Lekker In The Lowveld!

Synonymous with the Kruger Park, the Lowveld has everything from wild horses to treehouses and cottages hidden in the mountains. Here are five diverse places close to Mpumalanga’s capital.

Lockdown Wanderlust

Do you catch yourself staring out the window, longing for a little freedom? Yeah, us too. These are the places that we’ll be travelling to as soon as the lockdown regulations are lifted. Which destination are you dreaming about?

How Do You Do It?

After five months, our travels through South America with Vivian and Hanlie Gericke have come to an end. We chat with them about the practicalities of Overlanding in faraway countries.

Nights Of The Northern Lights

In the middle of the northern hemisphere winter, Christien Neser travelled to Sweden and Norway in search of the aurora borealis. Along the way, she saw a reindeer race, howling wolves and a hotel made of ice.

One Last Time Before Lockdown

What do you do when the border posts close unexpectedly, but you’ve already travelled all the way to Gauteng and hired a vehicle and a roof tent? Do you get on a plane and go back to Cape Town? No, you turn the journey home into a new adventure.

TAKE A HIKE

Heaven in the Hels River

BIRDS

FATHERHOOD LESSONS FROM AN AFRICAN JACANA

AGENT ORANGE

Volkswagen has breathed new life into its Amarok bakkie with a range of special editions like the Dark Label, the Extreme and now the eye-catching Canyon.

Birds

Illustrations or photos?

Reliable All-Rounder

The refreshed Mitsubishi ASX is neither fish nor fowl. It’s a dash of SUV, a pinch of city car, a sprinkle of luxury… And a lot of reliability.

A Ramble In The Rockies

He’s familiar with mountains coming from the Boland, but Stephano Haarhoff was blown away by the Canadian Rockies in Banff National Park. The snow-capped peaks and ice-blue lakes are on another level.

It's A Jungle Out There!

Home to sloths, anacondas, piranhas, birds as colourful as the rainbow and tarantulas as big as a plate, the Amazon rainforest is one of Planet Earth’s greatest wonders. Hanlie and Vivian Gericke set off to explore in their Land Rover.

Beachcomber's Paradise

The Southern Cape coast was not only a home for our ancestors, it also provided the creative spark for the world’s first abstract work of art. Thousands of years later, the coastline continues to inspire. Come hike the Alikreukel Trail, from Blombosch to Still Bay.

We Are People, Not Mountains

How do you make a living in the furthest, driest reaches of Bushmanland?

Lakeside With Lassie

With close to 300 pans in a 20 km radius, the wetlands surrounding the town of Chrissiesmeer in Mpumalanga are some of the most important in South Africa. Here are five waterside and pet-friendly farm stays, tucked away in our very own “Lake District”.

Between Nowhere And The Kunene

The vast plains of Namibia end on the banks of the Kunene River, which forms the border with Angola. Travel up the Skeleton Coast to the mouth of the Kunene for scenery, shipwrecks, and fishing where very few have fished before.

How To Build A Tree House

When you were a child, you either had a tree house or you wanted one. Francois Haasbroek explains how to build one.

With My Own Eyes: The Kruger Park

My wife Clara and I visited the Kruger Park in November 2019.

Fujifilm Instax Mini Liplay

Do you like to be different? Everyone goes to Plett, but you prefer Elands Bay? Well, this camera will make you stand out!

The School In The Hills

Sterkspruit is in a forgotten, mountainous corner of the Eastern Cape. This is where Chris and Anna-Marie Oosthuysen started Sterkspruit Christian Private School more than 20 years ago. Their goal was simple: To uplift children and prepare them for the future.

Have Your Own Bake-Off!

As the temperature drops, our need for nibbles increases. Keep your pantry stocked with these biscuits and rusks – perfect for those late-night Scrabble tournaments!

Blue Ridge Mountains Blues

In Galax, a small town in the Blue Ridge Mountains region of America’s famous Appalachian range, Dara Kell finds solace in memories of her aunt – and the sound of a banjo.

Stuck In The Mud On The Mountains Of The Moon

The mythical Rwenzori Mountains on the border between Uganda and the DRC offer high-altitude adventure and ever-changing scenery. Sunel Botha and her friends spent five days hiking to the summit of Weismann’s Peak.

Take Your Pic

Here are this month’s reader photos, with tips from Toast Coetzer. Send your best shots to takeyourpic@gomag.co.za

Cape Town's Under Wonder

You don’t have to go deep into the ocean to discover amazing underwater worlds – the Cape Peninsula has several great places where you can go snorkelling within easy access of the shore.

LUCKY ROMEO

Alfa Romeo had the audacity to drop a Ferrari V6 bi-turbo engine into the latest version of their Stelvio SUV. It’s a gamble that has paid off. Beautifully.

TAKE A HIKE

Take a walk on Cape Town’s wild side

BIRDS

A RODENT’S NIGHTMARE

A Life Rooted In Nature

It’s late afternoon in the Bushveld north of Thabazimbi, near the border with Botswana. Retired banker Willem Frost opens the door of his Land Cruiser. Get in, we’re going to look at some trees.

View From Here James Lowe

The big wave surfer turned geology lecturer tells us about visiting some of the most remote places on earth, and why he always carries a sarong.