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[Photo by Tony Harrison]
The Top Gear Botswana Special will always be treasured as the best Top Gear Episode in history and probably the best advertisement for 4x4 Hire Botswana.
The Episode challenged the 3 pranksters and ‘sometimes car experts’ Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May to traverse the treacherous wilds of Botswana 4x4 country.
Instead of being able to make use of a top 4x4 hire Botswana agent to book a fully equipped 4x4, the boys were given a budget of 1,500 pounds and duly instructed to purchase a second hand car not designed in any way for off-road use.
Armed with 3 fix-me-uppers the trio set off on the 1 700 km expidition across the unforgiving Makgadigadi Pans and the teeming wilds of the Okavango Delta.
In tribute to this epic adventure, here is the Drive South Africa guide on the best options for 4x4 hire in Botswana and how renting a 4x4 from a 4x4 Botswana rental agent could have saved the Top Gear trio a few close calls and several more grey hairs.
Toyota Landcruiser 4x4
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Fully equipped with 4 wheel drive, power steering, air conditioning, off-road tyres and ultra reliable the Toyota Landcruiser is our top recommendation for 4x4 hire.
Botswana’s unforgiving Makgadigadi Pans, which often saw Clarkson and May digging their cars out of thick mud, would be have been child's play in the tenascious Toyota Landcruiser 4x4.
Toyota Fortuner 4x4
The V6, Turbo Diesel engine of the Toyota Fortuner 4x4 combines speed and rugged performance with comfort and good looks. This is a more luxurious way to travel across Botswana.
4x4 hire cars don’t get much slicker and certainly not much faster. The Toyota Fortuner 4x4 could have been the ideal challenge for the Stig’s African Cousin in the time trial of the Top Gear Botswana Special.
Land Rover Defender 110 4x4
The Land Rover Defender 110 4x4 is the iconic 4x4 hire car, appearing in more photos than you're average catwalk supermodel.
Botswana’s waterlogged and wildlife rich Okavango Delta and Chobe region are little match for the performance of the classic African 4x4 safari vehicle.
The reliable 2.4 litre engine, 4 wheel drive and decent high clearance would have saved Hammond from his early swim in the Delta's crocodile infested waters of the Okovango Delta and kept Jeremy Clarkson a great deal safer than his crudely assembled doors of soft drink cans and wood.
Watch the videos of the Top Gear Botswana Special to decide which of the 4x4’s you think would be most suited or let us know by dropping us a comment or tell us about your own hilarious 4x4 experience.For more information on any of the above listed vehicles you can visit our 4x4 Botswana Hire Page.
The Top Gear Trio will be hosting the Top Gear Festival live at the Joburg Kyalami Race Track between the 17th and 20th of March and tickets are R365. For more information visit the Top Gear Festival Website.
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