A scenic road trip through small town South Africa

THE road less travelled and far from the madding crowd has always been my mantra when it comes to weekends away and holidays.

- Willem van de Putte

The tougher the road, and the fewer people around as possible, is just the way I like it. Fortunately, my partner feels the same, so our planning always revolves around where to go and which route to drive while taking in as many interesting places as we can find along the way.

Last year, we went to the Richtersveld National Park, where temperatures ranged between 45 and 52°C, next to the Orange River, which just saved the day with regular dips in that majestic strip of water.

Something cooler

I think that may have been the tipping point for my partner, so she suggested that next time we need something cooler and by the sea.

I have always had a yearning to drive the Baviaanskloof in the Eastern Cape, so that became the focus area while I consulted maps, yes, actual paper ones, forums and spoke to friends and colleagues.

We decided on a route that would take us from Pretoria to Nieu-Bethesda, Kareedouw, Joubertkraal Farm, Rus en Vrede Trail into the actual Kloof and then out at Patensie, ending at Morgan Bay.

Off-road ability

Our vehicle would have to be very capable off-road, be able to tow my fully loaded off-road trailer and also be comfortable over long stretches of tar and gravel.

I’m a big fan of the Nissan Navara double-cab bakkie, and so it was fortuitous that I received a call from Nissan South Africa, who were aware of my annual travels into tough territory and offered me the Nissan Navara Pro 4X Warrior.

The Pro 4X Warrior is essentially a Navara that has had some extra 4x4 fairy dust sprinkled over it.