Transkei roads - Forum Topic
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12 Apr 2018 @ 18:55:49 pm
I want to travel through the Transkei. Which road is the best?
12 Apr 2018 @ 19:44:04 pm
If your intention is straight through then the N2. The only advice I can give is when you pass through the towns ensure your windows are closed , doors locked .Also try not to travel at night due to animals on the road.
12 Apr 2018 @ 20:35:31 pm
And as early as possible on a Sunday.
12 Apr 2018 @ 20:48:09 pm
All the hills are not fun towing a caravan.
12 Apr 2018 @ 20:53:46 pm
The alternative via Queenstown,Maclear,Kokstad is a no no due to roadworks.
12 Apr 2018 @ 21:11:14 pm
Up down, up down via Umtata! Worst fuel consumption I ever had.
Coming from the East Free State last year we travelled via Elliot and Maclear to Port Shepstone and the road was good and not so hilly.
Although further, it might be a better option.
13 Apr 2018 @ 14:50:08 pm
I have also heard reports that while travelling through Transkei towns and in plain sight of everyone, anything that can get grabbed, pulled loose or forced off is a problem with open bakkies and goods on trailers. Make sure whatever can be put out of sight is so and that all external goods are secure and preferably padlocked with a chain. It a sad state of affairs. There is evidently a bypass to avoid the centre of Umtata. Do not stop unless you have to and rather stop at a fuel station. There is quite a big one as you exit Umtata on the East London side. Do not leave your vehicle unattended and keep doors locked at all times.
13 Apr 2018 @ 17:35:07 pm
Maybe I am just lucky. We frequently travel through Transkei and never experienced any problems. Yes it is with turns and hills but beautiful scenery. We usually tow through Transkei on a Sunday then it is quiet and the road and towns not busy. We stop in Kokstad and then at the ultra city on the outskirts of Mtata and from there to Kei Ultra City. We never experienced any problems and never feel unsafe. We traveled that road during the end of January this year. Your decision.
13 Apr 2018 @ 21:22:06 pm
That is exactly the route we followed earlier this year. Agree - no realproblems, but the hills really got to me! With my small caravan fuel consumption went through the roof and I often felt that I was straining the Fortuner. Even though it is considerably further, my inclination is to go around the north of Lesotho next time.
14 Apr 2018 @ 11:57:02 am
Baie dankie vir al die kommentaar. Ons is van plan om van Oos Londen na die Natal te reis.
Dit klink of die pad oor Maclear, Matatiele Kokstad die beter opsie is. Wil graag by die karavaan kamp by Maclear oorslaap.
14 Apr 2018 @ 14:31:42 pm
As dit Tortoni is waar julle beplan om oor te slaap, maak voorsiening vir nog 'n dag.
Dit is baie rustig op die plaas en die hond sal julle lei na die kampplek.
15 Apr 2018 @ 15:32:29 pm
Die pad tussen Dordreght en Maclear is bitter sleg met 'n menigte stop/ry seksies. Ons het dit drie weke gelde gesleep en sal beslis nie weer daar ry voordat die padwerke klaar is nie.
Tortoni is glad nie meer lekker nie - daai vriendelike brak is nie meer daar nie!!!!! Van die kampeerders het glo gekla dat hy hulle pla en hulle het hom weggegee. Wou sommer prossedeer toe ek daar aankom en hy is nie daar nie.
23 Apr 2018 @ 10:00:11 am
Hello all you happy campers. Goeie dag aan al my spesiale afrikaans vriende. We drove thru Transkei yesterday Sunday 22nd April. We left Yellow Sands at 6:00. The roads thru the Transkei are very good. There is only the 17km of road works between Dutywa and Umtata. This stretch is tarred but very uneven with Lots of speed bumps which are not very easy to see. Please drive slowly over this stretch. The big Shell garage just before Umtata is completely closed for renovations even toilets ( we used porta potti). There seems to be another nice garage just going into Umtata with Steers and Superspar. Otherwise there is a small neat Caltex Garage about 20km north of Umtata. We arrived at Umtata at 09:00 and it was quiet and had no problems at all going thru the town. Be on the lookout for stray animals on the road both dead and alive ( there was a dead cow in road at one point) Otherwise we had a good trip and arrived at Fair hills Ramsgate at 14:00. By the way I tow a gypsy romany with a 2.0 TDI VW Caddy and consumption was 9.1 ltr per 100 km.
23 Apr 2018 @ 10:14:51 am
Baie dankie vir die info Ash. My mind is ook nou opgemaak. Sal ook vroeg op die Sondag ry om probleme te vermy.
23 Apr 2018 @ 21:54:56 pm
Thanks Ash. Enjoy, see you at RBay.
24 Apr 2018 @ 16:45:54 pm
Het al n paar keer met oop trailer deur Transkei gery in die week sonder enige probleme. Ek glo daar sal seker uitsonderlike voorvalle wees. Dat die dorpe besig is, is nie te betwyfel nie. Die natuurskoon maak op vir dit.
06 Jan 2019 @ 20:07:48 pm
Het enigiemand dalk die afgelope vakansie deur die Transkei gery. Verlede jaar toe ons daar deur is was daar padwerke suid van Mthatha vir ongeveer 20km. Alhoewel dit geteer is was dit maat hobbelrig en nou. Dit was nie aangenaam om daar te sleep nie. Ons is binne dae op pad om te ry Hartenbos toe en moet besluit of ons weer deur die Transkei ry of maar liewer oor Bloemfontein hier van Natal suidkus af. Enige inligting sal waardeer word.
Weet iemand dalk ook hoe lyk kampering by Maclaer (Tortoni) deesdae as ek sou besluit om daardie roete te volg?
10 Jan 2019 @ 20:49:09 pm
Hi Piet. Ons het in April vir amper 'n week by Tortoni gebly - sou net oornag, maar toe kom die stortreen en hou aan vir 4 dae. So amper 250mm geval. Hulle het ons op dag 6 met 'n groot gesukkel met 'n trekker uitgesleep. Kon nie eers in die kamp self met die bakkie ry nie.
Niks het verander in die kamp nie, behalwe dat daai brakkie (Buks?) nie meer daar is nie. Van die kampeerders het blykbaar gekla dat hy hulle pla.
As jy daar oorbly, gaan kyk gerus na die nuwe teerpad wat hulle Umtata toe gebou het. Pragtige pas.
11 Jan 2019 @ 09:29:57 am
Dankie Flip ek waardeer. Ons Predikant was toevallig daar met sy terugkom van die Kaap af met sy karavaan. Die pad uit was blykbaar baie sleg uitgery en hy moes sy karavaan afhak en stadig laat terugloop en is toe deur ander kampeerders gehelp om daar uit te kom. Bygese hy sleep met n voorwiel dryf en die voorwiele het getol en daarom kon hy nie uitkom nie. Ander vriende se ook dat die kuspad van Oos Londen af na Port Alfred ook nie goed is nie asook die een tussen King Williamstown en Grahamstad. Ek dink ons sal maar Bloemfontein om ry. Taamlik verder maar darem goeie pad.
Waar is julle nou? Kamp julle nog lekker? Groete vir Tilla.
13 Jan 2019 @ 08:26:08 am
Dankie Piet. Ons het geen probleem met die pad tussen Oos Londen en Port Alfred gehad nie. Hulle werk wel aan die pad, maar die Stop/Go seksie was kort en heel skaflik. Die Grahamstad pad was 'n gemors gewees so drie maande gelede.
Ons is by Brits op die oomblik en skuif volgende week Muldersdrift toe.
Kamp bly koning!!