From the
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ake the most of your time in South Africa by combining a Kr uger National Park Safari with a road trip from Johannesburg to Hazyview in the Lowveld. But, keep in mind some essential tips before hitting the road. Drive on the left and give way, even across the yellow line, to allow speeding drivers to overtake. When someone lets you pass, flash the emergency lights to say, “Thank you!” Do not ignore a pitstop. Situated at petrol stations, they are few and far between. Keep small change in your car for tipping and the tollgate machines not accepting your credit card.
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Victorian splendor in the mining town of Pilgrim’s Rest We set our GPS for Pilgrims Rest in Mpumalanga. The GPS may indicate Witbank, but the signboard on the road reads eMahlaleni since many places in the ‘New’ South Africa have two names. After 140 miles, we hit a winding countr y road with alluring dams and green forests. We stopped in DullstroomEmnothweni, a popular fl yfishing destination, and joined the South Africans for tea a n d k o e k s u s t e r s a t Ro s e Cottage. The landscape soon changed to mountainous terrain, and at the
top of a crest, we turned into the defunct mining town of Pilgrim’s Rest. After a stroll through its one street, we booked into the historic Royal Hotel, restored to its Victorian glory. We sat down to the renowned dinner buffet, enjoying chili bites, samoosas, and whole snoek baked in lemon and black pepper as starters, and melktert as dessert. We washed down the gold roast pork main course with copious glasses of Pinota ge, South Africa’s signature red wine. Earl y the next morning, we stopped at The Three Rondavels (hills resembling grass huts), also known as The Three Sisters, located at the start
Photos (L-R): View from Gods Window 1, Blyde River Canyon on the Panorama Route, Mpumalanga, South Africa; View from Gods Window 1, Blyde River Canyon on the Panorama Route, Mpumalanga, South Africa; Three Rondavels at Blyde River Canyon on Panorama Route in South Africa; 4 Bourkes Potholes in Blyde River Canyon on Panorama Route, South Africa
