Innholdsfortegnelse for Aug/Sept 2025 i Go! Drive & Camp

While working on this issue, the contributions from Deon Boshoff and Mic van Zyl reminded me again of those moments on the road when I’m at my happiest. It’s usually early morning, when I’m the first one up, strong coffee in hand, and I realise I’m seeing – no, feeling – what’s in front of me almost as if for the first time. In the Cederberg, it’s when the sandstone cliffs begin to glow red and gold as the sun peeks over the horizon. In the Kruger, it might be the flutter of a bird in the mopani trees while the cicadas clear their throats for the day. And on the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast, it’s the mist hanging over the ocean while I wait for the sun to burn it…

The gap between a teardrop camper and a standard road caravan is huge. The former is really just a bed on wheels, while a conventional caravan offers significantly more living space. You’d think it would be tricky to strike the perfect middle ground, but Road-Tripper’s Free Spirit model proves otherwise. Road-Tripper has specialised in teardrops since launching in 2016, and has sold more than 200 units to date. Chris, a former aviation engineer, says he’s passionate about small caravans like these – though the business came about almost by accident. On a trip to Namibia with his son and a friend, he built each of them a little caravan for the journey. The teardrops turned heads everywhere, and when Chris got back, he was flooded with enquiries – the start…

There’s a healthy market for rooftop tents – and it’s easy to see why. But just like with motorhomes, there are people who feel it’s a real pain to have to pack up everything whenever you want to go somewhere. Enter Trek Lifestyle’s Horizon trailer comes in. The idea was to get the rooftop tent off the vehicle, explains Jacques Truter, owner of Trek Lifestyle and Trek Plastics – a company with more than 60 years of experience in the plastics industry. Chances are you’ve already come across some of Jacques and co’s products. They don’t just make industrial goods for various markets – including military export – but also plastic loading bin liners for your bakkie. That’s where the Horizon was born. Bed on top The Horizon is a…

The term “swallows” is well known in camping circles. It refers to retired campers who, just like our feathered friends, head north for warmer pastures in winter – and stay put for a couple of months. Birds of a feather, you could say. The mild winter days and nights in Limpopo and northern Mpumalanga make this region a prime destination for those escaping the chill of the rest of the country. Marula Oase, just north of Bela-Bela, is a popular landing spot for the swallows. You’ll spot the signs as soon as you arrive: double awnings in front of caravans, sites neatly framed with shade netting, braais that don’t burn every night, and the odd tent zipped up for days on end while the owners are off visiting friends or…

The Boshoffs travel exploits are well-known in this publication. We last heard from them in #60, the April-May 2024 issue where they were singing the praises of their Suzuki Ignis’ as towing vehicle for their little home-built caravan. Christened “Karretjie” and “Vaantjie” they took to the Cederberg where they managed to conquer loose-gravelled hills and toothrattling corrugations, proclaiming proudly “Kgalagadi, here we come!” Deon says it seems like eons since those words leapt off his laptop onto these pages. They had subsequently found their way to the Kgalagadi, which had a few surprises in store for them… " We had read the recommendations regarding suitable vehicles for the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park beforehand, but to be honest, I’ve mostly tackled the ‘don’t do’s’ in my life with very little respect. Some…

We all knew that kid in school. The one who excelled at everything: top of the class; full colours in rugby, cricket and debate; crystal-clear baritone in the choir; every school athletics record under his name; and the lead in the school play. Good-looking and charming, friends with everyone, and his dad just happens to be the wealthiest farmer in the district. In the world of towing vehicles, that kid is the Land Rover Discovery. We tested the Discovery HSE S16 Luxury seven years ago and were already impressed back then by its attention to towing tech. The latest Discovery has seriously levelled up – just look at the torque: it’s jumped from 450 Nm to a whopping 700 Nm. (For comparison, the 3 ℓ petrol engine back then offered…

