The Archive
Every trip, every year — from the first adventure to the latest dust.
8 July 2024 · Matroosberg Nature Reserve, Ceres, Western Cape
When the Mountain Closed — Matroosberg in a Full Snow Storm
The pass closed. Rescue services were deployed. Most vehicles turned back. Only ten made it to Matroosberg — and two of us kept going into the storm.
19 January 2024 · Abbots Hill Farm, Western Cape, South Africa
A Slow Weekend at Abbots Hill Farm
No camping, no kids, and no rushed itinerary: just a slow, quiet weekend indoors at Abbots Hill Farm.
14 January 2024 · Kogel Bay, Western Cape, South Africa
A Spur-of-the-Moment Sunset at Kogel Bay
An unplanned start-of-year meetup turned into a Kogel Bay sunset with two vehicles, good company, drinks, and snacks by the sea.
6 January 2024 · Trekoskraal, Western Cape, South Africa
Trekoskraal Beach Day with Off The Beaten Track 4x4 Club
An early-January beach day at Trekoskraal with the Off The Beaten Track 4x4 Club, friends, family, awnings and plenty of West Coast sand.
26 April 2023 · Namaqua National Park and Waterval, Northern Cape, South Africa
West Coast Wild Camping - Namaqua and Waterval
Five nights on the Northern Cape coast: two wild camps in Namaqua National Park, then three unhurried nights at Waterval with a bigger school-holiday convoy.
3 April 2023 · Augrabies, Namaqualand and the Richtersveld, Northern Cape, South Africa
Namakwa Eco Trail - Seven Days to the Richtersveld
Four vehicles, seven unhurried days, deep sand recoveries and the long route from Augrabies to the Richtersveld along the Orange River.
28 March 2023 · Camdeboo National Park - Graaff-Reinet, Eastern Cape
Valley of Desolation at Sunset - March 2023
A last-minute run to Camdeboo's Valley of Desolation put us at the gate just in time for a Karoo sunset over the dolerite cliffs.
20 March 2023 · Storms River Mouth Rest Camp, Tsitsikamma, Eastern Cape
Storms River Mouth Rest Camp - March 2023
A coastal test run for Sarabi's latest build: a front-row camp at Storms River Mouth, strong surf, forest trails and a dry escape from the expected storm.
19 March 2023 · Spitzkop Viewpoint, Ysternek Nature Reserve, Knysna, Western Cape
Spitzkop Viewpoint - March 2023
A forest drive and a narrow gravel climb above Knysna led Sarabi to Spitzkop's clear-day view across the Garden Route.
17 February 2023 · Knysna · Wilderness · Garden Route, Western Cape
Knysna Family Weekend — February 2023
A full family house, a Friday-evening N2 run to Knysna, a lagoon cruise through the Heads, and a relaxed Garden Route weekend together.
28 January 2023 · Houw Hoek Pass · Grabouw · Stellenbosch, Western Cape
Old Houw Hoek Pass, Rusty Gate & Stellenbosch — January 2023
A rainy Saturday with no plan turned into one of the better days of the year — the old Houw Hoek Pass in the mist, Rusty Gate, and a long lunch at a Stellenbosch wine farm.
26 December 2022 · Verneukpan, Northern Cape, South Africa
Verneukpan - December 2022
A quick run north to meet Shawn in Upington, then an open-pan camp at Verneukpan for the first overlanding trip in his new Range Rover Evoque.
18 December 2022 · Vloedbos Guest Farm, Western Cape, South Africa
Vloedbos - December 2022
A Christmas week at Vloedbos: family camp life, resort activities, a borrowed Ford Ranger Thunder, a short work detour, and a return for Christmas Eve.
17 October 2022 · Franschhoek, Western Cape, South Africa
Franschhoek Camping - October 2022
A little-known campsite outside Franschhoek made for an easy midweek escape, with mountain views, a working setup, and the town close by.
14 October 2022 · Wolseley, Western Cape, South Africa
Fynbos Guest Farm - October 2022
A midweek work-from-camp stay at Fynbos Guest Farm in Wolseley, with shaded sites, mountain views, farm walks, and rescued animals nearby.
13 October 2022 · Piketberg, Western Cape, South Africa
Kleine Paradys Piketberg - October 2022
A midweek work-from-camp stay at Kleine Paradys Piketberg, with shaded sites, mountain views, a pool, and quiet evenings beside the Berg River.
11 October 2022 · Western Cape, South Africa
Kliphoek River Resort - October 2022
A midweek work-from-camp stay at Kliphoek River Resort, where a riverside campsite, birdlife, and simple outdoor activities made the West Coast routine feel far away.
7 October 2022 · Wellington, Western Cape, South Africa
Katryntjiesdrift Private Resort - October 2022
Ralton found a quiet campsite near Wellington, so we packed up the kids and spent the weekend swimming, braaing, and unwinding under the trees.
