The Defender Trophy has become a popular event on the 4x4 calendar, boasting two annual trips that cater for Defender owners in the northern and southern parts of the country.

Although the Trophy is best known as an exploration event for like-minded adventurers, participants are still given a series of challenges to complete, where the winning team gets to walk away with a TyreLife-sponsored main prize: A brand new set of Coopers worth R30 000!

For the 2023 Limpopo Defender Trophy, sixteen Defenders and a sole Grenadier traversed one of South Africa’s lesser-known treasures, the rocky Soutpansberg Mountains.

Words and pictures by Patrick Cruywagen.

The first Defender Trophy was held in 2004 in the mountain kingdom of Lesotho, a mecca for 4x4 enthusiasts. While most subsequent events have been held in South Africa, the trophy has visited neighbouring countries such as Zimbabwe, Botswana, Swaziland and Mozambique.

I asked organiser Johan Kriek, who drives a Defender 90 Tdi, what to expect. “Trust me; I will take you to places you have never been before; we have special permission to drive some challenging 4x4 tracks on private land and in provincial nature reserves.”

Before the first bit of off-roading, we had a quick breakfast stop at the Polokwane Land Rover dealership, where the only old Defenders in attendance were ours. Not far from here, we took a gravel track which ran parallel to the busy N1.

Centre diff-locks were engaged, and the gaps widened between vehicles because of the dust. The Louis Trichardt Air Force base we drove past was active during the Bush Wars of the 70s and 80s. Private pilots took off in their private planes from here to assist with the war effort.

After a short tar section north on the N1, we turned off onto the Bluegumpoort Forest road. We were supposed to take another steeper and rockier access road into the Soutpansberg Mountains, but the rain and mist ended those plans.

The Defenders and sole Grenadier were starting to look the part, thanks to a covering of red dust and mud. We enter a lane of the tallest Bluegum trees I have ever seen. The mist and low light further enhance the dramatic atmosphere of the occasion. It is like watching Grenadier in the Mist.

The wet gravel track takes us through private farmlands and nature reserves; Johan has received permission from the landowners so that we can proceed through the locked gates.

Eventually, one of the gates leads us into Happy Rest Nature Reserve, where we start to see our first wild animals, such as kudu and impala. We continue to fight through the rain and mist; the yellow media Defender, which used to be a game viewer, slides off the main track and into a ditch. Due to its high centre of gravity, things don’t look good, and it is in danger of toppling over.

It takes a few vehicles to first secure it before winching it out. Everyone is happy when we eventually drive to the campsite. The weather and the hills remind me a bit of Scotland though the big roaring fire and the smell of Karoo lamb sizzling on the coals tell me this is Africa.

We awake to more mist and low clouds; no one is happy about packing away the wet tents and gear. From Happy Rest, we wind our way to the valley floor, passing through several farm gates.

The mist and clouds clear, and the sun makes a welcome appearance. Johan barks out a set of instructions over the radio. “Engage low range and brace yourselves for a long, rocky climb.” Michael is a good driver, and second-gear low range does the trick. Unfortunately, others are not so lucky and need several attempts at the climb; one of the Defenders cannot engage their centre diff. This makes the rocky climb even harder.

This Trophy would not have been possible without the wonderful people of the EWT (Endangered Wildlife Trust) as they run the Soutpansberg Mountain Range as one big game reserve. To do this, they need strong relationships with the farmers and landowners.

We have a quick stop at the EWT rest farm before continuing towards the Sand Rover. The landscape changes in the afternoon as we make our way into the American-owned Bahiti Nature Reserve; the tracks now seem sandier, while we see loads of palm trees for the first time.

We also start to see more wildlife, such as buffalo and wildebeest. I spot a marshland in the valley below as we descend towards our campsite. The tree-filled campsite is perfect for a convoy to laager (not lager) up for a peaceful night. Barking baboons on a nearby hilltop have other ideas.

Day 3 begins with a presentation by Oldrich van Schalkwyk, the MD of Wild Estate, home of the Bahiti Nature Reserve. He shares many interesting facts about the 210km long Soutpansberg Mountain range with us. He tells us it is home to the highest number of tree species in South Africa. And that you find several different microclimates on the mountain; we can attest to that as we have experienced massive temperature changes as we have climbed up and down the various passes.

We depart from Bahiti and make our way to the start of the Van Collers Pass near Waterpoort. Legend has it that it was built by a local farmer tired of being cut off from the world when the Sand River floods. His wife used to drive the pass in her Nissan Pulsar. It was low-range first gear on the long, steep decline of the pass. There was a dramatic drop-off to our left with lovely views over the river.

News

COOPERTIRES BATTLE OF THE BEASTS 2020

2023 Defender Trophy Limpopo