A mere 2,5-hour drive from Johannesburg and OR Tambo International Airport, Taaibos River Lodge is located on the acclaimed
38 000ha, Welgevonden Game Reserve, Limpopo, South Africa.
Road Conditions
Travelling by road from Johannesburg/O.R.Tambo. The first approx. 160km is world-class freeway. The last approx 100km is standard provincial tar roads, all of which are in good condition.
Distances to Welgevonden’s Main Gate are about:
- 268km from the Jan Smuts Avenue on-ramp on the M1 north in Johannesburg
- 266km from Lanseria International Airport
- 259km from O.R.Tambo International Airport
- 243km from the New Road bridge over the N1 in Midrand
- 98km from the Kranskop tollgate (where you leave the freeway)
- 23.5km from the Zeederberg Spar and Total filling station in Vaalwater
Useful Breaks in Your Journey
- Just more than 2km beyond the Pumulani tollgate you will find a Total Petroport filling station. Also a convenience store and a number of fast food outlets. Clean restroom.
- A few kilometres from the last toll gate (Kranskop) you will find the Engen Kranskop 1-Stop filling station. This is about 60km from the Carousel tollgate. Also a convenience store and a Wimpy restaurant (sit-down and takeaway). Clean restroom.
- Just over 5 km from the Kranskop tollgate, where you leave the freeway, you will find Una Pizza, a plain sit-down restaurant that makes a decent pizza (087 820 4433).
Road Transfer
If you require or prefer a road transferservice, please do not hesitate to contact us and we will arrange it for you, or put you in touch with one of our reliable service providers.
Directions from O. R. Tambo International Airport
From the ORT parking/rental car pickup, head northwest toward Exit 46. Take exit 46 for the R21 N towards Kempton Park/Pretoria (less than 500m from leaving the ORT parking) and merge onto the R21. Take exit 134 for the N1 N (direction Polokwane), about 36km from ORT, and merge onto the N1 – don’t miss this one, else you will end up in downtown Pretoria – a significant detour. Arrive at Pumulani toll station, just north of Pretoria, about 22km after you got onto the N1. (Now read “From the Pumulani Tollgate”.)
Directions from Lanseria International Airport
A few hundred metres after leaving the airport you will arrive at a T-junction stop. Turn left into Ashenti Road. About 1.5km later, turn left into Pelindaba Rd. After about 4,7km, turn left to merge onto the N14 (direction Pretoria). Continue on the N14 (Danie Joubert Freeway) for about 29km and you will merge onto the N1 (direction Pretoria). About 32km later you will arrive at the Pumulani tollgate, just north of Pretoria and just over 67 km from Lanseria. (Now read “From the Pumulani Tollgate”.)
From Central Johannesburg
Take the M1 freeway north (direction Pretoria) and filter onto the N1 freeway, (direction Polokwane, formerly Pietersburg), which runs through Midrand and Centurion and then through the east of Pretoria. Stay on this road, all the way until you reach the Pumulani tollgate, just north of Pretoria. (Now read “From the Pumulani Tollgate”.)Directions f
From the Pumulani Tollgate
Once you leave the Pumulani tollgate, continue travelling north on the N1 until you reach the Carousel tollgate, about 35 km from the Pumulani tollgate. Continue north on the N1 for about 65 km, until you reach the Kranskop tollgate, where you leave the freeway: take one of the very left toll booths to Modimolle (*see distances below). Also see here for the AA of South Africa’s guide to toll gate fees.
Drive right through Modimolle (along the town’s main road), heading for the next town called Vaalwater (soon to be Mabatlane). As you leave Modimolle, call us at the lodge so that we can time our trip to the Reserve gate to fetch you.
Do not delay calling when you leave Modimolle because there are sections of the road between Modimolle and Vaalwater where cell signals are poor or non-existent (very mountainous).
Drive right through Vaalwater. It is a straight road and you only go through one four-way stop in town. As you leave Vaalwater, you go past the Zeederberg Spar shop and a Total filling station on your left. Welgevonden’s Main Gate is on your left, 23.5km from the turnoff to the Spar and filling station. On the way you will pass turn-offs to Welgevonden’s South and East Gates respectively.
Turn into the Main gate and complete a Waiver and Entry Permit (the gate guard will give this to you). You are going to Taaibos River Lodge, Site 5. After you drive through the gate, you will see parking under trees towards the left. Park – we will be there to pick you up. No civilian vehicles may leave the gate area and traverse the Reserve.
By Air
Taaibos River Lodge private helipad
-24.2310028 27.84705
GPS S 24° 13′ 51.61″ E 27° 50′ 49.38″
Elevation: 1141m (3743 ft)
Welgevonden Main Gate Airstrip
S24° 12’12″ E27° 54’01″
GPS S 24 12.200 E 27 54.017
Length: 4267 ft (1200m)
Runway: 13/31
Elevation: 1120m (3415 ft)
Welgevonden Western Airstrip
S24° 17’09″ E27° 47’09″
GPS S 24 17.150 E 27 47.150
Length: 4572 ft (1500m)
Runway: 09/27
Elevation: 1370m (4175 ft)