Cape Town to Augrabies - advice please

[Bokboy]

Greetings folks!

I'm planning a trip to Augrabies late September with family. Will have 9/10 days to do this. Intention is to mix a bit of camping with B&B/self catering etc along the way, maybe even a game lodge along the way. As we have young kids ("mom-are we there yet...?!"), it is possibly best to break up the trip to ensure my sanity.

1. Any advice as to best routes to take please? I was thinking of:-
Day 1 - CTN to Beaufort West (1 night)
Day 2 - Beaufort West to Kimberley (take boys to see die groot gat and also where their Pa (RIP) was born and grew up playing cowboys and indians in the mine dumps...) (2 nights)
Day 4 - Kimberley to Augrabies (2 nights chill time)
Day 6 - Which way back?? Do we go to Springbok and down N7 back to Blouberg Sands or do we double back on route up? Personally, I'm a fan of "drive and see more". However, conscious of needing to make trip interesting for rugrats (besides iPad/DVD player/Nintendo... and there's only so many times one can play "eye-spy" through the Karoo...!). Only need to be back by Day 9, latest, so happy to break up journery further.

Second question please: any recomendations of good (family friendly) places/game lodges/ camp sites etc to stay at on the route up and back please?

Any advice gratefully received.

Cheers,

[Alxrow001]

There are a number of routes and places to stay.

Comming from Kimberly ovrrnight at Witsand Nature Reserve.

Nice place to overnight in Keimoes is De Werf

[swimma]

Have a look at staying in Karoo National Park just outside Beaufort West, just be aware that there is an average speed camera leaving Beaufort West!

Are you planning on staying at Augrabies Falls, or in the town? If you are at the falls, just watch for the baboons, they literally get in everywhere, so keep everything closed.

On your way back, there are roadworks on the N7, so be prepared for lots of stop-go. There are also roadworks on the road from Kakamas to Brandvlei. Have also heard that there are roadworks around Calvinia, but no idea how bad, or how long the delays are, as we turned off onto the R357 in Brandvlei towards Loeriesfontein, it's a dirt road, but very good condition, so you can keep up a decent average speed. There is a Kokerboom forest and a waterfall near Nieuwoudtville, which are both worth stopping at, both are signposted and easy to find.

[Elders]

Augrabies - Pofadder - Calvinia - Clanwilliam, from Pofadder all dirt roads.

[Bokboy]

Chaps. Thanks very much for your comments. Much to consider. Greatly appreciated!

Cheers,
Craig