Innholdsfortegnelse for April 2020 i Caravan and Outdoor Life

CAMPING AND CORONAVIRUS So, to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus the president has banned any meeting or gathering of more than 100 people. Does this mean caravan parks containing 100 people are out of bounds? Must caravan parks close? Gill Saunder The Western Cape Government has seen fit to close all their municipal resorts and The Caravan Club of SA has suspended all rallies. Some privately run resorts said they although they will continue with business as normal, they will be making additional safety measures for their guests. This includes guests declaring their state of health on entry to the resort and if ill refused admission; of not allowing more than the 100 people limit in the  resort; some will not be taking group bookings during school holidays or…

Go Blocker Pro These robust front panels fit any model of Fiamma awning, as well as on other brands of awning that have a guide rail in front of the lead bar. The Blocker Pro is equipped with one large, full-light Crystal window and has a vinyl extension to the floor. It gives you more privacy and protection from the wind. It is made of anti-rot vinyl and is a washable fabric with UV protection. It comes standard with elastic hooks and pegs. The blocker pro range comes in a variety of sizes, ranging from 250cm up to 550cm. Priced from R3 062.82 incl. VAT For more information, contact Fiamma on 011 395 1020 / 021 577 3683, email admin@fiamma.co.za, or visit their website www.fiamma.co.za for this and other great…

Bush Lapa, one of the popular off-road trailer manufacturers, is celebrating their 10th birthday this month by launching their first caravan model, a gravelroader, to their model line-up. This caravan has an inside bathroom and requires minimal setup when going camping. Read about it in this issue. They also entered the off-road motorhome market recently with the Mammoth. This is a four-sleeper, off-road vehicle built on an Iveco 4×4 single or double cab and includes an internal bathroom with a functional toilet and shower. The Mammoth is a heavy-duty, off-road design with go-anywhere-capability and provides direct access from the cabin to the camper.…

What grows exponentially every year, is 15 000m², has over 900 exhibitors with more than 350 companies displaying their wares? You guessed it… the 2020 Caravan Show that took place at Gallagher Estate in Johannesburg from 21 - 23 February. What a show it was! Filled to the brim with a full selection of caravan, motorhome, camping, and outdoor delights. Caravan & Outdoor Life magazine has officially partnered with the Caravan Show and this joint venture is only going to have a positive spinoff in years to come. After chatting to organiser Hampie de Kock, it is clear that this year record attendance numbers were achieved, with 32 665 feet through the door - an impressive growth of 7 500 attendees from last year’s gate figures. This is good news…

1 ONE THING YOU WILL ENJOY… is fishing day and night I love finding new caravan parks, especially ones that are completely different from neighbouring venues. Nearby – and recently reviewed – Somabula and Diamanté could be summed as ‘pure bush’ and ‘bush with waterslides and pet donkeys’. Neighbouring Wonderland 45 though, although a family resort, is an out-and-out fishing venue. At Wonderland 45, a fishing rod and fishing tackle is a prerequisite. The venue consists of five dams all fed from a crystal clear highveld stream, the Boschkop River. Unpolluted, and fed from a spring a kilometre from the campsite, the stream runs through farmland down to the dams in the small valley below. The dams all have their own particular finned inhabitants, each dam with its own specific…

Bush Lapa are well known for their off-road trailers and caravans and, to celebrate their 10th anniversary, they recently launched their first brand-new caravan. The Bush Lapa Gravelroader. Built particularly with the family lifestyle in mind, this caravan has been designed for easy camping, offering comfort and convenience. It most definitely takes camp life to the next level. Unpacking and setting up camp with an off-road trailer can take time, fact! Recognising this gap in their range, Bush Lapa realised there was a need for an off-road caravan that could be set up quickly and easily. One that doesn’t come with tents, outside showers, poles, and canvas, all of which requires a lot of time and effort to locate, unpack, and set up. And so, their new Gravelroader was born…

Rating: Vulnerable The magnificent leopard, their coats covered in black rosettes and spotted patterns are powerfully built and the second largest of the big cats found in South Africa. This magnificent predator is diurnal and nocturnal, meaning they are less active during the hotter hours of the day, with an activity peak at night. They are also solitary and defend their territory range. Dr David Mills, the Endangered Wildlife Trust Carnivore Conservation Program Manager, gave us some insight and information about this amazing animal. It is currently estimated that there are between 2 813 and 1 632 leopards in South Africa. Of these, the bulk lives in the bushveld of the north and east of the country (Kruger National Park, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, and North West Provinces). It is difficult to…

FROM OUR FORUM Every month we publish the most interesting online Forum posts in the magazine. If you want your question, destination review, or letter to be published, make sure to post it on the Forum on our website. CAMPFIRE CHAT Groundsheet advice needed I am looking for one of those really thick groundsheets to put under our canvas tent to stop thorns making holes in the floor of the tent. I seem to remember some ‘fancy’ groundsheets being sold a few years back – thick ones that allowed sand to fall through but not to come up through the groundsheet. But I can’t seem to find them in any shops or online. Mel D CARAVANS, MOTORHOMES & TRAILERS Caravan Height I’m in the market to buy a new or…

2020 STEALTH CARAVAN RANGE Stealth launched its new 2020 model range as well as its Bakkie-Mate at the Caravan Show in Gallagher Estate, Midrand recently. The 2020 models are the product of dealer network feedback and online polling, and they feature redesigned interiors and colour schemes. Initially, an interior designer developed three conceptual themes namely the Mountain, Bush, and Beach themes. All three themes were subject to a Facebook poll where the beach theme came out tops, it was thus used as the interior design ethos for the new range. Internally the cupboards were reconfigured to providing a hanging cupboard on the offside dresser, relocating the microwave to a much larger exterior pantry area. The rear benches were lowered to make the seating more comfortable and the dinette was mounted…

