Transport in and around the Drakensberg
25 Oct 2011 06:19 - 25 Oct 2011 06:21 #4491
by intrepid
Take nothing but litter, leave nothing but a cleaner Drakensberg.
Replied by intrepid on topic Transport in and around the Drakensberg
Hi jpodgor and welcome to the site.
Transport is unfortunately a bit of an issue for these kinds of traverses where you end at a different place from where you started from. As suggested already, contact some of the local resorts for ideas. You could also contact Amphitheatre Backpackers, where many international tourists stay. One idea is to take the Baz Bus to their Northern Drakensberg drop-off. Amphitheatre Backpackers might be able to fetch you from there. They offer day tours to Tugela Falls from the backpackers, so you could ride with them up the Sentinel Car Park.
You can also use the local public transport, our renowned mini-bus taxis. There should be many going from Harrismith to Phuthaditjhaba. You'll probably pay around R50 maybe (I really don't know for sure), and they might charge you for extra luggage. Ask a local what they would pay before you ask the taxi driver. From Phuthaditjhaba you will have to hire one exclusively to take you up to Sentinel Car Park. This will have to be negotiated and you'll probably be asked a high price initially being a tourist
but you must argue them down. I don't have a good idea of what a fair price would be, but remember that they have drive back empty part of the way too. I would think maybe R300-R500 for the two of you?
Hope this helps. Enjoy the Berg and please let us know how it goes!
Transport is unfortunately a bit of an issue for these kinds of traverses where you end at a different place from where you started from. As suggested already, contact some of the local resorts for ideas. You could also contact Amphitheatre Backpackers, where many international tourists stay. One idea is to take the Baz Bus to their Northern Drakensberg drop-off. Amphitheatre Backpackers might be able to fetch you from there. They offer day tours to Tugela Falls from the backpackers, so you could ride with them up the Sentinel Car Park.
You can also use the local public transport, our renowned mini-bus taxis. There should be many going from Harrismith to Phuthaditjhaba. You'll probably pay around R50 maybe (I really don't know for sure), and they might charge you for extra luggage. Ask a local what they would pay before you ask the taxi driver. From Phuthaditjhaba you will have to hire one exclusively to take you up to Sentinel Car Park. This will have to be negotiated and you'll probably be asked a high price initially being a tourist
but you must argue them down. I don't have a good idea of what a fair price would be, but remember that they have drive back empty part of the way too. I would think maybe R300-R500 for the two of you?Hope this helps. Enjoy the Berg and please let us know how it goes!
Take nothing but litter, leave nothing but a cleaner Drakensberg.
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26 Oct 2011 05:14 - 26 Oct 2011 06:54 #4510
by ghaznavid
Replied by ghaznavid on topic Transport in and around the Drakensberg
@Boerkie: don't make generalisations, only 95% of the taxis give the other 5% a bad name
@jpodgor: I like Boerkie's idead, if your timing works well, for the trip back, quite a few of us on this forum seem to be planning a trip up Thamathu Pass in the foreseeable future, both Splatacat and myself are planning a trip there in the near future, so if the dates coincide, you should be able to arrange a lift from Bushman's Nek back to Pietermaritzburg, and then catch a bus from there back to Jo'burg International Airport, I believe Greyhound Busses stop at the airport.
@jpodgor: I like Boerkie's idead, if your timing works well, for the trip back, quite a few of us on this forum seem to be planning a trip up Thamathu Pass in the foreseeable future, both Splatacat and myself are planning a trip there in the near future, so if the dates coincide, you should be able to arrange a lift from Bushman's Nek back to Pietermaritzburg, and then catch a bus from there back to Jo'burg International Airport, I believe Greyhound Busses stop at the airport.
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23 Apr 2012 12:00 #53629
by Drew
Replied by Drew on topic Transport in and around the Drakensberg
I used a local taxi operator, Joel Mbhele - 072 881 1875, about a year ago. He transported three of us from Didima camp to Sentinel car park for R750. He was great...
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