A 67-year-old adventurer is proving that age is no barrier to exploration after setting off on a slow-paced solo expedition across sub-Saharan Africa in a rugged Land Rover Defender, using the journey to raise awareness and support for wildlife conservation and community development projects.
According to TimesLIVE, Sally Parkinson, a former sales and marketing executive who spent 23 years living in Spain, traded corporate life for the open road after deciding to explore more of Africa following a visit to Namibia in 2023. “One of my oldest friends lives here, and I’d always visited her over the years. I went to Namibia in 2023 and decided I want to see more.” She said a documentary on the Okavango Delta stoked her sense of adventure.
“I volunteered for six weeks in Botswana and South Africa, getting really close to the wildlife, I met a Belgian couple living in Mozambique who bought an old Land Rover in South Africa and began travelling around — and thought, I’d like to do that.” She purchased an old Land Rover Defender affectionately named the “Kalahari Snail” and began travelling across the continent under the banner “Sally’s Wheels.”
Parkinson said her adventure is about more than travel. She hopes to use the expedition to generate awareness and raise funds for wildlife conservation initiatives and community upliftment programmes. Through a chance meeting during a flight, she connected with the Natural Selection Foundation, an organisation that supports conservation, childhood development and regenerative tourism projects across Africa.
Rather than rushing through destinations, Parkinson has embraced a deliberately relaxed pace, allowing her to experience Africa’s landscapes, wildlife and communities more intimately. She has undertaken the expedition in stages and is currently on the fourth leg of her journey, having joined the African Rally as part of the latest phase. Despite having no previous experience with long-distance overland expeditions, Parkinson admitted she had little formal preparation before embarking on the adventure, describing herself as someone who often plans at the last minute.
Her story has become an inspiring example of adventure tourism, demonstrating how travel can be combined with conservation advocacy and community support while showcasing the diverse natural beauty of the African continent.
