Bostoe

Booze back on Monday. It's a start. Baby steps...'n klein knertsie while perusing our past camping photos. Then when we get to go camping again, we can fire up the laptop while gazing out over the ocean and check out our photos of home braais without dop. Silver linings and all that....

Vir my is Stormsrivier weer heel billik geprys. Natal kus oorde is nie skaam om R1200 te vra per nag nie. Ek kamp tans nog binne seisoen....sou ek by Stormsrivier staan, sou dit oor Kersfees / nuwe jaar R 595 gekos het per nag. Bittermin goeie oorde vra minder as dit oor daai tyd....selfs binne land

Hint: Natal South coast {Very Close to Natalia and Karridene}, Two words V.... S..

I struggle to accept more than R250 for 2 people in a tent in mid season (Feb/Mar and November) at pensioners' rates. These are are the usual discount periods and I mostly camp Sunday to Thursday around the Cape Town area for a five day stay during my leave. Agree about Natal. Have always found their prices to be excessive just because most are on the coast. I stay 12kms from Muizenberg beach and can't remember when I hung out there last! So the sea is not a prerequisite for me. A nice to have if there's sheltered spots from the wind. I have checked out plenty of Natal sites on-line before for stopovers but would not holiday for extensive periods. The Umfolozi has no camping either and is pretty expensive for day visits from St. Lucia. The last photo may be Umhlanga or Ballito, Louis Luyt territory.....

Villa Spa! Rings a bell but have no idea where it is....

Is it as larney as it looks?

Harv wrote:

Is it as larney as it looks?

Ek dink dis nog die netjieste plek waar ek gekampeer het. Plek word baie netjies onderhou. Elke dag word alle sites gehark. Alle paaie word met n besem gevee. Daar staan by die ingange van badkamers skoonmakers....sodra jy uit die stort of bad kom, word alles afgedroog....mure alles. As jy badkamer toe gaan en toilet gebruik, kyk hulle direk of toilet in goeie toestand is vir volgende persoon om te gebruik. As jy net vinnig jou hande was by wasbak, dan was skoonmaker direk die kraan en droog die hele wasbak weer af. Jou braaier moet oom ten minste 1 meter hoog wees en jy mag nie hout vuur maak nie....dis om hulle groen grasperke te beskerm. Covid19 sal nie daar oorleef nie. Hulle is naby aan die strand.....ook net oor die trein brug en jy is op die strand.....maar al nadeel is dat as jy by n strand wil swem waar life savers is, is dit nogals n stewige entjie oor die strand loop....dis al wat ons gevang het aangesien ons baie lief is vir see swem....doen dit elke dag as ons by die see is

South Coast then. Way off my guess....

Harv wrote:

Villa Spa! Rings a bell but have no idea where it is....

Yes....Villa Spa it is! It is about 400m from Natalia. 

Jeez! Plenty of resorts near each other and they all manage to compete for customers. I have no knowledge of business economics but the management up there sure know their oats! As a local camper you would have so many options and don't have to break the bank on travelling costs. Sounds dandy to me!

Wie gaan volgende foto plaas?

Any guesses?

Here are some pics of some campsites visited over last year.  No having to guess - names are given upside-down.

Well played Douglas! Visited them all except Gamtoos, Willows and Cannon Rocks. Those Plett photos are from Plett Forever up in the ravine above the N2. Keurbooms is 3-4 kms further down at the lagoon/river mouth near Goose Valley Golf Club. Plett Forever, Montagu and Lake Pleasant in Sedgefield are on my all time favourites list ....

My previous photo is Pilgrims Rest, where we stayed for a few days in 2010 on our Kruger trip. Probably gone to pot since then, going by the subsequent political shenanigans that took place in the village a fews years later. Happy to have seen the area before the deterioration set in....

Heel moontlik Ian. Ek was 2014 laas in Pelgrims rus gewees.....die hele plek het so agteruit gegaan, twyfel of daar nog n karavaanpark is.

Hierdie is al 3 dieselfde oord. Die tenthuise in agtergrond behoort ook idee te gee

Looks like a SANpark in Vaalieland. Not a clue....

Relaxed Camper wrote:

Hierdie is al 3 dieselfde oord. Die tenthuise in agtergrond behoort ook idee te gee

North West Province

Pilanesberg. One of the 2 camps. Never been to NWP, except for my army stint in Potch! Western Transvaal in those days....Liewe land, daai herinneringe! Need a whisky now already!

Harv wrote:

Pilanesberg. One of the 2 camps. Never been to NWP, except for my army stint in Potch! Western Transvaal in those days....Liewe land, daai herinneringe! Need a whisky now already!