It appears that there are many electric towcars in the pipeline, the latest being the Nikola Badger electric pickup truck with an estimated range of 600 miles (965km). Claimed to be unlike anything else on the market, this advanced electric pickup is designed to target and exceed every electric or petrol pickup in its class. The Badger is engineered to deliver 980ft. lbs. of torque, 906 peak HP and 455 continuous HP. The Badger will be built in conjunction with another OEM, utilising their certified parts and manufacturing facilities. The electric pickup is designed to handle what a construction company could throw at it and is engineered to outperform all-electric pickup trucks on the market in both continuous towing, HP, and range. The Badger will be outfitted with a 15-kilowatt…

1 ONE THING YOU WILL ENJOY… Karoo hospitality at its best. A serious dose of cabin fever had built up and I was off on my first adventure of 2020. My escapade began when I fetched the Isuzu D-Max with rooftop tent in Cape Town and ambled up the N2 to my home in Greyton. This gave me a chance to pack all my cameras and camping gear. After a pit stop or rather a pie stop, in Riviersonderend, I headed on to Montagu to my first campsite of the trip. I love turning left off the N2 at Stormsvlei, for the scenic drive across to Bonnievale and on to Montagu. The Stormsvlei Farmstall and Restaurant is also well worth a visit when in the area. Soon I was on…

OLD MAC DADDY After roughing it for about a week at various campsites, it was a welcome relief to spend a night at Old Mac Daddy in one of their permanent tented camps. Old Mac Daddy is a combination Airstream caravan park, luxury villas, and tented campsite with a variety of wonderful holiday activities to suit the whole family. It has three tented camps each with their own unique charm. Daddy’s Hideaway Luxury Tent is tucked away in the mountain and is perfect for those who want complete peace and quiet, away from the madding crowd. A staple at Old Mac Daddy is the Airstream trailers, and these are a major draw-card for holiday seekers. The Airstreams are mostly imported from the US and attached to chalets and bungalows that…

Sherpa owners have been pushing to meet other Sherpa owners for the sheer enjoyment of the brand. One of the benefits of buying a Sherpa is the fact that owners have the option to design the interior to their own liking. It was therefore decided to arrange a Gauteng Sherpa Rally. The first Sherpa Rally took place at Klipdraai Karavaan Park on the last weekend of February 2020. 24 Sherpa caravans attended the rally, braving cool and very wet conditions. The complete Sherpa range was represented, from the Sherpa Tiny to the Rough Roader, the Rambler A and B, as well as the latest Sherpa Wanderer. Owners came from far and wide including Thabazimbi, Richards Bay, Bloemfontein, and Potchefstroom. It was interesting to note that a great portion of the…

1 ONE THING YOU WILL ENJOY… is the pristine campsite with a backdrop of willow trees set in beautifully scenic surroundings. We were blown away on our arrival at Slanghoek Mountain Resort, situated close to Rawsonville, as it is such a beautiful place established in a picture-perfect setting. Surrounded by the Slanghoek Mountains – that look like a cutout from a landscape in an award-winning coffee table book – the Slanghoek campsite is certainly one of the most picturesque places I’ve had the pleasure of reviewing. The main Slanghoek Road splits the resort between the top and bottom camps. The top section houses the main farmhouse with reception area, necessities and gift shop, a permanent tented camp, chalets, a function area, pool, and a jungle gym. The lower section encompasses…

Compact, easy to drive, and made for two to travel, Motorhome-World’s first new Discoverer Journey sold within an hour and a half of going on display at the 2020 Caravan Show. Probably a record by most standards and testimony to the interest shown by the public. Okay, with the corona virus destined for our shores, South Africans may have become influenced by America’s doomsday preppers and hatched a plan of escaping the city and the crowds! Let’s face it, the Journey is the ideal urban escape vehicle. Nevertheless, this brand-new model was snatched up quickly and for honourable intentions – of hitting the so-called open road to destinations far and wide, offering the new owners good living comfort and a premium driving experience. The advantage of this type of vehicle…

WINNING IMAGE I managed to snap a few Bloukop Koggelmanders, known as rock agamas in English. They are able to change the colour of their head so predators think that they are poisonous. Jerome Klein This railway line was used to haul tin ore from deep in the Luphohlo/Lugogo Mountains to the rail head in Manzini. It was bandoned some 70 years ago. Tommy Cowell A dragonfly caught hovering on the water at the Botanical Gardens in Stellenbosch. Rene Maritz This peacock was doing his best to attract a mate. What a lovely sight it was to watch this mating display, though the less-colourful female peahens pretended not to notice. Mark Jeffries Located in the picturesque coastal town of Betty’s Bay, in the Overberg, the Stony Point Nature Reserve is…

Caravan and Outdoor Life and Coenie Moll, of Cederberg 4x4, join forces to offer an affordable adventure suited to the whole family. Seasoned outdoor enthusiast and guide, Coenie Moll, with our very own photojournalist, Richard van Ryneveld, will be heading off to Botswana and the Caprivi. The 14-day trip falls within the June/July school holidays making it accessible to the whole family. The adventure starts in Ghanzi on 15 June 2020 and ends at Khama Rhino Sanctuary near Serowe on 28 June 2020. The same team will continue on, after a two-day break, with an equally exciting 18-day trip to Zimbabwe (30 June - 17 July). BOTSWANA 14-day trip 15 June - 28 June includes Ghanzi, Okavango Delta, Tsodilo Hills, Chobe, and Victoria Falls. ZIMBABWE 18 day trip 30 June…