Defender and Kingsley Holgate Foundation complete 14 200km Africa Traverse expedition

It’s about embracing the impossible. This was one of the most richly rewarding experiences in a long time. And sometimes emotional!

And what a vehicle to do all of this! The Defender OCTA. The Kingsley Holgate Foundation has successfully concluded Africa Traverse, its 43rd geographic and humanitarian expedition.

The 14 200km journey, tracing the Tropic of Capricorn across the width of sub-Saharan Africa, marks 25 years since Kingsley and Ross Holgate first completed this route, and 25 years of partnership with Land Rover Defender. Starting in January on the Atlantic coast of Namibia and concluding in April on the shores of the Indian Ocean in Mozambique, Africa Traverse was a rigorous test of endurance and capability — and a vital humanitarian mission. A full-circle journeyTwenty-five years ago, the Holgates followed the Tropic of Capricorn around the globe in a world-first expedition.

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This year, they returned to the African chapter of that odyssey, tracing the 23° 27′ latitude across Namibia, Botswana, South Africa and Mozambique. The expedition team relied on a fleet of battle-hardened vehicles: two Defender 130s nicknamed “Moyo” (Heart) and “Isibindi” (Courage), a classic Defender 110 Puma named “Kaptein”, and the legendary “Mashozi”, a classic Defender TDI. Ross Holgate, expedition leader, said: “This expedition was a deeply emotional milestone.

To stand on the same dunes and cross the same rivers with my father 25 years later, and seeing how the technology has evolved from paper maps and manual gearboxes to the peerless terrain response of the new Defender, was a testament to our passion for what we do and a history with this brand. Adventure with a greater purposeTrue to the “Adventures with Purpose” ethos shared by Defender and the Kingsley Holgate Foundation, the journey balanced extreme off-roading with life-saving humanitarian work.

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