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Albert,

My advice is to cut out southern Mpumalanga. There is defnitely roadworks between Carolina and Badplaas, Just outside Badplaas to Barberton.

Also don't try the Middelburg - Hendrina section past the power station.

The last time I took the Vrede road is was not in a good condition and coming from Volksrust to Standerton you will find roadworks.

Unless you get a reliable source the best might travel towards Heidelburg and then take the N3.

There are indeed roadworks from Badplaas to Carolina......but how many SA roads haven't got them these days.

Things may well have changed by now, but we travelled from Croc Bridge to Ermelo last November.
Croc Bridge-Barberton:We found no problems. The road was fairly quiet, and in not too bad a condition.
Barberton-Badplaas:Mostly very good road, occasional roadworks.
Badplaas-Carilina:Some roadworks, but quite a good road in between.
Carolina-Ermelo:If you take the minor road down to Crissesmeer and then join the N17 to Ermelo this avoids all the heavy traffic on the R33.
We all have our ideas which routes are best, but this is the one we find perfectly ok, although there are some roadworks.
Can't help after Ermelo sorry.

Let us know how you get on at GGate..........on my list of places to go.

Hi Albert,

Just to add the Warden - Harrismith-Phutaditjaba-Golden Gate NP road will be fine alternative Warden Bethlehem.

My home town is Secunda and through the 20 year I am here the Vrede road always had bad sections, so I would recommend to avoid that part although I have travelled it 2 years ago. From Ermelo travel along the N17 via Bethal - Trichardt - Leandra and turn off towards Nigel and then connect the N3 at Heidelberg.

I will travel from Secunda to Sasolburg next week and will let you know if there is any roadworks on the R42.

The stop and goes can be a pain but the reason for avoiding Vrede is not roadworks but rather the lack of roadworks.

Machadodorp - Carolina - Hendrina - Bethal is also fine to take and thereby missing the detour to Ermelo. We did this section in May so unless new roadworks it should be OK.

Some advice please?
We're leaving from Potchefstroom (via Johannesburg/Pretoria normally) for Olifants in about six weeks time.

Should we take the N1 to Polokwane/Pietersburg and from there the R71 via Tzaneen to enter at Phalaborwa? I've heard about roadworks and stop and go on the R71, but would prefer this highway route if this was not an issue. This is 638km.

Or should we rather take the N12 to Witbank, the N4 to Belfast and from there go Lydenburg, Hoedspruit and then Phalaborwa? The concern here is potholes I've heard about and the single lane most of the way. This is 622km.

The third option is driving to on to Nelspruit, and then going Hazyview (although I dislike the part between Nelspruit and White River a lot) and then going through Klaserie, Hoedspruit and then Phalaborwa. This is probably longer than the other two routes? Not sure about the kms though.

Any help would be appreciated!

Mel, go to Nelspruit, Hazyview, Klaserie, Orpen Gate, Lovely road now, even through Bushbuckridge.

So just a brief update....received many conflicting reports on road conditions.
Eventually we just decided to do the trip we originally planned.
Left Lower Sabie at 6 a.m. and eventually departed from Komatipoort at around 08:00.
Travelled N4 to the R38 turn off, then to Barberton.
Road was OK.
Then from Barberton to Badplaas and Carolina. 5 Stop/go sections, with the one just before Carolina being quite bad, but at least that part of the route will be good once all the roadworks are done.
The section between Carolina and Ermelo was atrociously bad.
Easily the worst part of the entire trip.
Ermelo to Standerton was good to very good.
Standerton-Vrede was very good.
The section between Vrede and the R103 to Warden (15 km) is completely under reconstruction, which resulted in 15 km of detours....Once we reached the R 103 the road was fair to good to the junction with the N3.
Had to deal with the long weekend traffic on the N3, but that was OK.
Eventually reached Glen Reenen at about 5 pm.
Last part of the journey was delayed by severe thunderstorms!

Hi Deamole - we travelled up to Punda Maria from Durban at the beginning of September. We over-nighted at Bela-Bela on the way up and the headed straight up to Louis Trichardt via Polokwane. We then took the 524 via Thohoyandou, thence to Punda. We had absolutely no problems with this route, and confidently recommend it. The road itself was in very fair condition - the normal potholes here and there but nothing major - so the only thing to be aware of is that a lot of people live up there. I cannot comment on the Giyani route - so over to you.

Have a good one!

