Getting from Johannesburg to Nelspruit

Don Colter · May 18, 2015

Greetings. I'm a new member and planning my first trip to South Africa, unfortunately I had to push it to July 2016. Anyway, as I am doing my planning, my PH/Outfitter will pick me up in Nelspruit. I will be coming from Boise, Idaho and it looks reasonable enough to get to Johannesburg, the problem is that I can't find a good way to get to Nelspruit. I see there may be commercial flights and it's about a 3 hour drive. I don't want to rent a car and drive.

My wife will also be with me and I want to plan some activities other than the hunt. I am planning on 3 days in Kruger, but past that I am looking for suggestions on must see things.

Thanks,

Don

Ado · May 18, 2015

It's a lovely drive...

Ado

bassasdaindia · May 18, 2015

rent a vehicle if you are planning other activities as well

siml · May 18, 2015

Don, why not just get the outfitter to fetch you in JHB, rent a car after your hunt and enjoy a few days in KNP. The museum in Skakuza is worth taking a look, you will see the lion skin, which Harry Wolhurter killed with a knife. Also there is a glass cabinet with the leopard skin that killed my G.G.Grandfather. KNP is a magical place.

AFRICADEE · May 19, 2015

You can fly from OR Tambo Airport, Johannesburg (There airport you would arrive in SA) to Nelspruit (Kruger Mpumulanga Iinternational Airport +/- 20 minutes outside Nelspruit CBD )-+/-50 minute flight. SA Airlink etc has regular daily flights. Otherwise rent a car- nice and easy drive from OR Tambo.

BRICKBURN · May 19, 2015

How long are you planning on touring in RSA?

Flights
http://www.kmiairport.co.za/travel-planning-3/flight-information.html

Car Rentals
http://www.kmiairport.co.za/travel-planning-3/car-rentals.html

Don Colter · May 19, 2015

Thanks for all the input. I am planning on at least 2 weeks in RSA. It takes over 24 hours for me to get there, I want to make the most of the trip. My outfitter told me I need to get to Nelspruit, but I suppose I can ask. I have seen where other outfitters in the area pick up clients from Tambo. I have no problem riding, would like to see the countryside. Just trying to wrap my head around driving on the left side of the road is challenging.

The trip to Kruger is a guided one staying inside the park. Is 3 days sufficient in Kruger? I also thought about the wine country and southern part, but don't know what else to add. One question I have is what to do with my rifles while touring?

Thanks,

Don

siml · May 19, 2015

Don, just to the right of this post, you will see riflepermits.com , they do rifle storage. A lot of outfitters need to drive a lot further than Nelspruit, I wouldn't be impressed as a client if the outfitter told me to make my own way. I would say 5 days in KNP. You could even do a night or two to Maputo.

PHOENIX PHIL · May 19, 2015

Don Colter said:
Thanks for all the input. I am planning on at least 2 weeks in RSA. It takes over 24 hours for me to get there, I want to make the most of the trip. My outfitter told me I need to get to Nelspruit, but I suppose I can ask. I have seen where other outfitters in the area pick up clients from Tambo. I have no problem riding, would like to see the countryside. Just trying to wrap my head around driving on the left side of the road is challenging.

The trip to Kruger is a guided one staying inside the park. Is 3 days sufficient in Kruger? I also thought about the wine country and southern part, but don't know what else to add. One question I have is what to do with my rifles while touring?

Thanks,

Don

Don,
I'm pretty swamped at work and can't do much searching for you, but I can relay my first experience in RSA. As you, my wife and I decided on a few days, I think it was 5, at KNP. We stayed at the Tremisana Lodge (know for it's resident troop of vervet monkeys). As I see it, the various lodges around KNP of which there are many are quite used to picking up tourists in Jo'burg and transferring them to KNP via a van. While we were a bit tired, we really enjoyed the drive through the countryside on our way to Tremisana. We ended up traveling through Hoedspruit which from what I can tell is roughly 100 miles north of Nelspruit. So a few thoughts:

1. Investigate getting to KNP via one of these lodges that will pick up in Jo'burg.
2. Find out if the lodge will allow you to have your rifles with you, explain of course to them you'll be hunting later in your trip.
3. If the Tremisana or other lodge that peeks your interest is near Hoedspruit, find out if your outfitter is willing to meet you in Hoedspruit. The lodge I'm sure will be happy to drop you off there.
4. Research for lodges near Nelspruit. I'm not sure of any but would be surprised if there aren't. And if of course you find one, again find out if it's okay for you to have your rifles there and have them meet up with your outfitter in Nelspruit when your KNP tour is over.

BRICKBURN · May 19, 2015

Don Colter said:
Thanks for all the input. I am planning on at least 2 weeks in RSA. It takes over 24 hours for me to get there, I want to make the most of the trip. My outfitter told me I need to get to Nelspruit, but I suppose I can ask. I have seen where other outfitters in the area pick up clients from Tambo. I have no problem riding, would like to see the countryside. Just trying to wrap my head around driving on the left side of the road is challenging.

The trip to Kruger is a guided one staying inside the park. Is 3 days sufficient in Kruger? I also thought about the wine country and southern part, but don't know what else to add. One question I have is what to do with my rifles while touring?

Thanks,

Don

Driving on the left is simple you have your wits about you.
DO NOT DO IT TIRED.

Most Outfitters will pick you up at OR. I have seen this trend of having clients fly to airports that are actually within reasonable driving distance.
I like driving, but this would piss me off. (as Simon noted)

I agree with the 5 day thing for Kruger if you are really wanting to see it all. 3 will get you a decent taste.

If you want to go south it will take you a FULL day to drive there. Done it. Pleasant enough drive and different countryside for sure.

Plenty of things to do in the Cape. Every tourist thing you can think of.

A few things to do.
http://www.africahunting.com/threads/things-to-do-see-in-capetown.9356/
http://www.africahunting.com/threads/cape-town.21464/#post-174597

Getting from Johannesburg to Nelspruit

Don Colter

Ado

bassasdaindia

siml

AFRICADEE

BRICKBURN

Don Colter

siml

PHOENIX PHIL

BRICKBURN

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