Adventure Afrika

The British wildlife photographer, Will Burrard-Lucas, once said that in wildlife photography you never just take a picture – rather, you ‘ask’ for a picture. As an aspiring wildlife photographer and being fortunate to work in nature daily, this has made me observe my guests with their long lenses and fancy camera gear more closely. Mostly, our guests at Elephant Plains Lodge in Sabi Sands will not disturb nature to get that sought-after shot, some even inspiring me to be more conscious of my own impact on nature. Two such guests I’ve had the privilege of hosting were Shaheen Patel, the owner of Legend Safaris, and Christopher Tosi, who runs the “86 Days in Kruger” campaign in aid of the Smile Foundation. What talented and inspiring artists, filled with love…

Letters to the Editor W Dyck writes: By sheer coincidence I noticed the new-generation Ford Ranger on the cover of issue 26 of your fantastic Adventure Afrika magazine. I did not even know you existed, and it was such a treat to get my adventure and travel fix in print! Thank you! In this edition, the highlight was undoubtedly the in-depth report on the new Ranger, as well as the short piece on Volkswagen’s upcoming new Amarok. Ford’s styling has been on the forefront for many years, being the first of the manufacturers to introduce the more aggressive (and very sexy) American look to our market. Of course, it was copied by rivals over time – and will for sure be imitated yet again! South Africa might be ‘Toyota country’,…

There are very few things in life that can compete with enjoying a cup of fresh coffee as you overlook our continent’s beautiful scenery. With Protea Coffee, getting that coffee-shop aroma and filter-coffee taste is now feasible, even if you are out in the bush. It is available in espresso, supreme and breakfast blends, as well as a lovely decaf option. With every edition, we give away a hamper filled with Protea goodies to the value of R500 for reader contributions (these can be stories, letters or questions). *For more information: www.proteacoffee.co.za *This month our winner is Game Ranger Gabe, who shares his daily adventures from Elephant Plains Lodge in Sabi Sands in his monthly column. Send your contributions to info@4x4afrika.com…

Highly acclaimed in both conservation and environment education circles, Lapalala Wilderness is one of the largest private Big 5 game reserves in South Africa. Situated within the Waterberg Region of the Limpopo province, and spanning about 48 000ha, it plays a vital role in protecting critical biodiversity habitats found in this unique and picturesque landscape. This reserve is now working with the African Pangolin Working Group (APWG) to assist with the soft release of rehabilitated Temminck’s pangolin (Smutsia temminckii). Poached and captive pangolins are often kept in deplorable conditions and are incredibly stressed and in poor health upon arrival at veterinary hospitals authorised to treat them. After going through a process of rehabilitation and once they have veterinary approval, the pangolins are released into a safe and secure wildlife reserve…

We all love adventure of the four-wheeled kind, but if two-wheeled thrills also get your adrenaline pumping, you’ll be glad to hear that the Honda Quest True Adventure officially returns in October 2023. Over the past months Honda fans and customers have had the opportunity to test ride the Quest-specced Africa Twin CRF1100 at Honda Wing dealerships across the country through Road to Quest activations. This initiative will come to an end soon and then it will be all systems go for the main event. Honda Quest is not a race, nor is it a rally. It is simply a chance to be able to compete together with a team-mate in the most beautiful of South African locations, living the epitome of adventure aboard the ultimate adventure motorcycle, the Honda…

The finalists in the 2023 South African Car of the Year (COTY) competition, sponsored by Old Mutual Insure and presented by the South African Guild of Mobility Journalists (SAGMJ), were recently announced and the impressive list of vehicles vying for the prestigious title seems to confirm South Africa’s ever-deepening love affair with leisure and lifestyle vehicles. Of the 21 vehicles competing for the prestigious title no less than 16 are leisure and lifestyle oriented. Notable models on the list of finalists include the Nissan Qashqai, Chery Tiggo Pro 8, Kia Sportage and Sorento, Jeep Grand Cherokee L, Ford Everest and Ranger, Isuzu D-Max and the Toyota RAV4 E-four, all of which have been reviewed by the Adventure Afrika team over the past few months. With a long-standing history dating back…