9 September 2022 · Biedouw Valley · Wupperthal · Nieuwoudtville, Western & Northern Cape
Flower Trip 2022 — Biedouw Valley, Wupperthal & Nieuwoudtville
Our biggest flower run yet: a growing convoy, camp at Rondeberg, Biedouw Valley and Wupperthal, then a full day through Van Rhyn's Pass to Nieuwoudtville.
16 June 2022 · Witsand, Malgas & De Hoop Nature Reserve, Western Cape, South Africa
A Cold Winter Break in Witsand, Malgas & De Hoop
A rain-soaked winter long weekend in Witsand, with the Malgas ferry, muddy 4x4 tracks, De Hoop's coast, and a convoy that eventually made it to the accommodation.
27 April 2022 · Springbok & the West Coast, Northern Cape, South Africa
West Coast Wild Camping — Seven Days Off-Grid
A pre-dawn run up the N7, Sarabi loaded for her first true off-grid test, and a Springbok workday powered by the Flexo 555.
24 April 2022 · Swartberg Pass & Prince Albert, Western Cape, South Africa
No Plan — Swartberg Pass, April 2022
No plan, a 400 km detour, and a second lap of the Swartberg Pass. Brunch in Prince Albert was the only pause in a day made for big mountains.
5 March 2022 · Paarl Rock · Drakenstein Lion Park, Western Cape
Too Early to Head Home — Paarl Rock & Drakenstein Lion Park, March 2022
A few weeks after the R62, AJ and some of the Off The Beaten Track crew met us at Paarl Rock for a day out. We hiked, we wandered, and then someone said it was too early to go home. So we didn't. The Drakenstein Lion Park was right there, the kids still had energy, and the afternoon had room for it.
1 March 2022 · Knysna Elephant Park, Garden Route, Western Cape
A Garden Route Detour — Knysna Elephant Park, March 2022
We were already on the Garden Route with no plan beyond being there. Then the kids got the chance to meet a herd of elephants at Knysna Elephant Park, and the day found its destination.
13 February 2022 · Cape Town · Johannesburg · Riemvasmaak · Augrabies Falls · Vioolsdrif, Northern Cape
Built to Camp, Never Camped — Cape Town to Joburg, Front Runner & the Northern Cape, February 2022
The trip that was supposed to be our first proper camping trip with brand new kit from Front Runner — roof tent, water tank, roof rack, wolf packs, the works. We drove two nights, covered four provinces, and never once slept under the stars. Every host along the way had other plans for us. And somehow it was one of the best trips we've done.
12 February 2022 · Route 62 · Ronnie's Sex Shop · Guano Caves · Swartberg Pass, Western Cape
No Plan — R62 & Swartberg Pass at Night, February 2022
No plan, no route, no itinerary. Friends visiting, a conversation that went somewhere, and then we were all in our vehicles heading east on the R62. Ronnie's Sex Shop, the Guano Caves, and then the Swartberg Pass at night — none of it was on the list, because there was no list.
9 January 2022 · Sopiesklip, West Coast, Western Cape
Beach Day — Sopiesklip, January 2022
A few days into the new year and already on the West Coast — Sopiesklip delivered exactly what we needed: big boulders, cold water, and nobody else around.
6 November 2021 · Trekoskraal, Western Cape
Beach Day — Trekoskraal, November 2021
A spring day at Trekoskraal — one of the Western Cape's quieter stretches of coastline, where the water is cold, the sand is clean, and the only way in is overland.
31 October 2021 · Prince Albert · Swartberg Pass · Oudtshoorn, Western Cape
Swartberg Pass & Cango Caves — Prince Albert to Oudtshoorn, October 2021
Gravel tyres on the Swartberg Pass — one of South Africa's most dramatic mountain roads — then deep into the limestone chambers of the Cango Caves. A proper Karoo weekend.
14 August 2021 · Biedouw Valley · Wupperthal · Nieuwoudtville, Western & Northern Cape
First Flowers Since Lockdown — Biedouw Valley, Wupperthal & Nieuwoudtville, August 2021
The first flower run after the COVID lockdowns. A full weekend loop through Biedouw Valley, Wupperthal, over Van Rhyn's Pass and into Nieuwoudtville — quiver trees, waterfalls, and more wild flowers than we'd seen in years.
13 July 2021 · Matroosberg Nature Reserve, Ceres, Western Cape
Snow Day — Chasing Winter at Matroosberg, Ceres
A pre-dawn departure from Cape Town, a dark drive through the Hex River Valley, and a mountain blanketed in snow. Matroosberg in July delivered exactly what we came for.
18 April 2021 · Zevenwacht Wine Farm & Atlantis Dunes, Western Cape
Learning to Drive — Off-Road Training with All Terrain Adventures & Kaalvoet Swys
Two proper off-road training sessions in April 2021 — rocky technical terrain at Zevenwacht Wine Farm with All Terrain Adventures, then white sand dunes at Atlantis with Kaalvoet Swys Adventures.
