The 6 Most Beautiful Road Trips In South Africa

South Africa offers some of the world’s most diverse landscapes, from sparkling oceans and stark deserts to snow-capped peaks and wildlife-dense savanna.

But it’s not just the land that makes south africa so enthralling – the wealth of the country’s diverse cultural groups, each contributing its own architecture, traditional cuisine and customs, adds to the alluring mix. Traveling by car, with the ability to stop, explore and wander on your own schedule, might be the ideal way to take in all this variety. 

Here's our pick of the six best road trips in South Africa.

1. Panorama Route

Best road trip for high-altitude adventure
Long Tom Pass to Echo Caves; 193km (120 miles)

Dipping in and out of Mpumalanga Blyde River Canyon, the world’s third largest, this cloud-high drive takes you through and along magnificent natural features – cliffs, waterfalls and forests, with eagles soaring above – while offering plenty of places to get out and stretch your legs.

It’s a short hike, for example, to God's Window, an overlook peeking down through jungly, bird-filled foliage some 2745m (9005ft) below. The Three Rondavels are a trio of soaring, grass-topped peaks resembling indigenous cone-shaped huts. Trails wander around Bourke's Luck Potholes, cylindrical holes formed over thousands of years by the swirling waters of the Treur and Blyde rivers.

But it’s not just about the natural landscape. Several towns worth a stop include historic Pilgrim’s Rest, a living historical monument to the gold rush days of the late 1800s. Beautifully renovated structures line its streets, including the Victorian-era Big Swing,  an exhilarating rush over the canyon on one of the world’s highest cable gorge swings. Sabie is a tranquil country town in the middle of a forest, with watery natural attractions, including Bridal Veil Falls, Lone Creek Waterfall and Horseshoe Falls.

2. Garden Route

Best road trip for a Garden of Eden experience
Mossel Bay to Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth); 300km (186 miles)

Meandering through South Africa’s lush Indian Ocean littoral, the Garden Route  (N2) is one of the nation’s most incredible itineraries. Burgeoning with luxuriant flora and fauna as well as coastal towns, pristine beaches and misty mountain forests, this drive is chock-full of things to see and do in one of the world’s most staggeringly beautiful settings.

For lovers of the outdoors, this road trip offers access to plenty of hiking trails, including the fabled five-day Otter Trail in Bloukrans Bridge . Camping is sublime, whether you prefer pitching your tent next to a rippling river, a primeval forest or the boundless ocean.

Wildlife aficionados adore Oudtshoorn and its ostrich farms; Tenikwa Wildlife Center . Nature is everywhere you look – expect to spot otters, Southern right whales and the odd great white splashing offshore, with birds galore flitting through the treetops and scurrying across the sands.

Oak-lined Goringhaikona (formerly known as George) provides a good base for setting out. Other popular towns include Mossel Bay , boasting a temperate climate and cultural history dating back 350,000 years.

Local tip: Witsand Nature Reserve comes with a soundtrack – when conditions are hot and dry, the sand sings. The "roaring sands" effect is created by air escaping from the tightly packed grains.

3. Midlands Meander

Best road trip for craftsmanship
Lions River to Nottingham Road; 27km (16.7 miles)

Delving into the heart of Durban,  the Midlands Meander is a collection of five color-coded routes that showcase the best of this untrammeled, rolling-green realm. You’ll discover breweries and wineries, unique lodging and locally sourced restaurants, nature reserves, traditional villages and plenty of outdoor activities along the way – though the region is perhaps most beloved for its arts and crafts.

Some 160 studios, workshops and outlets, including potters, leatherworkers, batik artists and chime makers, hide tucked away on tree-shaded lanes. Perhaps the best known is Ardmore Ceramics  in the Champagne Valley, which has a gallery and studio where locals create whimsical, fantastical, colorful pieces that decorate such venues as Buckingham Palace and the White House.

You can follow one of the specific routes, with Route 4 highly recommended. On this drive, you’ll find the Rawdons Hotel  is a fabulous, English-style country estate complete with a duck-dotted lake, a brewery, a distillery and a thatched roof. Enjoy goat’s milk cheese at Swissland Cheese and handcrafted Belgian chocolates at Chocolate Heaven.

4. Wild Coast

Best road trip for dramatic ocean views
East London to Mzamba; 482km (300 miles)

This laid-back drive is all about stunning, off-the-beaten-path scenery – empty beaches lapped by the Indian Ocean’s turquoise surf, jagged coastlines, crashing waterfalls, dark skies full of shooting stars and picturesque turquoise rondavels perched on emerald-green hillsides. You can drive this road trip straight through, but taking the time to explore will reveal the true wonders of this wild place. While the main route is the N2, away from the ocean, be sure to veer off to explore, hike, swim, canoe and fish. A 4x4 is highly recommended.

Wild Coast  highlights include Silaka Nature Reserve  near Port St Johns is a haven of exotic lilies, zebras and wildebeest, and Bulungula Beach is supreme for surfing, fishing, swimming and canoeing. You could drive to Hole in the Wall, but a three-hour hike across the grassy coastline is the more idyllic approach to this natural rocky archway that swirls with local legends. The local Xhosa name is esiKhaleni, “the place of thunder,” for the sound the rushing ocean makes as it roars through the almost circular cavity.

But it’s not all about the natural beauty here. As you snap photos of cows lazing on beaches, remember that Nelson Mandela was born on these grasslands (he was a cowherd as a young child). Various sites related to him include the Nelson Mandela Museum , which has three parts: a museum at Mthatha; a museum at the small hamlet of Qunu, where Mandela was baptized and is buried; and an open-air museum in Mvezo, where he was born. It’s a profound connection to this remote land of wild beauty.

Planning tip: Most car rental agencies can provide safety seats, but you'll need to book them in advance and usually pay extra.