Selfdrive through the Kruger Park, Eswatini, Hluhluwe and the Drakensberg (luxury)

After you arrive at Johannesburg airport, you will be met by a driver and taken to your accommodation for the first night. Most clients arrive with a late KLM flight and then it is nice when someone is waiting for you at the airport and you don’t have to drive yourself immediately after a long journey.

Overnight at the African Rock Hotel on a bed and breakfast basis. African Rock is an exclusive boutique hotel in the quiet suburb of Johannesburg, Kempton Park, with a lush tropical garden and swimming pool for relaxing. Would you prefer to recover from the trip for another day? Let us know and we will book an extra night for you in this nice hotel.

After breakfast you will be taken back to the airport where you can pick up your rental car, Category M Europcar (Renault Duster or similar). Then it’s time to really set off. If you prefer to have the car delivered to the accommodation, this can also be arranged for a fee.

You then leave for Hazyview located in the province of Mpumalanga. You are a mere 20 minutes from the famous Kruger National Park from Hazyview. This is also the place from where you can make beautiful trips along the Panorama Route with numerous special viewpoints and beautiful waterfalls. Today you can already ride part of this route or maybe even play a round of golf at one of the beautiful golf courses in the area! Today you drive a distance of 390 kilometers, estimated travel time around 4 hours.

You stay two nights at Summerfields Rose Retreat & Spa on a bed and breakfast basis. This beautiful 5 star accommodation is a place of tranquility and ideal for relaxing. The rustic country setting also makes it the perfect place for a romantic getaway. This property is set on a 100-hectare plantation where roses, passion fruit and lychees are grown. You spend the night in a luxury suite on the banks of the river. During your stay you can use the Riverside Spa where a wide range of beauty and relaxation treatments are offered. In the River Cafe you can enjoy delicious food in beautiful surroundings.

For today we recommend that you visit a number of sights along the Panorama Route. Visit the beautiful God’s Window viewpoint north of Graskop, where you have a beautiful view of the landscape in clear weather. Then continue on the route to Bourke’s Luck Potholes where large holes have been carved into the rocks. Even further north you will find the Three Rondavels where you can take beautiful pictures of the Blyde River Canyon. You pay admission to the various sights along the Panorama Route. From your hotel to the Three Rondavels (the farthest point) is a distance of approximately 92 kilometers. The route takes you through a beautiful mountainous landscape. If you have time left at the end of the day, you can drive from Graskop to the old mining village of Pilgrims Rest. Here you go back in time, a nice end to a beautiful day.

Today is the day, you leave for the world famous Kruger Park. The distance to your next accommodation is just over 100 kilometers, but takes into account a journey time of more than two hours. You drive on small roads and within the game reserve there is a limited speed. You pay an entrance fee at the entrance of the park (save the receipt for when you leave the park).

In the coming days you will be looking for the Big Five, accompanied by real safari connoisseurs: elephant, leopard, lion, rhino and buffalo. Game drives are done with open 4×4 safari vehicles, these safaris are accompanied by expert rangers and a so-called ‘tracker’ who knows through the smallest signals where wild animals are hiding. During the game drives you have the opportunity to get to know the African wildlife up close, to learn a lot from the rangers and of course to take beautiful pictures. The morning game drives leave early when the bush wakes up and the sun rises (5:30 AM – 6:00 PM) and lasts about three hours. Afternoon safaris start when the sun starts to sink towards the horizon, most animals are now active and the carnivores are preparing for hunting.

You stay two nights at Hoyo Hoyo Safari Lodge on a full board basis (breakfast, lunch, high tea and dinner). The game drives are also included and selected drinks. This unique 5-star lodge is located on the banks of the Mluwati River in a private area of no less than 100 square kilometers in the west of Kruger Park and borders the Manyeleti Game Reserve.

The lodge offers accommodation in luxury huts in traditional Tsonga style and exudes a breathtakingly beautiful mix of ethnic luxury, warmth and modern style. From the deck you have a beautiful view over the water hole and the surrounding plains. This is an ideal place for spotting animals while enjoying a delicious sundowner. The beautiful outdoor swimming pool, which looks like a small lake, offers wonderful cooling during the hot days.

