Mahindra Thar

ME AND MY CAR

I started getting into landscape photography in 2017. Owning the Thar has really helped to grow this hobby. It has enough space to pack all my luggage, camping gear, photography kit and tools. The fuel consumption is also very reasonable at about 9 ℓ/100 km on a normal weekend trip, such as a 250 km round trip through the Cederberg.

The Thar is a feel-good vehicle: Every time I get into the driver’s seat and hear the engine roar, I feel as if I can go anywhere. Long-distance drives are comfortable enough, although there is wind noise at higher speeds. My 2017 model originally had a soft-top roof; I’ve since added a hard-top canopy, which is much better.

Nothing beats a five-million-star hotel, so camping is always my first choice of accommodation. Down the line, I would like to get the Thar a drawer system, a fridge and an awning, which will help on my longer trips.

I also use my Thar as a day-to-day runaround (it’s my only car) and because it’s so small, it parallel parks like a dream, even in Cape Town’s narrow streets.

The longest trip I’ve been on was a

3 700 km return journey in December 2020 from Cape Town to Mpumalanga and Limpopo. I drove to the top of Mariepskop (1 945m) and went to see the nearby Klaserie Waterfall. It was a misty and rainy day when I drove to the waterfall and I really got to test the Thar’s 4x4 capabilities: Parts of the road were very steep (gradients from 1:14 to 1:5); having low-range was a blessing.

In July 2021, I went on a solo mission to Verneukpan (pictured above) and back (1270km). En route I visited Gannabos near Nieuwoudtville to photograph the Milky Way as it rose over the quiver trees. Wild camping at Verneukpan – with no one there but me and my Thar – was a real highlight. I had never seen the sky so clear. It was thanks to my Thar that I got to experience it.