Best Camp Kitchen Setup for Overlanding in South Africa
## Building the Perfect SA Overlanding Kitchen
There's a particular misery in standing at a camp sink at 6am trying to boil water on a single-ring stove that took fifteen minutes to locate under your recovery gear. After years of iterating, here's what actually works.
## The Core Principle: Station-Based Cooking
The best camp kitchens treat cooking as a workflow. You need defined zones for prep, cooking, and washing. On a bakkie, your kitchen slide-out or camp table becomes a proper workstation — not just a surface for the gas bottle.
## Cadac — The SA Default (For Good Reason)
Cadac is South African and the country's most trusted gas brand for camping. The Cadac Safari Chef 2 (around R1,800–R2,500) is a lekker compact multi-purpose cooker — flat griddle, grill, or pot stand. The Cadac Carri Chef 2 BBQ (around R2,800–R4,000) adds a proper braai grid. For families, the Cadac 2 Cook 2 Pro Deluxe (R3,500–R5,000) gives two burners in a suitcase format.
The Coleman Classic Propane Stove (around R1,200–R1,600) is a bulletproof budget alternative from Outdoor Warehouse.
## Water and Washing
- 20L collapsible water cube (~R80–R150, Builders Warehouse)
- Fold-flat two-basin camp sink (~R300–R500, Outdoor Warehouse)
- 12V foot-pedal water pump — both hands free while washing up. Around R400–R800 from overlanding shops. Absolute game changer.
## Storage and Organisation
The Drifta Cooking Station (R3,500–R5,000) is purpose-built and popular in SA overlanding circles. Budget alternative: stacking Clip-Lock containers from Checkers (R30–R80 each) for pantry items — far more practical than branded overlanding containers at five times the price.
## The Braai Factor
In South Africa, no camp kitchen is complete without a compact folding braai grid (R150–R300 from Makro). Many SA rest camps have communal facilities but wild camping or private farms do not. Pack one always.
## Budget Summary
| Item | Budget | Premium |
|---|---|---|
| Gas stove (Cadac) | R1,800 | R5,000 |
| Washing setup | R400 | R1,500 |
| Storage/pantry | R300 | R5,000 |
| Braai + lighting | R350 | R2,000 |
| Total | ~R2,850 | ~R13,500 |
5 Replies
The Cadac Safari Chef 2 is in my vehicle permanently — has been for four years. I've cooked everything from scrambled eggs on a cold Kalahari morning to a proper roast chicken in the globe attachment at Nossob camp. The build quality is excellent and the gas consumption is surprisingly economical. My only addition to your list would be a proper cast-iron skillet — mine is a Lodge 10-inch and it's the most-used piece of kit in my kitchen box.
The 12V foot-pedal water pump tip is absolute solid gold and I wish someone had told me about it years earlier. I fitted one to my 20L water cube last year for about R450 from an overlanding shop in Centurion — took maybe an hour to install including cable routing. I genuinely cannot believe I spent all those years either pouring water awkwardly with one hand or asking someone else to hold the tap. Both hands free while washing dishes in camp is a completely different experience. Absolute game changer for camp kitchen washing. Every bakkie camper should have one — highly recommend without reservation.
For anyone doing extended Botswana or Mozambique trips far from any town: pack a spare Cadac regulator and a spare burner jet as a matter of course. In the veld, far from any settlement, a blocked jet or leaking regulator completely ends your cooking options. These parts are tiny, weigh almost nothing, and cost maybe R80–R120 each at any gas appliance shop. I learnt this lesson the hard way on a six-day Makgadikgadi trip where the regulator started leaking on day four — we ended up living on crackers, biltong, and tinned fish for the last two days because the stove was unusable. Never again.
The Drifta cooking station is brilliant kit but ja nee, the price is genuinely steep for what it is. I built a very similar setup using a second-hand wooden crate I found at the market, some strong hooks from Builders Warehouse, and a custom-cut foam insert to stop things rattling. Total materials cost about R400 and it fits my Hilux load bin almost perfectly. If you're even remotely handy with a jigsaw and drill it's a very satisfying weekend project for the winter months. Form follows function, the aesthetics are fine, and the money saved goes towards better food in the field.
Can't stress the braai provision point enough — this is South Africa after all. I once rocked up at a private game farm in Limpopo for a long weekend and there was literally no braai facility provided, just a small fire pit with no grid. My compact folding braai grid from Makro saved the entire trip and earned me hero status with the group. Also worth mentioning: a lapa hook style adjustable pot arm that you hang over a fire for potjie is an amazing addition, about R200 from most hardware stores. Boerekos under a Limpopo sky with a glass of red — nothing better on this earth.