Tracks4Africa

Imagine if this scene played out when you looked up from your computer... If you happen to be working this Monday, instead of being on long weekend, we hope you find some time for a Moment of Chill. This moment was captured in Mana Pools National Park by Judith and Wolfgang of reiseleben.at

Many of us have dreamed of life on the open road. Manon and Tobias of Rafiki On Tour are doing it. What does it take to overland day in and day out? They share their approach to full-time overlanding: https://ow.ly/Zur050SWtbz Yes, you need to be organised, but it doesn't mean saying goodbye to little luxuries. They even have pizza! 📷 Rafiki On Tour taking a break in Lesotho

The Tracks4Africa T-shirt has been spotted all across the continent thanks to our staff and ambassadors. We'd be honoured if you wore it! Get your Tracks4Africa T-shirt, available in four colours, from the online shop: https://shop.tracks4africa.co.za/product/tracks4africa-t-shirt/

It may be Monday, but that doesn't mean it should be gloomy. Here's a rainbow and blue sky from Helderberg Nature Reserve so you can enjoy a Moment of Chill.

The Canals Loop uses the network of canals north of Hartbeespoort Dam as inspiration for a scenic route along good gravel tracks. Picture rolling farmland, interesting scenery and the shimmering canal leading you ever onwards. Learn more: https://ow.ly/wIaj50T60O0
📷 Richard Brady

Want to discover the best campsites in the Richtersveld? Check out the new 4WD Revolution digital magazine:https://4wdrevolution.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/SeptOct-24-Issue.pdf
📷 4WD Revolution

Arrival of the new Botswana paper map means the popular Botswana travel bundle is back in stock. From route planning and trip prep to navigation and traveller info on destinations, the Botswana Self-Drive Guide and Traveller's Map have you covered. Get them together and you save! Learn more: https://ow.ly/uACa50T6i06

If you love exploring in a 4x4, don't miss the first issue of 4WD Revolution, a free digital magazine dedicated to offroading. You will find Tracks4Africa's pick of Richtersveld campsites inside!
Check it out:https://4wdrevolution.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/SeptOct-24-Issue.pdf

Forget about Monday for a bit and think about Swartberg Pass, a national monument that deserves to be driven at least once. With klipspringers as your only companions, the pass wends its way between rugged slopes and offers incredible views over the surrounding mountaintops. Enjoy your Moment of Chill!

If you're a fan of mountain passes, Bosluiskloof Pass deserves to be on your list. According to Mountain Passes South Africa the winding route features 60 bends, corners and curves. But the real attraction is the view: "Seemingly unending blue mountain ridges disappear into the horizon," according to Marié Bester. Read her trip report: https://ow.ly/PAEW50T5WP3
📷 Marié Bester

That feeling when you spread the maps out on the floor and start planning your next trip... 🥳 "Just reading Tracks4Africa maps makes me feel happy and already a bit on vacation," says traveller David Humair. You can find a full overview of Tracks4Africa maps and guidebooks, as well as Slingsby maps, in the online shop: shop.tracks4africa.co.za

Could there be a more beautiful road than one lined with daisies? This week's Moment of Chill comes from Tietiesbaai on the West Coast and it's your reminder to stop and smell the flowers.

Travelling where few other people go is great for enjoying solitude. Not so helpful when you need to get water or supplies. Rafiki On Tour share their strategies for remote travel and explain how Tracks4Africa maps help them: https://ow.ly/mrKt50SWt2G

📷 Rafiki On Tour driving along a dry riverbed in Namibia

The 5th edition of the Botswana paper map is here! This popular map brings you the latest information on Botswana, so you can explore with confidence. Like all Tracks4Africa maps, it shows distance and travel times, along with invaluable overlander info like border posts and points of interest. Learn more: https://ow.ly/bMZV50T6gr6

Monday morning means it's time for your virtual escape. Wouldn't you rather be on the road to Sesfontein now? Seeing rain in these arid parts is special! 📷 David Humair

When the sun's setting rays catch the clifftops lining Seweweekspoort, it turns the gorge into a golden gateway. As the road snakes between the towering mountains, you have to crane your neck to see their tops. Read more about this must-drive route: https://ow.ly/mOCo50SWuJV
📷 Marié Bester

There's a special kind of thrill that comes from turning onto a gravel road and following the map as you head into the unknown. But unknown shouldn't mean uninformed. Tracks4Africa maps provide details on distance, travel times, road surface and points of interest so you know what to expect. From paper maps and an A3 atlas to GPS maps and the Tracks4Africa Guide App, these are the best maps for exploring Africa: shop.tracks4africa.co.za

📷 Lieben Travelling

Welcome to your Monday Moment of Chill, which comes from the grassy plains near Moremi's Third Bridge. This game-rich area is a good place to see cheetah on the prowl, according to photographer Chris Davies.

