South African couple Devlin and Katie Fogg and their two children are embarking on a trip of a lifetime into Africa in 2021.
The family will be packing their 4x4 to explore destinations like Mozambique, Malawi, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, Ethiopia and Tanzania.
Known as the '4 in a 4x4' the family got the idea for the trip during South Africa's national lockdown.
"With lockdown happening earlier this year and homeschooling our children, we realised that homeschooling wasn’t too tough and didn’t take the hours we envisaged. We realised that our children were the perfect ages (they are 8 and 10 years old) to appreciate and remember the places we will be visiting," Katie told IOL Travel.
The family intend to spend 2021 on the road, only returning to South Africa for Berg 100 and Highland 100, two mountain biking events they organise in March and September.
"Our route is very roughly planned. We booked 10 nights and will plan everything else as we travel. We aim to immerse ourselves in all destinations, and you only really understand and appreciate a place when you stay for longer," she explained.
The Foggs have saved for their upcoming trip- and will budget their daily expenses like accommodation and food costs.
The family will splurge where needed.
"We do not want to miss out on “once in a lifetime” experiences. The wildebeest migration, for example, is atrociously expensive, but this is something we want to see," she said.
Katie said they will film and photograph their trip for their family back home, which will be available to view on their “4ina4x4” Facebook and Instagram pages.
The children will also pen their experiences in a journal.
Covid ready
Katie said the family is mindful of Covid-19 regulations and travel restrictions.
"The family will get tested before entering each country. We do not mind adhering to any quarantine regulations.
"There are so many positive attributes of embarking on a trip like this. It allows one to take life slower, connect with our kids, learn new cultures, simple living, trying new food, visiting new places, learning new languages and exposing ourselves to experiences that will only make us stronger.
"We believe that being outdoors gives one a healthy mind and strong body. I think people are more conscious of their health now that we are living in a pandemic," she said.