Agreed with dog, the road is cool via Thohoyandou

Hallo There!!

What is the quickest and best road to Shingwedzi from Bela-Bela?

If you have the time: Polokwane - Tzaneen - Phalaborwa gate. And then up through Kruger.

A way less attractive way is Polokwane - Louis trichard - Punda gate, and down to Shingwedzi.

Did this route two weeks ago; it is fine! Just one word of caution: there are some SERIOUS speed bumps on the way into and leaving Dullstroom! Overall; the speed limits on this route are there for a reason! There are a few potholes and some bits of uneven road surface; but these are quite easy to see. After the recent very heavy rains, there is one (small) section before you make the descent towards the Abel Erasmus pass where the left lane has been damaged by water; but once again, this is clearly marked by warning signs.

Hi Vinkie

The best route should be via Swaziland. I spoke to people from Kwazulu Natal at Croc Bridge gate who did just that. I would however go to Hluhluwe first and then to Kruger. It will be quite a drive from Croc Bridge to Hluhluwe / St Lucia and back. (I couldn't get a distance for the Swaziland route, but if you travel around Swaziland it will be about 690 km from Lower Sabie to St Lucia one way)

You could either fly to Durban and drive to Hluhluwe (about 200 km) or fly to Joburg and take the N17 down to St Lucia(about 600km)


Hope this helps a bit

Enjoy the planning

Have just done the route from Hazyview to Johannesburg and Back via Schoemanskloof.

The road form Hazyview to White River (and obviously back) is good - please be aware there are road works just outside White River on the Northern side at Casterbridge or the Bagdad Centre - or the junction where the road goes to Hazyview R40 and Numbi

They are installing a Traffic Calming Circle (or similar) to prevent vehicles from approaching this junction too fast

The road to Nelspruit is good - just beware of speeding they have ad hoc speed traps.

The Schoemanskloof road has two Stop Start construction sites - and depending on the time of day the stopping times will vary - we did not stop for longer that 5 minutes for both stops.

Please be mindful of the stops because we saw two accidents - last Wednesday and both were just before the stop area - indicating the cars were going to fast entering the construction zone (the only accidents I have seen on this route in several years and I use that route a lot)

Hi Kicker Cat,

We are booked into Lower Sabie for 5 nights in December. We are travelling from Edenvale and was looking at the Kruger map and wondering which gate to enter. (nice to have choices I guess). We will need to spend some time in the park as the new time of only being given your key to accommodation is at 2pm.

It is a pity that was changed few years ago. 12am was so much more convenient . Always concerned with the fresh meat etc which needs to be refrigerated!

Which gate yould you recommend? I don't really fancy Numbi as we are sisters travelling together and am quite concerned with the road from Nelspruit to Numbe, or has it improved?

Would appreciate your feedback.

Hi Marge,

Don't view the check in time at LS as a negative - leave early and get in at Malelane - you can get in at 06:30 if you want

To get to KP from Edenvale allows two choices - I guess from there I would go past the airport on the N12 till it becomes the N4 - then on to Nelspruit via the Schoemanskloof route - see my post above. (by the way this will save you the cost of one toll gate - at present)

Then depending if you need to stop in Nelspruit for provisions you need to take the Nelspruit Barberton road - if not keep on the new road (bear right ) it is a bit confusing here because they are busy doing road works but just keep an eye open.

If you bypass Nelspruit you will be on the road towards Malelane. Please drive carefully and remain vigilant.

If you need to go into Nelspruit you can stop at the Crossing and get fantastic meat at the SPAR - Ice or frozen cooler bricks. You can also stop at Malelane - Pick and Pay on the right and Spar you need to turn left at the Toyota garage - can't miss it. If you are there after 07:30 you can get a reasonable breakfast at Wimpy just next to the Pick n Pay

I would enter at Malelane - often there are Lion and or Leopards in the area near the gate - also stop and have a good look both ways on the bridge - often there is game to be seen - Elephants and Buffalo.

You then have many choices - you can take the H3 up North and cut across any of the roads that will take you to the H4 - 2 which will take you South to LS or you can take the S114 - travel Eastwards along this sand road towards the H4-2 (My reference is the AA map of Kruger - not easily available anymore)

I am sure you are likely to have a map of Kruger so the choices once in KP are wide and varied.

I hope this helps - if you need any more info please let me know either post or PM

Enjoy your trip - I am going in again on Saturday.

KR

KC