At Serengeti we met resistance to our false plates. The smart guard was not fooled” We couldn’t wait to explore Tanzania, so left the border before dawn, planning for Dar es Salaam and palm-fringed beaches. First stop was Mbeya, where we managed to find fuel and a black market transaction that was very successful at $1 = 120/-(shillings) – a full six times the bank rate! At that rate we could actually explore. The landscape here was both densely populated and cultivated, as we drove through mist-shrouded tea plantations. On the climb up the escarpment, the old Landy missed a beat, then another, until we were struggling with fuel starvation. I cleaned the carb yet again but it was no better for 10 kilometres until - ‘whumph’ - it was…

WINNER DRIKUS PAULSEN Proving that the best rides are most often the messiest, Drikus took his well-kitted 2.2 double-cab Ford Ranger down 230km of muddy road between Kaoma and Kasempa when he adventured through Zambia. BILALL SHAIK AHMED Whenever Bilall is off duty, you can expect to find him off road. Capturing one of his many outdoor memories, this snap shows him with his 2015 Toyota Hilux Legend 45 conquering a steep decline at Gwahumbe 4x4 trail. TERRY BRAND Every true fisherman dreams of the day he’ll make his perfect catch. For Terry, that dream was realised when he purchased his 2015 Ford Ranger and took a trip along the coastline of Henties Bay, Namibia, in December last year. DEVLIN LOADER A fisherman won’t let an African thunderstorm stand in…

Somerset House (4 Star) in Somerset East (R490-R600 per person sharing on bed and breakfast basis; singles at R710 per night) — 042-243 1819 Phakamisa Lodge in Fort Fordyce Nature Reserve near Fort Beaufort (R477- R551 for the rustic six-sleeper lodge per night – self-catering) — 046-684 0729 Mvubu Lodge in the Great Fish River Nature Reserve (3 Star – writer’s grading) between Alice and Grahamstown (R525-R578 per person sharing – self-catering) — 040-653 8010 Oude Muragie guest-farm near De Rust (R250 per person per night – self-catering) — Maggie on 072 158 8309. Other useful links and contact numbers: Eastern Cape Parks & Tourism Agency (ECPTA) - 043 701 9600 (www.ecpta.co.za and/or www.visiteasterncape.co.za); Frontier history — www.sahistory.org.za and www.postretief.co.za .…

There was enough dust on the dashboard to keep a five-year-old busy for hours drawing stick figures. (Luckily, we didn’t have a five-year-old or stick figures.) However, after 3000 fairly boring kilometres from Cape Town – via Calvinia, Kenhardt, Keimoes, Upington, Kathu (where a passing bakkie hurled a fair-sized stone into our windscreen), Tsabong, Khakea, Kang, and Ghanzi – we finally reached Maun at midday on the third day. All of this was travelling through the most featureless flat-terrain country I have yet seen. There is good reason for this: it’s to prepare you for some wildly exciting, adrenaline-charged camping once you reach Northern Botswana. We were first-time visitors to Botswana, and, despite some serious internet research, were woefully over-catered in some departments and equally unprepared in others. We had…

FANCY NAME Cisticola tinniens AFRIKAANS Vleitinktinkie Since I first started school, my personal interpretation and understanding of the word tinktinkie has always been of someone or something very small. I can vaguely recall a rugby-coaching teacher referring to an unusually small member of the barefoot rugby team as a “regte tinktinkie”. However, if that little fellow performed well, the coach would say, “Hy is mossie, maar man,” meaning that, despite his unusually small size, he was delivering the goods at a satisfactory level. So, naturally, many years later when my interest in birds started to grow, I was not surprised to discover that a tinktinkie was indeed a very small member of the avian family. However, I had no idea how many different ones there were. Or even that they…

As as far back as I can remember, I’ve been hearing the horror stories of my parents’ sand-driving experiences on their regular cross-border trips. Ever since then, my perception of sand has always been that of a big old monster, waiting around for your tyres to dip into it, so that it can grab hold of you and never let you go. So, with a potential trip to Botswana over Easter looming eerily over my shoulder, I decided to pluck up the courage to face the sand monster. I decided the best place to start would be a trip to the Vleesbaai 4x4 dune trail, where I could put my skills, or lack thereof, to the test. The first thing I learnt is that sand or dune driving has rules:…

Over the years, customers have often asked the same questions about difficulties they are having with their satellite navigation devices. Below is Part 1 of the frequently-asked questions that I have received, followed in each case by answer 1. Why am I not getting satellite navigation signal? This could be due to a number of reasons. You could be getting signal interference; or something could be jamming the signal in the car; or your firmware could be outdated. 2. What accuracy can I expect from my satellite navigation device? The general accuracy of a satellite navigation device is between 3 and 5 metres. 3. Can I use my GPS overseas and in Russia? Any satellite navigation device can be used anywhere in the world, no matter where you purchased it.…

BF Goodrich KO2 SIZE: 275/70 R16 LT (Light Truck) TREAD DEPTH: 14mm DIAMETER: 790mm COST: R3795 per tyre BF Goodrich tyres have earned a reputation among overlanders for being long-lasting and tough. The last generation all-terrain, the KO, was often standard fitment on 4x4 campers for hire, considered the ultimate Avis go-anywhere vehicle. The three-ply sidewalls, protected shoulders and prominent ‘dog bone’ tread ensured lots of puncture-free miles over all sorts of terrain, with replacement intervals at 80 000 plus kilometres. Enough to justify a higher initial price tag. So, we were keen to try a set of the new KO2 tyres. The old set of 265/70 R16s on the Hilux were near the end of their useful life: the tread was close to the 3mm toss-out mark, and performance…