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Let your 4x4 live a little. Take it beyond the tar at the shopping mall and head off the beaten track – some of South Africa's most beautiful places are at the ends of the hundreds of 4x4 routes that have sprung up around the country.
The good news is that may of there's routes are a farms and in remote areas where you won't be paying high city prices or hotel cost. Most of the routes also charge per vehicle, so a 4x4 trip can be a cost-effective adventure for the whole family.
Free State
Moolmanshoek 4x4 Eco Routes near Ficksburg
Grade 2-3
The whole family will enjoy 4x4ing in this private nature reserve that also offers horse-riding, game viewing, hiking and fishing.
There are four 4x4 trails that vary in difficulty, and they're all guided, so you'll get driving advice as well as information about he fauna and flora.
The route is listed in the Drive Out Top 10 and there's a strong emphasis on keeping the trails eco-friendly.
Contact (051) 933-2220
Cost R200 per vehicle. Camping from R85 per person per night (R40 for children), and a four-star lodge from R460 per person per night.
Gauteng
Berakah 4x4 Eco Trail outside Parys (the trail is in Gauteng)
Grade 2-3
This is a great weekend escape that's not far from Johannesburg. Berakah gives you the chance to 4x4 in the a World Heritage Site as it's located within the Vredefort Dome – a vast geological formation created when a massive meteorite struck the earth millions of years ago.
Also listed in the Drive Out Top 10, this route has everything from flat savannah and bushveld to water and challenging mountain sections. Kids are welcome at Berakah, and there is even a pool for cooling off. You can also go hiking, river rafting or mountain biking.
Contact (056) 818-1313
Cost R200 per vehicle. Camping from R35 per person per night (R15 per night for children under 12), chalets from R120 per person per night (R75 per night for children under 12).
Mpumalanga
Mac Mac summit route near Sabie
Grade 1-2
This is an easy-going range of trails taking in mountains, waterfalls and subtropical forests as it winds its way down to the bottom of the breathtaking Blyde River Canyon.
It's great for novices as it's an easy trail that poses few risks to you vehicle.
Choose from a day trip or routes of up to five days. There's also river rafting, hiking, mountain biking and hot-air ballooning in the area.
The whole family can also go gold-panning near the historic town of Pilgrim's Rest.
Contact (013) 764-2376
Cost From R700 per vehicle for one day (convoys pay less) to R1 900 for five days' camping. Self-catering houses are also available.
Limpopo
Mabote River Camp near Makopane
Grade 2-3
Just three hours from Gauteng, Mabote offers a trail in four parts that winds though the beautiful rocky sandstone formations in the Waterberg, where fish eagles call and black eagles nest.
There are escape routes over some of the challenging sections, making this a versatile option for all skill levels.
Take a dip in rock pools at the waterfalls (after rains), or enjoy game drives on a nearby farm. You can also go fishing or mountain biking.
Contact 083 601-9866 or (015) 453-0792
Cost R100 per vehicle. Camping from R35 per person per night (R15 per night for children under 12), chalets from R120 per person per night (R75 per night for children under 12.
What do the grades mean?
All 4x4 trails are rated for difficulty from on to five, with one being easily managed by an inexperienced driver in a 4x4 soft roader, to five being for hard-core, expert drivers with full recovery gear and back-up.
Trails graded two and three require a four-wheel-drive vehicle and some experience, with grade-three trails usually requiring low-range gears. A grading of four usually means that experience, recovery gear and low range are essential.
4x4 jargon
Four-wheel drive
Unlike an ordinary car in which power is sent only to either the two front or rear wheels, a four-wheel-drive vehicle gets drive to all four wheels, making it much more powerful and able to handle difficult terrain.
Extra low range gearbox
An extra low range gearbox is in effect an extra set of gears below normal first gear. It provides even more power, allowing you to idle slowly over obstacles. Normal or high-range first gear is akin to low-range fourth gear.
Soft roader
Vehicles that have four-wheel drive but don't have a low range gearbox are called soft roaders.
