What’s the most unlikeliest road trip vehicle you’ve ever heard of?
If it’s not what you’re about to read, we’ll be shocked.
Four university pals are currently driving 6,000km across Africa in two tuk-tuks.
Tuk South, made up of Ivo Horsey, his brother Jasper Horsey, and their friends Robbie Thouless and Josh Porter were trying to find a way to raise awareness and help animal rangers who were suffering during the pandemic.
Already in Kenya, where they met up in March 2020, the group landed on the tuk-tuk idea after an accidental slip of the tongue while talking about TikTok content.
‘Income [for rangers] was a fraction of what it would have been in a normal year, salaries had been slashed and the poaching pressures on the parks for bushmeat were at record levels,’ said Ivo, 25.
‘We needed to try and do something to help out.’
They started trying to raise awareness of the issue through their videos, which led to an idea.
He continued: ‘One evening we were spitballing how we could use TikTok to try and raise money, and with a slip of the tongue TikTok became tuk-tuk and two hours later it was decided.
‘We would pool all of our remaining funds, buy two tuk-tuks and drive them to Cape Town, following the documentary story whilst simultaneously raising funds for wildlife rangers.’
They began planning in June of last year, purchasing two Piaggio Ape tuk-tuks for $10,000 USD in Nairobi and renovating them – at least aesthetically.
‘The tuk-tuks had undergone the glow-up of the century!’ said Ivo.
‘Had we changed any of the sensible things such as tyres, suspension, fuel tanks or even vaguely modified the engine? Well, no. But did they look great? Absolutely!’
Teaming up with the charity For Rangers, Tuk South are producing a documentary as well as a series of TikTok videos of their fundraising journey.
Since then, the four have been trucking along in their auto rickshaws for the past five months and hope to reach the southernmost tip of Africa, Cape Agulhas, by September – but it hasn’t always been easy.
Ivo said: ‘These little machines were originally designed for the high streets of Italy, not for some long-forgotten dirt track that leads to the base of Africa’s largest active volcano.
‘We have pushed and pulled our way to some of the most extreme locations Sub-Saharan Africa has to offer.’
They’ve spent nights camping in waterlogged tents, days pushing their vehicles through alluvium and terrifying encounters with huge lorries.
So far Ivo and the crew have encountered wild chimpanzees on the beach, pangolins rescued from animal trafficking, and even confronted a four-metre-tall elephant they named Craig.
‘Time simultaneously raced and stood still as the largest elephant we have ever seen towered over us in our little tuk-tuk,’ recalled Ivo.
‘We wouldn’t have been able to outrun the huge tusker, so it was a case of sitting and waiting.
‘Three hours later, smiling and uncrushed, we were happily tootling along next to him; almost a part of the herd.
‘No other tourists, no security, just us and a true leviathan of the bush!’
To fund their trip, the group pick up videography work or do odd jobs for free board, putting aside as much money as they can for fundraising.
Once they’re finished in Africa, Tuk South are hoping to ship the tuk-tuks to Argentina and travel through Patagonia to Alaska in an ambitious second leg and continue fundraising.
And they’re very passionate: ‘By supporting a wildlife ranger, you help protect the ecosystem as a whole,’ says Ivo.
‘Once the ecosystem is safe from human conflict, life in all shapes and sizes, truly thrives.
‘This will then preserve the wonders of the natural world for generations to come.’
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