Yes...well done! This one is Manyane

That was an educated punt! Last one looks like Sutherland or Camdeboo. Never visited either but plan to see Valley of Desolation on my Kruger/Natal trip in the future.....

Snowbush suggests Sutherland...Sterland I think it's called.

Yip! Sterland at Sutherland.

HM wrote:

Ek dink dis tans meer as net kapokbos op die oomblik......Sneeubos

Dead right! Must be some serious ice skating going on up there at the moment....

Have no idea where the latest resort is but sites look jacked and plenty of shade. Have to pass on this one....

Not that place in Redelinghuys? I vaguely remember seeing something similar a while back but think this may be bigger and larnier....that's all I got.

Looks like we are only 3 playing.

The park is Numbi Hotel Caravan Park in Hazyview. Ideal for an early entry to Kruger via Phabeni Gate.

Easy one.

HM wrote:

Easy one.

Drakensville?

Harv said Stormsriver is a bit pricy.  I can live with that as we only camp for a few days at a time.  But what irks me, is die feeling that the camp is over commercialised.  The large numbers of overseas visitors to a large extent contributes to this.  There as just about always several buses and Avis cars with self drive visitors blocking every possible road and if you walk the path to the mouth, you seldom recognise any South Africans. For the forseeable future the atmosphere will surely be better but the hordes will in time return.  Perhaps I should not complain about this.  Tourism is an important contributor to our economy. When we South Africans visit overseas countries, just about every tourist destination is jam packed by us and other foreigners and perhaps the locals feel the same about us.

Sorry for not 'playing', but I do enjoy this thread.  We have been roughly at about half the camps shown here and it awakens the urge to go back and to visit those we have not been to yet.

Relaxed Camper wrote:

Drakensville?

Korrek.

Would also guess Drakensville. Amphitheatre. Thanks for that Numbi tip. Will definitely consider working it into a stayover before or after Kwuger....

Perry Mebbles? Tsitsikamma issue is generic down the Garden Route and even the R62. Hence I only camp out of season or midweek as far as possible.

Ek raai ook Merry Pebbles

Julle twee speel lekker raai raai.

L

Fred wrote:

Harv said Stormsriver is a bit pricy.  I can live with that as we only camp for a few days at a time.  But what irks me, is die feeling that the camp is over commercialised.  The large numbers of overseas visitors to a large extent contributes to this.  There as just about always several buses and Avis cars with self drive visitors blocking every possible road and if you walk the path to the mouth, you seldom recognise any South Africans. For the forseeable future the atmosphere will surely be better but the hordes will in time return.  Perhaps I should not complain about this.  Tourism is an important contributor to our economy. When we South Africans visit overseas countries, just about every tourist destination is jam packed by us and other foreigners and perhaps the locals feel the same about us.

Sorry for not 'playing', but I do enjoy this thread.  We have been roughly at about half the camps shown here and it awakens the urge to go back and to visit those we have not been to yet.

Partykeer is dit ook die “expats” wat kom kuier wonder wat is die reaksie van die locals en dan natuurlik ons familie wat bly is om ons te sien en die reaksie van die mense wat maar onvergenoeg is 

HM wrote:

Efk geniet julle kommentaar en fotos.

Hierdie een is my gunsteling 

Gaan voort.

Skuus. Moet seker eers Geert s'n kry. Dan sal ek weer myne plaas.

Was that Merry Pebbles punt right?! No idea what the place looks like...that WAS a shot in the dark. Maybe the lottery finally has my name on it. L?.... Lakeview, Leisureview?  Another blindskoot. Bela-Bela (if the L stands for Limpopo). Can't think of any resorts I've been to that start with L.....Loskop Forever? Ha ha! Made them all up, except the Bela-Bela one.

Relaxed Camper wrote:

L

Was nog nie hier nie. Raai dis ATKV Klein Kariba?

Harv wrote:

Was that Merry Pebbles punt right?! No idea what the place looks like...that WAS a shot in the dark. Maybe the lottery finally has my name on it. L?.... Lakeview, Leisureview?  Another blindskoot. Bela-Bela (if the L stands for Limpopo). Can't think of any resorts I've been to that start with L.....Loskop Forever? Ha ha! Made them all up, except the Bela-Bela one.

Merry Pebbles is correct. Did you get a peek at the one I deleted?

Nope. Which one did you delete? What was the L clue? Klein Kariba. Is that Limpopo or Natal. Definitely heard of it.

HM wrote:

Was nog nie hier nie. Raai dis ATKV Klein Kariba?

