"Easy" Does It

The group of off-roaders testing their mettle against one of the most extreme challenges every year tackled the infamous Letele Pass in Lesotho this year.

- Piet van Heerde

The handful of hand-picked participants in the annual King Price Extreme Ultimate 4WD Adventure (U4A) are certain of just a few things: they know, for example, that you have to have at least 35” tyres on your rig and that a winch as well as front and rear diff lockers are mandatory. They also know they will be tested to the limit over the next few days.

What they don’t know is where they’re going and what exactly awaits them.

This is the last time that Nicholas Harris will be the organiser of the King Price Extreme U4A, and he’s been planning this adventure for a while, getting sponsors on board and sifting through applications to decide on the final group. Participants must be fully self-sufficient for the entire duration of the adventure, have a valid passport and carry all the replacement parts and tools they may need.

THE GROUP GETS together on the first evening at the Dunelm Guest Farm, about 20 km outside Clarens in the Free State, and enjoy a braai while socialising with old acquaintances and a number of new faces. There are no formalities, other than being told to report at the information session at 07:00 the following morning.

Their suspicions are confirmed: the participants will indeed go to Lesotho, but not right away. They’re going to play around on the farm first and spend another night here before heading to our neighbouring mountain kingdom.

The off-roaders follow twin tracks across the farm that occasionally happens upon a proper grade 5 obstacle between the sandstone cliffs. It’s a great way to prepare for what lies ahead in Lesotho, because every vehicle’s ability is tested in a controlled environment.