Choosing a 4x4 fitment centre: the questions to ask before anyone picks up a spanner
A fitment centre will bolt hundreds of kilograms onto your bakkie, so it pays to ask about weight, wiring, brands and paperwork before you book the work.
Guides
Planning notes, explainers and data guides from the Sandtracks Desk. Every guide lists its sources at the bottom and links into the directory.
Dog-friendly campsites in the Western Cape: what we could confirm
We checked the published pet rules for all 22 Western Cape campsites in our listings. Two say dogs are welcome, most say no, and here is how to check the rest.
Gauteng: where to get the bakkie kitted out, and where to camp and drive close to home
Gauteng has more fitment centres, trailer builders and canopy makers in our directory than any other province, and a growing list of camps and 4x4 venues within an hour of Pretoria or Johannesburg.
Northern Cape camping and 4x4: a province guide for long distances
The national park camps and 4x4 routes of a province where fuel stops, water and phone signal need as much planning as the route itself, plus the fitment centres we list there.
Off-road trailer builders in South Africa: what to compare before you buy
Body material, chassis design, layout and the after-sales network differ a lot between local builders, and the trailer's mass decides which licence you need to tow it.
Planning your first December overland trip: bookings, the vehicle, power and park rules
A practical order of work for a first long trip in the summer holidays, from when national park bookings open to what to check on a loaded vehicle before you leave home.
Powering a 12V fridge off-grid: how to work out the battery, solar and wiring
Fridge makers publish their power use in different units. Here's how to turn those numbers into a daily figure, size a battery around it and wire it so the fridge doesn't cut out on a full battery.
Recovery basics before your first 4x4 trail
What to carry, which numbers on a snatch strap actually matter, and the attachment-point rule that keeps a stuck vehicle from turning into an injury.
Rooftop tent season: how to read the spec sheets before you buy
Six tents sold in South Africa publish their weights, sizes and load ratings in different ways. Here's how to line them up fairly, and what to check on your roof before any tent goes up there.
Western Cape camping and 4x4: a province guide
From river camps in the Cederberg to a 4x4 route along the crest of the Swartberg, plus the Cape fitment centres and trailer builders in our directory, with the rules on firewood, pets and access that each camp publishes.
What a 4x4 trail grade actually tells you (and what it doesn't)
South African trail operators grade their own routes, in their own words and on their own scales. Here's how to read a grade alongside the vehicle rules and route notes that sit next to it.
