Can anyone tell me the approximate driving time from Joberg to the Hluhluwe-Umfolozi game reserve? Looks like 5-6 hours. Has anyone done this drive? I have done the drive from Joberg to Kruger but have never been to Hluhluwe Umfolozi. Any thoughts on this or info on the park itself would be appreciated. Thanks.

Grafton,

it will be a bit longer than that. I's count on seven, more if the traffic in/around Jo-berg is as crunched up as normal.

Umfolozi is wonderful, by the way, and I'll be in the area mid June. Safe travels.

Have not been to Hluhluwe yet but am headed there in mid September. Will be driving from Bella-Bella. Hope the park is as nice as I've heard.

WE did this route in 2002, it basically takes most of the day, with stops for refreshments and food.

I'm going from memory here, but you can either go on the highway to Durban and then turn off early or you can go through Piet Retief & Pongola.

If you go on the highway in a hire car (no major worries about speeding tickets) you should be able to do it in about 6 hours, but the other route has extensive road works between Piet Retief and Ponola that changes that part of the journey from 1 hour to at least 2 1/2 hours. Both routes have good scenery and the parks are great.

One thing you shouldn't miss is the game capture bomas between the two parks. Officially known as the Centenary Centre. You can never be sure of what you'll find there but it's well worth checking out just in case.

If you have time while you're in the area, you might like to check out Duma Zulu, which is the Zulu cultural centre near Hluhluwe or alternatively the one nearer Durban called Valley of a thousand hills......... actually, the area is chokka block full of things to do and places to see. - The battlefields are also worth a look.

Hope that helps.

took us about 7 hrs, little confusing getting out of joberg, but once out its a nice drive. both of the parks you can see in about a day each. umfolozi is rather limited roadways, but quite a natural area with lots of game to been seen. the birdlife in the delta is really something to be seen

Grafton,

I drove through there two months ago..... man all I can say is Eish as i do not want to be caught out swearing and cussing on this site.

To give you the run down, we took the N 17 straight out of Johannesburg the road is okay, but really crappy in some points, there is long delays from Ermelo onwards as they are busy retarring the road which they have been busy with since 2003! The section where you go through / along Swaziland is interesting as the driving skills from motorists in that area is shocking, we saw a govn offical die in a car crash there when his driver overtook a taxi on a blind rise with a solid white line and his an oncomming vehicle!

But the short of the story is that we made it, it took us 9 1/2 hours to reach Richardsbay.

Oh do not even try going on the N4 and getting off at Middleburg and taking the N 11 down, that section of the road between Middleburg and Ermelo is shot and is a tiring drive behind countless coal trucks that chew up the road infront of you.

Mail me if you want any more specific details or call me on + 27 82 695 5327,

Regards


Aubrey

Another alternative would be to fly from Jo'burg to Richards Bay and then take a hire car from there.......... if you did that, you'd avoid all the roadworks that are plaguing the country since SA got the world cup.

You'd have to check that you're allowed to take firearms on that route though. (Assuming you're travelling with firearms)

Thank you for all the info. The trip would actually be after the world cup, so perhaps some of the construction will be complete by then?

I plan on using a firearms storage company like Air2000 etc.. if that option is still available.

My wife and I are researching options for an "after hunt" tour and this park looks like something we would like, especially the walking/wilderness trails.