RECAP: WHERE HAVE WE BEEN BY FAR?

LEG 1: Namibia-Botswana-South Africa-Lesotho-South Africa 2019-2020

The first overland adventure took us through Namibia, Botswana, and Lesotho. We drove through some epic wilderness areas: Chobe, Moremi and Okavango Delta, Central Kalahari, Kgalagadi, and the mountain kingdom of Lesotho. 

We took off from Finland and landed in Namibia on the 30th of August, 2019. Our 2009 Land Rover Defender 2.4 TDCi Puma, called Honey Badger, already waited for us in Namibia. During our first months in Namibia, we gathered all the equipment needed for our Overlanding expedition, learned to drive our car also in off-road conditions, and fixed some minor issues we still noticed with HB.

We fell in love with Namibia and toured Etosha National Park on five trips, visiting all camps and waterholes in the park (check Instagram for wildlife pics). We learned a lot about community-based conservation and also volunteered in REST (Rare and Endangered Species Trust), walking in the bush with Amos the pangolin, and taking care of other rescued animals at the site.

At the beginning of April 2020, we were in South Africa and prepared to go to Kruger National Park, where we were planning to sit out the outbreak of Covid-19.

But then things turned out the other way. South Africa declared a total lockdown: all national parks, lodges, and campsites closed. Our embassy wanted to evacuate us on a rapid schedule, and so we left our dearest Honey Badger the Defender to wait for our return to a safe place in South Africa.

We headed to Finland with an evacuation flight on Friday the 3rd of April via Germany. We were devastated to leave but took consolidation, knowing that this is only temporary. And temporary it was, even though it took painstakingly 7,5 months before we could return to South Africa and continue our adventure expedition.

To make the most of the mandatory break, we spent the whole time getting to know Finnish brown bears and photographing them from a hide at the Russian border.

LEG 2: South Africa-Eswatini-Mozambique-Zambia-Tanzania (Nov 2020-June 2021)

We returned to South Africa in November 2020 to continue the expedition. We explored Kruger National Park, smaller South African reserves, and conservation projects during December 2020 and January 2021. In February 2021 we crossed into eSwatini and then continued driving through Mozambique, Zambia, and Tanzania.

We were hoping to cross the border to Zimbabwe in late January 2021 and later to Malawi but both borders remained sealed and we had to change plans. So, we decided to drive through Mozambique instead.

But then South Africa closed all borders again and declared an “adjusted level 3 lockdown” until February 15th. However, all national parks stayed open and we were able to explore Kruger for 2 months! So this time “being stuck” wasn’t bad at all. Even our tourist visas were automatically extended due to the lockdown. And we had the Wild Card, so we could go to Kruger anytime we wanted to – for free!

Immediately when it was possible, we crossed into Eswatini and then continued onwards through Mozambique and Zambia. Some of our highlights in Mozambique were visiting Gorongosa National Park and marine conservation NGO called Love the Oceans.

In Zambia, we spent some weeks in South Luangwa National Park and did shorter trips to Lower Zambezi National Park and North Luangwa. Read more about Lower Zambezi National Park here and how NGO called Conservation Lower Zambezi (CSL) is controlling poaching during the pandemic.

In July 2021, Honey Badger the Defender was having her well-earned rest for 2 months time in a safe place in Tanzania and during that, we were visiting our family and friends in Finland and were also working as bear photography guides in northern Finland.

LEG 3: Tanzania-Uganda-Tanzania-Kenya-Tanzania-Zambia-Zimbabwe-Botswana-Namibia (Sept 2021-May 2022)

We returned to Tanzania to explore the country profoundly: from the iconic national parks to hidden gems. At the same time, we were also scouting partners for exclusive photography safaris, which we plan to organize.

We drove through Lake Natron and Northern Serengeti with Honey Badger the Defender, and were lucky to witness the famous Mara River crossings. Millions of wildebeests and zebras rush through the Mara River every year when they migrate from Kenya to Tanzania (or vice versa) in search of greener pastures. This is a life-changing natural show for animal lovers and photographers – and something we wish to share with you on our own photo safaris!

We then explored Uganda, one of our favorite African countries, for two months. We visited the parks and sectors we hadn’t visited before: remote Kidepo National Park in the north and Ishasha in the south, the latter for great sightings of famous tree-climbing lions. We’re also planning to organize photography safaris to Uganda, too.

Then we returned to Tanzania for a huge road trip: driving by Lake Tanganyika from north to south, visiting Katavi and Ruaha national parks, driving back north by the Indian Ocean, and popping in the Usambara Mountains.