Even today you will stay in the particularly beautiful Kruger National Park. However, you descend to the south, the Marula area. This is not just a trip, because traveling in Africa is always great on the way. This area is also called the lion territory, so take a good look around you. It also has the largest rhino population. The region is densely overgrown with Marula, Leadwood and Acacia trees while the sides of the river are dominated by Sycamore and Jackalberries. The dense vegetation makes it more difficult to see animals, but all the more fun when you have spotted an animal. The distance you travel today is only 90 kilometers but will take more than 2.5 hours. The allowed speed in the park is a maximum of 50 km per hour on the asphalted roads, this gives you the opportunity to look around and enjoy the wildlife. Keep in mind your total travel time, although today’s tour is short in terms of kilometers (90 km), it can take a long time, especially if there is an elephant on the road, for example! Estimated travel time 2 hours and 40 minutes, you can make a stopover en route at the Skukuza Rest Camp where there is a shop and restaurant. When you drive through the park, always keep a safe distance from the animals, only get out at designated picnic areas or at the camps in the park and make sure you arrive at your overnight address before dark.

You will stay the next night in Jock Safari Lodge on the basis of full board and safari activities. This luxury accommodation is inspired by the legend of ‘Jock of the Bushveld’, a story about the dedication of dog Jock to his owner Sir Percy Fitzpatrick and their adventures in the African Bush. You can check in from 14:00.

This morning you will leave as early as possible, because you have a long journey ahead (+/- 300 km, 4.5 hours). You head south and drive past Ngwenya (possibly visit the famous glass factory located here), Mbabane and Manzini. You can then choose the south-eastern route via Big Bend or the south-western route via Nhlangano. You leave Eswatini and drive to the village of Pongola in South Africa. You are now in the north of Kwazulu Natal province and spend the night in the Amakhosi Private Game Reserve.

Two nights in Amakhosi Safari Lodge on full board basis (brunch, high tea, dinner) and including game drives (early morning and afternoon)

Today you will see a lot of Kwazulu Natal province as you head south to your next accommodation. You follow the N2 highway until you reach Umlanga Rocks, a coastal town just north of Durban. After spending a few nights in the bush, it is now time for a night on the coast of the Indian Ocean. This coastal strip is also called Dolphin Coast, so you may see a few dolphins while taking a beach walk. Today’s distance is 360 kilometers, more than 4 hours away.

Also today you drive a beautiful route through the province of Kwazulu Natal (200 km, 2.5 hours drive). From Durban you take the N3 highway towards the Drakensberg. You may want to stop for a cup of coffee along the way in a small village along the route such as Howick. Near this village you will also find a beautiful piece of art that recalls the place where Nelson Mandela was captured. The area you are driving through today is called the Midlands Meander and is known for its many art shops. If you have enough time, then we definitely recommend you to visit a few shops along this route and have something to eat and drink.

You will stay two nights at Cleopatra Drakensberg Mountain Farmhouse on a bed, breakfast and dinner basis. Focused on delicious food and rustic luxury, this 5-star lodge has gained worldwide fame as a romantic and gastronomic accommodation. From the accommodation, it is only a 10-minute drive to the Highmoor Nature Reserve where you can walk. There are also walking routes on the territory of Cleopatra Lodge.

Today you have a ride of about 285 kilometers (3.5 hours away) to the artists’ village of Clarens. From your accommodation you drive to Mooirivier where you continue your journey on the N3 motorway. You can take the N3 to Harrismith and from there head towards Clarens or leave the N3 highway earlier and drive via Bergville and along the Sterkfontein Dam. Both routes take the same amount of time and are almost the same in terms of kilometers. The route via the Sterkfontein Dam is not recommended in rain and fog (partly unpaved).

Before you arrive in Clarens, drive through the Golden Gate Highlands National Park. You drive through a beautiful nature area with green hills and sandstone rocks. In this park there is also a Basotho Cultural Village where you can take a look. the park itself is perfect for walks / hikes.

Accommodation in Mont d’Or on a bed and breakfast basis. In the village there are restaurants and a small supermarket

After breakfast, prepare for the final trip of this journey: you leave for Johannesburg airport (310 km daily distance). Here you return the rental car and your return journey to the Netherlands begins.

Would you rather extend the trip a little? Let us know and we will make a suitable proposal for you.