johan rebel

Some news on transfers at JNB

"Acsa Plans New Transfer Facility.

THE Airports Company of SA (Acsa) plans to complete a R44m passenger transfer facility at Johannesburg International Airport by the end of next month.

The facility will streamline movement between domestic and international flights by offering transferring passengers a seamless connection through the airport. At the moment transferring passengers have to walk outside the terminals to catch a connecting flight to their final destination.

Bongani Maseko, GM of Johannesburg International Airport, said the transfer facility would also enable transferring passengers to book their luggage in with the airline of their choice at their departure point and then collect it at their final destination.

"Johannesburg International Airport's passenger numbers have grown to an average of 36000 a day," said Maseko.
Last year 13-million passengers used the airport compared with an average 6,4-million passengers a year 10 years ago, Maseko said. There has also been a 135% growth in air traffic movement over SA's skies during the same period.

Acsa estimates passenger numbers at Johannesburg International Airport to reach 20-million a year by 2030."

johan

mymiles2go

So... ok.

Say I want to drive from JNB to Kruger, then wander all the way along the coast over the course of about 6 days, down to Capetown, and then fly out of there and back to FRA. Is that a good idea/bad idea?

My current thinking is that I'm going to fly into JNB on LH, then take a flight up to NBO to do the Hilton thing with points (the reason I'm flying to JNB and not NBO is that I have lots of Star Points, but not enough Oneworld points, and Star only serves JNB/CPT). Anyways.., arrive in JNB at 8AM or so, and take a noonish flight up to NBO. Leave the next day for the Safari. Then do that for howevermany days (Anybody know offhand?), then fly back down to JNB, and rent a car from there to Kruger, then drive down along the coast down to CPT and from there flight back to FRA (via JNB of course, but hey, it's F on LH)...

Thoughts?

johan rebel

Alternatively, you could fly from JNB to PHW, HDS or MQP and pick up your car there. You can drive from JNB to one of the Kruger gates in about 6 hours, but that won't leave much time to take in the scenery. If you want to drive the scenic route from the highveld down the escarpment to the lowveld I would allow two days, spending the night somewhere enroute. Otherwise you might as well fly.

johan

mymiles2go

So, say I arrive into JNB from NBO, you're saying basically just fly straight to one of those little airports (I assume is right near the area)?

Then from there, you're saying it's feasible to drive the rest of the way around the cape over the course of 5-6 days, ending up in Capetown? Or is that a bad idea? Basically following the coastline I was thinking. Then from Capetown catch the LH flight back home.

travelmad478

It's feasible, but I wouldn't do it. You won't really get much time at all in Cape Town if you do it that way (assuming you'll want to do at least a bit of sightseeing in the towns along the way). South Africa is big, and the trip from Kruger->coast->CT would take two days even if you didn't stop at all.

Cape Town and the Western Cape alone are easily worth a 5-6 day visit. If you fly there from Kruger and pick up your car in CT, you can do Cape Town, wine country, coastal and inland towns in the Western Cape, etc. There is PLENTY to take up your time right there, and you won't spend your entire holiday in the car.

johan rebel

Yes, from north to south these airports are :

Phalaborwa (PHW). The airport is right on the Kruger fenceline, a 10 minute drive from Phalaborwa gate.

Hoedspruit Eastgate (HDS). A 45 minute drive from Kruger's Orpen gate, on good roads.

Kruger Mpumalanga International (MQP). Just under an hour from Malelane gate (toll road part of the way) or Numbi gate.

All major car rental companies have offices at these airports, or will deliver a vehicle.

Yes, it is perfectly feasible. From Kruger you could either drive through or around Swaziland, through Zululand, the former Transkei, Eastern Cape and then the Garden Route to Cape Town. However, most tourists drop off their vehicle in Durban, fly to Port Elizabeth and pick up another car there. The part of the coastline they miss out on (arguably the most beautiful in South Africa) is known as the Wild Coast. For good reason. It is remote, stunning, dirt poor and the infrastructure is poorly developed, or nonexistent. The same goes for tourist facilities. Definitely off the beaten track.

South Africa is a big country, and although the roads are generally good to excellent, I would recommend setting a leisurely pace, not more than say 200 kms per day. Try to avoid driving during the hours of darkness (cattle and drunks on the road).

johan

SOMA1K

JohanRebel,

Would you recommend the drive through the Wild Coast for a first timer? For you and, to a lesser extent me, who have some experience with SA it would be a no-brainer. But I wonder about someone whose is in SA for the first time. I have been about a dozen times in the last few years, principally the major cities and the Garden Route. Have taken train from CPT to Pretoria, and have driven JNB to Durban, and am comfortable driving in SA (thanks for your consistent and appropriate caution about driving both in cities and the open road). I have never had the time to drive the Indian Ocean Coast, but would dearly love to do so. Have you done it?