Travelling way, way off the beaten track is how you might describe Rafiki On Tour's style of overlanding. But it's not about conquering difficult roads for them – it's about being alone in wild and beautiful places. How do you prepare when you are going to venture to the back of the beyond? Manon and Tobias of Rafiki on Tour share their approach: https://ow.ly/OCC550SWsTj

📷 Rafiki On Tour crossing a bridge in Gabon

Good news for European customers who have been waiting for the latest edition of our Namibian Self-Drive Guide: the pallet has arrived in Germany so our German online shop has stock available: https://tracks4africa.de/

Want to know what drives Tracks4Africa and where we're heading? Tracks4Africa's Johann Groenewald is ready to tell you more. You're invited to an exclusive Meet the Owners event in Paarl this October, featuring Bush Lapa, Live the Journey, Camp Cover and Weg!/Go!. Join us for a morning of insightful conversations, refreshments and a sneak peek into what's coming. Seats are limited, so book your spot today: https://ow.ly/t4S350SWxgt

How big is the Tracks4Africa Wall Map of Africa? Well, roughly the size of a Jimny bonnet! Overlander Richard Wilks spread out one on his vehicle to start planning his trip. That's the beauty of this laminated map: it gives you the big picture and you can annotate it. Mark up where you've been or where you want to go – marker can be wiped off as plans change. Of course, it also looks beautiful on a wall: pinned up, block mounted or framed. Check it out: https://ow.ly/oSll50ST1sm

This Moment of Chill comes from Seweweekspoort Pass, perhaps one of the most beautiful stretches of gravel road in South Africa: https://ow.ly/qRox50SLGxP 📷 Lieben Travelling

This pristine scene hints at the beauty of Nyanga National Park in Zimbabwe's Eastern Highlands. Wherever you travel, take only memories and leave only footprints (or tyre tracks) behind. 📷 Graeme Sharp

When it comes to route planning, Tracks4Africa maps offer you a variety of tools. Plan your adventure using our GPS maps, printed maps and atlas, or our online trip planner. Whichever option you choose, you can depend on our ground-truthed data for accurate distance and travel times – even on gravel roads in the back of beyond. Try out the online trip planner on https://ow.ly/9K5M50SLJHf or visit the online store for details on the other navigational tools.

It's time for your Monday Moment of Chill. Sit back, relax and imagine yourself trundling along Eselbank Pass in the Cederberg. The pass is aptly named: the dogged determination of a donkey is needed to navigate some of the ruts and rocky sections, but the scenery is magnificent. See more: https://ow.ly/q3zB50SLGp2

📷 Felicity Triegaardt

Namibia's Damaraland is home to desert-adapted wildlife and rocky outcrops adorned with ancient rock art. Take Madisa Camp as your base for exploring Twyfelfontein, Brandberg and the Petrified Forest. The spacious campsites at Madisa are tucked in among the boulders, so you have the sense of being immersed in the landscape: https://ow.ly/kPau50SLIqw

Our Zimbabwe Traveller's Paper Map is one of two new maps we launched in the past year. While one side covers the country in full, the back features more detailed maps of Hwange, Mana Pools and Gonarezhou. Just what you need to explore Zimbabwe's top wild places! See more: https://ow.ly/btJY50SurhJ

Breathe deeply and enjoy this Moment of Chill from the top of Porkpie Hill, looking out over the Chimanimani Mountains, a hiker's paradise. This protected area, which straddles Zimbabwe and Mozambique, is an enchanting land of craggy peaks, rolling grasslands and deep forests: https://ow.ly/nB5B50SLGl1

Check out this "Kalahari jungle gym", a way for these young travellers to burn off energy at a picnic stop. After a recent trip with her family, Tracks4Africa's Maderi Fourie reports back on visiting the Kgalagadi with little ones. Read her travel tips and the latest on developments in the park: https://ow.ly/k3Pf50SKFBy