Innehållsförteckning för February 2020 från Go! Drive & Camp

“And then Elon announced to everyone that the truck’s steel body and metal windows are bulletproof and can handle a sledgehammer attack” The future of the automotive industry is clean, quiet and electrically powered. I think we would all agree on that, even though not everyone is exactly keen on the idea. I must admit we struggled to conceal our surprise when South African-born founder of Tesla, Elon Musk, showed off his new electric bakkie to the world. It wasn’t exactly what you’d call the epitome of car design, right? And then Elon announced to everyone that the truck’s steel body and metal windows are bulletproof and can handle a sledgehammer attack. But when his head of design hurled a steel ball at the left windshield, it shattered on the…

Branching out… She had to get the kids out of bed before sunrise on a winter morning, but that also meant Idene Doyer from Welgemoed in Cape Town was rewarded with a winning photo. “In July last year, we travelled to Namibia with four other families. Sossusvlei was the highlight for us – on that particular cold morning we got up before dawn, before the sun rises over the Big Daddy Dune, the highest dune in the Sossusvlei area. After this we headed to the Dead Vlei where my three children, Amorie, Ockert and Lila, sought out the ancient ballerina tree. In the photo, they’re standing next to the tree, mimicking the tree’s shadow. It was a wonderful day, we swapped stories and wondered what it looked like here a…

Fiat-Chrysler, the owners of Jeep, recently revealed to the UK website AutoExpress that a tiny Jeep will be launched in 2022. It hasn’t been named yet, but will reportedly be smaller than the Renegade – about the same size as the Suzuki Jimny. “The car will be able to be used as a bad-ass Jeep, but it has also been designed to be used everyday,” said Marco Pigozzi, the company’s European head of marketing. Pigozzi also said that the merger of Fiat-Chrysler with Peugeot-Citroën means that greater emphasis will be placed on environmental awareness. According to him, Fiat-Chrysler does not have a small platform for the compact Jeep, and therefore it is likely that Peugeot-Citroën will donate technologies from its smaller Peugeot 208 or Citroën DS3 Crossback as part of…

You’ve just been down to the South Coast and enjoyed every moment of whiling away the hours behind the grill, talking about World Cup trophies, while the kids frolic in the waves or slide down tubes. Before you start packing up, sit down and consider these routes and trails with loose surfaces beneath the rubber and vistas that’ll take your breath away. It may take you eight days to get home (if you include the training at the last venue) but it will keep you away from annoying toll gates, and mostly away from thousands of tourists on their way back home. STARTING IN KINGSBURGH, head in the direction of the Big Smoke by making your way through sugar-cane country via the R603 en route to Gwahumbe Game Lodge and…

Campsite 110 stands, all with power, a bin and on grass. Some have a paving slab. Ablution facilities 5 clean and neat ablution blocks with shared facilities. Price Depending on the season and the number of campers, R190-R1 050. Maximum 6 people per site. There are special rates for pensioners. Arrival and departure 14:30 and 10:30. Contact 043 734 3055 areenaresort.com info@areenaresort.com Nearest town East London, 23 km. Road condition Tar all the way. GPS S32.883435 E28.061201 Drive & Camp says There’s so much to do here that you and your family won’t sit still for a moment… unless, of course, you want to.…

Campsite 25 stands with power, water and braais under shady trees. Ablution facilities 1 building kept clean and 1 smaller building next to the pool for campers and day visitors. Price R110 pppn out of season (R50 per child) and R280 for two adults in peak season (R70 per child). Pensioners pay R80. Contact 058 223 0067 meiringskloof.co.za admin@meiringskloofpark.co.za Arrival and departure 14:00 and 10:00. Road condition Tar to Fouriesburg, but not all the town’s streets are tarred. Take the last street – Meiring Street – out of town, past Glen Skye Guest Farm and follow a good dirt road for 2 km to reception. GPS S28.60419 E28.22441 Drive & Camp says This resort is for hikers and birders. Other than the pool, there isn’t much for kids to do.…

Fish Black bass, bream and catfish. Campsite 62 level grass stands with power, of which 9 are luxury stands with their own bathroom facilities. Ablution facilities 17 private bathrooms for the communal stands, and 9 bathrooms at the private stands. Price Depending on the season, R450-R530 per site for the communal stands and R490-R600 for the private ones. These rates are for 5 people – a sixth guest pays R35 pn extra. Arrival and departure 12:00 and 11:00. Contact 082 772 4747 bushnbuck.com info@bushnbuck.co.za Nearest town Brits, 37 km. Road condition Tar road to the resort and a good dirt road within the resort. GPS S25.374499 E27.587810 Drive & Camp says The resort is only open on weekends and long weekends and during holidays. You may ask for a specific…

