Avis 4×4 Hilux safari: Ultimate double-cab comfort at MTN Bushfire festival [VIDEO]

The last time I went camping was many moons ago during a school excursion, which saw many of us nestled in sleeping bags or tents that took forever to set up.

My apprehension to go camping was a valid one. But queue the 4×4 Hilux safari double-cab from Avis, which we drove to this year’s MTN Bushfire festival in — all my fears of camping were driven away by the experience and convenience of driving the rental van.

This was my first MTN Bushfire festival and whether I attend the festival again, the safari double-cab from Avis set an unprecedented standard for camping.

Bushfire attendance soars by 50%

The 17th edition of the Bushfire festival took place in Eswatini on the weekend of 31 May to 2 June. According to statistics by the Eswatini Tourism Authority, this year’s edition saw 22 880 international arrivals, marking a 50% increase compared to the previous year.

This surge in attendance reflects the festival’s growing popularity among tourists from all corners of the globe.

South Africa emerged as the top source of international arrivals, accounting for an overwhelming 75% of the total.

This is indicative of the festival’s strong appeal to neighbouring countries, with Mozambique following closely behind at 11.3%.

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Other countries that contributed significantly to the festival’s success include Zimbabwe, the USA, Lesotho, France, Portugal, Botswana, the United Kingdom and Germany.

12-Hour journey marked by comfort despite border congestion

The aforementioned numbers of South Africans in attendance was reflected in congestion on the boarder when we tried to enter Eswatini through the Ngwenya Border Post.

What was supposed to be a four-hour drive from Johannesburg ended up becoming a near 12-hour drive because of the jam at the border. However, at no point did we feel discomfort being in the car other than just the excitement of wanting to get to the festival.

What also stood out for us was how the car’s petrol gauge remained stationed on full — it only began moving when we were driving into Gauteng on the Monday.

The Avis-rented 4×4 Hilux is fitted with two tanks, amounting to about 150L.

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Easy tent setup, and comfortable 4×4 Hilux adventure

Setting-up our tents on top of the car was no hassle but would be if you’re doing it alone for the first time.

The 4×4 Hilux might look rough and rugged because of its size, but it’s also delicate and convenient in usability for a camper.

The back of the van has a fridge, a two-plate gas stove and sufficient space for storing utensils and other useful kitchen items.

The car-camping area we were stationed in for the duration of the festival was dubbed ‘Sandton’ because of the luxury camping in the area.

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