Best Route from Port Shepstone to Garden Route

[Acheron]

These are the three routes:

The route in blue is doable, but here are a couple of tips:
- Do not do this on a Friday unless it's early and you can clear the whole Mthatha area by lunch time.
- Do not travel any of the route at night if you are before Grahamstown (or EL at a push)
- Expect roadworks.
- Expect some rough roads until you hit Grahamstown. Nothing too crazy, but they are a complete patchwork of repairs.
- Watch out for animals.

 

[graan13]

Ive done the N2 route from Port Shep through and found it an extremely nice drive, roads were better than those up here in Gauteng in most part and there are a couple of areas where you get slowed up in "towns" if you call them that - spaza shops etc for at most a 1km stretch (cant recall the names) but scenary is wonderful and its not a straight boring hi-way. Leaving Southbroom at around 8:30 am and drove right through to Blouberg in CPT arrived at 00:05. I was in George around 18:45 and basically travelled at the 120 - 140kmh mark except for the areas where it drops to 80 etc. Sheps to George was 1 tank of diesel and its around 950 - 980kms if memory serves.

I don't foresee any issues with the N2 route other than being vigilant for animals and occasional slow trucks but its not like you will get stuck behind them for ages, generally you can see far ahead to plan overtakes etc. My vote would be N2.

 

[ChefDJ]

Ive done the N2 route from Port Shep through and found it an extremely nice drive, roads were better than those up here in Gauteng in most part and there are a couple of areas where you get slowed up in "towns" if you call them that - spaza shops etc for at most a 1km stretch (cant recall the names) but scenary is wonderful and its not a straight boring hi-way. Leaving Southbroom at around 8:30 am and drove right through to Blouberg in CPT arrived at 00:05. I was in George around 18:45 and basically travelled at the 120 - 140kmh mark except for the areas where it drops to 80 etc. Sheps to George was 1 tank of diesel and its around 950 - 980kms if memory serves.

I don't foresee any issues with the N2 route other than being vigilant for animals and occasional slow trucks but its not like you will get stuck behind them for ages, generally you can see far ahead to plan overtakes etc. My vote would be N2.

This is not what everyone makes it out to be :thinking:

If this is indeed the case, well then fine I can do it. I just don't know what would be the best place to stop over because we won't be leaving so early in the morning. We have to wait for the removal truck to collect and leave before we can depart.

 

[RAArmstrong]

Grahamstown?

 

[Maljan]

What route is the removal truck taking? While they are in it for a profit and will take the shortest way, they will also not risk their expensive truck on an unsafe route.

 

[Carbon M3]

This is not what everyone makes it out to be :thinking:

If this is indeed the case, well then fine I can do it. I just don't know what would be the best place to stop over because we won't be leaving so early in the morning. We have to wait for the removal truck to collect and leave before we can depart.

If you can make to East London then it should be fine.

Route I suggest is a few KM longer but the R72 between East London and PE will be a bit better than the N2 for that part of the journey.

 

[ChefDJ]

Grahamstown?

Never been there. Dunno what it's like :dunno:

Just looking for a bed&breakfast. Nothing fancy.

What route is the removal truck taking? While they are in it for a profit and will take the shortest way, they will also not risk their expensive truck on an unsafe route.

No idea. Most likely the N2. They needn't stop over anywhere with drivers that can take it in turns.

This is not what everyone makes it out to be :thinking:

If this is indeed the case, well then fine I can do it. I just don't know what would be the best place to stop over because we won't be leaving so early in the morning. We have to wait for the removal truck to collect and leave before we can depart.

If you can make to East London then it should be fine.

Route I suggest is a few KM longer but the R72 between East London and PE will be a bit better than the N2 for that part of the journey.

This looks to be the ideal way to do it.

From Port Shepstone to East London looks to be around 6 hours of driving.

Any recommendations of where to stop over that's not far out of the main routes?

