Voetspore

This episode starts at Chimborazo, the mountain on earth closest to the stars. The team visits the unique artists of the Ecuadorian Andes before exploring the beautiful city of Quito. The week is concluded with a visit to Mitad del Mundo, a monument at the equator, just north of the capital.

After crossing the border, the team visits the banana-growing region of Machala. Further into the interior, the town of Zaruma offers the highest-yielding gold mines in the world. At Guayaquil, the team has the Cruisers serviced. Then, it is a visit to Isla de la Plata, the poor man’s Galapagos. The week concludes with a search for the real Panama straw hat – manufactured in Montecristi, Ecuador.

After a visit to the capital city of Lima in Peru, the team travels to the interior to explore the spectacular Cordillera Blanca and Cordillera Negra. The two mountain ranges are separated by the Cañón del Pato, featuring more than 50 tunnels carved through the rocky slopes. The route sees the team returning to the Pan-American Highway, passing Puerto Malabrigo, all the way to Máncora on the border with Ecuador

Two days of hard driving with one mountain pass after the other brings the team to Nazca near the Pacific Ocean. This is where the Nazca Lines are found. Massive figures were drawn in the desert 2,000 years ago and were only properly observed with the arrival of aviation at the beginning of the previous century. The week concludes with a visit to a wine farm at Ica and an evening in the sand dunes of the northern Atacama Desert.

The Rainbow Mountain at Vinicunca, the historical city of Cusco, and Machu Picchu provide one highlight after another. Here, in the Land of the Inca, the team explores small towns, breathtaking landscapes, beautiful cities, and an archaeological site shrouded in mystery.

The team descends into the Amazon Basin from 4,000 meters above sea level via the Road of Death – the perilous Yungas Road. In Rurrenabaque, they explore the Amazon with a boat trip on the Beni River. The team then returns to La Paz and continues to Copacabana on Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable water mass in the world.

After a long journey through the Andes, the team reaches the highest city in the world – La Paz. The city is explored using a network of cable cars, revealing its beautiful landscape and impressive architecture. La Paz hosts one of the biggest street markets twice a week, covering approximately 200 street blocks. The city is also the home of the Fighting Cholitas – Bolivia’s version of Lucha Libre, performed by women. The team further explores the archaeological site of Tiwanaku and visits Lake Titicaca.

The team spends a few days on the Salar de Uyuni in the southwestern corner of Bolivia. These are the largest salt flats on Earth, visible from outer space. From the salt flats, the team travels to Potosi, where millions of lives were sacrificed in the quest for silver mining. Afterwards, they visit the beautiful city of Sucre. The week concludes at La Higuera, a small town in the Andes where guerrilla fighter Che Guevara was executed.

The second series in South America picks up where the previous one left off – in Uruguay. The team then travels north through Argentina, encountering dramatic new landscapes along the way. It's a long and treacherous journey that brings them to Tupiza, where they delve into the exploits of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. The pursuit of their trail leads the team to San Vincente, the site where the notorious outlaws met their demise in a dramatic gunfight.

This week the team visits a castle outside Loxton, camp on Verneukpan, spend a day in one of the fascinating corbel houses of the Northern Cape at Stuurmansfontein, and visit the Windmill Museum at Loeriesfontein and then settles at the biggest quiver tree forest in the world at Gannabos.

The journey takes the team through the Karoo, from Witsand, past Griekwastad to the confluence of the Vaal and Orange rivers. After a visit to Karreekloof they go and watch a movie at the Apollo Theatre in Victoria West and conclude the week at the challenging 4x4 route at Badshoek near Beaufort West.

Orania on the banks of the Gariep is seen by many as a social experiment. The team investigates. After a visit to the battlefield of Magersfontein, they visit the jewel in the crown of the northern Cape – the Mokala National Park. The week is concluded at the roaring sands of Witsand.

At Garingboom the team experience a working Karoo farm. At Bethulie they see some of the devastation caused by The Anglo-Boer War at the Concentration Camp cemetery. At Pou Pan, they help with the ringing of an African black eagle chic and conclude the week on the farm of Afrikaans author, Etienne le Roux, near Koffiefontein.

At Witkoppen in the southeastern Free State, the team is introduced to the nutritional wonders of venison. They then head off to the Drakensberg and go hiking with one of the best mountain guides to the second-highest waterfall in the world. The journey through the Brandwaterkom is concluded on a beautiful farm with more than 200 horses and an excellent 4x4 trail.

A week in the Waterberg – at first the Lapalala Wilderness, then following the journey of Eugene Marais in the Limpopo province and concludes with a 4x4 route in the sometimes-underestimated Marakele National Park.

This week starts on the escarpment at Mariepskop, continues for a few days in the beautiful Blyde River Canyon, visit the Echo Caves and then concludes with trout fishing at Dullstroom. It is winter and bitterly cold.

