The Elite Odyssey: 

Southern Africa’s Most Exclusive 4x4 Expeditions

In a world that never stops moving, true luxury isn't a faster car or a bigger screen—it’s the silence of a desert at dawn and the roar of a lion under a canopy of stars. At Protea 4x4, we don't just offer tours; we curate bespoke odysseys for the discerning explorer who demands more from life than the ordinary. You only live once—but if you do it right, once is more than enough. Unrivaled Access. Absolute Exclusivity. 

We believe the greatest show on earth shouldn't have a crowd. To preserve the intimacy of the wild and the caliber of the experience, our expeditions are strictly limited to exclusive groups of just 12 people. This is high-altitude, high-octane exploration for those who appreciate the finer details of an untamed landscape. 

Whether you choose the rugged authenticity of a self-camping trek or the refined ease of our fully catered adventures, every logistical nuance is handled with surgical precision. Park fees, luxury accommodations, and gourmet wilderness dining are all part of the Protea 4x4 standard. 

With us, each safari is not just a tour; it's an odyssey into the heart of Africa's untamed splendor...

The Art of the Expedition Led by husband and wife team, Jannie and Ansu Rykaart, you will navigate Southern Africa’s most storied landscapes—from the hidden valleys of Lesotho to the shifting sands of the Namib. With over 31 years of mastery, Jannie ensures that even the most technical terrain feels like a masterclass in confidence. 

• Sunset Rituals: Trade the boardroom for the bushveld as we toast to the horizon with premium sundowners, witnessing the African sun dip below the Earth's edge. 

• Masterful Discovery: For the photographer, the naturalist, and the seeker of solace, we provide a gateway to the planet's last true wilderness areas. 

• The Protea Philosophy: We drive with a "leave no trace" ethos, ensuring that the wild heart of Africa remains as pristine for the next generation as it is for us today. 

Transcend the Ordinary 

This isn't just a holiday. It is a fire kindled in the spirit, a memory etched in the soul, and a journey where the rhythm of the wild beats in perfect harmony with your own. The most exclusive seats in the wilderness are waiting. 

Will you be one of the twelve? 

All our Safari Tours is exclusive to only 12 guests.

Request an Invitation to our 2027 Safari Calendar 

Join us at Protea 4x4 for an adventure that transcends the ordinary – a journey where the wild heart of Africa beats in harmony with your own.

Sea Turtle Tour, Kosi Bay - Egg-laying & hatching of Loggerhead Sea turtles.

7-12 February 2027 :

4-Star Kosi Bay Lodge - Fully Catered 3-Course Meals + Activities

Still space for 8 people.

• Come and experience Mother Nature, displaying just how complex the Creation is. You will find it hard to refrain from crying/cheering when the hatchlings finally get into the foam line and paddles out into the warm Indian Ocean. With around one out of a thousand hatchlings surviving and making its way back to the same hatching beach after 17-33 years to lay their cluster of eggs (around 450 eggs in batches of 100- 120 per session), in doing so, securing the existence of the sea turtle specie!

  Pack your bags, load your 4x4 and head out with us to witness the oldest hatching ritual on the planet taking place right in front of your eyes, and discover the endangered Palmnut Vulture.

  One of the greatest SECRET ESCAPES that awaits you in Zululand, South Africa.
  • The 4-Star Kosi Bay Lodge, and the surroundings areas of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park is just something you must experience.
  • Discovering all the natural jewels this coastal forest and lakes system has to offer.
  • If you are looking to truly indulge in the beauty of South Africa, it is worth exploring the unique activities that we offer on this tour, pack your bags, and load your 4x4 for a drive of a lifetime.
  • Snorkel in crystal clear water, the lagoon’s coral reef is situated at Kosi Bay Mouth and the beauty is that you need no experience, just a spirit for adventure. The reef offers plenty fish life.
  • A day on a private boat cruise, the crystal-clear lake system of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park, offering a variety of birdlife, snorkelling, and beautiful vistas.
  • Snorkel amongst the 700-year-old Tsonga fish kraals along the edge of the Mangrove Forest.
  • Visit the Thembe Elephant Park, home to the largest Elephants in Africa.
  • The rare Raffia Palm Forest Walk, in search of the endangered Palmnut Vulture, African Pygmy Goose, Trumped Hornbill, and all the other small creatures that is endemic to this area!
  • Witness how the endangered loggerhead and leatherback sea turtles lay their eggs and experience the astonishing thrill as hundreds of hatchlings dash of to the ocean only to return 17 years later to the same beach to lay their eggs!
  • A 6-days, 5-nights fully catered 4-Star Lodge tour (dinner, bed, and breakfast) all units offer aircon’s.
  

Exclusive Sea Turtle Tour just for 16 people.   

Contact Jannie for a detailed itinerary: info@protea4x4.co.za or 083 268 0566

Frontier 4x4 Mountain Passes, Eastern Cape

25 March to 3 April 2027

Fully Catered 3-Course Meals, Lodge and 5-Star Hotel Accommodation

Still space for 10 people.

