I bet that when a Rhino is mentioned, many people (including me) have visions of the old African Safari movies where the great white hunter’s Land Rover gets rammed by a charging rhino. If a real rhino ever tries to ram the Rhino Kenya caravan, particularly forward of the axles, it would end up with a headache – there’s a lot of steel there!
I’m sure not too many RV-ers have heard of Rhino Caravans. They are a Queensland-based business that keeps a pretty low profile and builds a limited number of vans each year. Before I headed north to check out their latest rig I confess I had seen a Rhino. My morning perambulation takes me on a 4km loop from home, and about halfway along, in a fenced back yard, is a Rhino caravan. But I’d never taken a close look.
The Rhino Kenya is not your ordinary caravan, either in appearance or in build. For a start, the frame is on the outside – kind of like those beaut old Queensland pubs. It’s an intriguing concept that presents a unique appearance as well as an impression of strength and durability. The wall and roof panels are a 30mm composite panel, with the interiors overlaid with 3mm plywood. The panels are light, yet strong, and designed to be hail resistant.
The Kenya’s strength lies in its chassis and frame, hot-dipped galvanised steel with 100mmx50mm main beams. It’s a single axle rig with Cruisemaster coil spring and twin shock suspension, and the A frame is more like a fifth wheeler gooseneck rather than that of a conventional caravan.
At the business end of the A frame is the Hitchmaster DO35 hitch from Vehicle Components, bolted onto a heavy steel plate. Behind the hitch the A frame angles up at about 45 degrees to the front boot. Just forward of the boot is a pair of 4kg gas bottles, and at this point the frame continues back to the main cabin. The A frame beams are doubled at this point, then angles back down to the main chassis beams. The end result is an arched A frame that provides good ground clearance at approach angles and is heavily reinforced for maximum strength.
Underneath, any vulnerable cabling or piping is protected by galvanised sheeting, resulting in a clean, snag-free underside.
Along the flanks you’ll find a 4m awning, a slide out kitchen, external shower and LED lighting. A further storage locker is fitted behind the main boot on the driver’s side. At the rear a low bar carries a spare wheel, while the sides are protected by vertical heavy duty chequerplate framing sections. A chequerplate ‘spoiler’ is fitted across the top rear.
Up top the roof is stepped up at the rear, with an air conditioner and a pair of solar panels in the lower front section, and a TV antenna and another solar panel on the rear section. The external frame folds around all the edges of the roofline to protect against impacts.
The Kenya has a rear door configuration, with a shower/toilet console at the rear, dinette forward of the door with the kitchen opposite, and the bedroom up forward.
The bathroom is positioned in the rear driver’s side corner, with a cassette toilet and a vanity with mirrored cupboards. It is quite roomy compared to some other toilet/shower consoles, with overhead vents, lighting and a side window providing light and air.
Alongside the bathroom, adjacent to the entry, is a full height cupboard that serves as a wardrobe, with a slide out pantry fitted at the bottom. Beneath this unit is a fire extinguisher, with a utility cupboard alongside – ideal for boots and such.
Forward of the entry, the dinette features an L shaped lounge with a swivel table, and a pair of lockers overhead. Reading lights are fitted and the dinette is backed by a good sized window.
The fridge freezer is positioned opposite the entry, a 161 litre two-door unit, with a control panel above concealed behind a locker hatch, and a battery control and stereo alongside. There is a further locker under the fridge unit.
The kitchen runs forward of the fridge, with a four burner gas cooktop and grill concealed under a glass cover, with storage beneath. Alongside is the bench proper, with a sink recessed under a glass cover and storage beneath. Above the kitchen is a console with a microwave installed above the cooktop, and a rangehood beneath. Above the sink is another overhead locker.
The bedroom occupies the forward end of the Kenya, with a queen sized bed positioned north/south. On either side of the bed is a wardrobe above a narrow shelf, with a drawer and cupboard unit beneath. Another shelf runs across the bedhead between the wardrobes, with personal lights beneath. The air conditioner sits above the bed, with lights on either side, and large windows with timber pelmets flank the bed.
The Rhino Kenya is a handy independent camper, with two deep cycle batteries, 250 watts of solar, 130 litres of fresh water and 65 litres of grey water tanks on board. With the two 4kg gas bottles aboard, the Kenya can happily bush camp for a good period.
There’s no doubt the Rhino Kenya is an unusual caravan in appearance, but don’t let that fool you. This van is one tough animal, built like the proverbial brick outhouse, and its unique external framing and tough composite panelling makes it a very handy off-road unit.
Specifications
Manufacturer: Rhino Caravans
Model: Kenya
Length: 7.1m
Width: 2.3m
Height: 2.89m
Tare: 2020kg
Price: $74,900
Find Out More
Martin Gray
Rhino Caravans
Unit 9/36 Centenary Place
Logan Village Qld 4207
Tel: Martin 0412 746 200
E:martingray8@bigpond.com