Nee....seker so 30km van Klein Kariba af

All from same place. The coastline should help. Probably the best left point break in the country, though that day the sea was as flat as a pancake!

Harv. You are at Elandsbaai?

Relaxed Camper wrote:

Nee....seker so 30km van Klein Kariba af

Dalk Weesgerus?

HM wrote:

Dalk Weesgerus?

Jip....dis hy daai! Ons sou weer daar gekamp het oor paasnaweek....maar moes toe kanseleer agv covid19....sit nou met krediet. Altyd n lekker plek om net te onspan met skoon geriewe....tariewe is vir my altyd billik. Dis ook die eerste oord wat ek besoek het toe ek my 1ste karavaan gekry het. Hulle het einde laasjaar al die badkamers oorgedoen....het dit nog nie gesien nie, maar blykbaar lyk dit heel nice

Well played HM! That's Elands Bay! Vensterklip is the camping resort, about 5 kms up the road. Only 10 sites all with their own braai and dishwashing facility as shown. Velorenvlei beyond the pasture...good birding to be had. The photo of the ocean was taken from the hotel. Old school and unpretentious but what a sunset view with a sundowner! Where about is Weesgerus in Vaalieland? Apologies, but my local geography is pretty bad. 

Here's the "vensterklip" the campsite is named after. It's on the hill as you head north to Lamberts Bay...

Googled it. North of Pretoria and Bela-Bela...not a bad guess. Lovely place. Maybe if my Kruger trip involves north to south as before, this would definitely deserve a visit...

Ian, on your KNP N-S trips, which camps do you stay in and how long in each one?

Harv wrote:

Well played HM! That's Elands Bay! Vensterklip is the camping resort, about 5 kms up the road. Only 10 sites all with their own braai and dishwashing facility as shown. Velorenvlei beyond the pasture...good birding to be had. The photo of the ocean was taken from the hotel. Old school and unpretentious but what a sunset view with a sundowner! Where about is Weesgerus in Vaalieland? Apologies, but my local geography is pretty bad. 

The day after running the Two Oceans we decided to let the car take us north and ended up at Elandsbaai. What would have been one night at the hotel became three days. Fell in love with the place and the people.

There was a small campsite next to the hotel back then.

Harv wrote:

Googled it. North of Pretoria and Bela-Bela...not a bad guess. Lovely place. Maybe if my Kruger trip involves north to south as before, this would definitely deserve a visit...

The only resort I have camped at is Forever Warmbad. Now Bela Bela. But looking through mags, internet, reviews etc there are a lot of nice resorts all around Bela Bela.

 HM: Was up there 2015. The campsite at the hotel is below that garden wall. Shrubs between the sites for privacy and some wind protection. Reckon it's still going.

Steamer: 

Only visited KNP once. Planned a year in advance for camp stops and groceries etc. Spent 3 weeks in the park as I reckoned it would be a one time thing and the travelling costs and tolls had to be factored in. It was 2010 Aug/Sep after the football world cup. Every camp in Kruger we alternated between cheap fixed bungalows and tenting. Hence we only needed ice every other day as we could stock meat and ice bricks in the fridges provided.

Cape Town to Karoo NP, Reynecke Park, De Rust then into the park. Punda Maria 1 night (tent), Shingwedzi 2 nights (chalet), Letaba 2 nights (tent), Mopani (just had a brekkie overlooking the Pioneer Dam), Olifants (just our own leftovers for brekkie), Satara 4 nights (tent), Skukuza 2 nights (tent), Pretoriuskop 6 nights (3 nights tent, 3 nights bungalow without fridge). This was due to swapping out Berg-en-Dal booking as the baboon issue had become out of hand and there were controlled fires in the area. Lower Sabie 2 nights (hut), Croc Bridge (skottel brekkie on return from grocery shopping), Skukuza 3 nights (safari tent with fridge). 

Then Pilgrims Rest, Ermelo, Golden Gate NP, Aliwal North (family), Karoo NP then home. Planning Natal and Southern Kruger for next and last trip BUT...can see this not being cast in stone. The north is sooo tranquil and way less traffic. Also Letaba with plenty of shade is my favourite camp in the park for tenting/caravanning. 

Enjoy if you're busy planning...it's half the fun and really gets you excited!!