• 

• The Eastern Cape has a rich cultural heritage. This was the home of the first Frontier explorers and the region is also rich in history dating back to ancient times. It offers you the perfect space to take some time out and marvel at the beauty around and above you!

  The area is nestled deep within the slopes of the Drakensberg mountains and is surrounded by incredible rock formations and captivating fossil beds. Rock art and engraving dating back roughly 10 000 years tell the stories of the San/Bushmen who were the first inhabitants of the land. Enjoy guided walks and tours to fully experience the wonders of history.

  The area has become a hub of the best off-the-beaten-track adventures. With the focal points for the highest, meanest, gravel passes in South Africa. The aim is to conqueror some of the most spectacular Eastern Cape high altitude gravel passes! We will guide you over 12 of the most beautiful high-altitude gravel passes whilst enjoying the beautiful Eastern Cape highlands scenery.

  This gravel pass tour is a must-do experience for all Outdoors, Fly-fishing, Trout anglers, Birding, Photographers and Nature Enthusiasts alike – it is a breath-taking area and is guaranteed to leave you with plenty of memories to share with your friends & family.

  Day 3
  After breakfast, something different. We have the following on the to-do-list, TIERKRANZ Pass, NEW ENGLAND, and the BALLOCH Pass with some of the best Sandstone formations, Bridges, unique tri-verse railway line and bridges, not to mentions the rivers the area offers. It's time to explore more gravel backroads on our way back to the Hotel. The pictureous village of Rhodes awaits you for a three-night stay in the historic Rhodes Hotel offering us dinner/bed & breakfast Dinner will be ready at 19h00.

  Day 4
  After an early breakfast we head to the lovely LUNDEAN'S PASS with it's 101 bends and amazing views. Pack a picnic bag, camera, birding book, and your binoculars for each day.

  Dinner will be ready at 19h00 at the Rhodes Hotel.

  Day 5
  After breakfast we depart to explore two gravel mountain passes, the CARLISLEHOEKSPRUIT Pass (2 563m) and then down VOLUNTEERSHOEK Pass (2 581m) Between these two passes are the highest freshwater dam in SA, if you have your fly-fishing gear with you, we will spend some time here.

  Our last dinner here will be served at 19h00 at the Hotel.

Exclusive 4x4 Mountain Passes Tour just for 12 people.   

Contact Jannie for a detailed itinerary: info@protea4x4.co.za or 083 268 0566

Namib Adventure Safari, Namibia.

15-29 May 2027

4x4 Camping Safari
Off-road camping adventure of note!
We can still accommodate 2 people

• Experience the "Unhurried" Lifestyle This safari is designed to help you disconnect from the rush and reconnect with nature.
  • Crystal Clear Skies: May offers crisp air and cloudless nights, making for world-class stargazing.
  • A Rare Transformation: Following the historic rains of recent years, you’ll witness a side of the desert—from lush patches to filled vleis—that very few people will ever see again.
  • Expert Guidance: Led by Jannie and Ansu, you’ll enjoy a seamless blend of adventure, safety, and warm hospitality.
  • "Once a year, go somewhere you have never been before." They say Namibia doesn’t just show you, its beauty; it crawls deep into your soul, ensuring you’ll always find your way back. In May 2027,
  • Join us for an expedition into a land of extremes, where wide horizons meet the "sounds of silence" under the brightest stars on the planet.
  • Note to Novices: Don't be intimidated! We welcome first-time 4x4 drivers and campers. We are here to teach, guide, and share the magic of the African outdoors with you.
  • All our campsites and activities are confirmed reservations.
  • ONLY suitable for 4x4 vehicles, off-road campers, and tents

Exclusive 4x4 Desert Camping Tour just for 14 people.   

Contact Jannie for a detailed itinerary: info@protea4x4.co.za or 083 268 0566

Route Sani Pass, Lesotho

10 to 14 July 2027

Fully Catered 3-Course Meals, Lodge and 4-Star Hotel Accommodation.

• Sani Pass is the mother of all Southern African mountain passes. Statistically and in every sense, it out distance, out climbs, and out-performs all its competitors with consummate ease to have become the most iconic gravel pass in Southern Africa. It remains a challenging drive with all the drama, scenery, bad weather and treacherous conditions expected of a pass with a summit altitude of 2 876 m above sea-level. It is now used, for the most part, by 4x4 vehicles and has become a highlight for tourists from all over the world visiting the Southern Drakensberg.

  It is here that you will find what people travel from all over the world to see – the most incredible panoramic views of the Drakensberg Mountain range. Sani Pass is still rated worldwide, as a must do gravel-pass for 4x4 drivers. The pass is not just about the steep climb, but the breath-taking views, waterfalls – mostly frozen - and a variety of mountain flowers that makes this a unique journey into the Mountain Kingdom.

  Lesotho is classed as the highest country in the world. Lesotho’s remote and rugged countryside is spectacular in all its guises, no matter what the weather is like. The mountains have a famous almost transparent blue tone and an ethereal feel. This is normally a good time of the year to experience snow on the Drakensberg.