Leydsdorp is a fascinating town that experienced a gold rush more than 130 years ago. After a visit to the ghost town, the team is entertained by the Vorsters of Letsitele – mega farmers of the Lowveld. Then a visit to an old favourite – the Wolkberge. The week is concluded with a visit to the Klaserie Nature Reserve.

The journey begins in the northeastern corner of South Africa at the confluence of the Limpopo and Levuvhu rivers. After a visit to the Kruger National Park, the team heads for Makuya to do the Levuvhu 4x4 route. They then visit the Ivory Route camps at Baleni and Letaba Ranch.

The interior of KZN is known for its many battlefields. The team starts with a visit to the Anglo-Boer War battlefield at Spioenkop. From the two battlefields of the Anglo-Zulu War at Isandlwana and Rourke’s Drift. The tragic history of Piet Retief’s murder at Dingaan’s Kraal and the subsequent Blood River concludes the episode.

The Southern Drakensberg is the only place in South Africa with a ski resort. The team use Rhodes as a base to go skiing at Tiffendel, travel the dramatic mountain passes of the region, visit Tina Head and conclude the week at Kolstad where the descendants of Adam Kok III live in Griekwaland East.

The Wild Coast of the Transkei is one of South Africa’s most beautiful yet unspoilt regions. The team travels north from the Kei River mouth with John Costello and visits Hole-in-the-Wall, Coffee Bay, Port St. Johns and Mkambati where a hospital for lepers once stood.

The team explore the ox-wagon routes as they venture into the interior. First the world heritage Attekwas Pass. Then the seven passes in the Outeniqua, all the way to de Vlucht where they meet Katot Meyer. As they pass Avontuur they penetrate deeper into the interior en route to Baviaanskloof with a visit to Makadaat, and then Geelhoutbos in the Nature Reserve.

The team leaves Matjiesfontein for Bosch Luys Kloof to look down into the Gamkaskloof and The Hell. Seweweerkspoort takes them through the Swartberge to Amalienstein and Zoar, and then to Hoeko, birthplace of CJ Langenhoven. In Ladysmith, they visit two cheese factories and the wine cellar, Makadas and the Otto Hager church. Then they travel to the Hessequa with the Tradouw Pass, Riverdale, Hebertdale and Buysplaas. The week is concluded at Vleesbaai.

The journey starts amongst the rooibos tea plantations of the Gifberg. From there they travel to the Cederberg and Papkuilsfontein in the Hantam region. After a visit to Niewoudtville they visit Hammelhoek for an evening with Die Kaalkop Waarheid. They visit the Tankwa Karoo National Park, one of South Africa’s arid Parks. The week concludes at Sutherland with a visit to the impressive SALT.

Dudley Wessels guides the team from Naries to Kookfontein and Leliefontein in Namaqualand. In winter this is a floral paradise. The team also visit Skilpad in the Namakwa National Park and camped on the beach near Koringkorrel Bay on the West Coast. The week is concluded with a dinner at the Muisbosskerm near Lamberts Bay, with Valiant Swart as a guest artist.

The team departs from the Catholic Mission at Pella. Then they travel downstream with the Orange River to the community of Goodhouse. Thereafter it is a visit to the Richtersveld where Karel du Toit shows them the unique flora of the rock desert. This is a journey, on the beaten track, in the Northern Cape.

The new series starts in the Kalahari. In the Dawid Kruiper Municipality they visit the towns of Rietfontein, Groot Mier and Philandersbron. After a visit to Hakskeenpan, they go hunting at Loch Broom and then observe the effect of the Kalahari pipeline on the region. The episode is concluded with a visit to old friends at Riemvasmaak.

The episode is a summary of Johan and Stephan travelling the route in advance planning for the episodes to come.

Voetspore tours around the South African Coast and visits all the Light Towers along their way.

Voetspore tours around the South African Coast and visits all the Light Towers along their way.

Voetspore tours around the South African Coast and visits all the Light Towers along their way.

Voetspore tours around the South African Coast and visits all the Light Towers along their way.

Voetspore tours around the South African Coast and visits all the Light Towers along their way.

Voetspore tours around the South African Coast and visits all the Light Towers along their way.

Voetspore tours around the South African Coast and visits all the Light Towers along their way.

Voetspore tours around the South African Coast and visits all the Light Towers along their way.

Voetspore tours around the South African Coast and visits all the Light Towers along their way.

Voetspore tours on the migration routes of the African Elephant.

Voetspore tours on the migration routes of the African Elephant.

Voetspore tours on the migration routes of the African Elephant.

Voetspore tours on the migration routes of the African Elephant.

Voetspore tours on the migration routes of the African Elephant.

Voetspore tours on the migration routes of the African Elephant.

Voetspore tours on the migration routes of the African Elephant.

Voetspore tours on the migration routes of the African Elephant.

Voetspore tours on the migration routes of the African Elephant.