Leigh and Steph of GrizzlyNBear take us deep into Botswana to encounter some of the wildest and most dangerous animals known to humankind. Along the way, things get precarious. Like an elephant on your rig precarious!
In mid-2021, we launched Camper Beast as a way to feature truck camper related content from outside sources with our commentary and perspective. The name “Camper Beast” was meant to symbolize the often wild and unpredictable nature of this content.
What we haven’t been able to do—until now—is actually feature beasts on Camper Beast. That ends today thanks to Leigh and Steph of GrizzlyNBear!
A quick search for GrizzlyNBear on Truck Camper Magazine will reveal no less than four articles from Leigh and Steph’s remarkable full-time overland adventure across the world. We had the honor of interviewing them in 2019 for an unbelievable—and aptly named—story titled, “Crashed, Arrested and Unstoppable”. If you’re new to these two, give that equally inspiring and insane story a read.
For their fifth run in Truck Camper Magazine, Leigh and Steph bring us up close and personal with the wildlife of the Qui area of Botswana. Imagine driving your truck and camper across the open African plains and encountering free-roaming elephants, hippos, lions, giraffes, African buffalo, and wild dogs. There are moments in the video where it’s a bit unclear if they’re too close, or if an animal is about to rush their rig. It’s definitely raw and wild.
In the follow-up video, Leigh and Steph discover an old and sick elephant using their Land Rover as a trunk rest (starting at 3:56). It’s not unusual for truck camping trucks to be outfitted with bull bars to prevent damage from animal strikes, but nothing is going to protect a rig from a 6,000 pound (or more) elephant. Talk about being over payload.
I can’t help but compliment Leigh and Steph on their casual and friendly in-the-moment commentary helping us feel even more connected to the incredible moments they find themselves in. They’ve done an amazing job of documenting the experiences—good, bad, and otherwise—over the seven or so years they’ve been traveling. I even enjoyed the outback cooking added to Episode 296. That’s real-life overlanding. No posing. No expos. The real thing. Well done, guys!
To follow Leigh, Steph, and GrizzlyNBear, check out their YouTube channel.
