Camper trip along the mountain, beach and wild animals

Today you pick up your camper at the camper depot Johannesburg where you will receive explanations and instructions about your vehicle. Take plenty of time to get everything explained. Then you leave for your first overnight address.

If your flight arrives in the afternoon or in the evening, you can spend the first night in Johannesburg and pick up your camper early the next morning (between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m.).

You travel via Witbank (now known as eMahlahleni) to the N4 highway and then in a northerly direction to your overnight stay Sabie. When you leave the N4 highway, you will pass the Sudwala Caves.If you have enough time, a visit to these caves is a nice stopover. The village of Sabie is situated in a beautiful wooded area on the Sabie River. In the village there are shops and restaurants and just outside the village you will find several waterfalls that you can visit such as the Bridal Veil Falls and the Horseshoe Falls. Just north of Sabie you will find the Mac Mac Pools, a popular place for a picnic or a refreshing dip in the water (you pay a small entry fee).

You spend the night with your camper at  Merry Pebbles in Sabie. There is a restaurant at this resort that is open daily. There are also various swimming pools, tennis court, table tennis, pool tables, playground, trampolines, mini-golf (putt-putt), hiking trails and more.

Today you have quiet time to drive the particularly beautiful Panorama Route. This route is a beautiful winding mountain path that delivers insanely beautiful pictures in clear weather. From Sabie you drive north to Graskop, a tourist village with nice restaurants and terraces. Here you will also find a glass Here you will also find a glass elevator that allows you to descend into the gorge to view the Graskop Gorge from a different point of view. You can also visit the old mining village of   Pilgrims Rest from Graskop.

The first stop along the Panorama Route from Graskop is Pinnacle Rock and then God’s Window. In good weather you can look out over the low field to the Kruger Park.

Enjoying the view you will continue to Bourke’s Luck Potholes, a special natural phenomenon where you can also take beautiful pictures. A last place on the Panorama Route that should certainly not be missed is the viewpoint at the Three Rondavels. From your accommodation in Sabie to this point is a distance of approximately 90 kilometers. Your next accommodation is Forever Resort Blyde Canyon and is not far from the Three Rondavels.

Stay the night with your camper at Forever Resort Blyde Canyon.

A holiday in South Africa is not complete without a safari. Today you drive to your next campsite within the famous Kruger National Park. The total distance today is 190 kilometers, but about half of this distance is a game drive with your camper to Satara Rest Camp. The moment you enter the fences of the Kruger Park via the Orpen Gate, the search for wild animals can begin!

The Kruger National Park has an area of almost 20,000 square kilometers and the best known residents are undoubtedly the Big Five: lion, buffalo, rhino, elephant and leopard. In the park, take into account a maximum speed of 50 kilometers per hour on asphalted roads and leave your camper only in the camps and places designated for that purpose. Always ensure that you keep a safe distance from the wild animals.

The next two nights you will stay at a campsite in the Satara Rest Camp. From here you can make game drives through the park with your camper or you can choose a game drive with a ranger in an open safari vehicle (morning, afternoon or evening game drive). It is also possible to make a bush walk with a ranger, a special experience to literally follow in the footsteps of African wildlife. Booking in advance for these activities is useful if you want to be assured of participation.

At the camp there is a restaurant, a small shop, swimming pool with play equipment for children, BBQ’s and a gas station.

Today you will head south for a final night in the Kruger Park. The distance to your next campsite is about 100 kilometers, but you can of course drive all kinds of other roads to the camp and try to spot more animals. You may want to first drive to the Skukuza Camp and stop there for lunch.

You will spend the night at the Lower Sabie Rest Camp, it is also possible to book game drives with a ranger here.  There is a restaurant, shop, swimming pool, gas station and laundry facilities in the camp.

Don’t leave too late today, because it is a long drive of more than 250 kilometers. The first part you still drive through the Kruger Park (so limited speed), and the border crossing will also take some time.

You leave Kruger Park in the south and drive via Malelane to the Jeppe’s Reef border post to enter Swaziland (nowadays called eSwatini). Once across the border you will drive past Phophonyane Falls. In this nature reserve you can take a walk to the approximately 80 meter high waterfall. Another nice place to drive along the way is the village of Ngwenya and the glass factory located just outside the village.

