Africa Challenge 2013

We traded winter for southern summer and shaped a month-long line through Southern Africa. From Johannesburg the route dipped over the Karoo to Knysna and Simon’s Town, then turned north: Namibia’s open gravel to Sossusvlei and Windhoek, Botswana’s Okavango edges for a flight over the Delta, and sand-and-salt days through Moremi, Savuti, and the Makgadikgadi pans to Palapye. Organisation stayed active in the background; briefings were clear, the roadbook was offline, and every car was a 4×4 suited to both tarmac and track.

The longer arc continued via Victoria Falls to Lusaka, on to the Luangwa side of Zambia, and into Malawi for Lilongwe, Cape Maclear, and a quiet pause at Majete. Mozambique brought long coastal miles to Vilanculos and Chidenguele, then the Limpopo wilderness and Kruger’s evening light before a composed finish back in Johannesburg. Small group, character stays where it mattered, and practical overnights when remoteness asked for it.

TopGear Magazine Netherlands joined as a full team, capturing the mix of honest driving, game reserves and river ferries, border days and empty roads that defined this edition. A clear chapter in CarChallenge history—measured adventure with proper 4x4s, steady support, and the landscapes leading.