By Prashirwin Naidu.
I was pleasantly surprised that five of us could fit in the Citroën C3. We found this out on a trip to the Kruger with family friends from the US and Belgium. It was my first visit to the Kruger. We had a long journey ahead— about 400 kilometres which translates to five hours on the road. Luckily, we weren’t in a rush and took a couple of coffee breaks along the way. It felt great being a tourist in my backyard with Luis Alonso Lugo and his teenage son, Andres, from Washington, as well as Bela and Levente, the happy couple from Brussels. These were my dad’s good friends, whom he met at the World Press Institute in 1997.
The car:
Although it looked like we were packed like sardines, the Citroën C3 didn’t feel cramped. It had a cute factor, and the photos did it justice. However, the front seemed a bit bland—perhaps white isn’t the most exciting colour, even with a bright orange roof. The C3’s cabin layout was modern and pleasant, with a 10.1-inch screen and great standard speakers. Using Apple Car Play for directions was extremely helpful.
The drive
We left Johannesburg early, by around 8 am, with the roads clear and smooth-flowing traffic. I didn’t expect the Citroën C3 to be fast, but it got the job done. It wasn’t aiming to be a cheetah, more like a reliable tortoise. Occasionally, I had to press harder on the accelerator when overtaking on the highway, but for most of the journey, the slow lane was my friend. Padkos was chicken rolls prepared by my dad Edwin, he knew Luis gets grumpy when he is hungry.
The C3 got us to the Kruger quickly, with decent fuel consumption close to 1 p.m. We averaged 6.2 litres per 100 km, a bit more than the claimed 5.1 litres per 100 km. With its small tank, we had to keep an eye on fuel levels to avoid getting stranded, and we ended up refueling twice.
The lodge and activities:
We arrived at the comfy but basic Riverview Inn Lodge in Malelane in time for an afternoon game drive. Located 10 minutes away from Malelane Kruger Park Gate and with the Crocodile River on its doorstep, the lodge is best positioned for game viewing. I was in awe during the ride, captivated by nature’s crisp, clean air. This is where animals truly thrived.
As a South African, I may not have been as excited as my overseas guests to see the wildlife, but I appreciated the chance to spend time with amazing people while spotting leopards, hyenas, elephants, lions, buffaloes, birds, zebras, and even rhinos. After the game drive, we returned to the lodge for a lovely dinner. The steak was on the menu, not a crocodile, which had my adventurous friends curious about its taste.
The next day, despite being exhausted, we woke up at 4:00 am for another game drive that lasted until the afternoon. We were brave enough to ride in an open-top Safari Hilux, with the cold wind hitting our faces and sending shivers down our spines, while our feet felt like they were turning into crispy Fritos from the cold.
On the second day, we had a long journey ahead, so I gladly skipped the 4:00 am nature walk while my friends reluctantly headed out into the cold morning.
When they returned at 9 am, we hit the road to Johannesburg shortly after breakfast. We stopped along the way, arriving home by 3 pm to a home-cooked chicken biryani, courtesy of my mum. It was a sad farewell to our guests.
Once in Joburg, we took more shotleft trips, xploring other parts of the country in the Citroën C3. The next day, we visited Lesedi Village for a cultural experience, where we enjoyed delicious meals and learned about the Zulu, Xhosa, Pedi, Ndebele, and Sotho tribes. We also visited the Walter Sisulu National Botanical Gardens, where we wandered around the beautiful waterfalls and flowers. On Sunday, we immersed ourselves in the vibrant culture of Soweto. We explored the Hector Pieterson Memorial, toured Madiba’s first home, enjoyed a beer tasting at a local pub, and had a hearty lunch of meat, chicken, pap, chutney, and greens.
Our trip in the Citroën C3 covered about 1000 kilometres. We ended our journey by driving to OR Tambo International to see our guests off. The Citroën C3 is a charming, fuel-efficient compact car that’s trendy and fun. While not as solid as its German rivals, it delivers with French flair and was valued at the time at R229 000, which is value for money, considering its generous offering and features. I can’t wait to try the new all-new C3 priced at R242 900. Certainly, the Citroën C3 helped create priceless memories!
