Tread Lite 4×4 Hire Review: Everything You Need to Go Camping in a Compact Jimny

Camping is often the best catalyst and way to travel and explore the great outdoors. When you have all the right gear, of course. Nothing spells disaster like an ill-equipped camping expedition. So, when an invitation came through to experience the simple life at Apple Camp Ceres, my initial enthusiasm and resounding “count me in!” was quickly replaced by dread as I recalled all the gear necessary for a ‘simple’ weekend camping trip.

In another (much younger) life, I was an avid camper. But now, my frequently-used tent has seen better days after being mothballed years ago. To add further insult to injury, my camping chairs are rusty after a few too many nights left abandoned outside after a braai, and the whereabouts of my sleeping bag is unknown. Suffice to say, I could not have been less prepared for this camping trip I had so enthusiastically (read: ‘naively’) agreed to.

But, the RSVP email had been sent and the dates booked, so there was no backing out now. Fortunately, all was not lost as I remembered help was available in the form of Tread Lite 4×4 Hire. I had recently been fortunate enough to experience Tread Lite’s hospitality on a trip with Cape Country Routes to Barrydale’s Karoo Art Hotel and the Montagu Country Hotel. While relatively brief, my sojourn with the Tread Lite 4×4 kitted out Jimny on that road trip up Route 62 left a real impression on me and I was eager to put the full Tread Lite 4×4 hire experience to the test. So, I booked a vehicle with the Tread Lite team, explained my equipment needs, and that was my camping preparations done.

Go anywhere with Tread Lite 4×4 Hire

For ill-prepared, yet enthusiastic, campers like myself, Tread Lite 4×4 Hire is a dream come true. The service is as close to camping for dummies as you’re going to get, leaving you with nothing to do but pick a camping spot and set up your tent (you can’t expect them to do everything for you!)

Established in 2018, the South African travel business is owned and managed by brothers Grant and Stuart Parker. A Cape Country Routes member, Tread Lite has a passion for simplistic, no-frills travel. Offering travellers off-road vehicles and equipment to discover the best of Southern Africa, Tread Lite is a travel service that allows you to discover the wonders of a self-drive holiday through Southern Africa in a vehicle that you are bound to fall in love with.

With its fleet of pint-sized Suzuki Jinmy 4x4s, Tread Lite 4×4 Hire is in the business of offering adventurous travellers the freedom to explore off-the-beaten-path without having to worry about what to pack. The perfect vehicle for any South Africa road trip, the Suzuki Jimny is also an extremely capable 4×4 for peace-of-mind travelling wherever guests choose to venture.

The Tread Lite Jimny 4x4s are packed with ‘everything you need and nothing you don’t for your road trip, whether you’re camping, glamping, or staying at traditional accommodation options. Each vehicle can be perfectly equipped for a variety of self-drive holidays, but it’s an off-road adventure or a camping trip where Tread Lite’s Jinmy 4×4 hire service truly shines.

Before collection, each vehicle set-up is adapted to the specific travel needs of guests. Guests can book online through the Tread Lite website and simply select the type of equipment they need for their trip to ensure it’s set up correctly upon collection. There is a simple one-price structure with all the equipment available.

Born out of a passion for exploring the diversity of Southern Africa, Tread Lite 4×4 Hire is so much more than just a 4×4 rental. It prides itself on delivering a highly personalised travel service from start to finish. Vehicle hire comes bundled with 24-hour roadside-assistance and all vehicles are comprehensively insured with a small refundable excess deposit paid on collection of the vehicle (zero excess options are also available).

The company’s affordable rental rates really do make your South Africa holiday a reality. Tread Lite started with the Gen3 1.3 Jimny but has since expanded its fleet to include the new Gen4 1.5 Jimny which includes a range of additional comforts like cruise and climate control, Bluetooth connectivity and Apple Carplay/Android Auto. Guests can choose between these two vehicle hire options depending on their preference and budget.

Plus, with pick-up and drop-off locations in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, and Nelspruit/Hoedspruit, Tread Lite vehicles are available for holidays across South Africa. For the guest’s convenience, vehicles are delivered either at the airport or their guest house in a seamless handover and collection process.

