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We are driving up from Cape Town on our very first Kruger Trip - see dates in signature - I would like to know from fellow Capetonians that also drive up, how they split their journey.
I was thinking that we would leave early-ish from CT (say 5am) and drive to Bloem on our first day and then drive from Bloem to Kruger - entering at Malelane - spending our first night camping at BnD. Yes, No???

When I did an earlier search, it seems like some folks prefer to go via Kimberley and also that maybe 3 days instead of 2 should be budgeted for the trip...........Your thoughts and advice please.

We drive a diesel bakkie - so no "voet in die hoek" for us.........

Hi Munchkin . We live in CT and start our next trip to KNP from farm in Worcester this coming Sunday .
We used to drive Beaufort West ( overnight at Karoo Nat Park ) - then Aberdeen ,Graaf Reinet , Aliwal North , Bethlehem ( optional overnight ) , Vredefort , Standerton ( optional overnight ) Ermelo, Badplaas, Barberton, N4 to Malelane - distance 1890 km.
This is not too bad, but the roads especially Mpumalanga are now almost non-existent .
Also, CT to Bloemfontein road you encounter at least 1 truck per kilometer, both directions - no kidding !
We drive between 700 to 800 kilometers per day, that's why those optional stays - lots of B&B's all over .
So now we drive via Kimberley - first stop Mokala, then Bloemhof , Wolmaranstad, via Rustenburg, then N4 to just north of Pretoria - second night probably anywhere between Rustenburg and Potgietersrus ( Mokopane ) , leaving an easy reach of about 450 km via Phalaborwa .
This is relatively quite, almost no traffic at all until you get to the N4 at Rustenburg, but that is quite fast and you can take it right down to Malelane .
If you have more questions , please feel welcome .

Thanks so much okie for the info - We will now look at going via Kimberley instead - SO still wants to try and do the uprun in 2 days -although I also like an approx 800 km drive per day.

Enjoy your trip - min dae!!!

I used to do the run CT to JHB in 14 - 15 hours
but ... on holiday, we are much more relaxed
Last time, we stayed just outside Kimberley, I think it was called Kalahari Lodge or something - had a very nice gemsbok steak at the restaurant .
That would be just short of 1000 km from CT .
Otherwise, say about 800 km, about 20 - 30 km beyond Britstown , you can try Kambro Cottages - selfcatering, but absolutely magic Karoo .

By the way, you can get cheaper diesel at the truck-stops this side of Beaufort West and there are others along the way you should look for .
Avoid filling up at the usual tourist garages - Kimberley is expensive .
We make a list of prices and compare as we drive .
You will find the cheaper ones outside and on the outskirts of towns and cities .

We leave CT around 2h00 and get well away before first light.
We arrive in JHB (to stay with family admittedly) around 15h00, rest and then leave at about 1h00 and arrive at gate opening time.

I prefer to break the back of the journey on the first day.
I would rather spend the extra travelling days that others use, in Kruger.

Traveling from CTN to Kruger in 2 days might seem doable, but it hits you when travelling back.
Last year with my first trip, I did 3 days via Gariepdam (sleepover - about halfway between Cape and Jhb), then Golden Gate (sleepover) and on our way to Kruger.
Our travel back was stay over at Pta (at friends) next day to Gariepdam (sleepover) then home for the last 800km.
We are leaving Sat 18th Sept. for Kruger, but with Premier Class train from CTN to JHB with car loaded (09h00) and the next morning arrive at JHB (11H00) we then travel the 400+km to Kruger = 2 days and we will feel rested and holiday starts immediately.
Our down run: from Kruger to Golden Gate (spending two nights) then Karoo NP (sleepover and spend morning there) with last 400+km home.

Another assistance is that the AA website got a facility that gives you a road condition report and a calculator re km and travel duration if you need to explore this option.
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We have also heard from someone else that they travel via train - CT to Jozi, with car aboard as well - however the option I Googled seemed quite expensive and mentioned that the vehicle cannot be loaded (ie full of stuff) - because we camp, our bakkie is loaded with everything including the kitchen sink.
Will try and google the one you mentioned - not sure if it's the same one that I initially checked out.

Re the trip home, we have given ourselves an entire week to make it back home - so no rush on that front - in fact we would also like to spend at least 2 nights at Karoo NP on the way home.

Hi Kaapsedraai and Munchkin- we did the train option last year from Cpt to Jozi.
No problem with fully loading the bakkie and putting it on the train.
Just make sure you cover the contents in the back with a sheet or something-to keep prying eyes out.
Only problem was that the train arrived 2 hours late in Jozi and we only arrived at our destination near Nelspruit as the sun was setting-imagine this with to small kids in the back asking every 5 minutes when we're going to arrive at destination.
We will however definitely do the train option again-especially with 2 small kids-it's a long drive.

