Travelling in SA

[Duane_Bosch]

Hey all.

 

My little family and I have just gotten back from a 4000km road trip to Kruger and back. We had planned a trip to France for June but Covid put a stop to that. So to scratch our travel itch we put together a little road trip for the 3 of us.

 

Hout Bay

Port Alfred

Ballito

Malelane into the Kruger

4 nights in the Kruger

Out of the Kruger at Phalaborwa

Clarens (actually a farm between Bethlehem and Fouriesburg)

Uniondale

Hout Bay

 

Port Alfred was great. We couldn't hit the beach so we had a swim in the Kowie. Loved that. Ballito was great. I love the KZN coast.

 

We saw some amazing things in the Kruger including Leopard, White Lion, A MASSIVE bull elephant, an African Crown eagle. I got to sit on my parents memorial bench at Orpen. I had a Hyena 2m from me whilst I was braaing our dinner.

 

But the thing that really struck me was how utterly stunning our amazing country is. I've been consistently heading for Europe for the last 10 years on my annual break but this trip has made it far more difficult to book those tickets. The ever changing terrain makes for a beautiful beautiful country. People are friendly and the accommodation that we stayed in was next level. From a tent in the Kruger, a stone house on a game farm in Uniondale to a Super High end rockstar villa in Ballito.

 

 

 

What a place!

Edited January 4, 2021 by Duane_Bosch

[Long Wheel Base]

I saw your pictures on IG. Those Hyena eyes in that dark photo!!!!!!!

The last time we went to KNP we spent just over a week there but we stayed in 4 different camp sites. I think it was the orpen satellite camp where we stayed in a tented cabin right on the dry river bed. We also had a hyena come right next to the fence. There was also a resident honey badger that raided the dustbins every night.

[Duane_Bosch]

I saw your pictures on IG. Those Hyena eyes in that dark photo!!!!!!!

The last time we went to KNP we spent just over a week there but we stayed in 4 different camp sites. I think it was the orpen satellite camp where we stayed in a tented cabin right on the dry river bed. We also had a hyena come right next to the fence. There was also a resident honey badger that raided the dustbins every night.

Yup. Same camp. Tamboti. On the dry river bed. Possibly the same Hyena even. Apparently they make the drain pipes their home. It came up to the fence twice. That pic I took and when I was braaing 2m from the fence.

 

They ask visitors to report sighting of Southern Ground Hornbill. We saw 4 cruising that river bed. If we had more time I'd have just parked off on the stoep of that tent with a frosty and binoculars and watched the show from sunrise to sunset.

 

We spent 4 nights in the Kruger in 4 different camps. I'd never been as an adult and I let my other half and her daughter pick the camps. She even paid for that part of the trip. In fact they did the driving and I was LITTERALY a passenger in the kruger for the 4 days. 

 

We stayed at Byameti, Skukuza, Tamboti and Mopani. For me the winner was Tamboti. Hands down.

Edited January 4, 2021 by Duane_Bosch

[Slowbee]

Covid as put a postponement to our 2021 Africa trip - so RSA for 6 months here we come ....

[PhilipV]

Covid as put a postponement to our 2021 Africa trip - so RSA for 6 months here we come ....

How is the build coming along?

[Rocket-Boy]

Port Alfred is a great spot. East pier has a long peeling right when its working well, some of the best waves I have had. West pier has a gnarly as heck wedge when the conditions are right. Been spat out on the beach many times.

 

SA is beautiful but its dampened by constantly needing to check your surroundings and see who is watching you. There are so many amazing places all over that are just not safe to visit anymore. Its very sad.

[Slowbee]

How is the build coming along?

Christmas happened  - so it is not.

 

But everything is in the balance for the code 10 time frame ....

 

Booking the learners this week, then I can check when I can book for the drivers. Swellendam is looking inviting.

[Long Wheel Base]

How is the build coming along?

 

 

Christmas happened  - so it is not.

 

But everything is in the balance for the code 10 time frame ....

 

Booking the learners this week, then I can check when I can book for the drivers. Swellendam is looking inviting.

Tell us more.............

[Stretch]

South Africa is an incredibly beautiful destination..I don't think there's any doubt about that

[Bateleur1]

South Africa is a stunning country wrt to scenery.  You have a little bit of Europe down in the Cape and Garden route, you have the Karoo, the Namaqua, the Kalahari, then the Eastern Cape (which is propably the part I know the least), KZN (the coast actually not on my list of top places to be ... too warm for me) with the Drakensberg and then the lowveld with the Kruger.  

 

My next visit to SA must include a stay for a few nights in the Kruger. No doubt.

 

I was lucky with my job in SA I spent about 15 years (actually more) doing road trips all over SA going to places I would not normally go.  Loved it.

[Stretch]

 

 

I was lucky with my job in SA I spent about 15 years (actually more) doing road trips all over SA going to places I would not normally go. Loved it.

Likewise..I got to visit a lot of the country doing work related trips... But nothing beats the train journey from kzn to cape town and back every year growing up

[Long Wheel Base]

Cycling has taken me to some amazing destinations and allowed me to ride some superb roads I would probably never have done otherwise.

['Dale]

I've been to most places on Mama Earth.

When I get back to the lap of South Africa, I kiss the earth. Often cry. 

She's pretty.

This place is a miracle place.