Model .......................................................................................................3.0 4x4 AT6 Engine ......................................................................................................2 999 cc, four-cylinder turbodiesel Power ........................................................................................................130 kW @ 3 600 rpm Torque ......................................................................................................380 Nm @ 1 800 rpm Gearbox ...................................................................................................6-speed automatic Fuel consumption (tested) ............................................................10 ℓ/100 km Tank ...........................................................................................................65 ℓ Approach and departure angle .................................................24 ° and 25,1 ° Wading depth ......................................................................................600 mm Ground clearance ..............................................................................230 mm Warranty .................................................................................................5 years/120 000 km Service plan ..........................................................................................5 years/90 000 km Safety rating ......................................................................................... (ANCAP, 2017) PRICE ......................................................................................................R629 100…

Last month we showed you some of the more popular camping hacks out there, ranging from the easiest portable toilet to how to make your guy lines a little more visible – both of which used pool noodles, of all things. We even had popcorn in a beer can. Here’s the best of the rest for tidying up things around your campsite. Tin-can cookers What is it? When mom and dad’s little darlings get bored, there’s always the possibility that they’re going to come back to the stand and try to assist with one of the meals. Now you can let them cook their own food in safely with a DIY cooker made from two tin cans. Does it work? You’ll have to pack in your smallest pot and pan,…

The first off-road vehicle ever is not the Jeep – that honour goes to the first half-track. Frenchman Adolphe Kégresse built this half-track for Tsar Nicholas the second of Russia in the early 20th century. It was obviously not a mass production vehicle, nor was it available to the regular man on the street. Off-roaders were seen at this time as a solution to unpleasant activities – like driving from your castle to the train station through knee-deep deep snow. It was only with the arrival of the Jeep in the early forties that people started to think it was fun to struggle through off-road terrain. By the way: running for fun only got popular in the sixties. Yes, that is correct, off-roading predates jogging.…

I have been wrestling with the idea of enhancing the power and torque output of my V8 Land Cruiser 76 series station wagon ever since we completed turning it into an off-road touring vehicle. It has become significantly taller, heavier and wears bigger tyres. It is shaped like a good-looking brick and has a full-length roof rack as well. All of this has had an effect on the performance and, at times, I wish there was just a little bit more power. This does not happen all the time though and it’s really only when overtaking out on the open road. My daily commute has a mix of about 40 km of stop-start driving in the suburbs and another 40 km of highway driving. The power of the Cruiser is…

The current business model for campsites is to charge sky-high rates during peak season (such as the December holidays), thereby extorting the camper who doesn’t holiday at other times of the year. There are only a handful of caravan parks that have a revenue stream throughout the year, but even they struggle to stay afloat. I was surprised when I saw a popular seaside resort recently offering a 20% discount for bookings between 10 December and 5 January. The rate is normally just under R1 000 pn for four people, then adjusted to just over R780 pn. And so I wonder what the reaction will be among campers who paid the higher rate months ago already. This resort required a booking deposit of R3 000 for the 2019 season. If…

From the outside, it may look like a Sherpa, but the new Badger, a fibreglass caravan for two people (and maybe one child) has a fresh approach to layout. What makes the caravan unique is its patented fold-out double bed. The Badger’s entire right panel deploys as a unit along with the roof to form the double bed. Of course, this means more space in the caravan, as only half the double bed is inside. A canvas then stretches over the open section. In addition, the Badger, which is manufactured in Durban by owners who have deep roots in the international yachting industry, has everything that opens and closes. On the nose side are a few cupboards with a flat surface on top – forming a child’s bed in some…

Jaguar E-Pace P250 AWD The E-Pace surprised us with its impressive turn of speed cross country, and exciting off-road credentials when it got us through snowy terrain as well. Alfa Romeo Stelvio 2,0T Super Q4 Even in base specification, the Stelvio lives up to the sporting heritage of the legendary Italian marque. It’s remarkable all round and easy on the eye. Mercedes-Benz GLA250 4Matic Definitely not as tightly strung as the rest of its competition but would blend in wherever you go. Not that it’s a slouch… Be prepared to tick lots of options though.…

