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Can someone please provide an explanation or link to driving directions from Jo'burg to Punda Maria?

Really easy

take the N1 towards Polokwane, travel straight through to Makhado (Louis Trichard). When you enter Makhado, you will get the sign that turns right to Punda.

Sorry, can't remember the exactdistanceor roadnumbers

Hi FishngOwl

Yes like amanzi says it is really easy. From JHB to Makhado is about 4-5 hours. The turnoff to Punda Maria gate (and to Thoyandau - pardon the spelling) is at a new shopping center right next to the N1 right before Makhado. A good place to do some shopping. From there it is straight through Thoyandau to the gate - about an hour's drive.

Do you recommend we (4) adults fly to Nelspurit and rent a car or rent a car at the Johannesburg airport and drive to Kruger?

Welcome to the Forum pdrotz...it would depend on where you staying the 1st night in the park.....driving from JHB is easy with highway all the way...but if you staying in central Kruger the first night it might be better to fly to KMIA...also depending on what time your flight arrives at JHB or where you from as your name does not tell all..

Not necessarily, Jay. If you're an overseas visitor, it means changing terminals, and sometimes a worry over possible missed connections. Also, for those who haven't seen much of the country, the drive from the airport to KNP is scenic and interesting. There are many factors to consider.

And while Nelspruit is a quite nice airport, Phalaborwa is much more "fun" — and I'm not being sarcastic, it's really charming and even quite unexpected!

pdrotz as you are arriving early morning at JHB airport, I would suggest you rent a car in Jhb and then take the 5-6hr drive to Kruger. I still dont know which camp you stay in the first night? As said before by Arks it is a very scenic drive, giving you the opportunity of seeing more of the beautiful South Africa.

We will be traveling from Pretoria to Punda Maria Gate in a couple of weeks time. I have not traveled this route in more than a year.

We will leave Pretoria very early so will travel mostly during the dark hours.

My question is, which of the following routes will bring us to our destination the quickest?

1) Pretoria to Louis Trichardt (Makhado) on N1 then R524 to Punda Maria gate via Thohoyando.

2) Pretoria to Pietersburg (Polokwane) on N1 then take the R81 over Mooketsi/"Giyani", jpin up with R524 30km before Punda gate.

Route 1 is about 30km shorter than Route 2 but I'm more interested in the time factor.

Any one has experience driving both these routes?

Hi francoisd,
My personal opinion would be option 1, less time spend and distance on the secondary roads. You must remember that you will be travelling in the dark, and have to be on the alert for animals which can be a problem on the secodary roads. I don't know what the road condition is at the moment for the R81, but last time i have driven it (more than year ago) it was quite bad with huge potholes. Lost a tire in the process

Option 1 .. Will be shorter time & km ..

Note that the last 100km's will be very slow due to road conditions, speed limits and yes .. do look out for stray cows etc.

Yes also agree with option 1 - much more convenient and faster. The section from Louis Trichardt to the Punda gate is about 80 km (If I remember correctly) but will take at least an hour if not more. There are many traffic lights through Thohoyando (it is quite a large place!) and the speed limit is 60 kmph for long stretches (which I would advise you stick to since there are many pedestrians and stray animals).

We visited the park (Mopani) in December, entering at the Phalaborwa gate and used the Lydenburg/Hoedspruit route to get there. It's about 100 kilometers shorter than the Polokwane route.

However, when we returned home, we decided to drive the Magoebaskloof, Polokwane, Pretoria route and even though the kilometres are more, we actually arrived home an hour earlier than we we arrived at camp - and we left at the same time in the morning and had breakfast for about an hour both times.

This has made me decide to use the Polokwane route from now on when I visit the north of the park. It may be longer, but my experience was that it is most definitely faster.

Dear Pooky
We always use the Lydenburg route through the Strydom Tunnel to Phalaborwa gate then up to Shingwedzi (best camp in KNP). It is a long drive from JHB but once you get to Phalaborwa you are in KNP and who cares how long the rest of the trip takes (about 9 hours from JBH to Shingwedzi). The birding in the Far North of the Park is fantastic & after all the good rain should be even better. There is a hide along the Kanniedood road (about 35km from Shingwedzi camp) very few people visit - great for birding.

Hi Pooky

If you want to, you can still use the Punda gate as well. I see someone said it is a longer drive, but actually, if you take the Mojadjiskloof (Duiwelskloof) road and turn left at Mooketsi, it is an odd 150 km to the gate. You go via Giyani to the gate at Punda and we did that route a number of times already. (From Mooketsi to Phalaborwa is about 200+ km). This way, you get to bypass Magoebaskloof, Tzaneen, Letsitele, Gravelotte and Phalaborwa.

From Punda down to Shingwedzi is not that far either. I stand to be corrected, but I think it is approx. 108-110 km from there to Shingwedzi.

But if you want the scenic route, Polokwane, Magoebaskloof or Georges Valley, Haenertsburg, Tzaneen, Letsitele, Gravelotte is the way to go.

Hi there Maddie and welsome.

I would try to spend as much time in the park as possible given that I hail from the Jo'burg.

Your options are Numbi Gate at 406 km.
Melelane Gate at 426 km, Phabeni Gate 414 km , Kruger gate 456 km and Crocodile bridge is about 463 km.

I usually use Numbi because it ios the closest, but there are compelling reasons to use others. Using this gate you will trurn off to White River just as you approach Nelspruit and will not only get to the park sooner, you will also avoid one of the toll gates, (not a big deal.)

From another thread, I learned something about the Melelane Gate and plan on using that one on my next trip. Enter at this gate and then turn right and follow the crocodile river road to Croc bridge. (This way you do the distance from Melelane to CB inside the park with a chance of seeing game.) From there you can head up to LS.

Hope this helps.