Five road trips you want to take in South Africa

South Africa is one of the best places on the planet to take a road trip in, especially doing so using car hire South Africa. Its natural scenery and landscape allows for so many trips to turn into holiday adventures while travelling to your destination. We’ve listed five routes in South Africa that when you take them, you will want to stop over and just take a moment to explore.

1. The Garden Route

Beautiful scenery as you drive along the Garden Route. Image from Pixabay

The Garden Route is a popular, scenic stretch of the south-eastern coast of South Africa. It ranges from Mossel Bay in the Western Cape to the Storms River crossed along the N2 coastal highway over to Paul Sauer Bridge in the western reach of the neighbouring Eastern Cape.

While travelling through the Garden Route, you’ll come across towns such as Knysna, Oudtshoorn, Plettenberg Bay and George. These towns offer accommodation and activities such as bungee jumping, mountain biking and shark cage diving, while the diverse vegetation, numerous lagoons and lakes make for great scenery to take photographs.

2. Cape Town to Bloemfontein N1

A view of Table Mountain from V&A Waterfront Cape Town, where this journey begins. Image from Pixabay

The beginning stretch of Cape Town to Bloemfontein passes through the beautiful Cape Winelands  and loops around Paarl, Franschoek and Stellenbosch. Situated about 500 km along the route is the Karoo National Park near Beaufort West followed by a gravel road leading to Swartberg to the Cango Caves. At the national park expect to see brown hyena, lion, Cape mountain zebra and over 20 breeding pairs of Verreaux’s eagle. The trip up to Bloemfontein is a breathtaking experience. When you get to Bloemforntein, you can visit the Orchid house, the Ango-Boer War Museum and various wildlife and art centres.

3. Cape Town to Johannesburg N1

This is one of the longest trips in South Africa with 1 400 km inbetween Cape Town and Johannesburg. This route stretches across four provinces; Western Cape, Northern Cape, Free State and Gauteng. You could go via Kimberley in the Northern Cape. Kimberley offers the biggest man-made hole – the Big Hole. The Big Hole represents a part of South African history, having been created during the diamond rush by aggressive mining since the discovery of a diamond stone in December 1866 . There’s also a mining museum offered by Kimberly Tourism where real diamonds are displayed. There is plenty to do when you get to Johannesburg. You can visit cultural centres, galleries and markets, go shopping at one of their up market shopping malls and not to forget their always-vibrant night life.

4. Johannesburg to Durban N3

Joburg city lights in the night. Image from Pixabay

This 570 km route runs from Harrismith along the Great Drakensberg Massif of KwaZulu-Natal which is a World Heritage Site. It also hosts one of the most important highland parks of South Africa above the all-spectacular Royal National Park. Camping, mountain biking and hiking are just some of the activities you can partake in the Drakensberg.

5. Johannesburg to Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park

A view of Nelson Mandela Bridge from up top in the middle of Johannesburg. Image from Pixabay

The distance between the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park and Johannesburg is approximately 1 090 km and the different routes driving from Johannesburg to the park can be found here. The park is Africa’s first Transfrontier Park formed between the Kalahari Gemsbok National Park in South Africa and Gemsbok National Park in Botswana in 2000. It’s situated 240km from Upington in the Northern Cape. At Kgalagadi National Park you can spot wild animals, plants and birds that you’re unlikely to find anywhere else. Amongst other activities you are most welcome to camp in the wilderness, shop and dine.

Is your favourite road trip not listed on this post? Here are other road trips you want to know about or simply submit your own in the comments below.