Land Rover Discovery Road Trip
There are many premium SUVS around, but few with true off-road capabilities. GQ motoring ed Dieter Losskarn took one of the best, the Land Rover Discovery, on an adventurous road trip into the Karoo, Baviaanskloof and Addo Elephant National Park.
I live In Hout Bay, so that all my road trips will start with one of the most spectacular coastal roads in the world:
Chapman’s Peak Drive. Chappies, as it is fondly known to locals, was blasted into a cliff face high above the sea, just where softer sandstone meets harder granite rocks, more than a hundred years ago. After a short drive across the harbour pier to watch the seals, we are heading towards those 114 enjoyable bends. The large Discovery with enormous space inside is handling surprisingly well through the tight stuff and the 600Nm from the V6 diesel pull it nicely out of the corners.
What used to be a more comfortable, squarededged alternative to the old Defender is now in its fifth generation. In production for more than 30 years, it is now much closer in looks and feel to a Range Rover than all its predecessors. The current Discovery is a more rounded premium SUV, a comfortable cruiser, relaxed ride and excellent off-roader. And Jasmin and myself are taking it on a road trip to find out whether all of this is true.
It’s Jasmin’s first time in Africa and she loves animals, especially elephants. So Addo Elephant National Park in the Eastern Cape was the obvious destination choice. Albeit with a few interesting detours thrown in. After a nice breakfast in Muizenberg, we follow the False
Bay coastline on Baden Powell Drive. The relaxed, comfortable cruiser part is already being proven on the N2 towards Swellendam, our first overnight stop.
South Africa’s third-oldest town has plenty of B&BS to choose from. We opt for Schoone Oordt Country »
House, built in 1853. Before we check in we have the best springbok carpaccio on vetkoek in the country at Old Gaol restaurant across from the beautiful church. This was followed a bit later in the evening by a romantic candle-lit dinner at Field & Fork.
The next day we’re off to prison. We leave the N2 in Riversdale and take the less travelled R323 via Garcia Pass, connecting us with Route 62 in the Klein-karoo. My petrolhead heart skips a beat while passing a farm with dozens of vintage bakkies in various stages of restoration. Shortly after Huisrivier Pass, Calitzdorp is reached, where we hit the first dirt road. Instead of following the R62, we choose the turn-off into Groenfontein Valley. The Disco smooths out all of those bumps and ruts of the dusty narrow road with ease. We join the tarred R328 at the bottom of Swartberg Pass for just a few kilometres.
Historic Swartberg Pass is one of my favourite mountain roads in the country. Built by Thomas Bains and opened in January 1888, it is the most spectacular way of entering the Great Karoo. And because it is a national monument it can never be tarred. We climb up each and every one of those 1 585 metres to the top effortlessly and in absolute comfort. The twisted geomorphology looks like a giant lasagne slipped off a dinner plate.
As mentioned before we are on our way to prison in Willowmore. And we once again choose a loose gravel alternative to get there – the more than a hundred kilometer long R407, trailing a large dust cloud behind, spectacularly illuminated by the setting sun.
The Willowmore prison consists of a hospital cell, hard labour cell, awaiting trial cells, a female cell and kitchen cells. The names are still the same, but the jail with its half-meter thick stone walls, built in 1895, was shut down in 1960 and fell apart over the years. Until Karen and Oleg restored it lovingly, transforming it into an enchanting boutique hotel with three air-conditioned rooms, surrounded by beautiful, landscaped gardens.
The 200 kilometres between Willowmore and Patensie through Baviaanskloof, the valley of the baboons, is one of the last adventure routes left in the country.
It’s 4x4 only – a dream track into almost untouched mountainous landscapes. After Kalahari-, Kruger- and Addo Elephant National Park Baviaanskloof Wilderness Area is the largest nature reserve in South Africa. The first Dutch settlers named the valley after all the baboons living there. And they made quick work of them. The remains of a leather factory bears ghoulish witness.
Like Swartberg Pass, the dirt road between Willowmore and Patensie was build between 1880 and 1890 by Thomas Bain, who should posthumously be made the patron saint of SUVS for his lifetime achievements.
The gravel commences just outside Willowmore. For starters there is Nuwekloof to cross, a narrow canyon, flanked by vertical, red rock faces. Beyond is solitude. And the best place to stay in Baviaanskloof: Sederberg Lodge, consisting of six luxury stone-andglass hideaways in the mountains.
The next morning, beyond the Nature Conservation gate, the adventure part starts.
You sign in and if you don’t sign out at the other side, they’ll come looking for you. The Discovery is entirely unfazed by whatever is thrown into its path.
Just a short twist of the Terrain Response button, from gravel to rock crawl and back, followed by a water crossing with lots of wading depth left for even deeper stuff.
At the top of Grassneck Pass the views into the Karoo are once again magnificent. The progress on the rough track is slow, but the Land Rover never hesitates.
The last mountain track snakes up Combrink’s Mountain Pass. I battled this many years ago in an old Defender 110. Now it is made easier by two concrete lanes in the very steep parts. You just have to hit them at the right angle with your wheels and balance your ride on them.
From the top there are sweeping views forever again. On the left and right the lush Cape floral kingdom with those magnificent proteas is flourishing, filling the air with exotic fragrances. As soon as you can make out the highest peak on your left, 1 800 meters and aptly dubbed Cockscomb, the adventure comes to an end.
Addo Elephant National Park doesn’t disappoint either. Jasmin experiences not only elephants up smartphone camera close, but also a group of 117 buffalo, lions, giraffes and numerous antelopes. The overnight stay at Gorah Elephant Camp is a journey back in time to those classic African safaris.
And the Camp Figtree barman performs magic cocktails. His G&TS beat everything we sampled so far. In fact, the place is so magical, that we stay another night.
Leaving us with one more overnight stay along the Garden Route on the way back. Another highlight:
Tsala Treetop Lodge near Plettenberg Bay, with the best breakfast of the trip. Plus one more stop and one more detour. As wild cats were quite elusive during our safaris, we join a tour of Tenikwa Animal Rehabilitation Centre, where we experience leopards, cheetahs and servals up close.
The Discovery gets one last challenge. Bloukrans Pass is officially closed for a while now, but that obviously doesn’t apply to Land Rovers. We are rewarded with an awesome drive along a heavily overgrown, mosscovered road.
And just like all my road trips start with Chappies, they also end with a tradition: a stop at the Italian Street Café just outside Bakoven, to enjoy one of their delicious chocolate milkshakes.
‘the current Discovery is a more rounded premium Suv, a comfortable cruiser, relaxed ride and excellent off-roader’