I have a terrible confession to make. I cheated. Yes, I cheated on my loyal and loving VW with an insane beast called the new Ford Ranger XL Sport. Do I feel guilty, absolutely! Would I do it again? In a heartbeat! And before you judge me, please allow me to plead my case. Ford recently dropped off their domineering new Ranger XL Sport and one thing they forgot to mention was how this bad boy would move my adrenaline levels from a little 5 and shoot them right up to 1000!
Being an avid traveller, I’m never too fussy with what car I take when I do my #AlphiExplores. I usually drive my lovely mommy van, and trust it to move me from point A to point B without any hassles. Now don’t get me wrong, I love my car and I think this is exactly why I found myself feeling guilty for cheating on it each time I started the Ranger XL Sport. But how could I not? The instant you turn on the ignition, there’s a charge of electricity that courses through your body going straight to your head saying “yes… you ARE the man!”
As soon as the Ranger arrived, I had already made my mind up, ‘let’s go Xplore KwaZulu Natal’ and with a full tank of diesel, awesome company and a great playlist, there was absolutely nothing that could stop me. So there I was on the N3 shooting straight to Amanzimtoti to go see a friend who had been nagging me to come.
The drive to KZN was weird at first. Getting into my car is effortless, you jump in and you’re good to go. Things are not that simple with the bad boy Ranger. The suspension is high off the ground, so you need to know your story before you assume the throne of exhilaration. As you settle into the driver’s seat, you immediately feel in charge and ready to roll. Now I’m not one to condone the weird intimidation we get from 4×4 drivers on the road, but I must be honest, I constantly had to resist the urge to rev the unnecessarily at a traffic light.
My first secret gem was the Giba Gorge situated right off the N2 as you turn into Ingweni road. The drive to the Gorge was effortless, I mean we were after all in a 4×4 Ranger. What we weren’t prepared for however, was the hike up to a majestic waterfall that is about 10km from the starting point. The hike is slightly slippery with lots of thickets and a few streams of water rushing past. For an inexperienced hiker (of which I completely regard myself as), you find yourself biting your teeth out of regret but being drawn by the exciting noise pulling you closer as you approach the waterfall. The sight is incredible. There really isn’t anything like it. To top the experience, I decided to climb on a few large slippery rocks just to go and stand directly under the cascading waters. Please don’t try this at home… The walk back was easy. The trail is a decline at this point and all you can think about is ‘I stood under that waterfall’. Is there any feeling more gratifying?
As if that was enough, I heard word of a super spot that offers you a shot of yourself standing right at the edge of a cliff. They call it the Oribi Gorge AKA Leopards Rock. I took off the next morning and quickly fuelled up the Ranger which was sitting on a ¼ tank from my last trip. I must add, I was slightly taken aback by how this bad boy sips the juice, with a 6.8L/100km fuel consumption, that 2.2 litre turbo engine with an automatic transmission was working wonders on the road as I pulled a few agile movements every time I got a chance to.
Touch down at Oribi Gorge, which is about 15km in land once you’ve taken the Port Sheptsone off-ramp. Now this ride was completely different. 70% of the road is gravel, of which a large chunk is rocky with a few steep slopes. I immediately thought ‘challenge accepted’ and the XL Sport couldn’t help but rise to the occasion. With a quick turn of a knob to activate the diff lock, this bad boy tackled those rocks like they were nothing. Leaving us wiggling inside like little children. It was amusing to watch.
Leopards Rock is not the only breath-taking view at the Oribi Gorge, but we also managed to walk across the Oribi Suspension Bridge, checked out the famous Oribi Swing which is on a beautiful waterfall high up in the mountain. There is absolutely no way I am not framing the stunning shot I got on the peak of the gorge. I looked like a king! This was by far, one of my most rewarding experiences yet.
What is more exciting is that these are but a few of the incredible gems hidden in the amazing KwaZulu Natal and I can assure you that #AlphiExplores will go far and wide to bask in the beauty that that province has to offer. Take some time out to go explore the province, you won’t want to leave. KZN is really the girl she says she is!
The XL Sport Pack adds R16,500 to the base price of the Ranger XL series, while the optional eight-inch touchscreen infotainment system and dealer-fitted side steps are available for R6,080 and R5,050, respectively. All prices include VAT.
@alphi_sipho #AlphiExplores