TWO-SLEEPER CARAVANS ARE THE MOST POPULAR They make up 46% of all models. Four-sleepers account for 24%, and rooftop tent models 17%. ONE IN FIVE CARAVANS HAS A GVM OF 750 KG OR LESS This means people with a standard driving licence can choose from 75 models. The lightest caravan on the market is the Skipper Shor ‘T’ with a GVM of just 500 kg. THE AVERAGE CARAVAN IS 4,8 M LONG The longest? The Destination Journey at 8,8 m. THE HEAVIEST CARAVAN (GVM) TIPS THE SCALE AT 3 000 KG That’s the Overlander 590 Custom; all others come in at 2 800 kg or less. MANUFACTURERS ARE OPTING FOR STRONGER AXLES A third of the caravans with a GVM of 2 000 kg or less are fitted with a…

Kotie grew up at the foot of the Swartberg Pass near Die Hel, in a family that loved camping. Later, he became a tradesman with a serious soft spot for steel bolts. He helped build a string of fast-food outlets across the continent before turning his hand to something new: a caravan of his own. The biggest challenge was translating the picture in his mind into something real. He went through designer after designer before finally building a wooden mock-up of what would become the Rooivalk. Designer De Wet Oosthuizen took that model and turned it into a set of detailed drawings. Kotie’s love for World War II machinery runs deep – and the idea of building an offroad caravan that stands out stayed front and centre. But there’s no…

The Kia Sorento made its debut in 2002, and its fourth generation was introduced in South Africa in early 2022. Updating it after just threeand-a-half years may feel a bit premature, but it’s worth remembering that the local launch was delayed by two years – partly due to the COVID-19 pandemic. So in reality, this Sorento is more than five years old. It’s a successful yet subtle update, and the car now looks both fresh and familiar. What's new? The headlights have been rotated 90° and now run vertically down both sides of the grille, while the daytime running lights are narrow horizontal strips. Kia says this layout was chosen to create a more imposing look without physically increasing the Sorento’s size. The bonnet has also been redesigned with more…

With any new camper, you expect one or two new features – but BunduTec’s BunduTrail off-road trailer seriously overdelivers. Its biggest selling point is the swing-out awning that’s a breeze to set up, and with the push of a button your bed is ready too. What’s more, the outside kitchen deserves a medal for originality. For an off-road trailer this size – it’s barely more than a regular trailer – you’ll struggle to find anything else that offers this much storage or such smart use of every last inch. Don’t even think about buying a new off-road trailer before giving the BunduTrail a proper once-over. Stoep-side stories With most off-road trailers, you start by setting up the rooftop tent to get your sleeping area sorted – but with the BunduTrail,…

The main principle you should always keep in mind when you’re behind the wheel and tackling a 4x4 obstacle is a mindset of finesse. Yes, there are other important techniques and features that also play a massive role and are essential for your safety on an off-road trip – but finesse is the first and most important thing you need to master. André has years of experience and has already equipped many newcomers to the 4×4 world with these 10 handy tips. “1 It’s important to always drive within your ability. There’ll be times when you need to send it – like in the soft sand of a desert – but always be mindful of staying within your comfort zone. Assess the obstacle before you tackle it. Think it through…

Let me start by admitting that I’m in no position to preach when it comes to school performance. My late mother – and may she finally be at peace in that Great Classroom beyond the Styx – always said the reason she never fulfilled her potential as a star tennis player was because her knees gave in. Not from a torn ligament or busted cartilage, mind you – but from having to kneel so often, praying her youngest would just scrape through another school year. Back then, I still had a few more “standards” to get through – which today have been replaced with grades. I’ve got strong feelings about today’s “standards” too, but let me rather bite my tongue. As I’ve said: I’m not the one to be throwing…

Bushriver Lodge near Hoedspruit has opened a new campsite. The lodge is 25 km outside town on the banks of the Olifants River, and according to Anthony van Aswegen, who runs it with his wife Lisa, people have been asking for a camping option here for ages. Although it’s a bush camp, the last 1,2 km of gravel road is smooth enough to handle with a regular sedan and road caravan. There’s electricity and water, so you don’t need to be self-sufficient. The unfenced campsite lies between the lodge and the river, about 150 m from the water’s edge. There are four stands, two of which are slightly more secluded and private. Anthony says they’re busy setting up three more. You camp in a cleared patch of bush with your…