We also experienced wildebeest calving season (another aspect of the great migration) in Ndutu, and then drove through Zambia to Victoria Falls. We spent a great couple of weeks in Zimbabwe and visited Hwange National Park. We then drove back to central Namibia via Botswana and the Zambezi region of northern Namibia and stored HB for the Borealis summer months when we returned to Finland.

It has become a little tradition for us to go back for the Borealis summertime to northern Finland to work as bear photography guides. We enjoy it a lot and some of our time in Finland will always be spent with our families and friends, too.

LEG 4: Namibia-Botswana-South Africa (September 2022-May 2023)

You may wonder why this was such a short leg? Well, we were supposed to leave Namibia a lot shorter time but ended up being there for five (!) months and applying for two visa extensions. Why? We did a LOT of redesign work for Honey Badger the Defender!

And we also visited many extremely remote places in Namibia where we hadn’t been before, like the Desolation Valley. We drove the dry riverbeds of Hoanib, Hoab, Hoarusib, and Ugab rivers. We also found the elusive desert-adapted elephants!

But the biggest upgrade project for our Defender was putting on the Alu-Cab Icarus roof conversion! This has been our dream for a long time already, and ’cause we finally had the opportunity to do it, we grabbed the chance. It ended up being a much longer project than we anticipated, but in the end, we got it done. 

Then we also rebuilt the whole interior anew for our Defender! That was done in Namibia, too. But getting these big projects appropriately done took many months, and we ended up leaving Namibia as late as the beginning of March 2023.

Then we didn’t have so much time anymore before our traditional bear guiding work season in Northern Finland, so we ended up just going to visit all those remote places in Botswana, too, where we hadn’t been before (i.e. Makgadigadi, Nxai Pans, Tuli Block), and then spending a month in Kruger National Park in South Africa. Then we left Honey Badger the Defender in safe storage at RSA and flew to spend the Borealis summer in our native Finland.

Leg 5: South Africa-Zimbabwe-Malawi-Zambia-Botswana-Namibia-South Africa (September 2023-June 2024)

Yes, we were still going around Southern Africa, as we went to Zimbabwe to help with the annual game counts in Hwange National Park and then finally headed to Malawi, which we had missed so many times. We spent almost two months in Malawi and loved the little country, especially Lake Malawi and the small but beautiful National Parks.

We didn’t want to go up north this time (as we had other plans), so we turned back south and spent time in some of our favorite National Parks, like South Luangwa in Zambia. We also drove the Okavango Panhandle in Botswana while we headed to Namibia. In Namibia’s Zambezi region, we visited places we previously missed, too.

We had a blast in the remote Khaudum National Park and explored the Mudumu area, as well. Then, when heading toward Swakopmund, we started having many mechanical issues with Honey Badger, the Defender and ended up changing the clutch in Windhoek. This process took much longer than anticipated, and all wasn’t even over yet.

Luckily, we managed to go to Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park again, as we had planned, where we were many years ago, and when there, we realized how much we had missed this beautiful Kalahari scenery. We had a few clutch issues while there, but mainly thoroughly enjoyed our re-visit.

Then, we crossed to South Africa, and the clutch was properly bled again in Upington, and all was well.

We headed to Pretoria and then onwards, planning to spend some tranquil time in Kruger National Park. On our way, we again visited places we hadn’t been before, like the beautiful Augrabies Falls. But while in Pretoria, it turned out that Honey Badger the Defender had bigger issues again — and eventually, it turned out we had to get the head gasket redone!

All these big car maintenance issues ate a lot (!) out of our budget and gave us a huge amount of mental stress, but our car is heavily used, so these things are sometimes inevitable. At least now, HB should be in top condition, and no big issues should arise soon.

After all the stress, we then spent over a month in Kruger, relaxing, meeting our old friends, and enjoying the wildlife. It was a great time and we got to unwind.

In early June (2024), we again put HB the Defender in safe storage and flew to Finland for the summer to meet family and friends — and the brown bears. When we return to Africa in late September (2024), we now may have different plans. Maybe the Western route is finally calling our names…

WHAT’S NEXT?

LEG 6: South Africa to where?

LEG 7: Finland-Southern Africa – or to another continent already?

This time, we’ll perhaps drive through Northern Scandinavia’s beautiful fells and fjords towards the Mediterranean and take another route through the African continent.

Or, during all these years zigzagging the African continent, we have already started to think about the possibility of shipping HB the Defender to a different continent at some point, too. South America, maybe?

We’ll keep you posted about all the upcoming schedules and destinations – especially through our newsletter.

And we hope to meet you on the road! Keep an eye on our social media and get in touch! And most of all: subscribe to our newsletter, get inside updates and never miss any twists and turns! 😀