Travel 4x4  - Experiences Minimalist

 "Where the wind takes us" Africa in 4x4 

Raph and Lyl are travellers at heart. They are going to tour Africa in a Defender. The idea is to leave for at least two years, or even indefinitely: "As long as the 4x4 is running and as long as we have enough food and gasoline, we'll keep moving!"

Aboard El Traktor, their Defender, they will enter through Morocco in September 2023 with the aim of reaching South Africa along the west coast. Then, they will go up the East coast to Egypt, or via the Arabian Peninsula depending on the evolution of the geopolitical situation.

After having backpacked for a year in Asia and Australia in 2019/2020, their view of life has totally changed.

They are passionate about discoveries, not very attached to material possessions and always curious to test their limits in simple living and minimalism, they consider this trip a new life experience. 

A beautiful adventure that we are eager to follow and share!

On the Road!

December - Guinea Conakry

End of November & Early December - Guinea-Bissau

Late October & Early November - Senegal

October - Mauritania

September 2023 - Descending towards Africa

Let's meet them?

  • Raphaële Bielle (Raph) 45 years old from Compiègne (Oise) 
    Currently an assistant in a business school he's been in the world of training for 25 years. 
    A convinced minimalist and a traveller by chance, she didn't initially have the soul of an adventurer. 
    Travelling has totally changed her vision of life and her relationship with others, to the point of envisaging a nomadic life today. 
    Her pleasure while travelling is to write on a daily basis to share her adventures with as many people as possible.
  • Lylian Boucheron (Lyl's) 53 years old also from Compiègne (Oise)
    Currently a retail employee after having been in the restaurant business and having opened a bar in his native region the South West of France.
    Seasonal worker for many years, and expatriate for 3 years in Ireland, travelling has always been part of his life.
    Curious about everything, after having learned DIY on the job by refurbishing a house, he thought that a tour of Africa in a Defender would be ideal to learn mechanics!

Video!

The route

Their vehicle

"El Traktor as it's called is a 28-year-old Defender 300TDI It has 160,000 km on the clock and doesn't have any electronics.

We bought it in August 2022, and it's had a complete check-up, chassis treatment, oil and belt changes, and had been given the OK from a specialist!

Everything was looking good until a few months later, the gearbox broke! It is a Land Rover after all!

The good news is that it didn't happen in the middle of the desert, so we're leaving with a brand-new gearbox, transfer case and clutch.

Before the departure, we still have to change the tyres, buy a jack, install a snorkel and check the shock absorbers once the fitting is done.
We have already installed a roof rack and a roof tent, and we are in the process of converting the rear of the vehicle into a home sweet home, but above all we need to ensure that we have sufficient water and electricity."

Ready for your next adventure? Look no further than Euro4x4parts! No matter where you are in the world, our teams are here to help and ensure fast delivery of your 4x4 parts and accessories.

Find all the parts you'll ever need in our catalogue of 4x4 parts and accessories. Join the Euro4x4parts community today, just click here: www.euro4x4parts.com/en/sponsorshipAll the photos in this article were taken on authorized roads or tracks, private land, or during supervised competitions. Let's all do our part to preserve the environment!