Self-Drive Round Trip: South Africa’s South & Garden Route

After arriving at Cape Town airport, you collect your reserved rental car right at the airport and drive to your accommodation in the city. Here you can recover from the overnight flight or visit the first sights in the city. Let the evening wind down over a meal at one of the many restaurants at the harbour. You spend three nights at Rosedene Guesthouse. Your South Africa self-drive round trip along the Garden Route begins!

If you land in Cape Town on a late flight (e.g. KLM), you will be picked up at the airport and taken to the lodge, and the rental car will be delivered to you the next day.

Many visitors agree: when the conversation turns to the most beautiful city in the world, Cape Town is always mentioned in the same breath as San Francisco. The unique flair of this city, with the ever-present Table Mountain as a backdrop and its perfect location by the sea with its scenic hinterland, casts a spell over every visitor. Visit the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront or Greenmarket Square to buy hand-carved souvenirs, and take a ride on a hop-on-hop-off bus to get a first overview of the city. The sights in Cape Town are so numerous that you should decide in advance whether you want to visit Table Mountain, Lion’s Head, the botanical garden, the beaches of Blouberg or Camps Bay, the Cape of Good Hope, Simon’s Town, Robben Island, or, or, or… Further overnight stays at Rosedene Guesthouse.

After breakfast you drive east via Gordons Bay and along the scenic coastal route R44 / R43. Stop at Betty’s Bay to watch the little penguins. Then continue to Hermanus. This small, beautifully situated fishing village is South Africa’s “whale capital” and, from June to November, the ideal place to watch the grey giants. Look out for the telltale fountains of water that form when the whales exhale. But even outside the whale season, the picturesque region offers spectacular hiking trails along the coast or in the adjoining forests. Those seeking peace and quiet will also get their money’s worth in Hermanus. You spend the night at Bamboo Guest House.

Continue along the N2 to Wilderness. Stop on the way in Swellendam, the third-oldest town in South Africa, and admire the many beautiful Cape Dutch houses. Then continue to Wilderness. From Wilderness you can visit the sights around George, Knysna and Mossel Bay. Take a boat tour on the Knysna Lagoon or a hike in Wilderness Nature Reserve. On the beaches of Wilderness, Buffelsbaai or Brenton you can relax and swim. You spend the night at Mes Amis Beach Guesthouse.

On the picturesque R102 you drive via Plettenberg Bay to Nature’s Valley. The small settlement lies right on a lagoon, and from here you can explore the surroundings on a wide variety of hiking trails or visit the secluded beaches. Then your South Africa self-drive trip along the Garden Route continues to Tsitsikamma National Park. Tsitsikamma National Park is a paradise for birdwatchers and lovers of impressive coastal landscapes. It is also world-famous for its hiking trail, the “Otter Trail”, and you should take the opportunity to go for a short hike. You spend the night in Storms River, just a few kilometres outside the park, at Tsitsikamma Village Inn.

Continue east to Addo Elephant Park. The accommodation is located outside the park and gives you an ideal base from which to explore Addo Elephant Park on your self-drive trip. You drive into the park and search for the Addo elephants. Of course, with a little luck you can also watch all the other wild residents of the park here, such as zebras, various antelopes, lions and much more. After several generous hours on safari, you can leave the park through the main entrance at Addo and drive back to Elephant House, your accommodation for the next two nights.

Set off early on the drive back towards Cape Town through South Africa’s interior. Via Humansdorp you then take Scenic Route 62 via Kareedouw and Joubertina into the Little Karoo as far as Oudtshoorn. The rivers that rise in the mountains feed the otherwise rather dry region with water. Tobacco, fruit and wine grow here. Take time to visit an ostrich farm or the cave-like chambers of the Cango Caves. In the late afternoon you continue from Oudtshoorn to your accommodation, Thabile Lodge.

Early in the morning a visit to the Cango Caves would be possible (with advance booking) before you continue along Route 62/60 via Calitzdorp, Ladismith and Worcester to Stellenbosch. Stellenbosch and Paarl are South Africa’s wine centre. Beautiful wine estates, lined with vines and sheltered by the surrounding mountains, invite you to linger and to enjoy wine tastings. Hiking enthusiasts will get their money’s worth in Jonkershoek Nature Reserve. Wine tastings in the form of tours, hikes and bike rides are possible as options. The Winelands are also known beyond South Africa’s borders for their cuisine, and you can choose from a range of exquisite restaurants and inns. You spend the night at the lovely Wedgeview Country House on the edge of town.

Depending on your departure time, a stroll through Stellenbosch and the souvenir market is a good idea. Later you drive back to Cape Town airport. There you return your rental car and begin your journey back to Europe, where you will arrive with many new impressions and experiences from your South Africa self-drive trip along the Garden Route.