Chapter 12: The journey ends

After over 8,580km and dozens of stops across three countries our journey has finally come to end. When we started this expedition over three weeks ago, we were given a simple task; drive the new Karoo Special Edition range of bakkies on the most grueling terrains in Southern Africa to prove that they are, indeed, the toughest, most reliable and capable bakkies on the market.

We drove on every trail imaginable, from tar and gravel roads to sand dunes and mountain ranges and the most extreme 4×4 trails we could find and through all that, the Karoo authentic bakkies remained strong and resilient.

Our journey started on a cold morning in Pretoria at the Mahindra South Africa head office, from there we journied to Upingtion in the Northen Cape then across the border into Namibia, which holds some of the most majestic and breathtaking landscapes we’ve ever driven on and seen before. From tiny villages like Koës and Aus to small towns like Swakopmund and larger cities like Windhoek and Walvis Bay, Namibia was a truly remarkable experience. We got to drive through the Kalahari and Namib Deserts, see remarkable historical landmarks like Giant’s Playground and take on the famed C28 road.

We also had the opportunity to interact with some amazing people throughout the journey. We played cricket with local kids in Koës, we met a pair of tourists who were travilling across Africa on bicycles and we rescued a german tourist who was stuck on a rocky mountain. Each of these interactions provided invaluable wisdom and insights that we will treasure for the rest of lives.

The journey back into South Africa and getting to see some hidden gems right in our own backyard was eye-opening and as a group of 4×4 enthisiants, experiencing Sani Pass was truly a special moment. Driving up that treacherous road and the feeling we got sitting atop the “roof of Africa” was a monumental achievement. We received a warm welcome when we finally reached the finish line at the East Rand, where we got to look back fondly at the the journey we just took and take stock on the memories we made on the road.

This is certainly not the last time we get to explore all that Southern Africa has to offer because there are still many terrains left to conquer and we have helped Unleash The Explorer in You!