 

[graan13]

Chef, I think its entirely dependant on what your departure time will be as to where you can drive to in the day light, without pushing or scarring your gran
I would say you should be able to make Grahams town or EL - but if you leave around lunch time you will only have around 5 - 6 hrs of light. My folks are in Southbroom and in a conversation with them on Sunday my mom mentioned its almost dark by 6pm currently. So based on that I would say East London. Mthatha is half way to EL basically so if light is already fading by then you would need to find a Protea/City Lodge or the likes on the EL side of Mthatha if you don't want to risk going further in fading light.

 

[Carbon M3]

For an overnight stop I look on AA Travel, I've stayed in East London and PE.

http://www.aatravel.co.za/accommodation/south-africa/eastern-cape

East London: http://www.aatravel.co.za/accommoda...n-cape/east-london/african-dreams-b&b-PA44928

(Not far from Windmill Roadhouse )

PE: http://www.aatravel.co.za/accommoda...e/port-elizabeth/lalapanzi-guest-lodge-PA9194

 

[ChefDJ]

Gonna check those suggestions out :ty:

Chef, I think its entirely dependant on what your departure time will be as to where you can drive to in the day light, without pushing or scarring your gran
I would say you should be able to make Grahams town or EL - but if you leave around lunch time you will only have around 5 - 6 hrs of light. My folks are in Southbroom and in a conversation with them on Sunday my mom mentioned its almost dark by 6pm currently. So based on that I would say East London. Mthatha is half way to EL basically so if light is already fading by then you would need to find a Protea/City Lodge or the likes on the EL side of Mthatha if you don't want to risk going further in fading light.

By my research it shows that EL is around 6.5 hours from my departure point, so I should make it before night fall :dunno:

I'm gonna take over the whole removal side of the furniture as well from today as soon as I get the contact details of the movers. I will try push them to be there early in the morning for departure by no later than around 11am. The place is tiny and all will be boxed up already so it's literally gonna be a 15min load up and then they can be on their way, and I can be on my way with grandma.

 

[ChefDJ]

I've decided on the N2 route, with stop over in EL for the night which is pretty much half way. Then will do the rest of the trip right through the garden route (which I have always wanted to do).

Also just found out my parents will have visitors at the time and that there's no space for my gran and I when I'm down there.

Kicked out of my own bedroom (swak ouers) :skit:

So now I need to find accommodation in Mossel Bay as well :bangdesk:

 

[Acheron]

Nice! Come have a beer

 

[ChefDJ]

I'll have to hold you to that for next time :=):

 

[graan13]

Travel safe when its time. Think you doing the right route and stop over.

:thumbs:

 

[ChefDJ]

Anyone know what the Leisure Lodge is like?

Or the Sandcastle?

African Dreams?

Cozy Nest?

Tu Casa?

Bramlyn?

Sooo many to choose from. I don't want to be deceived by the pics :=):

Looking at the ones closes to the R72 for departure the next morning around 09h00 after peak hour traffic.

 

[ChefDJ]

That's too expensive, I would think...? Getting gran there is not the problem. Getting her car there is the problem. If I was comfortable doing so, I would tow the damn Ford with the 5er but I'm not going through that again.

And why rent a car if we put hers on a transporter? Then I would just have her fly to George herself and I wouldn't need to go at all.

 

[Acheron]

Anyone know what the Leisure Lodge is like?

Or the Sandcastle?

African Dreams?

Cozy Nest?

Tu Casa?

Bramlyn?

Sooo many to choose from. I don't want to be deceived by the pics :=):

Looking at the ones closes to the R72 for departure the next morning around 09h00 after peak hour traffic.

Tu Casa, Sandcastle or Bramlyn.

The rest are in dodgier areas, albeit somewhat closer to getting back onto the highway.

 

[ChefDJ]

Posting this here for my reference:


http://bramlynbnb.co.za/accommodation/

http://sandcastlebnb.com/scn/rates.html

 

[Carbon M3]

I've stayed at African Dreams, Just like the pics. Safe off street parking as well.

And there's a milkshake shop 100m away, order a double thick shake :=):

 

[ChefDJ]

Looks like I will be booking in at the Sandcastle. The area looks decent enough for grandma's peace of mind, and I was raised by the sea so the beach theme is just lekker for me!

:rollsmile: