The first Mzanzi Trophy challenge will take place from 12 to 31 August 2013. Teams will travel from Cape Town, travelling through Namibia, Botswana, Zambia and Malawi and will finish at an undisclosed location in Mozambique.
Mountainshak Adventures under the leadership of Daryn Hillhouse, organiser of the Put Foot Rally, has one objective in mind: to reignite the legendary "Spirit of the Great Heart", giving people the chance to experience the beauty of the continent and its people as they travel with fellow adventurers who share their passion for nature and adventure, while having the holiday of a lifetime.
Teams will tackle 10 000km in 20 days using their own 4x4 or off-road vehicles to travel across the six spectacular countries chosen to host the inaugural social adventure. Participants will complete tasks, solve riddles and seek out clues as they journey via Etosha in Namiba, the Makgadikgadi Pans or Savutiand Moremi Reserves in Botswana, the Victoria Falls in Zambia and the beaches of Lake Malawi in a quest to discover the secret location of the finish line in Mozambique.
Hillhouse said: "The Mzanzi Trophy isn't a guided, air-conditioned tourist experience - it's a rough-and-ready adventure that is not for the faint-hearted. This is a social adventure challenge that will place you at the heart of the wild African bush, the only way truly to experience the unimaginable beauty natural and wonders of southern Africa."
Wit, common sense and instinct
Teams of up to five people will need to use their wit, common sense and instinct to solve the Spirit of the Great Heart challenges along the way, while engaging with locals to find the best markets, food, accommodation and scenery. The points-based challenge is designed to immerse participants in the everyday raw, pure, unfiltered Africa that is so seldom seen and experienced by South Africans caught up in the everyday rush of city life.
4x4 vehicles are not a prerequisite, but Hillhouse strongly recommends that teams use a reliable off-road vehicle that is capable of travelling on dirt, gravel, sand and tarred roads - and that will handle travelling through some water.
Teams are responsible for paying for their own fuel, food, and accommodation between checkpoints. Organisers have arranged special events at each checkpoint, including locally flavoured meals, music and entertainment.
The entry fee includes: organisation, events en route, relevant equipment, route guides and Mzanzi Trophy clothing and vehicle branding. Entries cost R19,000 per team (of up to five people) in one vehicle, and there is only place in the challenge for 30 teams.
For more information about the Mzanzi Trophy and how to enter a team, go to www.mzanzitrophy.com, find its pages on Facebook and YouTube, or follow @MzanziTrophy on Twitter.
