Camper trip through Vrystaat and Kwazulu Natal

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 8:00 AM and 9:00 AM).

You set course to the south via the N3 highway, day distance approximately 350 kilometers. You can do some shopping along the way, there is only a small shop and a restaurant at your overnight address. You will drive through the beautiful Golden Gate Highlands National Park where you will spend the night at the Glen Reenen Rest Camp. From here it is another 23 kilometers to the village of Clarens where you will find a (small) supermarket. restaurants and you can find nice shops with souvenirs, art and gifts. This village between the mountains is known as an artists’ village and is nice to take a look.

Two nights at the campsite at Glen Reenen Rest Camp.

Today you have quiet time to explore this beautiful nature reserve. This park has many walking and hiking routes that vary in length and intensity. Various species of antelope live in this park and you can see many birds including vultures and eagles.

You may have already seen a sign with ‘Basotho Cultural Village’ when you were driving through the park, here you can take a look at a traditional village. You can also choose to visit the village of Clarens after a wonderful morning walk to do some shopping and eating.

Today a ride of over 400 kilometers on the program and we advise you not to leave too late so that you can make nice stops along the way. You are leaving the province Free States and drive via Harrismith and the N3 highway towards Durban in the  Kwazulu Natal province. Just outside Harrismith is the Van Rheenen Pass, a beautiful mountain pass with beautiful views in clear weather. Along the way you pass the village of Howick and this is a good place for a lunch stop and to see the waterfall. You will also find a beautiful monument here where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned and his 27-year prison sentence began.

From Durban you drive north along the coast to your overnight address: Salt Rock Hotel en Resort where a camping place is reserved for you. A beautiful place on the beach where you should definitely keep your eyes open for dolphins playing in the surf.

After a quiet breakfast and perhaps a walk on the beach, you continue north along the coast to St. Lucia (190 km). This small village is the southern one gateway to Cape Vidal, part of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park. In St. Lucia 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.

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.

After your visit to the coast, it is now time to go back inland. You will spend the night just north of Piet Retief in the Assegaai Valley. Today you drive some 300 kilometers via Mkuze and Pongola through a beautiful landscape. The region around Piet Retief has many forests since wood production is an important source of income here.

You spend the night with your camper at Sundowner Lodge & Caravan park.

And so this camper trip comes to an end again. You have a ride of more than 300 kilometers ahead of you back to Johannesburg. You drive through the town of Ermelo and with a small detour from your accommodation you can also drive past the village of Amsterdam. If desired, you can stay an extra night in Johannesburg, depending on your flight time. Here you can also book excursions such as a visit to Soweto Township or the Apartheid museum.