Feature: Off-road driving with Isuzu

As our convoy drove through the picturesque Bendleby Ranges, a kangaroo skipped alongside my passenger window with the setting sun behind it; I fumbled for my camera to catch the moment and thought all we need now is Lara Bingle at the side of the road shouting "Where the bloody hell are you?"

Lara, we're four and a half hours north of Adelaide.

Dual-cab utes and four-wheel-drive SUVs are more popular than ever as many buyers look for a weekday workhorse vehicle that can also take the family on weekend adventures. Ute sales are booming, with Toyota's HiLux taking the crown as the most sold vehicle in 2016, and half of those sales were top-specification SR5 4x4 models. Despite that, Isuzu says only one in 10 four-wheel-drive owners will take their vehicles off-road. From the outside I can see why, getting out to a track and being able to traverse some challenging terrain sounds fun, but what happens if something goes wrong? That's where the I-Venture Club steps in.

The I-Venture club is for Isuzu owners who want to get the most out of their vehicles and learn the skills needed to take cars off the beaten track. The club has been run by Isuzu for almost two years and has training courses in QLD, NSW, VIC and SA.

We joined the I-Venture club on a four day adventure through the Flinders Ranges. Drive visited the Isuzu off-road club before to learn the basics of off-roading on Morton Island off the coast of Queensland - the Flinders trip takes those lessons and puts them to the ultimate test - Isuzu owners on the trip brought their own cars and were invited along after completing a one-day course.

Our journey started in Adelaide with a 16-strong convoy consisting of the Isuzu D-Max utes and seven-seat MU-X four-wheel-drives. With some entertaining banter on the radios that were equipped to all the cars, we escaped the city limits and travelled North through Jamestown and stopped for lunch at Hawker. After a quick feed it was classroom time with David, our energetic off-roading guru, who broke down the thinking behind differences in tyre pressures and driving modes. Both the D-Max and the MU-X are fitted with two-wheel-drive for regular driving, high-range four-wheel-drive for dirt roads and low-range four-wheel-drive for steep country, where vehicles use their transmission and gearing to multiply torque to the wheels for extra low-down power and control.

By the afternoon we left the paved roads for our first taste-test of dirt, we were well and truly in Ranges. After we dropped the tire pressure to 15psi to suit the challenging terrain and changed driving modes with the flick of a switch to 4WD-High, we skirted along the Chace Range which gave us panoramic views of the ABC Range and the surrounding bushland. As we hit the first real trail we stopped the MU-X and engaged 4WD-Low to go up and across some impressive undulations with loose gravel and sharp rocks. The pace was slow but full of fun and challenging trails, and it was a great first experience for a city slicker like me. Along the way, our instructors got out and talked us through the more difficult areas where it would be easy to get unstuck without any training, but the convoy made it though. After my first real experience of four-wheel-driving it was easy to see why people are drawn off road.

We travelled to Chambers Gorge the following day to witness the Aboriginal history of the area, driving through an almost-dry river bed to see some of the oldest engravings in Australia. A short bushwalk revealed the Adnyamathanha Gallery - Adnyamathanha literally means 'hills people' - engraved into the rock walls were symbols for 'gathering', 'waterhole' and 'cover-cave', which denotes areas for groups to stay. The paintings and engravings date back 40,000 years and they show the rich history of the people of the Flinders Ranges.

The next day we stepped it up a notch and drove to the Bendleby Ranges where we would stay overnight. Leaving our gear at the quaint shearing quarters of a property in Bendleby - where sheep thought they were dogs and dogs thought they were people - our trail took us along the property to Yacka Ridge and the steep 800-metre decent to the Minburra Plains.

Stopping for a group photo with the Billy Goat Ridge sign, little did we know what lay between us, a cold beer and a warm meal: the most challenging route of the entire trip.

I switched out of the MU-X into a dual cab D-Max with off-road tyres that would help a suburbanite like me.

It wasn't until the convoy was halfway up the ridge that we realised just how challenging the trail was. We chugged up increasingly steep inclines littered with loose rocks and black diamond drop-offs either side, snaking our way up the one-lane ridge. Our instructors talked the convoy through the more dangerous areas, suggesting appropriate lines and speeds for the terrain. With rocks in tricky positions, we moved at a snail's pace, and I can now say I have pushed a car to near its limits at 4km/h!

There were smiles all around when the group met at the top for a debrief - it was truly impressive that everyone made their way up the trail, and there was a real sense of accomplishment. Everyone in the group had their own Billy Goat Ridge story to take home.

Unlike other off-road tours, the I-Venture club is run by Isuzu – giving it a direct link to the manufacturer which makes it the only one of its type in Australia. It gives the customer a chance to use all of their vehicle's off-road abilities in a supervised environment while still getting a taste of adventure. Most owners would never experience real off-roading, nor see the spectacular wildlife and vistas of South Australia up close.

At a cost of $2,450 per couple including great food, glamping and the expertise that comes with the I-Venture team, it seems like the perfect way to whet your appetite for an even bigger adventure. Now that I don't feel like a novice, I can imagine myself taking a vehicle out of the city limits and off-road. This was the first time I-Venture had taken on a bigger four day tour and it was such a hit that they are planning to do more. It was a great experience, one that any four-wheel-drive owner should consider.

• For all the latest information visit our Isuzu showroom.