The new Mercedes-Benz GLS is humongous and costs as much as a house. Who buys this kind of car and what do they use it for?
![Living Large](https://magarticles.magzter.com/articles/2581/198862/584902fe8fbf3/Living-Large.jpg)
The GLS I’m driving idles on the rim of a rock quarry like a tank readied for battle, although its luxurious paintwork twinkling in the sun is certainly not something you’d find on a tank.
“You want me to do what?” I ask the off-road instructor when he points to a mud puddle. He tells me to go through it then drive up a steep incline, over a pile of rocks, and go around a thicket of thorn trees. I do so timidly. I don’t doubt the GLS’s off-road capabilities – it will manage just fine – I’m worried that I might ruin that gorgeous paintwork.
It’s a fair point. Who on earth would actually take the S-Class of SUVs off-road? I imagine an alternate reality where Hugh Hefner – owner of several Mercs over the years – sold Playboy magazine, patched things up with his first wife, loaded their kids and dogs into the back of a GLS and went on a grand adventure. I can see him wearing his captain’s hat, pipe dangling from his mouth, cackling maniacally through gritted teeth as he dirties this very expensive car with gusto.
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der January 2017-Ausgabe von go! - South Africa.
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Diese Geschichte stammt aus der January 2017-Ausgabe von go! - South Africa.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent? Anmelden
![The wilder shore](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/2581/1580790/tRFq8DKxq1708438021141/THE-WILDER-SHORE.jpg)
The wilder shore
The final leg of a 30-day trek across East Africa sees lan Tyrer and the Africa - Wild & Untamed crew explore both shores of Lake Malawi. Get ready for an overloaded ferry, a croc attack and being surrounded by elephants...
![A river runs through it](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/2581/1580790/NX3TnMl7U1708426478233/A-RIVER-RUNS-THROUGH-IT.jpg)
A river runs through it
Sabie is onthe Drakensberg escaromentialongMpumalanga’s famous Panorama Route. Want a weekend away surrounded by forests and waterfalls? Here's wnat you need to know.
![TAKE A HIKE](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/2581/1580790/klFRnKAHI1708425448831/TAKE-A-HIKE.jpg)
TAKE A HIKE
Harkerville's mini Otter
![Sweet & juicy!](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/2581/1580790/bke6zgh_i1708424595931/SWEET-JUICY.jpg)
Sweet & juicy!
This issue's recipes all include lush seasonal fruit like nectarines, plums and apricots. Enjoy!
![Big mountain magic](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/2581/1580790/xGZAzmZD81708423962175/BIG-MOUNTAIN-MAGIC.jpg)
Big mountain magic
On a clear day, as you approach the Cathedral Peak Hotel, it happens involuntarily: You start to grin. You'll be standing up there soon, gazing over this valley, and the scuttling of ground-level life will seem irrelevant. Join us on a five-day adventure into the heart of the high Drakensberg
![Your next weekend away](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/2581/1580790/5XepJtKa41708423188283/YOUR-NEXT-WEEKEND-AWAY.jpg)
Your next weekend away
A self-catering house in the Tankwa, a campsite next to the Orange River, a guest farm near the Drakensberg... Toast Coetzer travelled a lot last year: Here are six of his favourite places to stay if you're planning a road trip or weekend escape.
![A life through binoculars](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/2581/1580790/xehB3eA1h1708422890876/A-LIFE-THROUGH-BINOCULARS.jpg)
A life through binoculars
If the name Hugh Chittenden sounds familiar, it's probably because you see it every time you use your Roberts Bird Guide he's one of the co-authors. He lives in Mtunzini on the KZN coast and birding is as much part of his day as a cup of coffee.
![Wanderlust in the park](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/2581/1580790/Zy-ZRWRtX1708422764773/WANDERLUST-IN-THE-PARK.jpg)
Wanderlust in the park
All great cities have great parks, writes Dara Kell: spaces where you can exhale and slough off the stress and grime of urban life.
![The Kalahari remembers](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/2581/1580790/ZeJRpH1nV1708421970953/THE-KALAHARI-REMEMBERS.jpg)
The Kalahari remembers
The Kalahari is a place of magic and heartache, where drought is an ever-present threat. Drive a loop from Upington to the Kuruman River and discover soulful landscapes, brilliant skies and resilient people who never give up.
![Take a Hike](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/2581/1456425/OakqfzWks1695985745258/crp_TAKE-A-HIKE.jpg)
Take a Hike
Hug a baobab in the Bushveld