Travelling to Satara

[PJL]

Only a few more months to go until we hit the road back up to Kruger... can't wait (for Kruger, not the drive )

Our first camp is Satara, so I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on the best way of getting there. We'll have a stop-over around Middelburg on our way up from PE, so I'm most interested in what you would do from there. Head to Orpen? And if so which way as I have no idea which roads are good/bad up there? Or is it better to head to Phabeni or Paul Kruger and pop up the H1-3?

I'm not totally bothered about doing a game drive on the way to the camp as I'll be more focussed on simply getting there and getting set up

Thoughts appreciated

Oh and we'll quite possibly be towing a trailer so we need to take that into consideration a bit for the roads

[Alf]

We drove to Orpen gate beginning of December. We got off the N4 at belfast, then towards Dullstroom, Lydenburg (the only part where the road were bad) and then Hoedspruit, Klaserie and then Orpen.

If you want to be there early then this is the shortest route. Otherwise you can enter at Kruger gate and make your way up to Satara slowly

[Richprins]

Depends on what time of day you hit Middelburg, Peej?
Alf's route is quite scenic, although wildly inaccurate as one doesn't go to Hoedspruit...

So Belfast, Dullstroom, Lydenburg, Ohrigstad, Strydomtonnels, right onto R531 to Klaserie, right and sho't left to Orpen.

Longer timewise in the end, but much much quicker to get to Kruger and safer would be on N$ via Schoemanskloof to Nelspruit, up to White River, then Numbi (new beautiful road with 100 speedbumps to test trailer), then at 40km/h (155km) to Satara via Skuks.

[okie]

Hmmm..... have you ever driven the R555 from Middelburg , through to Steelpoort , Burgersfort , Ohrigstad , Strydomtonnel , etc ? We did that August 2015 .... quite scenic

[Flutterby]

We're going to Satara in April and will probably enter at Phabeni and then head up the tar. We get in when the gates open so plenty of time to head up through the park instead of going in at Orpen.

[PJL]

Thank you everyone for your advice

RP - we will be staying overnight in Middelburg, so will be setting off from there first thing in the morning.

Flutts - I'd love to be at the gate for opening time but after the drive to Middelburg the day before I can't see us getting up at 3am to complete the journey

So it's kind of a case of deciding whether it's better to do a shorter overall time in the car, or rather get to the park sooner and take a leisurely drive through. At least in the park it's comparatively easy driving.

Any thoughts on decent places to stock up with food before entering the park along either the Orpen or Phabeni route?

[Richprins]

I would suggest getting all your stuff in Middelburg the day before, so it's packed and frozen and you can just leave?

If you like I can phone a buddy there and get info. Normally the local Spar will prepack and prefreeze the main stuff and they often stay open until 7pm. They can often sort your booze too, as Tops is linked to them!

[Mel]

Which Spar is that you're talking about, RP?

[Richprins]

Middleburg SPAR...should be a couple!

[RobertT]

Depends on what time of day you hit Middelburg, Peej?
Alf's route is quite scenic, although wildly inaccurate as one doesn't go to Hoedspruit...

So Belfast, Dullstroom, Lydenburg, Ohrigstad, Strydomtonnels, right onto R531 to Klaserie, right and sho't left to Orpen.

Longer timewise in the end, but much much quicker to get to Kruger and safer would be on N$ via Schoemanskloof to Nelspruit, up to White River, then Numbi (new beautiful road with 100 speedbumps to test trailer), then at 40km/h (155km) to Satara via Skuks.

If I am not mistaken Alfs route is right if you forget to turn right onto R531.

I would go Belfast, Dullstroom, Lydenburg, Ohrigstad, Strydom Tunnel then right to Klaserie. Would just travel a bit slower being aware that there could be a pothole or two.