Land Rover Defenders clock 60 000km in Afrika Odyssey Expedition
Defenders completed thousands of kilometres across 24 African nations, delivering humanitarian aid and proving their unmatched reliability and comfort in extreme conditions.
Part of the Kingsley Holgate Foundation’s Africa Odyssey Expedition for humanitarian purposes, a duo of Land Rover Defenders have now completed over 60000 km!
Looking for a new or used Land Rover Defender? Find it here with CARmag!
This incredible journey covered 60 000km across 24 African nations, focusing on delivering essential insecticide-treated mosquito nets to vulnerable communities, particularly children under five and pregnant women.
Using two Defender 130 D300s, named Moyo (meaning heart) and Isibindi (meaning courage), the expedition team distributed 15 880 mosquito nets over a year. Each net is estimated to protect a mother and two children from malaria, highlighting the significant impact of this effort on community health. The expedition also provided ‘Rite to Sight’ reading glasses and Wildlife Art templates to under-resourced areas in countries like Angola, Mozambique, Rwanda, Ghana, and Nigeria.
Expedition leader Ross Holgate described the journey as gruelling: “Our very lives depended on the reliability of our two Defender 130s to get us out of sticky situations, and they never failed us.” Challenges included navigating the Congo’s floods, pothole-ridden roads leading to Juba, and muddy tracks after rains, with makeshift bridges adding complexity to their route.
Related: Land Rover Defender Primed for 2026 Dakar Rally
The Sahara desert posed additional difficulties with temperatures often exceeding 50°C. Holgate praised the Defenders for their performance, saying, “The Defenders’ air suspension soaked up road imperfections, allowing the drivers to endure the long hours behind the wheel.” After more than 10 000 hours of driving, Holgate affirmed, “It is definitely the vehicle of choice for the Kingsley Holgate Foundation and the most capable vehicles we have ever driven.”
Over 40 expeditions, the Kingsley Holgate Foundation has tested the Defender rigorously, amassing over 150 000km. This includes the 16 000km Mzansi Edge Expedition and the Defender Transcontinental Expedition from Cape Town to Nordkapp in Norway, embodying the Defender’s legacy of adventure and humanitarian service.
Click here and browse thousands of new and used vehicles here with CARmag!
The post Land Rover Defenders Clock 60 000 km in Afrika Odyssey Expedition appeared first on CAR Magazine.
