Getting to & from Hluhluwe/iMfolozi Game Reserve

[Bushveld Jock]

We visited Hluhluwe in 2009 for a day visit but would love to stay in one of the camps. Just a pity that it takes so long to drive from Secunda via Piet Retief to Pongola due to the road works otherwise I would have been there more often.

Any one knows of a better route from Secunda to Hluhluwe, besides Pongola and Nongoma?

(September 2011)

[iNdlovu]

Would cutting through Swaziland help?
Another way without all the frustrations of the Piet Retief - Pongola section would be..... Piet Retief, Paulpietersburg, Vryheid, Nongoma, Mtubatuba.

[Bushveld Jock]

iNdlovu,

The Swaziland detour should be fine if you planning to visit Ndumo or Kosi bay. I thought about the Nongoma option, but herding cattle is not by idea of driving or is it not that bad. I drove the section from Mtubatuba to Nyalazi gate and found it extremely slow except when you reach the park border the taxis were going faster again.

A route that looked interesting to me is the Vryheid - Ulundi road entering at Cengeni gate in the western section. Ulundi must be hectic to drive through, but can anyone give me advice on the R34 past Gluckstadt.

I noted there is no section on Ithala. That park is really a jewel not visited by many. There is only one main camp, a number of bush camps for a single group and an unfenced campsite plus 4x4 tracks. Not sure if the place changed much since our visit in 2006.

[iNdlovu]

Yes there is, just above Hluhluwe/Imfolzi

[iNdlovu]

Keep us updated with road conditions.

[ExFmem]

04/02/2012

Hi friends,
We are considering visiting this park and I have read on the SP forum that there seems to be a lot of red tape/corruption/annoyance traveling through Swaziland these days. What is the best route from Kruger AROUND Swaziland and how long does it take? Thanks to all who can offer me assistance. Also, any more Travel Tales/Reports recently? Keep up the good work you all do here, it's truly inspiring.

[iNdlovu]

Hey ExFmem, great to see you around here again, it's been a while.
Unfortunately the Swazi border people and police have been bitten by the normal African bug...corruption. Here is my advice for a trip around Swaziland. I have used the route numerous times and it is an easy drive.

From Kruger go to Nelspruit and take the R40 towards Barberton. Turn right on the R38 (about 5 k's before Barberton) and head to Badplaas. Just as you enter the town you'll find the the R541 turning left. Follow it for 20 k's and then turn right. This is still the R541 and it winds up the mountain for 18 k's until you hit the T-junction with the N17. Turn right and travel for 26 k's on the N17 then turn left onto the R33 and go straight through Amsterdam to Piet Retief. About 5 k's the other side of Piet Retief turn right onto the R33 again and go through Paulpietersburg and on to Vryheid. From there head sout east on the R34 through Melmoth, Eshowe and hit the N2 at Gingindlovu where you turn left and head up to Mtubatuba and the R618 to Hluhluwe/Umfolozi.
Unfortunately the route takes you south of the park and you have to head north again, but it beats the dreaded Piet Retief - Pongola section which is full of construction and trucks. You can cut across from Vryheid through Louwsburg and down the N2, but the road is not great.
The complete distance from Nelspruit is 716 k's
Good luck & enjoy.

[ExFmem]

Thanks so much for such detailed info., iNdlovu. You're such an asset to this forum.

[serval]

An acquintance mentioned that the tourist roads in H/I are in a bad state , any comments ... ?

[Bushcraft]

The tar section in the Imfolozi section was stuffed in places when I last visited, which was 5 months ago, but plenty of the dirt had been graded