The Kingsley Holgate Foundation has successfully concluded Africa Traverse, its 43rd geographic and humanitarian expedition. The 14,200km journey, tracing the Tropic of Capricorn across the width of sub-Saharan Africa, marks 25 years since Kingsley and Ross Holgate first completed this route, and 25 years of partnership with Defender.
Starting in January on the Atlantic coast of Namibia and concluding in April on the shores of the Indian Ocean in Mozambique, Africa Traverse was a rigorous test of endurance and capability – and a vital humanitarian mission.
A full-circle journey
Twenty-five years ago, the Holgates followed the Tropic of Capricorn around the globe in a world-first expedition. This year, they returned to the African chapter of that odyssey, tracing the 23° 27′ latitude across Namibia, Botswana, South Africa and Mozambique.
The expedition team relied on a fleet of battle-hardened vehicles: two Defender 130s nicknamed ‘Moyo’ (Heart) and ‘Isibindi’ (Courage), a classic Defender 110 Puma named ‘Kaptein,’ and the legendary ‘Mashozi,’ a classic Defender Tdi.
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Ross Holgate, expedition leader, said: “This expedition was a deeply emotional milestone. To stand on the same dunes and cross the same rivers with my father 25 years later, and seeing how the technology has evolved from paper maps and manual gearboxes to the peerless terrain response of the new Defender, was a testament to our passion for what we do and a history with this brand.”
Adventure with a greater purpose
True to the ‘Adventures with Purpose’ ethos shared by Defender and the Kingsley Holgate Foundation, the journey balanced extreme off-roading with life-saving humanitarian work. The team focused on the Right to Sight campaign, providing corrective spectacles to elderly, poor-sighted villagers in remote areas, and their youth-focused conservation education programme, which has now reached over 700,000 learners across the continent.
The most critical focus of Africa Traverse was the escalating malaria crisis. As the expedition reached Mozambique, the team encountered a landscape devastated by recent floods.
Ross Holgate said: “The situation on the ground is harrowing. Statistics show that due to the catastrophic rains and flooding, the incidence of malaria has surged by 55 per cent. In Mozambique alone, 1.3 million cases have been reported since the start of the rains.”
The expedition relied on the Defenders’ wading depth and off-road geometry to reach isolated communities cut off by destroyed bridges and submerged roads. Working from homestead to homestead, the team distributed long-lasting insecticide-treated mosquito nets to the most vulnerable, pregnant women and mothers with young children.
14,200km of embracing the impossible
The route challenges were relentless. In the Namib, the team faced some of the highest sand dunes on Earth, requiring the Defenders’ D350 engine to deliver peak power to scale soft slip-faces. In the Kalahari “Thirstland,” the expedition team navigated narrow tracks and avoided the treacherous, mud-slicked Makgadikgadi salt pans.
The final leg in Mozambique proved the most demanding. The team navigated flood-ravaged trails, grinding through axle-clogging mud and detouring around broken infrastructure.
Janico Dannhauser, Defender Brand Manager at JLR South Africa, said: “Defender is built on capability, but that capability is truly appreciated when it is in aid of those in need. This makes us immensely proud of our 25-year partnership with the Kingsley Holgate Foundation. This milestone is not just a celebration of 14,200km travelled. It is a celebration of the lives touched and the communities supported. Hearing how Kingsley, Ross, and their team rely on Defender to navigate treacherous terrain to aid in malaria prevention is a profound reminder of why we build these vehicles.”
The emptying of the calabash
The expedition concluded with a traditional ceremony on the Mozambique coast. Following the ritual that began in January, Ross and Kingsley waded into the Indian Ocean to empty the expedition calabash, which had carried Atlantic seawater across the entire width of the continent. The saltwater merged. The 43rd expedition, complete. A 25-year partnership between a father and son, a brand and a foundation, and Africa itself. Unstoppable.
