SANParks.org Forums

Hi Paolo .........

As the gates of the rest camps open at 6am you should not have a problem getting to the airport on time for your flight.

I would suggest leaving Olifants at gate opening time and take a drive via Timbavati picnic spot to Orpen Gate. Leave Orpen by 11am and you will be at JHB airport by 17H00.

You could go via Letaba and Phalaborwa but why not spend the extra time in the park.

Have a great stay!!

Yes, Norms is right. Leave via Orpen gate. After leaving via Orpen gate, drive via Ohrigstadt, Lydenburg, Dullstroom and Belfast. It is a very nice route and NOT so many people on the roads!

Can you give me any advice and tips for the way from JHB airport to Phalaborwa by car? We are planning to rent a car in the airport and arrive in the afternoon the gate. Which is the fastest and easiest way???

Thanks a lot

From OR Tambo, Take the R21 north to Pretoria Where it joins the N1 at Pretoria, follow the signs to the N1 North,/ Polokwane. Keep on the N1 till you get to Polokwane, then follow the signs to Magoebaskloof/Tzaneen and Phalaborwa. Sorry I don't know thenumber of this road, but I'm sure someone will help (My map is packed ready for my trip)

Hendrik I agree with Woodlin, the road via Orighstad is beautiful and there is not too traffic on that route. have a wonderful time at Tamboti, it is my favourite camp.

Hi,
Can anyone please give some info on the best route from Jhb to Pafuri Gate, according to Garmin the trip will take about 8-9 hours?????Is that the quickest route?
All suggestions welcome please.

Yes the trip takes about 6 - 7 hours from Pretoria. Best route is up the N1 to Messina and then across to Pafuri.
You could go in at Punda Marie gate as well. Off hand, Just not sure of the route you would take. It's a little shorter.

Can someone please give me advice? I land at O R Tambo at 9.30am in June and need to collect a hired car. Presuming I can be on the road by 10.30am, would I make it to Letaba camp before the gates close at 5.30pm? I was thinking of the route via Lydenberg and Ohrigstad.

The travel time from gates to camps and the distances between Johannesburg and gates given here , might help you JenniB ?

Wishing you a great Kruger trip !

I would appreciate some advice please! We will be doing Sweni wilderness trail next week, ending in Satara on Wednesday. I have a flight to catch that same evening, so need to be at OR Tambo airport at 7pm. What would be the quickest route to take from Satara camp to the airport?

Hi Jenni lucky you to be doing the Sweni trail. I would advise you to let your guide know that you need to be at Satara early.

From Satara you will need about 80 minutes to exit Orpen Gate.

I tend to take the Abel Erusmus Pass/Origstadt, Lydenburg route, through to Dullstroom and onto the freeway. It takes me about 7 hours from Orpen. If you leave camp at about 9am you should be fine.

N1 to LOUIS TRICHARDT- Hook a right at second stop sign(still on N1) keep straight... for quite some time.. follow the road signs... Nice road, a little dodgy at some sports... Else you can turn right just after the Capricorn Toll gate and go via Soekmekaar ect..
alternatively:
"N1"
N1 Rd‎

1.
Head north on N1 Rd
Partial toll road
About 1 hour 4 mins.
go 100 km
total 100 km

2.
Turn left to stay on N1 Rd
About 1 hour 42 mins
go 138 km
total 238 km

3.

Continue onto R101, About 2 mins
go 2.7 km
total 241 km

4.
Turn left onto Nelson Mandela Dr/Nelson Mandela Sb St
Continue to follow Nelson Mandela Dr
About 2 mins
go 1.5 km
total 242 km

5.

Turn right onto Rissik St - About 1 min
go 900 m
total 243 km

6.

Turn left onto Mark St
About 1 min

go 550 m
total 244 km

7.

Slight right onto Landdros Mare St - About 7 mins
go 9.1 km
total 253 km

8.
Continue onto R101- About 1 min
go 1.0 km
total 254 km

9.
Continue onto N1 Rd - About 1 hour 19 mins
go 97.9 km
total 352 km

10.

Turn right at Songozwi St - About 2 mins
go 2.1 km
total 354 km

11.

Continue straight onto R524
Destination will be on the right
About 1 hour 53 mins

go 128 km
total 482 km

Shikaari,
We travel the road from Johannesburg to Phalaborwa every alternative weekend, and can give you the following advise.
If you take the alternative route as was suggested earlier, you will save a lot on toll fees. That road is very quiet and there is no problems at all, the road is nice and wide and a pleasure to drive. (Toll fees are now almost R120). It takes the same time (for us as we are not usually speeding, which one tend to do on a highway). It takes us approximately 6 to 7 hours depending on the stop-go sections (which there are 5 of now, first one being at Moria and the last outside Tzaneen). If you are lucky you will stop at the first one (about 15 minutes) and then go immediately through the second one, etc, etc. I cannot see how the roadworks at the stop-go sections are going to be finished within the next 4 months at least, as there is still a lot of work to be done.

The road via Lydenburg takes about an hour or two longer as there is some serious potholes and we lost a tyre and rim there one night. You need to drive very carefully between Lydenburg and Ohrigstad because of this. Then there is also 2 stop-go sections between Hoedspruit and Phalaborwa.

So my advise is, take the Polokwane road.

Is it feasible to drive from Mopani rest camp to an airport hotel at JNB in one (long) day? What is the fastest route? I have the option to do this over two days, but I would prefer to fly down to Cape Town for the second leg of our trip a day earlier - hence my question. We will have a hire car and are experienced drivers in South Africa.

Mopani to Phalaborwa gate via Letaba rest camp is 126 Km which could take you 3 to 4 hours traveling time.

From Phalaborwa to Johannesburg travel time of around 4 to 5 hours.

Me and So normally travel this in one day, if their is a acident then you can add a nother hour to your travel time as everybody slow down. Just make sure that you pass polokwane before sunset.