The great advantage of having an off-road vehicle is that you can explore our country’s vast, open spaces, far away from throngs of holiday makers. Not only is the great variety of South African landscapes and 4×4 challenges available to you, but also those of neighbouring countries.
One person who enjoys exploring the South African and Namibian coasts in his Toyota Fortuner is Johan Vermeulen. His off-road excursions first started with a 2000-model year Hilux that helped him sharpen his off-road driving skills.
It was a few years later, when his brother wanted to trade-in his 2006 Fortuner, that Johan grabbed the opportunity and bought it from his brother. Equipped with the 3,0-litre D-4D engine, the vehicle has now done over 180 000 km – most of it on holiday trips with his family.
“The Fortuner only gets used for 4×4 trips and holidays, or maybe if one of the kids needs it,” Johan says.
Johan’s Fortuner has travelled almost the entire length of the West Coast as well as much of the Namibian coastline.
“We often do 4×4-trips organised by well-known adventurer Francois Rossouw and one of my favourite routes with this convoy starts in the small West Coast town of Paternoster, just north of Langebaan, and from there we head north all the way to Port Nolloth.
“This takes around a week to do. Actually, we’ve enjoyed doing this trip so much that we’ve done it four times!”
However, it’s not only the fun and camaraderie of off-roading that appeals to Johan, the driving-skill challenges are definitely part of the attraction too.
“The companionship is great and we all share a deep interest and passion for nature. Although my Fortuner is already equipped with a two-way radio, for these trips all vehicles are given two-way radios, which means we’re always in contact with one another.
When we need to negotiate a challenging off-road obstacle all the drivers look out for one another.
“As expected, during some trips enthusiasts are keen to take out their cameras and phones to record part of the route and scenery. This is especially the case during challenges. We spend several hours analysing and discussing the video footage afterwards – especially if something went wrong!
“In February we did another fascinating trip – this time up to Namibia to do the Skeleton Coast route. We drove from Henties Bay up to where the Kunene River runs into the sea, exactly on the border between Namibia and Angola.”
Namibia is not the only neighbouring country the Vermeulen family has visited. Trips closer to home included an adventure to Swaziland, as well as Moolmans-hoek in the Free State.
The latter is a favourite of the 4×4-community and is known for its challenging ascent. It’s a climb that makes even a seasoned off-roader swallow hard and dig deep every time he attempts it.
“When I returned there the second time, I actually couldn’t believe I managed to drive to the top the first time”.
When asked why he loves owning a Fortuner and taking it off-road, Johann retold a quote from off-road specialist Francois Rossouw:
“He always says that he doesn’t necessarily take you 4x4ing – he takes you to places and landscapes that you can’t see and appreciate without a 4×4,” Johan says.
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