Mary Willemse

Do you speak 4×4?

I have recently bought my first 4×4 and have to say that I am feeling overwhelmed with all the terms and technology. Please explain some of the common terms in layman’s terms. – Sunette Truter

Our writer and digital content creator, Anton Willemse Jnr, has undergone a number of 4×4 training courses and continuously learns “on the job”. He explains some of the most common terms:

Take a hike!

Hiking is a wonderful way to immerse yourself in the outdoors. Transported by your own two feet and carrying only what you need on your back, you can discover the beauty of nature at whatever pace you’re comfortable with. And, with a bit of planning and preparation, it’s an activity that almost anyone can do.

Hi, ho. Hi, ho. It’s off to camp we go!

Here at Adventure Afrika, we believe that camping is always the answer – regardless of the question. But there is no reason it should be a schlepp! With the help of our readers and online audience we put some top tips and hacks together, suitable for novice and experienced campers.

Ain’t no mountain high enough!

‘Drakensberg’ means ‘Dragon’s Mountains’ in Afrikaans, and the Zulu name is uKhahlamba, the ‘barrier of spears’. Both monikers help convey these peaks’ spiky, jagged contours, which form part of a large escarpment leading to a vast interior plateau. For many hikers, a multi-day hiking trail in this wild and remote area is a definite bucket list item. And why wouldn’t it be? We put our top five trails in this beautiful area together.

The family companion

Most people don’t understand us overlanding types. We prefer dusty campsites over five-star hotels, hard gravel roads over tar and long driving hours over a short flight. We name our cars and love and treasure them. The Oberholster family from Jeffrey’s Bay is no different.

It’s Braai time!

Walking around a Tentco shop for a prolonged period is a recipe for disaster. They have everything and more with regards to camping equipment, and you are almost forced to spend too much money before heading home to a difficult conversation with your significant other. And now, during braai month, Tentco has extended their already comprehensive line-up with their own brand of braai equipment. Anton Willemse Jnr was ready to do the testing…

Lovely Lower Sabie

The Kruger National Park has attracted local and international visitors for generations. In the following few issues, Kruger lovers Anton and Natasha Schutte share their favourite rest camps. This month they visit Lower Sabie in the south of the park.

Tigers for Africa

The Free State is probably the last place on earth you would associate with Bengal tigers, but a ground-breaking conservation project on the banks of the Vanderkloof Dam in Philippolis is helping to save the world’s most powerful cat. Mary Willemse jumps in the Ford Everest Sport and sets off to explore this enchanting, distinctly different destination.