Out of Africa

I bought my first LRM at a newsstand at our local airport, and now it is the only place I know which sells it around here and I have to make a regular monthly trip and pay my parking fees to buy it, but I do not mind.

Anyway, our family recently made a trip to the Limpopo province next to Mapungubwe National Park, which is also a World Heritage Site and worth a visit by the way.

We stayed at Venetia Limpopo National Park and had the opportunity to do our own version of greenlaning or as we call it in South Africa, Echo 4x4 trail driving. VLNR, for short is owned by the De Beers Mining Group and next door to the reserve you can find the biggest diamond mine in South Africa.

The route included mostly dry river sand as well a good rocky and gravel tracks amongst stunning trees, grazing elephants and antelope. The park also has a healthy lion and leopard population. We did manage to get stuck once and with the

assistance of our guide quickly got out of the situation without any interference from either elephants or lions.

The Land Rover Defender Trophy Challenge Limpopo 2018 event also found its way through this reserve. Needless to say, it is a great way to explore South Africa and its nature reserves whilst driving in your own vehicle.

We drove a stock standard 2009 Discovery 3 TDV6 SE and it never missed a beat.

I have also sent some photos of us driving in the reserve as well as myself digging the wheels out – plus a photo of the biggest baobab tree in South Africa (also situated on the reserve).

I hope this encourages fellow readers to make the trip to South Africa and enjoy our version of greelaning.

Phillip Smit

South Africa

I will be attending the 2019 Defender Trophy in South Africa later this year and driving in a convoy of over 30 Defenders. It is being held very close to Venetia Park and I look forward to it – Ed.