Scaling Lesotho in the Ford Ranger Toyota Hilux don’t rival

They say be careful what you for wish for. What started out as a chat around a campfire turned into an epic Ford Ranger Raptor adventure in picturesque Lesotho.

In the last week of January, 11 bravehearts set off in a convoy of six Raptor Special Editions from Pretoria to the landlocked mountain kingdom to cover 1 457 km over four days. The main purpose of the trip was to put the capabilities of the Raptor to the test against the most extreme mountainous terrain Lesotho has to offer. And trust me, there is plenty.

​

Launched three years ago as the off-road performance version of the Ford Ranger, the Raptor is unlike any other production bakkie. Not even South Africa’s most popular bakkie, the Toyota Hilux, has a bespoke off-road performance model to rival the Raptor.

The Raptor features a robust chassis, bespoke suspension with Fox position sensitive damping shock absorbers, General Grabber AT3 285/70 R17 tyres and Terrain Management System (TMS).

While Ford has showcased the Raptor’s prowess mainly at high speeds on flattish terrain, there was still some boxes that needed some official ticking. This is what led to the conversation between motoring media and Ford’s decision-makers. The Raptor is rally-ready, but how will it perform during old school rock crawling up and down mountains? Game on.

An official invitation followed of which, besides requiring my presence at the Ford Assembly Plant in Silverton with clothes for four days, a rain coat, pillow and passport, details were sketchy.

“From Fouriesburg we will cross into Lesotho at Caledonspoort early afternoon and set up camp before sunset,” was all our experienced expedition leader, adventure seeker extraordinaire Gideo Basson was prepared to say upon departure.
An extraordinary 80% of the kingdom’s elevation lies at an altitude of over 1 800m. And plenty of mountains translates into plenty of rocky trails.

Working your way into Lesotho through the northernly lowlands is a fairly serene drive until you reach the foot of the Maloti Mountain Range. Taking you over the 3 090m crest is the breathtaking Mafika Lisiu Pass which instantly earns respect for those who constructed the road.

ALSO READ: Dramatically new Ford Ranger Raptor spreads its wings

The six Ford Ranger Raptors went from one of Lesotho’s wonders to the next. The impressive Katse Dam started to unfold not too long after making our way down the incredibly steep and winding descent.

Completed in 1996, Katse Dam is Africa’s second largest double-curvature arch dam with its dam wall measuring an incredible 185m in height. The reservoir stretches for dozens of kilometres through winding valleys and seems neverending as you make your way on the twisty A25 running alongside it.

Just before sunset, we set up camp in full view of the magnificent water mass which was full to capacity. With the tents erected and the camp fire cracking between the Ford Ranger Raptors as night fell, the most unreal star-laden sky lit up. Add to that the magnificent dam views at sunrise and the Raptor expedition was under way.

Apart from impressing with its road-holding ability on long stretches of wet and winding mountain roads on the second morning, the Raptor’s true test still lay ahead.

The plan on day two was to leave the tarred A3 at Mantsonyane in central Lesotho and take a dirt track south to reach the Eastern bank of the Senqunayane River valley by early afternoon. From there a tricky 500m plus descent could be completed before dark to set up camp next to the river.

After negotiating the steadily deteriorating track with ease and the valley already in sight, Mother Nature threw a spanner in the works. Heavy rainfall turned the dirt road into a black mud bath. As competent as the Raptor is, there is very little a 2.2-ton vehicle can do once it starts sliding sideways out of slippery tracks. This was proven when the third Ford Ranger Raptor in the convoy’s rear slipped off the track and got lodged in a mielie field.

Quite incredible, despite the limited traction in the mud, together the first two Raptors was able to recovering it safely back onto the track.

To ensure the convoy stay out of the mielies, a painstaking process followed. Using plastric tracks to cover meter for meter, the last 400m took four hours!

With no daylight left to descend down the valley, generous locals offered us shelter for the night in a two-room school building. A blessing in disguise as the heavens opened after dark.

Day three turned out to be the most epic of the trip as the mud-caked convoy had to negotiate a rocky path down the valley, cross the low-water river and climb out on to the other side of the valley on an even looser rocky track. Here the Raptors came into their own on very technical paths which, according to Basson, do not see traffic more than twice a year. Maybe even never, judging by the excitement on the locals’ faces.

With low range engaged, TMS set to Rock mode and diff locks engaged, the Raptors impressively rose to the occasion as Basson indicated the lines over the most daunting of obstacles.

During the two-hour descent the Raptor’s Hill Descent Control did its job. On other other side of the valley, the biturbo 2.0-litre diesel engines comfortably coped with the high altitude to get the convoy back out in another two hours of pure adrenaline rush. Some of the track did not even offer a 10cm leeway as you nervously stare down from your window down the face of the cliff.

So spectacular was this thrill that the few hours on muddy dirt roads and tarmac left to our overnight spot at Semonkong felt like a yawn. At least having flushing toilets and showers for the first time in three days was worth savouring in preparation of the next day’s eight-hour drive back to Pretoria via Maseru.

Not that there was ever any doubt over the its capabilities, but this put beyond any doubt that the Ford Ranger Raptor is the meanest off-road bakkie in South Africa. I don’t really know what’s left to conquer for the new generation Raptor showcased globally earlier this week.

Mount Kilimanjaro perhaps?

For more information on the new Ford Ranger Raptor launching soon, click here.