The two big perks of a caravan with a 750 kg GVM: You don’t need a heavy-duty towing vehicle, and you can tow it with a standard licence. That makes this kind of caravan a popular pick for first-timers and anyone looking to downscale. The trick isn’t just the light gross vehicle mass – it’show much usable payload you’ve got left once it’s fully kitted out. Getting that balance right is no small feat. Built for the bush The SRNT (short for Serenity) is an offroad caravan, which means it needs to be tougher than your average caravan or even a gravelroader. This, of course, adds weight. Add standard brakes (more weight! – Ed) and you’ll see why, pound for pound, the Serenity has no real rivals. There’s hardly a…

You spent all yesterday driving from the city to Augrabies -a 10-hour trip from Pretoria, nine hours from Cape Town and eight from Bloemfontein – but you’re finally here, and from now on, the trip only gets better. The falls at Augrabies usually flow at their strongest during the autumn months of April and May, when the sluices at the Vaal and Gariep dams are opened. The park is rarely, if ever, fully booked (even when the falls are in full flow) and there are also plenty of guesthouses, lodges and camping spots just outside the park itself. Some visitors to the park only see the falls and never explore the rest of the natural beauty. There’s a small section of the park you can visit in an ordinary sedan,…

The Free State doesn’t exactly have the widest range of campsites, especially compared to other provinces. That’s why most people don’t even consider it when planning a holiday. But these two campsites might just change your mind: Oranje Guest Farm, set in the heart of the Eastern Free State whose neighbours include the Golden Gate Highlands National Park, and Waschbank River Lodge on the banks of the Orange River where the Free State, Northern and Eastern Cape meet. Forever’s Gariep resort is just over the hill. These two excellent spots are both set on farms – and in exchange, you get fresh air and stunning scenery. Once you pull in here, you can leave your worries behind at the farm gate. ORANJE GUEST FARM A view worth painting It’s easy…

Bitterfontein, tucked away in the Knersvlakte of the Western Cape, is a quiet little town with fewer than 900 residents. As you set off from here, the massive granite blocks scattered around town make for an unusual sight. They’re known as charnockite and come from a local quarry – chances are you’ve seen them before, as they’re a popular choice for kitchen countertops. The R358 – officially South Africa’s longest gravel road – begins 4 km north of Bitterfontein, to the right of the N7. There’s a road sign pointing the way to Pofadder and Springbok, and we turn off in the direction of the former. For the first 60 km, the R358 winds through the Knersvlakte’s quartz-strewn koppies and ridges. It’s a scenic route, especially in spring when the…

The American Jeep Wrangler is now in its fourth generation, the JL, and it got a facelift late last year. In the US, you can choose between 13 trim levels, but here in South Africa, you only get two: the Sahara and the Rubicon. Both are fitted with the same 2 ℓ petrol engine, but the Rubicon boasts extra equipment that makes it more capable off-road. We drove the Rubicon briefly when it launched – and spent weeks touring with the Gladiator Rubicon – but this time, we wanted to know whether the Sahara might actually be the smarter buy. Exterior and interior All four of the Sahara’s doors can be removed – as befits a proper Jeep Wrangler but it doesn’t look like you can take off the roof.…

South African campers have a huge variety of locally manufactured caravans to choose from. The upcoming Caravan Buyers’Guide 2025, due out in early August, features no fewer than 72 local manufacturers offering a staggering 344 models. Most of them are based in Gauteng. It’s a fascinating industry, though not without the occasional sad twist. Just three years ago, you could choose from 20 Leefek models, but this former Jurgens Ci inheritance has since disappeared. That gap in the market, however, has become fertile ground for a crop of new caravan makers now showcased in the pages of the latest Buyers’ Guide. If it’s made in South Africa, you’ll find it there. Over the past year alone, no fewer than 47 new models have been launched. (We give an overview of…