Can I drive the route on my own? Most of it yes, except that at Stoney Ridge you’ll have to have completed the training courses set out by John before he’ll allow you to drive there. How long will it take? You could do this over a long weekend, but we suggest you bank on being in the Midlands for a week and a half, so you have enough time to explore the region and its attractions, and get to relax and sightsee as well. What should I drive? A pukka 4x4 vehicle with low range and diff lock is preferable. While you could tackle some of the terrain at these locations with just the rear diff locked, when conditions are adverse, you’ll need everything at your disposal. Good ground…

Campsite Close to 200 stands divided into three blocks, mostly on grass and under shade trees with views of the sea, river or both. Ablution facilities 3 ablution buildings (one in each block) with clean and modern amenities. Price In the quiet season, R100 pppn or R150 if you camp on your own (R50 for children under 15). During Easter and school holidays, the rates are R150 and R100 respectively. From 1 December to 10 January, you pay R250 pn per site plus R200 pppn (R70 for children under 18). There’s a minimum rate of R650 pn. Arrival and departure 12:00 and 10:00. Road condition The last 2 km is dirt road. Contact 043 734 3034 yellows.co.za info@yellows.co.za Nearest town East London, 25 km. GPS S32.903172 E28.074338 Drive & Camp…

In September 2017, Clive, his son Craig, and a group of friends completed a hectic 4x4 adventure from Ongeluks Nek in the south of Lesotho to Sani Pass in the east, via the Senqunyane River and the Katse Dam. Seeing as that trip was almost two years ago, it was time for them to pay another visit to the great Mountain Kingdom… but this time with less travelling and more relaxation, says Clive. “Our plan was to spend the first night at the top of Sani Pass, and then the second and third nights at Chalets in the Sky in the magnificent Khubelu Valley, or hopefully, camp at Hamapoka Camp, commonly referred to as Mapoka camp, also in the Khubelu Valley. So, on a Friday morning in June last year,…

The flavour of the fish and vegetables beautifully complement one another. Thread the fish and vegetables on separate skewers as then you can remove the fish from the grid as soon as it is cooked but still juicy. Ingredients (serves 8) FOR THE KEBABS 800 g solid white fish fillets 8 baby marrows 1 red onion, cut into thick wedges FOR THE MARINADE 8 tablespoons lemon thyme, finely chopped ½ cup lemon juice 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped 4 tablespoons honey ½ cup olive oil ½ teaspoon ground black pepper ½ teaspoon salt Here’s how 1 Skin the fish and cut the fish and baby marrows into cubes of 3-4 cm (smaller cubes may break and fall off the skewers when cooked). 2 Skewer the fish on 8 skewers, and…

We’re all used to having the lights go out at a certain time at a campsite or resort, and even unexpectedly at home. But there are plenty of ways other than relying on the national power provider to keep your devices powered or ensure the milk stays fresh. SMOOTH OPERATOR Trade Power camping generator Plenty of campsites don’t allow the conventional generators of old, because of noise pollution where most campers prefer peace and quiet. You don’t have to worry about that with this 2 000 W petrol pure sine wave invertor rental unit from Go Camp, which is relatively silent compared to the generators of yesteryear. It runs off unleaded petrol stored in a 5,7 ℓ fuel tank and weighs just 31 kg – providing 220 V or 12…

DAY 1 We meet at Punda Maria Camp in the northern section of the Kruger National Park, where we will spend our first night camping in tents. DAY 2 We make our way to the Pafuri Gate, where we cross the border and enter Mozambique. After about 80 kilometres, we reach the village of Mapai, where we cross the Limpopo. (Should the Limpopo be in flood, an alternate route will be considered). DAY 3 Early to rise and, after a hearty breakfast, we break up camp and continue on to Machaila, then the town of Mabote and lastly on to our destination at Inhassoro. At Inhassoro we’ll be sleeping in chalets almost on the beach with a view of Bazaruto Bay where we will enjoy the evening together. DAY 4…

Christi wins a cooler bag worth R220. Whether you’re a camper, fisherman, or sports fan next to a cricket pitch; this cooler bag has room for luch box and a 1,5 ℓ cool drink bottle. The lid also has space for a coffee flask. The interior is lined with PVC, which makes it easy to keep this bag clean and hygenic. The bag has a short strap that reaches over the top and attaches with a Velcro strip, and also a longer shoulder strap if you’re going to carry it over longer distances. It’s an ideal picnic accessory or a padkos bag for a road trip.…

