Quick escapes – De Rust Caravan Park, near Tshwane

Distance:
De Rust Caravan Park near Pretoria is 1 hour’s drive from Johannesburg.

The low-down:
Nature lovers will relish the quiet of this park, which limits its capacity to 25 well-spaced sites. Visitors camp beneath the indigenous trees on the banks of the Pienaars River and can stretch their legs on a seven-kilometre hike while spotting wild flowers, tortoises, small game and birds – the bird list of 280 species includes the rare African finfoot. This is the place to go if you prefer not to share your neighbour’s noise. A strict set of rules apply: no music, no day visitors and no caravan-club rallies are allowed. It might upset some people, but it makes this small caravan park a soothing retreat for everyone else.

Food:
Each site has its own braai area, water and power source.

Children:
No children under 16.

Need to know:
Campers in tents are welcome; small dogs are permitted by prior arrangement. The park is within the new Dinokeng Game Reserve, but self-drives to see wildlife aren’t permitted at this stage. Go horse riding and hot-air ballooning nearby.

$: It costs R85 a person a day, except over Easter and Christmas when it’s R100 a person a day.

Contact:
Cell 083-282-7292, e-mail derust@mailbox.co.za, web www.derustcaravanpark.co.za.