Camping with a Tread Lite Gen4 1.5 Jimny

For our Apple Camp Trip, Tread Lite supplied us with a fully kitted-out Gen4 1.5 Jimny. Situated on an apple farm in the Ceres valley, the private Apple Camp campsite offers a truly simple lifestyle camping adventure. While the campsite does offer some creature comforts, like an ablution block and a very basic outdoor kitchen, to camp here, you basically need it all.

Campers have full run of the campsite on the river’s edge, but to camp here you need to bring everything but the kitchen sink, as there is a wash-up area and fridge provided (along with a modern bathroom), which is great. So, Apple Camp essentially takes the sting out of camping when you want to ‘rough it’, while still enjoying the comforts of modern society — like flushable toilets and electricity.

But, even with the beautiful picturesque views and tranquillity of farm life, the highlight of our trip to Apple Camp was by far the Tread Lite 4×4 that accompanied us on the trip. Never have I felt more prepared and relaxed for a camping trip. I’m an anxious traveller. The type who makes lists weeks before departure, and (much to my long-suffering partner’s dismay) packs several days in advance. But, every time I went to add something to my packing list for our upcoming trip, a re-check of the Tread Lite gear list revealed it was already coming along with us.

I’m not exaggerating when I say that I packed nothing but my clothes and food for this trip. Tread Lite ensured we had everything we needed, down to the last spoon and extension lead. Before a big holiday, I’ve often fantasised about having a clone that can do all the packing and organisation for me, and dealing with Tread Lite was like having an even more organised, less-neurotic version of me doing all the packing and stressful tasks quietly in the background.

Gear and equipment included

When unpacking our Tread Lite Jimny at Apple Camp, I was beyond impressed with the gear stuffed into the compact 4×4. First, there were the creature comforts. A spacious 4-man tent, sleeping bags (complete with sleeping bag inners), pillows, and self-inflating camping mattresses. The tent set-up would be even better if there was a ground sheet included, but some people may not miss this ‘nice to have’. We managed to beg, borrow and steal a ground sheet from a friend to add a little bit of extra ‘comfort’ to our set-up.

Rounding up our cosy camping set was a 4-seater folding table and a set of camping chairs. The table proved to be essential for preparing meals and enjoying civilised meal times, while the chairs were ideal for long nights chatting in front of the fire. Speaking of meal prep, our little Jimny also came complete with a mini gas stove and kitchen setup. A 50l electric camping fridge ensured all our groceries stayed fresh and our drinks iced cold for the duration of our trip.

A kettle, coffee French press, and metal coffee mugs made preparing a morning cup of coffee super easy. Plus, for meals, we had a full set of plates, knives, forks, spoons, and utensils to braai and cook up a storm.

Everything was kept neatly and safely packed away in two black carry boxes that were strapped into the back of the Jinmy to prevent things from shifting around in transit. The car also came equipped with a Thule Roof Box, ensuring there was plenty of space for us to pack our suitcases and groceries before heading off on our trip. Want to know more? Check out the full equipment list here.

Booking with Tread Lite 4×4 Hire

Booking your trip with Tread Lite is super easy and the team is friendly and easy to deal with. It’s this personalised, friendly service that made them a shoo-in to become a Cape Country Routes member. Cape Country Routes represents a group of owner-operated accommodation and activity businesses, primarily located on scenic and historic routes in the Western, Eastern, and Northern Cape.

All members are vetted before joining, which makes having the Cape Country Routes stamp of approval a badge of honour travellers can trust. All carefully selected for their character, charm, and romance, Cape Country Routes is quickly becoming a brand synonymous with offering accommodation and activities with stellar personalised service at the heart of every business.

To book your 4×4 hire, travellers can visit the Tread Lite website and choose the hiring option that suits their needs. Tread Lite offers basic 4×4 vehicle hire for self-drive, plan-it-yourself getaways as well as customised adventure travel packages ranging anywhere from 2 to 21 days.

Tread Lite’s inclusive daily 4×4 rental rates included fully-equipped 4×4 Jimny Vehicle hire with all the outdoor gear you need for your travels around Southern Africa.

Check out the full pricing details here.