Innholdsfortegnelse for July 2019 i Caravan and Outdoor Life

You never forget your first time travelling Namibia. My first visit to our neighbour to the north was many years ago when I was still in Grade 7 (or Standard 5 as it was known back then). The big adventure took place during the June school holidays – a great time to visit Nam, as the desert is not unbearably hot, but the weather is still a welcome escape from the winter in the Cape. We were four families travelling together, each with two or three children. As with any travel adventure, the three-week long journey left us all with incredible memories. Thinking back on that first trip to Namibia, I found that it’s not just the incredible sights that have stuck with me all these years. In a big…

“For our final session of the day, we’re gonna go for some air time… can you get all four wheels off the road?” These were the words of the Ford team during our briefing at the launch of the Ranger Raptor. Us caravanners are used to having six wheels on the ground, but you don’t pass up the opportunity to properly test drive a brand new Raptor, especially if it means launching it off the ground. Sure, this was more for fun than to test the vehicle’s driving capability, but the Ford guys also had a couple of other courses that showed us what this beast of a bakkie really could do. The location for our day of driving was Goera Pan outside Upington, and our test sessions included a…

I certainly cannot claim I didn’t have time to experience driving and towing with the newly-released Mitsubishi Triton – I enjoyed the double cab for three weeks over 5 825 km. What a bakkie! With interior comfort to rival luxury sedans, the Triton still delivers when the going gets tough, whether towing in thick sands or getting up a rocky mountain slope. During our desert safari, I usually drove at the back of the convoy. Some of the minor gravel roads were so corrugated they looked like a bodybuilder’s washboard abs stretching all the way to Angola. Our powerful radios constantly crackled: “…Stay in the middle… keep to the left, it seems better there… bloody hell, my false teeth are coming out... how you doing at the back there Richard?”…

[ OFF-ROAD CARAVAN REVIEW ] BUSH LAPA GEITJIE Bush Lapa relaunched their little Geitjie off-road caravan earlier this year after an almost seven year break. The new variant comes with a host of upgrades and improvements, providing ample sleeping space inside, a characteristic Bush Lapa exterior kitchen, off-road capabilities, and easy set-up. The Geitjie is the smallest in Bush Lapa’s range of ‘Goggas’ and, with a GVM of 750 kg, it is legally allowed to be towed with a B license. Bush Lapa promotes this “tiny but tough” caravan as “ideal for the light traveller or adventurous couple”. That said, earlier this year at the Caravan, Camp & Destination Show, Bush Lapa told me that much interest in the Geitjie comes from older campers who are looking for a caravan…

PHOTO COMPETITION Want to show off your caravan and camping adventures? Are you a lensman who captures the beauty of nature? Do you have a terrific towing combination? Then show us! Caravan & Outdoor Life want to see your awesome outdoor images and share it with our audience. Whether you are towing a caravan or trailer, heading out in a motorhome, or camping in a tent, take a picture of your travels and share it with us. Each month we’ll publish the best pictures in our magazine, and share your winning snap on our website and social media. GARY COCKING Camping at High Moor. Leon Jones Our camping setup at Dragon Peaks Caravan Park. This was our last stop of a tour that took us from Pietermaritzburg to Cape Town…

Never run out of juice We never get tired of seeing innovation in vehicle accessories. This portable, maintenance-free jump starter kit from Mac-Afric is small enough to fit in your cubby, but it can bring your car, bakkie or boat back from the dead with its ultra-capacitor technology. It’ll do the job even in the most extreme conditions. Available in 300A and 800A variants. From R1995 For more information, contact Adendorf on 0861 23 36 36, email info@adendorff.co.za, or visit www.adendorff.co.za. Pole position Crestline’s HD Pole Adjusters are quick, easy and effective. Simply slip them into place and squeeze the hand grip to lock. To adjust, all you have to do is release the grip, move the pole to the desired length, and set. Made to fit 25mm reduced to…

What do Stone Age humans dating back 125 000 years, the Khoikhoi people, the Xhosa people, the Boers, British forts, Percy Fitzpatrick (the author of Jock of the Bushveld), Denys Reitz of Boer War fame and the inventor of the jet engine have in common? Add to the list wingless dung beetles, a massive elephant called Hapoor and a giant tortoise called Domkrag. If you answered Addo Elephant Park, you would be absolutely correct. I was lucky enough to visit this beautiful part of the Eastern Cape recently, for the first time in many years. Addo starts with A, the first letter in the alphabet, and in my humble opinion this location should rise to the top of anyone’s bucket list. The area is fascinating. Just as a start, let’s…

I had been dreaming of this trip for more thant a year: A three-week-long Namibian Desert Safari. On our itinerary were world-renowned attractions such as Ai-Ais, Richtersveld Transfrontier Park, the Fish River Canyon, the ghost town of Kolmanskop, the mysterious German castle of Duwisib, Sossusvlei, the Trans Kalahari Route and more... Our safari team, headed by Jannie Rykaart of Protea Safari Tours, consisted of myself, four vehicles from Johannesburg and one from East London. I felt like a bit of a show-off, since I had a newly-launched Mitsubishi Triton 2.4-litre double cab, behind which I towed a Conqueror Comfort. By the end of this trip, I would have a few thousand kilometres with this combination under my belt, and I can tell you it’s a fantastic way to experience Namibia.…

