For those that are interested or planning a similar trip below are details of our trip to Kruger during May/June 2018:

Route

In response to my previous post on this forum in January, we used mostly national/toll routes as was suggested. The primary route that we did was as follows:

1. N1 Cape Town to Kroonvaal Toll Plaza, R59 to Meyerton then to R42 (Malonjeni Guest Farm).
2. R42 to Heidelberg and via Benoni onto N12 which links in with N4 at Witbank, then N4 to Komatipoort
3. We entered Kruger at Crocodile Bridge and exited at Phalaborwa.
4. From Phalaborwa via Hoedspruit and Hazyview to Sabie, down to N4 and then via N4, N12, R59 and N1 to Beaufort West.
5. Then to N12 to Oudtshoorn and via R62 to Montagu/Worcester and N1 home.

Besides game viewing in the KNP, we also did a few day trips such as:

1. From Lower Sabie Rest Camp exiting at Crocodile Bridge then to Komatipoort and via N4 to Malelane and in again at Malelane Gate and back to Lower Sabie Rest Camp.
2. From Swadini Resort right around the Blyde River Canyon and back to Swadini
3. From Sabie to Pilgrims Rest and Graskop and back to Sabie.

Total Distance: 7,130 km (of which about 4,500 km was towing)

Fuel Cost: R12,788

Fuel Litres: 834 L

Average Consumption: 11,74 L/100km (Navara 2,5 dci 4x4 Auto)

Total Toll Road Fees (N1 & N4): R 653

Accommodation

Number of Nights: 51

Total Cost: R11,593

Parks used:

Beaufort West - Karoo NP

Colesberg - Onze Rust Guest House

Bloemfontein - Riviera Guest Farm

Meyerton - Malonjeni Guest Farm

White River - Ben-mari Resort

Kruger NP - Lower Sabie, Satara, Maroela, Letaba & Shingwedzi Rest Camps

Phalaborwa - Forever Resort Phalaborwa Safari Park

Hoedspriut - Forever Resort Swadini

Sabie – Merry Pebbles

Meyerton - Malonjeni Guest Farm

Winburg - Aldam Resort

Colesberg - Forever Resort Gariep Dam

Beaufort West - Karoo NP

Oudtshoorn – Klein Plaas

Montagu – Montagu Caravan Park

Dankie vir terugvoering...klink of dit lekker bedrywige toer was...as jy fotos het, plaas vir ons.

John baie dankie vir al jou detail inligting op wat sekerlik 'n baie aangename toer was. 

Aangesien jou inligting vars is wat is die kanse vir 'n beskrywing oor al die plekke waar julle oornag het. 

Dankie nogmaals. 

This is such an amazing topic. 

Thank you. 

Danie-SLK wrote:

John baie dankie vir al jou detail inligting op wat sekerlik 'n baie aangename toer was. 

Aangesien jou inligting vars is wat is die kanse vir 'n beskrywing oor al die plekke waar julle oornag het. 

Dankie nogmaals. 

John

Sal jy, asseblief, per geleentheid ook die parke waar julle oorgestaan het rate sodat die inligting beskikbaar is later?

Thank you very much indeed.

I too would be interested in your rating of the Caravan Parks and if you had to book ahead.

Many thanks.

Thanks for the comments.

Unfortunately many of the sightings, while good, were in the distance and our photographic skills together with a "mik n druk"  leave a lot to be desired. So such scenes remain in our memory of a wonderful trip!

Ratings of all resorts have already been done. In fact one that I scored below the norm I presume prompted Admin to create the interesting topic "Resort Rating System - Behind the Scenes" a few weeks back. I stand by my rating! However having said that, I acknowledge that every person has their own ideas of what they want from a park/resort. And over time those needs change. Forty years ago it was swings and sea-saws for the kids. In the teenage years it was waterways for boating. Now for us it is clean ablutions, security and security!

But having been home for a few days already, the next park is calling! Will we see you at Rondeberg again this year Pottie? Hopefully the recent rains will bring more flowers this year.

Hi Gavin

We had booked sites on the way up due to the fact that we travelled over a long weekend which typically we don't do. I was therefore concerned that we may have accommodation problems. It, however, would not have been necessary.

The Kruger rest camps were booked in July 2017. Lower Sabie is the most difficult to get a site. All other rest camps were only booked after we secured Lower Sabie.

Dankie John, dit is nou goeie en volledige oorhoofse terugvoer wat nodig is vir so n toer, die detail moet elke reisiger maar self ondervind. Grte Andries

Kruger always a bargin and relacksing

Good morning John.

Thank you for letting me know regards forward booking.

Enjoy your West Coast trip.

Regards.

Gavin.

John

Unfortunately we will not be in the west coast area this year.

Having a long stay at ATKV Eiland. Then back home to do some maintenance and cleanup.

Will be joining the kids for December at Forever Plett.

Already booked long stay at Eiland for 2019. Still have to decide on the rest of the year.

Maybe 2019 at Rondeberg which is an excellent base to explore the region.

We are sold on the Sederberg and wil come to explore further.

Enjoy your trip.

Vir 51 nagte en die petrol/diesel wat die hoogte in is met die tol hekke wat ook al jou geld opeis bly dit nogtans die moeite werd.

Dit met geen teenspoed.

Wel gedaan. 

Hoop ek kan dit ook eendag mee maak.

Dankie vir die terugvoer.

Geniet die volg toer.

I will see you at Eiland for coffie Proffie.