Driving from Johannesburg to Hazyview and Kruger

Is it worth driving?

Yes, if you have the time.

The drive from Johannesburg to Hazyview is around five hours in normal conditions and becomes much more scenic as you move east into Mpumalanga.

It is not five hours of motorway boredom. The landscape changes quite dramatically along the way, particularly as you move towards the escarpment and then drop down into the Lowveld.

For people who enjoy road trips, it is a very pleasant arrival.

What is the drive like?

The first part out of Johannesburg is mostly about getting out of Johannesburg. After that, things improve.

The Highveld gradually gives way to greener country, mountains, plantations and then the warmer Lowveld.

For international visitors, it is quite a good introduction to how different two parts of South Africa can look only a few hours apart.

Should you drive straight into Kruger?

You can. We would not necessarily recommend it after a long flight and five hours on the road.

Driving inside Kruger takes time because the speed limits are low and, more importantly, you are there to stop. A road that looks short on a map can take much longer once there are animals involved.

There is no particular prize for reaching your Kruger camp exhausted. Hazyview is an easy place to stop first. Come to The Zarafa, unpack, have a swim, eat dinner, and go into Kruger the next morning.

Is the road difficult?

For most of the way, no. It is normal long-distance driving. The more mountainous sections naturally need a bit more attention, and we generally prefer doing the journey in daylight.

Should you stop along the way?

Once or twice is enough. A coffee stop and lunch if you need it.

You can turn the drive into a full sightseeing day, but unless that is the plan from the beginning, we would keep it simple. The scenery improves on its own.

Hire a car or arrange a transfer?

A hire car is useful if you want complete independence or plan to self-drive in Kruger. If not, a private transfer can make more sense.

Once you are at The Zarafa, we can arrange Kruger safaris, Panorama Route tours and local transport. There is little point hiring a car for several days simply to leave it parked outside the villa.

What about flying?

If time matters, fly to KMIA. It is around an hour from The Zarafa and is the most practical airport for most guests. Skukuza is another option, especially if you are already spending time inside Kruger.

Driving is not necessarily better. It is simply a different way to arrive.

What would we do?

For a short stay, we would fly. For a longer trip, particularly if we wanted our own car, we would happily drive.

And if we did drive, we would make Hazyview the destination for the day rather than trying to squeeze another hour or two out of the journey just to say we slept inside Kruger.

By the time you reach The Zarafa, the holiday has started. There is no need to keep driving.