Hi all,
My family are planning and overland trailer camping tour of Africa next year, and we are struggling to find someone who deals in the U.K. In second hand overland camping trailers. Traveling with two kids so would like to purchase this item sooner rather than later to get some practise and modifications made. Anyone have a steer on where is the best place to start looking? Thanks!

have you spoken to other people who have used trailers and researched it? have you ever used a trailer off road? what type of roads are intending taking a trailer on? Trailers can be a proper nightmare off road, although some have got on ok with it. there was a thread on here about it a little while ago you should be able to find. My advice would be to get an ex military sankey trailer and get it modified by someone that knows what they are doing. Actually, my advice would be, don't take a trailer!!

Are you thinking along the lines of the Conquerer trailers as made in south africa? These are specifically made for 4x4 use and can be bought here at a price. We looked at them in detail when on our last trip down there and have just spent almost 2 years building our own .. If you want to discuss this further then drop me a pm with some contact details.

Margaret

I would agree with Moggy , trailers can be a real problem , when on other than a good bitumen road , and even there in snow (obviously not relevant to Africa!). How big is the family / and ages , all factors for consideration on mode of transport/living , for overland travel , especially for an extended period .

Why bring a trailer????????

Have you ever tried to tow a trailer off road? Probably not. Wait til you try it and observe how it slides sideways (sometimes) with gravity and makes going through even quite wide gaps/corners a nightmare.

What do you propose putting in it? There are shops the world over to buy food and all important stuff (a very relative term), I'm sure you could live without HP sauce and 6 ipads quite easily and probably be the better for it.

Many moons ago I managed to travel round the whole of the former Warsaw pact countries with a small gym bag. Even then, I managed to find a shop when I needed to buy something (particularly socks because I only brought one pair) and places also exist to buy food....

Couple that with needing an extra spare or two for the trailer, waiting for the trailer chassis to crack somewhere, trying not to get the trailer stolen and just trying to do a U-turn anywhere.......
Did you ever get stuck trying to U-turn a trailer, or even with a trailer attached? Well its just triple fun compared to just getting stuck.
1. Trailer off
2. Recover vehicle
3. Recover trailer (and its unlikely it will pull out forwards IF its loaded properly
4. Try to find a firm enough spot to align trailer to rehitch and not ...................................get stuck again.

Rethink your vehicle choice and get something with a bit of boot space. Although my Aunt, Uncle and 2 cousins managed 6 weeks touring Europe every year in the 70/80s in a VW beetle with a roofrack.

Have you done a Google search ? I don't know of anywhere in Scotland but there are companies in England that make and sell Off Road trailers.

Two things I would suggest. Leaf springs and a 360 revolving hitch.

As Margaret (mrsgemini) says drop us a PM

Mike (gemini)