We are heading to Kruger next year and have booked a night at Karoo NP and 2 nights at Golden Gate on the way (a bit like your trip the other way round)
Can you please tell me how long it takes you from GGHNP to Kruger and which route you normally take?

Thanks.

stormfinch, it was our first time last year and travelled GGNP-Bethlehem-Warden-Standerton-Ermelo-Carolina-Badplaas route and about 8hours (840km).
The road between Standerton and Warden esp Carolina is very busy with coal trucks and in bad condition, even on a Sunday afternoon.

I am exploring a different route from Kruger to GGNP i.e. via Badplaas-Piet Retief-Ladysmith-Harrismith-GGNP.
It is about 100+km longer and possibly in time as well.
Estimated time per the AA route planne = 9h30 min (896km)

Another option is Badplaas-Ermelo-Newcastle-Ladysmith-Harrismith-GGNP, but have been advised it is not a good options as some road works and bad road conditions and taxis close to Newcatle.
I stand to be corrected here.
Estimated time per the AA route planne = 9h 20 min (909km)

These distances have been calculated from from Berg' n Dal to GGNP.
The idea is to explore new areas and I have never travelled the area crossing KZN, hence will be new experience.
Any advice re these two road welcome.
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Hi there
3 years ago we did the direct Route. Up N1 then along N4.
If you love driving on the long road (We do) then it will be great.

We left CT at 05h00, arived in Kroonstad (half way between Bloem and Jhb) at around 7pm. Had a great dinner at the guest house there, then left again at 05h00 and arrived at Orpen Gate at around noon.

We found the accommodation in a Brochure called "Places to Stay on the N1 from CT to Jhb" You can get the that brochure at the welcome Centre in Canal Walk.

Stayed at the same place on the way back.

Safe journey...

When taking the most direct route, we also push for Kroonstad the first day.
Typically we stop at Beaufort (breakfast), Gariepdam and Bloemfontein (e.g. Vroue monument).
Then you still arrive at Kroonstad during daylight.
Second day: Easy to reach lower regions of Kruger, or do stopover around Panorama route.

June this year we've decided to take longer route.
Kimberley (2 nights Mokale), after stopping at plenty Boer war sites (e.g. concentration camp site at HopeTown).
From there we went to Bela Bela (another 2 nights, after visiting Magersfontein and plenty other amazing sites) and on to Kruger on day 5 (via Magoebaskloof).

On the return journey, we took the scenic route via Baberton, Bloedriver, Spionkop, to the Drakensberg mountains.
2 Days later around Lesotho, via Golden Gate (amazing!) to near Ladybrandt.
Next day to Graaf Reinet for 2 days.

The roundabout way was fantastic - but I will not do this every year :-)

We also used Premier Class before (from Jhb to CT), but you need 3 days for that.
Day 1: From Kruger to close to Jhb.
Day 2: Need to load vehicle very early in morning -only departure around 13:00.
Arrive in CT 17:00 on Day 3.
GREAT option (relaxed!).

We've just done the up-route Ct- KNP .
Stayed over at Mokala, then Modimolle ( Nylstroom ) then Phalaborwa .
We find that whatever you plan, add another few hours for hold-ups, be it pp-stops, fill-up stops, or road-works
Roadworks alone on either route can add one to two hours - and then every little town you go through is another hold-up, bring down your average speed .
We tried to maintain the speed-limit 120 kph, but whereas on the first day the actual MOVING average ( per my GPS ) was 101 kph, the additional hold-ups, made difference of another 10 kph .

Over the two days Worcester to Nylstroom, 1767 kilometers, took just over 21 hours including the hold-ups ( not sleeping ) actual moving time 19 hours .
So overall moving average 93 kph , total overall average speed 84 kph .

My 2 cents worth...
We have just driven to KNP from CT and back and this is what we did and what we will do differently next time:
Left CT 5:30am, slept 30km north of Bloem on a dairy farm
Bloem to 60km north of Pretoria.
Pretoria - to Punda Maria
Very easy and not tiring at all - quite a few stop and goes between Beaufort West and Bloem, but as we were travelling on a weekend it added maybe 35minutes onto our time.
Left Satara and drove to Nelspruit.
Nelspruit to Bloem.
Bloem to Beaufort West to Karoo National Park for 2 nights.
We decided that it would be easy to drive from the south of Kruger to Bloem in one day the roads are easy only a bit slow around N12 near JHB before getting on to the N1.
We would also definitely stay over at Karoo National Park again - we thought that it was awesome.