The camp site belonging to the Elands Bay hotel has about six stands.  The ablutions are old but when we stayed there a few years ago, it was newly upgraded and the stay was quite pleasant.  Between the hotel and the beach and on lower ground than the hotel's camp,  is a municipal camp.  In season it might be just OK, but off season it seemed to us to be a risk camping there on your own.  There is no gate control and many people from the town came in to use the ablutions and damaged them.  The sculleries also are far below standard and it seems the municipality does not give a damn. We stayed there a previous time some more years back and it was OK then.  You can camp literally on the beach with just a fence separating you from the sea and Manatoc fences separating the stands from each other.  In 'n stormy night is sounded as if our caravan might be swept away.  It is a pity that such very nice camps should go to the dogs.

I agree the town has a lot of character and is worth a stay.  The restaurant just left of the hotel if you exit the hotel is a jewel with a lot of character and very good seafood. Well it was when we were there. Just outside the town, next to the fishing harbour, there is a permanent herd(?) of seals.  If you are careful and move slowly, you can just about get in touching distance from the.  The Sishen ore train too is a spectacle to behold.  Next time we will have a go at Vensterklip. It looks like better option that the hotel's camp.

Yeah. Good choice. Vensterklip has its own pub and has facilities for rustic functions too. Regarding the municipal site, that's indicative of most municipal  resorts in the Cape. It really is a tragedy as some of the locations really deserve better. That restaurant you mention I think may be the Wit Mossel Pot. Never popped in there...

Al 4 fotos dieselfde oord

Correct- the Wit Mossel Pot sounds right.  You should sample it.

Steamer: for your perusal...

The Drakensberg somwhere. Monks Cowl?

Relaxed Camper wrote:

Al 4 fotos dieselfde oord

Dis Mahai in die Drakensberge

That's closest to the amphitheatre isn't it?

A few of you may have passed this one before!

Lovely views. Taking a punt.

Imhoff?

Close. Imhoff is in Kommetjie, the opposite side of the peninsula.....

The campsite just south of Simons Town?  I can't remember the name off hand.

Well played Fred! Miller's Point.  Municipal park with only17 sites. Argus cyclists would have passed it on the way to Smitswinkel and Cape Point....

We have wanted to go there as it is a fabulous setting but out out of season, is seems very lonely and perhaps unsafe. Do you have any ideas on this?

The south-easter pumps here in the summer months! Would suggest you visit early autumn or winter when it's not raining. Mostly gentle westerlies and north-westerlies blowing around that time. Haven't experienced security issues but baboons may visit, though have never bothered us before. Keep a catty handy in case. Nothing special re ablutions as they are old school. Stone braais all together in one area so bring your portable if you want to braai on site. Small secluded beach below camping area. Terrific views across False Bay (that one photo through the trees shows Hangklip in the distance near Betties Bay). That and Cape Point make up the mouth of the bay. Plenty to see on drives in the area. Definitely worth a few nights if you are touring Cape Town and surrounds. The sunrise across the water is magnificent! Enjoy!

Thanks Harv- will keep all this in mind next time we get there.  We have been to the camp to see what it  looks like and I must say, the setting is probably one of the best scenic wise in the country.

Good on yer! It really is a gem!

Haven't the foggiest.

Marlothi? On the Crocodile river?

Clue. The place is overflowing when the Innibos Kunstefees is on.

Ek ken dit glad nie....gaan rowwe raaiskoot vat....Elangeni?

Dit is Lakeview Lodge. Net buite Nelspruit op die Kaapsehoop pad.

Waar?

 Lakeview worth a look. Another thumbsuck for the latest one. Berg-en-dal? Shape of buildings. Never been there....

Relaxed Camper wrote:

Waar?

Harv wrote:

 Lakeview worth a look. Another thumbsuck for the latest one. Berg-en-dal? Shape of buildings. Never been there....

Well done Ian! Berg en Dal

Drie weke hier gestaan. Raai waar.

Twee Rivieren.

Harv wrote:

Twee Rivieren.

Spot on Harv.

All our best Kgalagadi sightings were from here, as opposed to Nossob. Mata-Mata we exchanged for extra days at TR as road surface was too hectic. Ostriches, secretary bird, kori bustard, giant eagle owl, tawny eagle, black-backed jackal, lion, cheetah and caracal amongst others.

Knew the last 2.

Nice thread, please keep it going.

The NP near Kimberley....Marakele? 

Ol' man river...

Harv wrote:

The NP near Kimberley....Marakele? 

Ian, Mokala is the one near Kimberley. Marakele is near Thabazimbi.

Not Marakele or Mokala.

HM wrote:

Not Marakele or Mokala.

Clue. Near the Oasis of the Kalahari.

Harv wrote:

Ol' man river...

Is it on the Breede River?

Most certainly is! Always get the other two parks mixed up!

HM - Red Sands outside of Kuruman.