  This trip is a must-do for all 4x4 and Nature Enthusiasts alike – it is a brilliant long weekend away and is guaranteed to leave you with plenty of memories to share with your friends & family. This not intended to be a challenge at all, but it is still high-altitude stuff, it is a weekend filled with memories, travelling through the magnificent Drakensberg Mountain range.

Exclusive mountain experience for only 20 people   

Contact Jannie for a detailed itinerary: info@protea4x4.co.za or 083 268 0566

Namaqualand 4x4 Flower Safari, Northern Cape.

Book now for 15-26 August 2027

Fully catered 3-course meals, dinner/bed & breakfast, 4-Star lodge accommodation

• Superbly splendiferous is the only way to describe the flowering season in Namaqualand. The amazing floral display has earned itself a place as a global botanical wonder. Visitors on this flower safari tour will experience the greatest flower show on earth with close to 3000 plant species of which more than 50% are indigenous to the region we plan to visit. On this flower power safari, we intend to introduce you to areas that you thought never existed in South Africa.

  Get ready for a lifetime changing experience of discoveries as we travel the back roads of this arid region. The Flower safari is a fully catered tour, pack your bags and head west with us for a mind-boggling discovery of this arid and desolated "outback" part of our country. Keep in mind that this Flower Safari offers a lot more than just flowers, you will be discovering so much more off the beaten path. Therefore, you will need a 4x4 vehicle.

Exclusive 4x4 Flower tour just for 12 people   

Contact Jannie for a detailed itinerary: info@protea4x4.co.za or 083 268 0566

Zebra Safari, Botswana.

1 to 11 October 2027

Off-road camping adventure of note!

• “Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better” Albert Einstein

  Botswana is widely regarded as having some of the best wilderness and wildlife areas on the African continent. It is a rarity in our over-populated, over-developed world. Untamed and untameable, it is one of the last great refuges for Nature’s magnificent pageantry of life. What is believed to be Africa's greatest and longest large mammal migration occur here, in the Makgadikgadi National Park, and over the last decade, we have seen its gradual return to its formal glory. The dry, winter season - is when the pans are in their most iconic state. Sun-scorched, shimmering salt stretches as far as the eye can see with little water. BUT at the end of summer the zebra migration, the second largest and longest migration of mammals takes place as thousands of plains Zebra’s start to arrive in the Makgadikgadi Pans for its mineral rich grasses and vitally needed minerals.

  Today, the Makgadikgadi Pans it is a vast, salt-pan desert, of shimmering sand and surreal landscapes so vast you can see the curvature of the earth. It is a harsh and sparse landscape, but one that is beautiful in its desolation. Here, perhaps more than anywhere else in the world, you will be struck by a feeling of utter, marvelous, isolation.

  Unfathomably immense, Botswana is a land of wild and raw beauty, untouched, and timeless, of unforgiving terrain, of extremes and superlatives in every respect! You will be blown away by the beauty of this area and the exceptional wildlife experiences you will be enjoying.

  This will be a self-drive, self-catering safari OR you can book the luxury tented units. You will need a 4x4 vehicle, sorry no 4x2 or AWD vehicles.

  A world of wonder and natural beauty awaits you on this safari.

Exclusive Safari for 14 people.   

Contact Jannie for a detailed itinerary: info@protea4x4.co.za or 083 268 0566

Maluti Expedition, Lesotho.

20-29 November 2027

Fully catered accommodation with dinner, bed & breakfast.

• Lesotho’s remote and rugged countryside is spectacular in all its guises, and gives the visitor that primal thrill of discovering, conquering the unknown. This is an expedition to discover and explore the breathtaking landscapes in different combinations of mountains, skies, and water. Lesotho is deservedly classed as the highest country in the world.

  Sites of staggering natural splendour awaits the curious visitor. Reaching those spots is a challenge for many, it’s fun, gruelling, exhilarating and positively addictive at the “ROOF of AFRICA” with soaring mountains beckon, overwhelming skies, waters that run deep and wild into huge storage dams that feed Gauteng. These storage dams are on the to-do-list.

  Experience a country which have given birth to the very spirit of adventure and excitement. The world’s highest single-drop waterfall – Maletsunyane waterfall

  The mountain passes of this mountain Kingdom is just awesome. Statistically and in every sense, it out distance, out climbs, and out-performs all its competitors with consummate ease to offer the most iconic mountain passes in Southern Africa. It remains a challenging drive with all the drama, scenery, bad weather and treacherous conditions expected, known as the “Roof of Africa”.

  Golden Gate Highlands National Park covers an area of 340 km². The park's most notable features are its golden, ochre, and orange-hued, deeply eroded sandstone cliffs and outcrops, especially the Brandwag rock. Golden Gate is currently the only proclaimed National Park that protects the grassland biome which is the most neglected biome from the point of view of conservation. The first inhabitants of this area were the San, judging by the stone tools and rock paintings found.

  This trip is a must-do for all 4x4 and Nature Enthusiasts alike – it is guaranteed to leave you with plenty of memories to share with your friends & family. This is not intended to be a challenge at all, but it is still high-altitude stuff, it is an expedition filled with memories.

Exclusive High Altitude Tour just for 10 people.   

Contact Jannie for a detailed itinerary: info@protea4x4.co.za or 083 268 0566