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Some advice re driving from Durban to Capetown via Umtata

Some advice re driving from Durban to Capetown via Umtata

Old Nov 20th, 2012, 12:26 PM
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Some advice re driving from Durban to Capetown via Umtata

My husband and I will visit South Africa for the 9th time in 40 years so you could say we are SA Veterans. We have seen a lot of this spectacular country which we regard a little bit as our "home away from home" not in the least because we have lots of family members living there. Back in 1974, together with a friend, I drove the entire length and width of the country in an non-airconditioned VW Beetle. My husband has never driven the distance between Durban and Capetown before though and we are thinking of filling in that "gap" during our next trip which will be in February 2013. We plan to visit a cousin who lives in East London, hence the idea of driving instead of flying.
Questions: Can anyone give me advice regarding this particular route? Can it be considered a safe drive? Any advice on accommodation along the way? Is it worth to make a detour via the the Wild Coast and if so what place can you recommend? Any advice welcome
Elisabeth54 is offline  
Old Jul 25th, 2014, 11:23 PM
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Did you ever make this trip? We are heading to Capetown next week and planning on driving the garden route then continuing to Durban and Johannesburg. Would love to get your input on the route and stops.

Thanks!
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Old Aug 11th, 2014, 06:46 AM
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Did you do the driving trip noted above. We will be driving south from Durban to Cape Elizabeth next April and wonder how the driving is on the N2 or N61? Any recommendations or suggestions.
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Old Aug 29th, 2014, 05:28 AM
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Hello narissav and dfross, sorry I noticed your post only now. No, first of all we ended up not going in 2013 after all but instead went in April of 2014 and made different choices: we drove through the Klein Karoo, via the Swartberg Pass up to the Great Karoo and also spent some more time in the Cape Town and Stellenbosch area.

I hear from others though that the road through the former homelands Transkei and Ciskei is ok.You must just be aware that cattle and (drunken) people might share this highway with you. One day we might still drive from Cape Town to East London and from their to the Wild Coast. It is said to be one of the few still unspoiled areas of South Africa.
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