Mind you, I do not think it is inherently unsafe, nor would I be afraid to do so now. I am just not sure how I would have felt about it on my first trip. Regardless, anyone who does should have a facinating experience.

mymiles2go

Excellent advice thus far. And excellent question (from the post directly above mine). I'm very curious about the answer. This will be my first trip to SA, so any thoughts on whether or not to attempt it (it being the Drive that is) would be great!

[This message has been edited by mymiles2go (edited Mar 13, 2004).]

fallinasleep

Related to the previous two posts, I was wondering if anyone here had a negative car renting experience in South Africa?

I hear mixed stories about the advisability of renting a car.

Even for a solo traveler, from CPT, it seems renting a car is no worse (in terms of cost) than taking a couple of day trip tours to the Cape Peninsula and the wine region. From JNB, I'm still trying to do the math with regard to a Kruger excursion...and would appreciate any advice.

Thanks.

johan rebel

It all depends on who the first timer is, of course, but if I were to generalize the answer would be no.

The Wild Coast is probably the most "African" part of South Africa, in the sense that it more or less escaped permanent physical occupation by farmers of European decent, with their western agricultural practices. Urban areas are few and far between, and the rural population consists mainly of destitute subsistence farmers. Tourist infrastructure is very limited. The historical reason is that the Wild Coast used to be part of the apartheid era homeland called Transkei (I recall having to purchase a visa for R 2,50 at a "borderpost"!).

No, I haven't, at least not as a driver, only as a passenger. Note that, as opposed to elsewhere in South Africa, there is no road that more or less follows the coastline. The main road is quite some distance inland. A current proposal to build a new toll road has lead to quite some controversy, as it will bisect the proposed Pondoland National Park. Conservationists rightly fear not only direct damage to the environment, but also the indirect effect of improved access, such as insensitive development. If the Wild Coast ends up looking like the Natal South Coast, it will lose all its charm. There are also proposals to mine the coastal dunes for various valuable metals, which could also be disastrous.

I agree, it is not unsafe. Life is a long series of risks, and visiting the Wild Coast certainly doesn't count as a major one. On the contrary, it is an experience I warmly recommend. In all honesty I must confess that it has been a few years since I last visited, but I doubt much has changed.

johan

johan rebel

I dropped AVIS about eight years ago because of a series of minor incidents (car not ready at pick-up time, vehicle not clean, minor technical problems, charged twice for same rental). I have used Europcar ever since, to my complete satisfaction.

johan

pegasus8228

hi bp888,

seems the FT website revamp has ruined the links.
could you show me the direction again?

many thanks

pegasus8228

i will be going there in june
(it should be winter, but the agent told me it will be around 20 deg C in kruger area)

i was recommended 2 options for 6-day safari packages
one is camping at timbavati - kruger
http://flyinglions.safari.co.za/route-c-map.html
at 8040 ZAR

the second is lodge at elephant plain -- sabi sands
http://sabi.krugerpark.co.za/sabi-sands-map.html
at 11300ZAR/pax (includes flight from JNB)

the price is not much difference overall.

any recommendation/advice?

i will then visit CPT, spending a total of about 2 weeks there.

johan rebel

Do you mean camping at the Timbavati site in the Kruger National Park, or in the adjacent Timbavati private nature reserve? I've done the former, so I can tell you about that; I've been to various lodges in the Timbavati, so I can tell you about those too; I've also visited several lodges in the Sabi Sands, (although not Elephant Plains), so I can tell you about them as well.

First time visitor? Special interests (e.g. birds, trees, etc.)? How much luxury do you require?

Yes, it will be winter. The average daily maximum temperature at Skukuza in Kruger is 26°C, but early morning can be quite chilly (average minimum temperature 6°C). Early morning game drives in open vehicles can be a freezing experience, even at low speeds the windchill will make itself felt. There are blankets in the vehicles, which will help keep your legs warm, but remember to bring a warm and windproof jacket, a hat, cap or beanie (the ears are very exposed) and perhaps even gloves. I know, Kruger is in Africa, but I'm not kidding you here. In winter, lodges do a roaring trade in fleeces, jackets, gloves etc., at suitably inflated prices. The lowest temperature recorded at Skukuza in June is -4°C! The average number of rain days is only 2, so you need not worry about bringing an umbrella.

Please post any specific questions you may have, I shall attempt to answer them to the best of my ability.

johan

bp888

Direction to what? Will be glad to reply when I know more what you require.