Celia

About how long does it take to drive from Imfolozi to Johannesburg? It's been a while since I've done that, and I can't remember how long it is.

Thanks

spassvogel

I estimate roughly 6 hrs. From Umfolozi (I think that's what you mean) you go to the N2 and drive up to JNB.

Are yiou asking because you do safari in Umfolozi, drive up to OR TAMBO and fly out home in the evening?

Give some more details (time of day, year, before/after that journey?) please.

SV

spassvogel

http://www.sa-venues.com/maps/south-africa.htm

This map just gives you an idea of the routing.

SV

ArthurSA

SV: Imfolozi is correct, Umfolozi is the old name.

Bushkid0

Yip. Imfolozi is the new name.

I would count on at least 8-9 hours to that trip. It's a little more complicated than freeway travel, and you travel through a number of towns.

I also don't think that the purpose, timing, day, date, etc. make too much difference, unlss you're driving during peak holiday periods or during the World Cup period. Then add about 25% to be safe.

spassvogel

Arthur
THX for the update!

SV

Celia

We're staying at Mpila camp in Imfolozi, and we were planning to drive to Jo'burg in one day. We don't leave the country till the next day, late in the evening, so it isn't a question of catching a plane or anything, more a matter of whether we want to leave Imfolozi quite early in the morning, and/or arrive in Johannesburg quite late in the evening.

I'm wondering whether we should revise our plans and do a stopover somewhere along the way.

jeroenvm

I drove Mpila to Joburg alone in about 7 hours recently - leaving around 9am and arriving home in time for dinner. But at that time nearly all the roadworks were inactive due to Xmas holidays, it may take an hour or more longer again now. There are a few roadwork sections with traffic lights, with waits of about 20mins.

The best route to the N2 is south from Mpila to Mtubatuba along the R618 and then northeast from there - the road going through the Hluhluwe section of the park is winding and narrow and you'll spend 30 mins longer doing that route. Don't even consider heading north along the R618.

The N2 is a lovely drive, though the asphalt gets worse once you leave KZN and enter Mpumalanga. Lots of cops checking speed along the route when I drove so be careful.
The towns along the route all have guesthouses (I remember Piet Retief had lots along the road) but I'd suggest getting the trip over with in a day.
Ermelo is a good late lunch stop - the mall in the centre with the Woolworths store has some good places to eat. The smaller towns only seem to offer hamburger joints.

Shitty signposting in Ermelo and later on in Leandra mean you WILL get lost there. It's a good idea to print out the google maps for those two towns. In Leandra, the left turn to the new N17 is not indicated. After driving along the town's main road, turn left at the intersection at the end of the centre, just beyond the Spar supermarket that's on your right.

We loved iMfolozi, plenty of great sightings and the landscape is lovely. We went to the Hluhluwe section twice but saw very few animals. It's much hillier there and the views are nice - but next time I'll skip it. Mplia camp is good but bring supplies, there's no restaurant and the camp shop only has the basics and schlepping to Mtubatuba for food is a drag. The camp has no fence so there are various kinds of antilopes, zebras and hyenas around the bungalows at night - take care.

ArthurSA

Yes, that non-existent N17 sign at Leandra is unforgiveable. And it's been missing for a long time, it was probably never there in the first place after the N17 got that far. I got caught out once a long time ago, returning from a business trip, and ended up on the old roads to Jo'burg. I was proud of my aged memory when returning after this last Christmas at a nature reserve in Mtunzini (KZN North Coast), when we got 100m past the turn-off and then I remembered.

Celia

Thank you, jeroenvm and Arthur.

One possibility suggested by Google maps is that we exit Imfolozi at the Cengeni gate, then proceed to Ulundi, and eventually get the R34 to Newcastle, where we'd get the N3 (or whatever N road that is) to Jo'burg.

This takes a little more than an hour longer than the N2 route. We liked it, because we really like driving in the SA countryside.

Do you know what the road out of the Cengeni gate is like?

Celia

jeroenvm

Celia - I've been told it's not a good option, but haven't tried myself.

travel_kbl

Celeia
Have actually driven that road, and although its nice to see the country side this is not a good option. Really would suggest that you rather stick to the N2..

travel_kbl

.... you will have lovely scenery on the N2 too!

Celia

Thanks, guys.

Why isn't it good? Unpaved? Rocky? Twisty and turny?

Thanks for your opinions, I appreciate it.

Celia

travel_kbl

I personally did not like the road, loads of pot holes, animals etc. etc. I think it might be safe to say that (I stand to be corrected) for any tourist it much better & safer to stick to the highways if you are not familiar with the SA roads.
Especially in case you have a flat tyre, breakdown etc.

Hope this helps!

Celia

Thanks! We've actually encountered most of those things before -- potholes, animals, flat tire, and even speeding tickets. None of that has ever dampened our pleasure in driving in South Africa, though.

What we're thinking now is that we'll make our routing decision after we're there, depending on how early we wake up, how much we feel like hurrying, and so forth.

Your helpful info here has been great in helping us come to that conclusion.

Thanks!

Celia

ArthurSA

I've just looked at the maps. It is an option to take the R34 from near Vryheid towards Newcastle (you don't actually go into the town), join the N11 just outside Newcastle, then the R23 at Volksrust and through Standerton, then finally join up with the N3. We partially took that route on our early December trip from Jo'burg, except that after Newcastle we went via Dundee and Greytown because we were first going to spend time in Ballito. We took that longer (and totally toll-free!) route rather than our usual mostly N3 one, for scenic reasons.

But coming back after Christmas from further North up the coast we experienced most of that other route, which is definitely the shortest from Imfolozi. After Ulundi/R66 it's R34 to near Vryheid, then R33 to Piet Retief, then N2, then (if you remember the turnoff!) N17 at Leandra. And yes there were potholes part of the wsay. But nothing a low-slung SLK with a trailer couldn't negotiate or handle.

Celia

Arthur, thanks for the helpful info! We'll have a 4x4, so it looks like we could face potholes with equanimity, should we decide on that route.

I've printed Google Maps directions for both the N2 route and the route through Ulundi, Vryheid, and Newcastle. We'll decide which to do on the day.

We leave home Tuesday for SA, and I'm really getting in the mood!

Celia