Lake Grappa Guest Farm and Ski School Yes, believe it or not there’s a ski school in the middle of the Kalahari. We weren’t there for the skiing, but to camp at the first-rate campsite on the banks of the dam. The dam was built by Gerrit Visser in 2007 for his son GJ who was a ranked speed skier. Today, Gerrit and GJ run the farm together. GJ is married to Le-rie, who runs the pub and restaurant. If you visit Lake Grappa on a Wednesday or Friday, you are in for a treat, because it’s pizza night at the restaurant. A variety of toppings are set out on a table, you make up your pizza and one of the helpful staff pops it into the wood-fired oven. The…

“Look! Eland, over there! And there is an ostrich! Not sure what that is, it’s moving very slowly, must be stalking something. “Let’s stop to watch… and have some tea and warm melktert!” We were trolling the roads of the West Coast National Park, taking in the sights. It was pre-flower season and when the veld is in bloom it is a natural phenomenon not to be missed. But even in the Cape’s blustery winter there are other inspiring sights to see: flocks of pink flamingos wading along on tall legs in the shallow waters of Churchhaven; Kraalbaai’s unusual umbrella rock formation, which provides a nice walk to stretch the legs; and Tsaarsbank’s braai spot, where the cold Atlantic relentlessly sends wave after wave smashing against a united-we-stand, rocky, coastline…

CAN MY OFF-ROAD CARAVAN HANDLE ANOTHER FRIDGE? As a subscriber, I humbly ask for your advice. My bush caravan is kitted out with the following: Power supply: • Lead acid deep cycle battery • AC/DC charger (camping with 220 V power point) • A 155 Watt solar panel (camping without power point) Power usage when camping: • National Luna 50 L Twin Weekender fridge/freezer • 12 V LED strip lighting Questions: 1. Will the system be able to handle the extra draw from a second fridge (National Luna 52 L Weekender, used for freezing)? 2. Will the system be able to incorporate an inverter (for instance, to run a hairdryer)? Should upgrades be required, what would you recommend? Rehanne Lambrechts Godfrey: I asked National Luna manufacturer for a reply, they…

CARAVAN & OUTDOOR LIFE PARTNER WITH SA’S PREMIER INDUSTRY SHOW Start counting down the days to the Pretoria FM Caravan, Camp & Destination Show, because we’re officially hitching on for the ride! The 2020 show will be presented in association with Caravan & Outdoor Life, and we will be taking a more active role in the build-up and coverage of the event. Known as "the launch pad of the industry", the show saw more than 20 brand new caravans, trailers and motorhomes launched earlier this year. The Pretoria FM Caravan, Camp & Destination Show (now in association with Caravan & Outdoor Life) is acclaimed as the show with the largest indoor stands in Southern Africa. Currently the show takes up about 17 000 m2 of the indoor space at Gallagher…

The Forever Resorts group certainly has its formula right, and one of the most popular resorts in their portfolio is Loskopdam. Situated less than two hour’s drive from Johannesburg against the backdrop of the Waterberg Mountain range on the banks of the Loskop Dam, the resort provides a safe haven and loads of holiday fun for the whole family. The resort has friendly and helpful reception staff who will give holidaymakers a detailed map of the resort to point them in the right direction. There is a large camp and caravan area with over 250 sites with water and electricity. The stands are well-shaded with green lawns that stretch down to the water’s edge. There are no less than seven ablution blocks which are neat and tidy, offering hot showers,…

These are not your average outdoor foot gear – FALKE socks are designed with advanced features such as ergonomic left and right construction for the ultimate fit, anti-tick and mosquito treatment, reinforced heel and toe for durability, honeycomb mesh construction for effective ventilation, Drynamix fibre to keep feet cool and dry, supportive cushioning, and more… Our prize pack consist of a pair of Advanced Hiking 4, AH1, AH2, All Terrain and Walkie socks valued at over R700.…

Rondeberg Holiday Resort Western Cape June/July School Holiday Special: Camping: 50% off a 7-day stay. Chalets special: Midweek (Mon-Thurs): Stay 4 days, pay only for 2. Subject to availability. T: 021 100 3689 C: 079 760 0247 W: www.rondeberg.com Plettenberg, A Forever Resort Western Cape Winter special: Camping for only R100 per person per night until 31 August 2019. Chalet accommodation only R830 per night. T 044 535 9309 plett@foreversa.co.za www.foreverplettenberg.co.za Richards Bay Caravan Park KwaZulu-Natal Pensioners: R1 212 for 2 people for 2 weeks. Or 2 people for 1 month just R2 385. Low Season: Book 4 nights, pay for 3. Mid Season: Book 8 nights, pay for 7. T: 035 753 1971 E: info@richardsbaycaravanpark.co.za W: www.richardsbaycaravanpark.co.za Paradise Holiday Resort KwaZulu-Natal Campsites, chalets and log cabins: Stay 5 nights, pay for…