Via the capital of eswatini, Mbaban, you will drive to the Mlilwane Game Reserve where you can once again enjoy a beautiful nature and wildlife (no Big Five area).  You spend two nights within the park at Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary on the campsite. It is also possible to book  game drives, sunset/sunrise drives and bush walks , and horseback or mountain bike tours are also possible.

Today you can enjoy the beautiful African landscape en route. The fastest route to your next overnight accommodation is via the MR8 to the border and then further south with the N2 main road to St. Lucia (330 kilometer). This small village is the southern gateway to Cape Vidal, part of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park. In St. Lucia If you wish, you can do some shopping or lunch before you enter the park.

Cape Vidal is located about 30 kilometers north of St. Lucia and this is a fantastic place for snorkeling. Located on a bay surrounded by rocks with long pristine beaches where you can walk in peace. Enjoy the warm water of the ocean and the beautiful nature here. Turtles, dolphins, whales (seasonal) and more marine animals can be seen here along the coast. Many different birds live in the dense forests along the coast. When you drive through the park, you can also see wild animals.

The gigantic Lake St Lucia is located in the middle of the iSimangaliso Wetlands Park and is one of the largest freshwater lakes in Africa. If you take a boat trip on the lake, you can spot many flamingos, pelicans and other water birds. About 1,500 hippo crocodiles and 900 hippos also live here. It is the largest concentration of crocodiles and hippos in southern Africa. A hippo and croc boat cruise is definitely a nice excursion in this area.

Two nights at the campsite at Cape Vidal Resort.

Today not too long a ride, so you can take it easy this morning. You may want to have a cup of coffee in St. Lucia and do some shopping before heading south to Salt Rock (192 kilometers).

You’ll spend the night at Salt Rock Caravan Park  on the beach Keep your eyes open for any dolphins that swim pass  in the warm waters of the Indian Ocean. Here you can take an extensive beach walk or relax in the tidal pools. There is a restaurant.

Today you drive around 270 kilometers and if you do not leave too late, you can make nice stops along the way. You drive towards Durban and then in a northerly direction on the N3 highway. Along the way you will pass the village of Howick where you can visit the waterfall and the special work of art where Nelson Mandela was captured before his 27-year prison sentence began. The Howick Falls can be found on the east side of the village and before the Mandela Capture Site you leave the highway on the west side (exit R107 and then R103). When you follow this R103, you will pass many nice (art) shops and places to eat. This so-called Midlands Meander is known for its small-scale shops, restaurants, handmade products and the many artists who live here. At the Mandela Capture Site you can find more information about the Midlands Meander and determine which part of the route you want to drive or you will immediately return to the N3 and continue your journey to the next campsite.

Along the way you can also stop in  Mooi Rivier or Estcourt for some groceries (both have a Spar supermarket). However, there is also a shop at the campsite for groceries (Oaks Superette).

You will stay two nights at  Dragon Peaks Mountain Resort just outside Drakensberg.

You will also find bushman rock paintings in this area that you can visit with a local guide. There are countless other options for activities such as horse riding, mountain biking and swimming.

Only 95 kilometers to your next campsite located within the Royal Natal National Park that is part of the northern Drakensberg.  The main attraction of this park is the Amphitheater, a huge rock wall of no less than six kilometers long. In this park you can once again enjoy a walk, view ancient rock drawings and swim in the mountain rivers.

Overnight at Mahai Campsite in the Royal Natal N.P.

And with a final glance at the impressive amphitheater, this camper trip comes to an end. Of course it is possible to extend your trip from here with a visit to the Golden Gate Highlands National Park, in the town Clarens or perhaps still on a safari in the Pilanesberg Game Reserve.

The distance from the Royal Natal Park to the airport of Johannesburg is more than 350 kilometers, the majority of the route takes you on the N3 highway. Depending on the time your flight departs, you can still undertake activities in the park this morning. On the way to Johannesburg you can stop at Harrismith to eat something.

You return your camper to the depot and leave for the airport, the end of your visit to South Africa.