We recently hired an Izuzu 4WD 2008 model from Ivory 4X4 Hire from May 22 to July 1 2010.
In our research on the internet there were many options and various companies to choose from. These companies offered different trucks and different facilities but none to seemed to compare to what Ivory 4X4 offered.
The thing that struck us about Ivory 4X4 was the care and attention they afforded us. Nothing was ever too big or too small and they were always prompt in returning our emails. In particular, as my wife is pregnant, they were able to assist us in planning our trip so that we avoided malaria prone areas.
The other benefit for us living in Australia was the company’s ability to skype us. This made information exchange even quicker and added a personal touch that others companies didn’t.
Another advantage of booking through Ivory 4X4 Hire was their ability to pick us up from the airport and safely deliver us back after our trip. Not all companies did this and following a long international flight it was greatly appreciated and added a more personal touch.
The staff drove us to the family property in Pretoria and treated us to a hearty meal, embracing us like family. It was a great way to ease into our holiday and we relaxed immediately in their company.
Having travelled through Southern Africa three times already, we had a fair idea of what we wanted to do and where we wanted to go. However dealing with a company that is family run offered us the additional benefit of local knowledge.
We sat down with the staff and fine tuned our trip before departing. We thought we had done some extensive research on where we wanted to go, but to our benefit the staff were able to assist us in planning a much better trip. It certainly wasn’t a service that we expected and was highly valuable and appreciated. It gave us a greater understanding and knowledge of the countries we intended to visit and made us feel more confident in our upcoming adventure.
Having sketched out a new and improved itinerary the staff then introduced us to our vehicle. Given the terrain we planned to drive the Izuzu was recommended as the most reliable in the fleet.
Izzy, as we affectionately came to call our Isuzu, was laid out remarkably well, hence the reason we booked through the company. Everything you could imagine that you needed for an extensive camping safari trip was there. All the essentials were included and were within easy access when you needed them.
Also significanct, is the fact that other travellers admired our truck and asked for the company’s details. They felt that their trucks paled in comparison to ours and we were happy to show it off.
Another outstanding feature of the isuzu 4X4 was the comfort it afforded us. Even after a long day through rough terrain, you didn’t feel like you had been thrown about the whole time and end up stiff and sore. But the most important feature of the car was its reliability. It never missed a beat and was solid in all terrains and we pushed it through a variety of challenging areas.
Driving sand river beds, across flowing rivers, up steep inclines and along rough rocky roads, Izzy was sensational. The extra added ability to change into 4WD quickly without stopping, and the power Izzy delivered in low range, was ample to get us through some of the most difficult and tricky situations.
Without such a reliable vehicle we wouldn’t have been able to experience the ruggedness of Palmwag and Save the Rhino Trust, drive through the mountain ranges of Ais Ais, go deep into the dunes of Sossuvlei or attempt any sand river expeditions. Being able to drive into these places and experience the rugged beauty on offer and then feel apart of nature is an experience that cannot be replaced or one to be missed.
One of our favourite highlights was the time we drove up the Khan River. Now this may not have been something we would have considered doing on our own, but it was highly recommended by the staff so we decided to trust them and go for it.
Unfortunately for us we got bogged in the dry river and it took close to 4 hours to dig ourselves out. Thankfully for us, staff were on hand via mobile / satellite phone to offer assistance in our escape which wouldn’t have been so successful if not for their expert tips.
Overall, we had a fantastic adventure and we couldn’t recommend or praise the company and the vehicle highly enough.
We thank the staff and the family for assisting us in our holiday. We have already recommended them to others and we will defintiley book through them on our next African adventure.
Regards
Phil and Michelle