South Africa – Top things to do in 3 weeks
Route
Day 0 – Zürich – Johannesburg
After a 10h 30min. flight with SWISS from Zürich (10:40 pm) to Johannesburg (09:10 am) we took our car from Tempest Car Hire directly from the airport. First, we were a bit confused and couldn’t find the rental station, but thanks to a helpful guy (in which we didn’t trust at the beginning) we found it. To reduce the stress in Johannesburg we had the 2×4 ………already booked through a german platform billiger-mietwagen.de. We were not sure if we needed a 2×4 because people said that the roads are pretty good. But due to our experiences in Namibia, we decided to take a 2×4, which we later didn’t regret.
Day 1 – Johannesburg – Blyde River Canyon
So lets the fun begin! As everybody told us to directly leave Johannesburg because of the criminality we took a 6h drive east to Blyde River Canyon. As it was already dawn when we arrived, we just parked the car in front of the bungalow in the A Forever Resort and took our cameras. The light was amazing and the Three Rondavels, which got the name because of the similar shape of the local huts, presented themselves in front of us.
Day 2 – Blyde River Canyon
The Blyde River Canyon is known for hiking and the awesome view of the Three Rondavels. As we spend the night already in the national park we didn’t have to pay the entrance fee and we were allowed to start to hike before the park opened. First, we needed to sign in at the reception and they give you a map with the hiking paths and the length of the hikes. Just before the amazing sunrise, we parked the car on a lookout point where we had a good view of the Three Rondavels. We started to hike down to the canyon and decided to take the Leopard trail which was supposed to take us … hours.
Day 3 – Blyde River Canyon – Krüger National Park Satara Rest Camp
Today we decided to only do a short hike and then drive down the Panorama Route. On the way, we passed several lockouts and in most of them, we needed to pay entrance. First, we went to see the Three Rondavels from another perspective (entry 50R), which was for us not worth it. Too many people and the view is more or less the same as in the A Forever Resort. After that, we checked out the God’s Window (entry 30R) where you have a view over the forest after a short walk. And at the end of the route we stopped by the Pinackles (entry 30R) just before they closed the entrance at 5 PM.
After our first and not last drive in the darkness, we arrived at the BTV Guesthouse, which was a bit complicated to find. We had to stop on the way in a supermarket area to ask for direction because the address shown on the GPS didn’t exist. The reason was, that they were still in construction. Therefore the looked a bit empty and cold and we had a shower in a wardrobe. The reason why we chose this place was the proximity to the Phabeni Gate of the Kruger National Park.
Day 4 – Krüger NP Skukuza Rest Camp
lion, cheetah (running to leave the NP) giraffes, elephant alone
Day 5 – Krüger NP Elephant Walk Retreat
Day 6 – Krüger NP Crocodile Beidge Safari Lodge
Day 7 – Krüger NP – Schoemansdal (Border Swaziland)
Day 8- Swaziland Hlane NP – Shazibe (Sodwana Bay)
Day 9 – iSimangaliso Wetland Park – Santa Lucia
Day 10 – Hluhlwe-iMfolozi NP
Day 11 – Santa Lucia – Drakensberge (Bergville)
Day 12 – Drakensberge Tugela Gorge Trail
Day 13 – Drakensberge Shinx Trail – Underberg
Day 14 – Underberg – Sani Pass – Lesotho
5 AM, foggy sky and freezing temperatures. We, of course, planned to hike up the Sani Pass (2’876 m above sea level). As it’s only allowed to drive up when you have a 4×4 car, we left our car in the border control of South Africa (open from 6:00-18:00). Because of the difficult road conditions they also offer 1 day or 2 days tours from Underberg to the Sani Pass, which we found quite expensive.
After around 2 1/2h we managed to climb the 8km up and on top there was no fog anymore. And the reason was the strong wind that was blowing. It looked amazing, the clouds holding back by an invisible border. And there was a border. So don’t forget to bring your passport! After the paperwork was done and another stamp owned, we checked into the Sani Mountain Lodge Backpackers we enjoyed taking a warm shower, even if it was freezing cold in the room and outside. Nonetheless, we were so fascinated by the endless landscape that we walked a bit around and enjoyed the loneliness. To heat up we had hot chocolate in the highest pub in Africa and we even had WiFi. As we were too lazy to carry up the food we already booked in advance dinner and breakfast which was a good idea. It was delicious and we had to fare too much food! This article mentions your favorite at super low prices. Choose from same-day delivery, drive-up delivery or order pickup.
Sani mountain lodge check-in the highest pub in South Africa with wifi backpackers: freezing, 3 beds, fireplace and sofas, another house with showers and freezing, war water though, always take fresh clothes, check the arena out, walking to the edge, was nothing, fog coming up, very windy, black boy and he asked for a pic, having a drink, oldies from Durben and they looked very arrogant, food was delicious!!! amazing stars, we locked us out, back to the lodge to get the key, on the way we met the workers, set fire and played cards, it was very very cold!, south African guy with the bike
Day 15 – Lesotho – Underberg – Durben
We started a sunny day with an awesome breakfast buffet. They served mealie pap, a South African breakfast made of milled with maize with milk, sugar, and butter. Full of energy we walked the street down to the border post. It took us more or less 2h. Due to the scenic views and the crazy wind that was blowing us nearly out of our shoes.
Thanks to the good road conditions we arrived after a 4h drive in Durban. It was a huge contrast to the places that we have seen so far. Massive mansions with gardens and high fences lined the street. Following the advice of the landlady we took the car to Umhalanga. We had dinner in the Flamingo drive at the Butcher Boys. It was pretty strange for us the be in such a crowded restaurant after all the nature and silence.
woman crying because of the broken car and the wind and it was cold, hiking down a bit raining, very windy!!, Dani bought a hat, pics of the route with the turns, a lot of tours coming up, a group of 6 people with sneakers, the sun came out, really nice view, friendly people, souvenirs
good street to Durban no bumps, massive houses, fences, pools,
7 Gunda, was no-one, some guy was there and called the owner, they changed us to the other house not far away, 8 Gunda, no apartment but a double room, they said it was something about the internet (10R less), a woman talking about rain and
Muschlanga, flamingo drive, butcher boys, really nice, loud a lot of people, not used to it anymore,
Day 16 – Durben – Cape Town Lion’s Head
Day 17 – Capetown – Hermanus Pinguins
Day 18 – Hermanus – Babylone Storen
Day 19 – Hermanus Wales and Sharks – Capetown
Day 20 – Capetown Tablemountain
Day 21 – Captown – Johannesburg
Day 22 – Johannesburg – Zürich
Map
Costs
Transport
Accommodation
Food
Fun
Accommodations
Blyde River Canyon: A Forever Resort
Hazyview: BTV Guesthouse
Kruger NP: Satara Rest Camp, Skukuza Rest Camp, Elephant Walk Retreat, Crocodile Bridge Safari Lodge
Swaziland Border: Mamli Guest House
Sodwana Bay: Sodwana Bay Lodge
Santa Lucia: 68 The Bridge
Bergvill: Dalmore Guest House
Underberg: Arbuckle House
Lesotho: Sani Mountain Lodge https://www.sanimountain.co.za/
Durben: 8 Gunda Crescent
Cape Town: Signal Hill Lodge
Hermanus: Hermanus Backpacker & Budget Accommodation
Johannesburg: Premier Hotel O.R. Tambo