Intrepid travellers embrace overland trips

Kevin and Donna Krummeck, well-known South Coasters, are taking their overlanding endeavours to new heights.

The couple, known as Team Buffalo Overlander, are currently on a two-month trip across the Kruger National Park, and are showing no signs of quitting their travels any time soon.

They plan to revisit the Kalahari and Botswana later on in the year.

In 2019, the couple embarked on their most recognised overland journey. Starting in Dundee, South Africa (Kevin’s birthplace) and ending in Dundee, Scotland (Donna’s birthplace), they traversed through Africa, Asia and Europe to complete their journey.

At that point, their vehicle was their signature Land Rover Defender, nicknamed ‘THE BEAST’. They described themselves as naïve during the preparation leading up to the trip, as it was their second attempt one year after their first try, after they had spent two weeks camping on a beach in Angola due to visa issues in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The second time around, this time travelling up the East Coast instead of the West, the couple were set to complete their journey.

The thrill of overlanding continued when they found refuge on a farm during the ISIS attacks in north Mozambique and were forced to camp in the Sahara, as a result of a coup.

After publishing a book on this journey, the couple has upgraded their vehicle to better suit their lengthy road trips.

The Buffalo Overlander, originally an Isuzu NPS300 4×4, was built by AC Motorhomes and comes fully equipped with a seating area, kitchen, toilet and shower, grocery cupboard, clothing cupboard, aircon, bedroom and more.

The increased space also boosts the couple’s comfort level over longer journeys and took nine months to complete. It operates completely off-grid and is equipped with solar panels and lithium batteries.

Despite their goal to positively share their journey with others, Kevin and Donna have noticed a handful of negative comments across their social media pages. However, Kevin has warned these negative commenters, known as ‘trolls’, that no negativity will be accepted on their pages and will be immediately blocked.

“We’ve worked our whole lives. We managed to get to a stage where business was doing well. We decided we wanted to spend more time on the road on a more permanent basis,” Kevin commented.

Kevin also explained: “Many people live their lives through us and feel like they’re part of the adventure.”
When asked about advice he would give to aspiring overland travellers, Kevin advised them to start with small steps and to go on local trips before longer journeys.

To find out more about the Krummecks’ book, Dundee 2 Dundee visit their social media pages.
Also follow the Buffalo Overlander’s Instagram, Facebook and YouTube pages to become a part of their journey.

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