Safari, Scuba and Pumba's: A South African Road Trip
- Lotte Brenart
- Oct 29
- 4 min read
Our road trip through the northeast of South Africa was my first experience on the African continent. What a beautiful adventure. We dove with sharks, waited while lions crossed the road, saw wild dogs hunt, met lovely people, hiked among zebras, and drove through breathtaking landscapes. If you're dreaming of a road trip that combines safaris, diving, and hiking, keep reading. This one's for you.
Tips & Tricks
Rent a big car
You'll definitely need a SUV to survive the potholes along the way, especially if you're heading to national parks (as you should). We rented ours through Sunny Cars. Don't forget your international driver's licence.
Safety first
Avoid driving after dark. We always left in the morning for our next stop, which felt much safer.
Check the weather...
South-Africa is huge, so the climate varies depending on where you go. We traveled during the northeast's rainy season (including Kruger), which runs from December to February. The great thing was that we had most places to ourselves. We even ended up with a private safari because of it. The dry season in the northeast (not Cape Town 😉) runs from April to October.
Cash
Every place took credit cards, so you only need a little cash for tips or small purchases. No need to carry a lot.
Pack these essentials:
Binoculars – for spotting wildlife up close
A good camera – because phone pictures won’t do it justice, unless you've got the newest iphone with that crazy zoom.
DEET-based insect repellent - Kruger is a malaria area.
Universal travel adapter - We didn’t bring one that worked for South-Africa, but most accommodations had one, or we just charged our devices in the car.
Graskop - Panoramaroute (2 nights)
We picked up our rental car at Johannesburg Airport and hit the road straight to Graskop, the perfect base for exploring the Panorama Route. The drive took longer than expected (about 5 hours), and despite our good homework, we ended up driving in the dark on our first day. Would not recommend!
Stops We Did
Bourke’s Luck Potholes (our favorite stop)
Berlin Falls
Lisbon Falls
Lowveld View
Three Rondavels
We had God’s Window, Lone Creek Falls, and The Pinnacle on our list as well, but unfortunately, we couldn't see a thing because of sudden mist.
Some of the stops charge a small entrance fee, which you can also pay by card.
Foodies
Chubby Pig – An idyllic lunch stop along the Panorama Route.
The Glass House – Highly recommend, but make a reservation.
Harrie’s Pancakes
Accomodation
Kurgerpark (3 nights)
On our first day, we did a self-drive through the park. The entrance fee was ZAR 1,070 (€55-ish) for the two of us. At first, we thought we wouldn’t see lots of animals without a guide, but we were so wrong. we spotted so many. Elephants, girafs, zebras, hyenas and monkeys a volonté!
The next day, we booked a Full Day Safari (5:20 AM – 3:00 PM) through our accommodation, which turned out to be a private safari due to low season.
On our last full day in Kruger, we woke up to the sound and sight of a mama hippo with her baby. Later, we chilled by the pool while watching elephants pass by... pure magic. The perfect ending was the Sunset Safari (4:15 PM – 7:30 PM). Seeing the animals at dusk was incredible. The lions, no longer sleeping, walked right past our jeep and the hyenas were out hunting. Is it crazy to say it was one of the most wonderful days of my life? I could safari all day everyday.
Accomodation
Sabie River Bush Lodge (€86/night)
eSwatini (1 night)
We followed the Hippo Trail, though the hippos are apparently no longer there. Still, the landscape and the wildlife made it worth it. On our hike, we came across zebras, pumbaas, impalas, monkeys, and even a crocodile in the lake.
You can also rent a bike, which is around €18 per person.
Accomodation
Mlilwane Game Sanctuary (€77/night)
St Lucia (2 nights)
To do
Hippo tour - €20 per person
Drive through Saint Lucia in the evening, you might spot some hippos walking around in town.
Beach days
Braai
Foodies
KAUAI St Lucia - coffee, smoothies and brekkie.
Accomodation
Flamingo Holiday Flats (€38/night)
Umkomaas (3 nights)
If you want to go diving at Aliwal Shoal, you have two bases to stay: Umkomaas or Scottburgh. We stayed in Umkomaas. Apart from diving, there's not much else to do, so you better bring a book...
I think it’s safe to say that diving in South Africa is definitely not for sissies. If you want to go scuba diving here, be a aware that the ocean can get pretty rough (take your R-calm on time!!). I feel like you need to have a fair amount of diving experience to feel comfortable in these waters, but that’s just my opinion. That said, even though it was a more stressful dive than usual, I did saw sharks, stingrays and even a swimming octopus, which had been on my bucket list for ages!! Check. ✓
Foodies
Wild Coffee Shop Scottburgh - coffeeeeee
Accomodation
Agulhas House (€350 for 3 nights, 5 dives) - includes breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Drakensberg (4 nights)
To do
Canopy Tour (€40 / person)
Ziplining through the Drakensberg mountains is such a fun and easy way to experience the beautiful nature from aboveee!
Hiking
Park your car at Monk's Cowl Car Park.
You'll need to fill in your details at the entrance, and pay a small fee here. From here, several hiking trails start, ranging from short walks to even multi-day hikes.
We treated ourselves to a short one hour hike to Sterkspruit Falls, which was absolutely beautiful with the Drakensberg mountains around us. If you’re interested in something more challenging, there are plenty of other trails you can ask about at the entrance.
Spa/massage
Wine Tasting at Ardmore Guest Farm
Foodies
Drakensberg Chocolate Memories, Macedonia Cheese Co (cheese platters), and Drakensberg Brewery all in one cozy place.
Valley Bakery - we were obsessed with this place.
Accomodation
Ardmore Guest Farm (€68/night)
Hakuna Matata 🧡
Comments