Your Guide To Gamkaskloof

Gamkaskloof in the Swartberg is a place where you can escape the world. It’s a daunting drive into the valley, but once you’re there the daily grind will be a distant memory. Need help planning a visit? Here’s everything you need to know.

The Reggie's Rush Of The R26

After months of cycling around South Africa, Ian McNaught Davis has a padkos-induced epiphany on the road to Wepener.

Khomas Hochland Calling!

On the six-day Khomas Hochland Trail near Windhoek, you can explore riverbeds, kloofs and mountains. It’s affordable, there’s a slackpacking option and you can have a hot shower every night. What are you waiting for?

The Train To Willowmore

Growing up in the Eastern Cape, Deon Strydom would board a train in the school holidays and travel to his aunt and uncle’s farm in the distant Willowmore district.

The Island That Time Forgot

Getting to Lamu, off the coast of Kenya, is a mission. But as Nick Dall and his brother found out, tearing yourself away from this rhapsodical island of donkeys and dhows is even harder.

Renault Launches Le Bakkie

Brandy, the Boks, Ballito… And bakkies. Yup, we love them here in South Africa and now there’s yet another one vying for your attention: the Renault Alaskan.

Deluge Of Death And Destruction

On 25 January 1981, the Buffels River burst its banks and swept away everything in its path, including the town of Laingsburg in the Karoo. As the rest of the country followed reports of the flood in the news, the town’s residents watched the water level rise and engulf their homes…

Bottle The Bliss

Spending time in the bush teaches you what you can do without, says Toast Coetzer. And it teaches you about what you really need to be happy.

Find Freedom In The Great Karoo

Remember Sylvester – the lion that escaped twice from the Karoo National Park? On the four-day Heuningland Slackpacking Trail near Beaufort West, you can retrace Sylvester’s steps and catch a whiff of freedom yourself.

Baby Cars Grow Big

Two compact crossovers are vying for your attention: the updated Renault Captur – basically a Clio with hiking boots – and the confusing new Mini Countryman.

Stay Here, Eat Here

Stay Here, Eat Here

Walk Far In Namaqualand

When Elize Kruger and Ina Vosloo – both from Hondeklip Bay – hiked the Tankwa Camino in May last year, a dream was born: To create a similar trail west of the N7 in Namaqualand.

Faansie Peacock

With a name like that, he was destined to become a bird expert! Faansie lives in Langebaan and has started writing a monthly birdwatching column for us (see page 142).

When Nothing Is Everything

Scratching out a living on the edge of the Kalahari is not for everyone, but as Shirley Marais remembers, her grandparents’ farm was a place of miracle and wonder. 

12 Things The West Coast Taught Us

Sophia van Taak and Toast Coetzer travelled 3 840 km along the back roads of the West Coast to film the latest series of Weg Agterpaaie. Along the way they also turned inland to explore the Cederberg, the Knersvlakte, Namaqualand, the Richtersveld and Bushmanland. Here’s what they learnt.

Ancient England – From the Water!

Want to see a different side of the UK? Book an affordable boat cruise on the River Thames like Sam Basch did, and experience rural waterways and old towns.

One Way Down

If you’re the kind of adrenaline junkie who enjoys jumping off a cliff into a pool of dark water, you’ve probably heard of Suicide Gorge near Grabouw. Now it’s time to do it!

The Rise of the Auto

The Ford Ranger 2.2 and the Renault Kadjar have previously only been available with manual transmissions, now both have received automatic gearboxes. But are they any good?

finding heaven in the bo-karoo

south africa has many remote areas where almost every road is a back road. come on a detour from the free state to the bo-karoo and meet a rock musician turned farmer, a yorkie named gucci and find a little slice of heaven.

Dominic Chadbon

“The Fynbos Guy” does as many as 140 hikes a year and has climbed Table Mountain countless times. We chatted to him about diamond eyes and nipping blisters in the bud.

Birds

Birds

A New Dust Buster

The Mitsubishi Outlander recently received a facelift. We took it for a spin to find out if its performance lives up to its good looks.

Chop Fever In The Tankwa

What do you do when you’re in the Tankwa Karoo and you forgot to pack lamb chops for dinner? Gideon Brückner had to make a desperate plan.

Butterflies, Birdsong And The Big Five

On the Mathikithi Wilderness Trail in the Kruger Park, a drumbeat announces meal times and a scops-owl is your alarm clock. Book your place and rediscover a time when humans lived much closer to nature.

Camel Catastrophe!

Not all camels dream of carrying tourists over the dunes of the Sahara. Some are perfectly happy to run away from their riders along the West Coast, says Werner Winterboer.

The (Dead) Tree Of Life

There’s a big sycamore fig tree in our garden, which died recently. Where there was once a leafy canopy, skeletal branches now claw at the sky. Many people suggested I cut it down, but I’ve decided to keep the tree.

Cruising on the Kusi

You don’t have to be a millionaire to holiday on a yacht. Reader Theo Schumann explored the islands of northern Mozambique using a home-made sailing kayak.

Enjoy Our Natural Heritage – For Free!

To celebrate Heritage Month, national parks across the country are opening their gates to the public during the week of 18 – 22 September. That’s right, no entrance fees! Take advantage with these eight great day outings.

Where It All Began

Seasoned travel writer Justin Fox has just published his first children’s book, My Great Expedition – a beautifully illustrated reflection on a journey he made to Europe as a six-year-old in 1973, visiting several major sights like Buckingham Palace, the Eiffel Tower, St Mark’s Square and the Parthenon.

Megan Taplin

The new manager of the Knysna section of the Garden Route National Park tells us about the challenges her team has faced since the wildfires last year.