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Voykit pocket guide · South Africa
Hazyview
Stay 2–3 nights as a Kruger and Panorama Route base: Phabeni gate is about 10 km east, Blyde River Canyon about 45 km west.
Hazyview is a small Lowveld town on the R40 between Mbombela and the Sabie Road, a few kilometres from Kruger's Phabeni and Numbi gates and on the way to the Panorama Route. It is a bed base, not a sight in itself: you sleep here and drive out early. The Sabie Road corridor holds most lodges, guesthouses and restaurants.
- Country
- South Africa
- Best months
- May–Sep (dry, cool, best game viewing); Apr and Oct shoulder
- Avoid
- Dec–Jan (hot, wet, school holidays); Jun–Jul nights near 5 °C (41 °F)Dec–Jan (hot, wet, school holidays); Jun–Jul nights near 41 °F (5 °C)
- Stay
- 2–3 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- ZAR
- Money
- Currency is the South African rand (ZAR, R), about 17–18 per US$ in 2026 (check). Cards and tap-to-pay are accepted almost everywhere in cities and at lodges; carry small cash for tips.
- Daily spend
- Budget R700–1,200 excl. bed · Mid R1,200–2,200 excl. bed · High R2,200+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Vodacom and MTN have the best coverage; Cell C and Telkom are cheaper. Buy at the airport shop with your passport (RICA registration is required).
- Emergency
- From a mobile 112
- Plugs
- Types M, C, N · 230 V · 50 Hz · The big round-pin type M is rarely used elsewhere; buy a local adapter at the airport or any supermarket.
- Tipping
- Restaurant: 10–15%; check if a service charge is added for large groups.; Fuel attendant: R5–20, more if they wash windows and check tyres.; Car guard: R5–20 when you leave.; Safari ranger and tracker: About R150–300 per guest per day for the ranger, R100–200 for the tracker — check lodge guidance.; Hotel porter: R10–20 per bag.
- Water
- Tap water is safe in most cities and towns; in some municipalities with failing infrastructure, ask your host.
- Toilets
- Clean Western toilets at fuel stations (Engen, Shell, Ultra City), malls and park camps.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee or breakfast at a Perry's Bridge café | R40–90 |
| Main course at a lodge restaurant | R150–280 |
| Draught beer | R35–55 |
| Fuel, per litre | R23–25 (check) |
| Kruger conservation fee, per person per day | about R500 (check) |
| Guided half-day Kruger drive | R900–1,500 (check) |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- MQP · Kruger Mpumalanga International (Mbombela)
- About 55 km (34 mi) south; rent a car here or arrange a transferAbout 34 mi (55 km) south; rent a car here or arrange a transfer
- JNB · O.R. Tambo (Johannesburg)
- About 380 km (236 mi); N4 then R40, roughly 4.5–5 h driveAbout 236 mi (380 km); N4 then R40, roughly 4.5–5 h drive
Typical fares
- Phabeni gate from town
- about 10 km (6.2 mi), 15–20 min by carabout 6.2 mi (10 km), 15–20 min by car
- Hazyview → Mbombela (MQP airport)
- about 55–60 km (34–37 mi), 50–60 min by carabout 34–37 mi (55–60 km), 50–60 min by car
- Hazyview → Blyde River Canyon viewpoints
- about 45–60 km (28–37 mi), 1–1.5 h by carabout 28–37 mi (45–60 km), 1–1.5 h by car
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
A car is close to essential: gates, canyon viewpoints and restaurants are spread over 20–60 km (12–37 mi). Drive on the left. Fuel up in town before dawn game drives. Minibus taxis run the R40 to Mbombela and Bushbuckridge but are not a tourist option for park days.A car is close to essential: gates, canyon viewpoints and restaurants are spread over 12–37 mi (20–60 km). Drive on the left. Fuel up in town before dawn game drives. Minibus taxis run the R40 to Mbombela and Bushbuckridge but are not a tourist option for park days.
See and do
Known for
- Kruger National Park access via Phabeni and Numbi gates
- Panorama Route and Blyde River Canyon day drives
- Banana and macadamia farms
- Sabie River valley lodges
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Kruger National Park (Phabeni gate) | Drive R40 east about 10 km (6.2 mi) to Phabeni; self-drive or a guided half-day from townDrive R40 east about 6.2 mi (10 km) to Phabeni; self-drive or a guided half-day from town | 20–30 min to the gate |
| Blyde River Canyon and God's Window | R536 to Sabie then R532 north through Graskop | 1–1.5 h to the viewpoints |
| Pilgrim's Rest | R533 from Graskop, about 30 min beyond | About 2 h |
| Mbombela (Nelspruit) | R40 south about 60 km (37 mi)R40 south about 37 mi (60 km) | About 1 h |
| Sabie | R536 west about 30 km (19 mi)R536 west about 19 mi (30 km) | About 40 min |
Sleep
- Perry's Bridge (R40/R536 junction)
- Restaurants, reptile park and a brewery cluster; the most walkable pocket.
- Sabie Road (R536) corridor
- Lodges and self-catering cottages 5–20 km (3.1–12 mi) out; quiet, needs a car for dinner.Lodges and self-catering cottages 3.1–12 mi (5–20 km) out; quiet, needs a car for dinner.
- Town centre and R40 south
- Guesthouses, shops and fuel; closest to Phabeni gate for early starts.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Hallohah-loh |
| Thank you | Dankiedahn-kee |
| How much is it? | Hoeveel is dit?hoo-feel is dit |
| Where is the toilet? | Waar is die toilet?vaar is dee toy-let |
| Can I pay by card? | Kan ek met 'n kaart betaal?kan ek met un kart be-taal |
| Help | Helphelp |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Say hello and ask how someone is before any request; avoid: Launching straight into a question
- Handshakes: Three-part African handshake with friends; a normal handshake with strangers; avoid: Refusing an offered hand
- Elders: Use Mr/Mrs or 'Mama', 'Baba' respectfully in townships and rural areas; avoid: First names with older people you have just met
- Braai invitations: Bring meat or drinks, and arrive on 'African time'; avoid: Taking over the fire
- Photos: Ask first, especially in townships and villages; avoid: Photographing children without a parent's permission
- Politics and race: Ask questions and listen; avoid: Lecturing on history or crime
Scams and watch-outs
- Kruger gates open early and close at fixed times: be at Phabeni or Numbi before the gate time or lose the morning.
- Do not walk outside lodge grounds after dark; drive between dinner and bed.
- Malaria is a risk in this Lowveld area: talk to a travel clinic about prophylaxis before you go.
- Summer heat and afternoon thunderstorms: start drives at first light.
- Card skimming and cash-only roadside stops: carry small notes and keep cards in sight.
Hazyview is a small town and the main risk is the road, not crime: drive between lodges after dark, keep to the speed limit, and watch for animals and pedestrians on the R40. Malaria is present in this Lowveld area.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Hazyview yet. Suggested stay: 2–3 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Kruger National Park access via Phabeni and Numbi gates
- Panorama Route and Blyde River Canyon day drives
- Banana and macadamia farms
- Sabie River valley lodges
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency: www.mpumalanga.com/
- South African National Parks — Kruger: www.sanparks.org/parks/kruger
- Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport: www.kmiairport.co.za/
- Wikivoyage: Hazyview, revision 5338270 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5338270
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Hazyview
Na hierdie adres, asseblief
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- From a mobile112
No embassies in Hazyview; consulates and embassies are in Johannesburg, Pretoria or Cape Town (check).
Fuel up the night before an early gate start; town pumps open early but queues build.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/hazyview). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.