go!

South Africa’s number one travel and outdoor lifestyle magazine. We pay our own way and tell it like it is. We drive back roads and speak to real people, giving you practical information about affordable destinations in southern Africa. Each issue is crammed with excellent photography, honest gear reviews and delicious recipes to make at home or in the bundu. Whether you’re looking to escape for a weekend or a month, your journey starts here.

Beyond the city lights

BEHIND THE SCENES • Toast Coetzer travelled to Antarctica in October and November last year. Read the first instalment of his Travel Journal on page 120.

Go!

LETTERS • Where have you been? What have you seen? Write to editor@gomag.co.za

Q & A • Every month our experts answer your questions about birds, bugs and beasts. Send your photos and questions to editor@gomag.co.za

IN BRIEF

KRUGER - THE BEST OF THE BEST!

Back from the brink

FOR YOUR CALENDAR

NIGHT WATCH

Hang out at Hangklip

LEOPARD LOUNGE • Leopards of the Cape

‘The one who gathers knowledge' • For Moji Kitsi, the bush is the best teacher. We joined this inspirational wildlife education guide on one of his outings in the Waterberg.

BOOKS AND MUSIC • Conservationist Nicki Young has worked with wildlife for decades. She's also a former pilot and a yachtie with a black belt in karate and a penchant for scuba-diving. Her life has been filled with so much adventure that her memoir Barefoot in the Bundu is the first of three volumes!

Holiday for one • Going on holiday all by yourself is just what you need to reset like a champion, writes Puno Selesho.

Tour the Kruger like a pro • Plotting a holiday route in the Kruger Park can be challenging – it's bigger than some countries! Don't stress. Our 10-day travel plan will take you from south to north and you won't miss a thing. Let's go!

Long live Long Tom Pass! • Years ago, people crossed Long Tom Pass on foot and with ox-wagons, on their journey to the harbour at present-day Maputo. The old trade route has become a spectacular drive, with lots of interesting stops along the way. Here are five top places to stay.

That Delta groove • It's a long drive – with some donkeys to dodge – to the town of Shakawe in the far north of Botswana. To tourists, this area, called the Okavango Panhandle, offers an affordable, accessible introduction to the watery world of the Delta. Come along and meet some of the people who have made Shakawe their home.

WINNING PHOTO

SEND US YOUR BEST TRAVEL AND NATURE PHOTOS!

The greatest chase • It's nearly sardine run season on the Wild Coast. Join us in hot pursuit of the birds, dolphins, whales and sharks as they trail shoals of migrating fish.

Plans with pumpkin • From savoury to sweet, pumpkin and butternut – in all their guises – are oh so versatile. These dishes are perfect for your autumn table.

Three new off-road options • Given our outdoorsy lifestyle and the fact that potholes on our roads are procreating like rabbits on honeymoon, a robust SUV or a double-cab bakkie makes much more sense than a low-slung sedan. Here are three options for different budgets.

Sleep snug • That two-for-one Hypermarket special might have been good enough when Mom had to get everyone sleeping bags for school camp, but when you wake up freezing in the Drakensberg or in a pool of sweat in the Richtersveld, you quickly realise that a bargain sleeping bag ends up costing you dearly. Here are five bags that are fit for purpose.

STAY HERE • MOON RIVER BUSH CAMP, CEDERBERG

TAKE A HIKE De Mond delight! • The Sterna Trail in De Mond Nature Reserve is a circular route for the whole family. It's 5,5km long, on mostly flat terrain, and the views will...