Donkey – Our 2005 Challenger Bundu Basher Trailer

After a few camping trips with equipment, clothes, groceries, etc. all mixed up in the car we have decided it is time to get more organized and to buy a trailer. We considered various options taking into account our specific needs, places we intend visiting and road conditions enroute to these destinations.

We found that most of the 4×4 or off-road trailers were equipped with nice to have gadgets and other items that don’t need and will never use. All of these added to the final price of the trailer making it quite pricy taking in consideration what our intended use is.

We decided to start hunting for a bare trailer with no gadgets and fixtures, and to equip it according to our specific needs. The trailer that best fitted our requirements was the Challenger Bundu Basher, at the time sold by Makro as the Wilderness. It was a basic trailer with nothing fitted other than two Jerry can holders.

On 3 October 2005 we bought the trailer from Makro and paid R 17 500.00 for it.

At this point of time we were camping with a 2.5×2.5m Safari Dome tent and were in the market for something bigger. We finally found a second hand Campmaster Senior Safari Dome Tent with Gazebo extension that was used once only for the very reasonable price of R 4 500.00. The tent was brand new and the Gazebo was still sealed in the original packaging. According to the seller he and his wife slept in the tent for one night to test it and her verdict was never again, and that is why it was up for sale. At that stage the price for a new one was in the region of R 8 500.00. The seller also had a double bed size high density sponge mattress fitted with a cover of ripstop canvas on a aluminium frame which we could get for free. Without any further questions we took up the offer, and I made a few adjustments on the rack on Donkey’s lid to fit the bed.

Our first trip with the new additions was to the Kruger National Park with the bed on top of Donkey and the tent inside. The rest of the items was packed in plastic crates and boxes inside Donkey. During this trip we realize that we will need an organised drawer system for Donkey, and that will have to be in place before the planned trip to Botswana end of 2006.

Donkey