According to the latest Naamsa new vehicle sales figures, a total of 44 738 new vehicles were sold in South Africa in November 2019, while 35 271 vehicles were exported in the same month. Below is a list of new bakkies and SUVs sold that month. The Toyota Hilux leads the pack as per usual, while the Volkswagen T-Cross has left the starting blocks in fine form. Please note, we provide the base price for a model range, although we’re well aware that the flagship model is often the top seller in a series. Also note that some manufacturers, including Porsche, Lamborghini and Mercedes-Benz, don’t disclose sales figures for specific models.…

Model.................................Mini John Cooper Works ALL4 Countryman Engine.................................................1 998 cc, four-cylinder, turbopetrol Power...............................................................225 kW @ 5 000 rpm Torque........................................................................... 450 Nm @ 1 750 rpm Transmission.................................................................. 8-speed automatic Top speed............................................................................................250 km/h Luggage space................................................................................ 216-912 ℓ Tank..................................................................................................................50 ℓ Maintenance plan..........................................................3 years/75 000 km Safety rating........................................................... (EuroNCAP) PRICE..............................................................................................R708 000…

4x4/Low range/Diff lock? You need a 4x4 vehicle with good ground clearance and low range. A rear diff lock will come in handy now and again. Maximum vehicles None. Do I get a map? No, but the trail is easy to follow. Will my vehicle get scratched? Here and there, you’ll find a boulder or high rock face right by the road, but if you drive carefully, the odds of damage are low. However, take off your running boards. Do I need to take a compressor? Yes. Can we braai along the way? No, only at the campsite. Can I turn around halfway? No, the route is one way only. Is there cellphone signal? Yes. AROUND THE ROUTE Best time to go? The trail is open all year, but the…

Length 6,015 m Width 2 m Height 2,225 m Head height inside 1,875 m Net weight 1 260 kg Load capacity 1 090 kg GVM 2 350 kg Wheel size 15” Axle Independent suspension with a coil spring and shock absorber on each side. Price From R471 326 Plus The roof lifting mechanism is a piece of ingenious engineering work. The shower cubicle is practical and easy to erect. The open space in the caravan is a luxury. The large window panes with their roller blinds are fashionable and practical. Minus The ratchet steadies of the shower cubicle work well, but they take time to master. The one who sleeps on the right in the main bed doesn’t get a bedside table. The Kunene is intended for large towing vehicles…

The dispute whether climate change is a reality or not is coming to an end. Electric vehicles seem to be one of the ways in which we can save the environment and several governments are drafting plans to ban internal combustion engines. Vehicle manufacturers, such as Volkswagen and Volvo, announce that they will cease manufacturing all internal combustion engines. The electrification of 4x4 vehicles begins, with Tesla, Rivian and Bollinger taking the lead. Even Ford is waking up and building the Mustang Mach-E, a hybrid SUV that nobody really asked for. Will the old 4x4 gang survive the paradigm shift? Shortly before Christmas 2019, when this article was written, there was still no sign of an electric Land Cruiser, Patrol or Defender. They will have to get going soon if…

TORTILLA ‘LASAGNA’ Pan you handle it? This saucy recipe stretches four tortillas to a feast for eight. Ingredients (serves 8) 2 tablespoons cooking oil 350 g mince 1 onion, finely chopped 2 cloves garlic, crushed 2 teaspoons of peri-peri rub (we used Nomu’s) 1 tablespoon tomato paste 1-2 tins (410 g each) red kidney beans, drained 1 tin (410 g) chopped tomato a lump of butter to grease the potjie 4 flour tortillas 200 g (about 1 cup) cheese sauce 1 cup grated cheddar slices of jalapeño peppers to sprinkle (optional) Here’s how 1 Heat the oil in a pot and fry the mince with the onion and garlic until nice and golden brown – break up the meat with your spoon so the mince isn’t lumpy. Season with the…

DATES 14 to 23 Jun 2020, 25 Jun to 4 Jul 2020, 2 to 11 Aug 2020, 14 to 23 Aug 2020, 6 to 15 Sept 2020, 19 to 28 Sept 2020 COST R 15 950 (chalet & tented accommodation) per person sharing (children under 10 @ 50%) BHEJANE SUPPLIES/PROVIDES All camp fees All park entrance fees All advertised activities Bhejane Adventures provides all the tents, cutlery and crockery Coffee & tea – 24/7 while in camp WHAT YOU NEED TO BRING/PROVIDE Your vehicle and fuel Your own mattresses and/or stretchers and sleeping bags and pillows Fold-up chairs Your own drinks and in-between snacks Out-of-country, medical emergency and evacuation insurance cover Border crossing fees and road taxes Yes, I want to go! To book 044 535 9033 or email bookings@bhejane.com…