South Africa is a unique tourist destination offering outstanding landscapes and scenery from semi-desert and mountain ranges to a spectacular coastline and beautiful winelands in the Western Cape.
Once you’ve visited South Africa, you will want to go back to see more of this beautiful Rainbow Nation! If it's your first time traveling to South Africa, don't worry! Road conditions in South Africa are good, and all signs are written in English. That makes it easy to do a self-drive, however there are some things to be aware of.
It’s also recommended to obtain an International Driver License. Although it’s not required, some rental car companies ask for it. We picked up our car at Cape Town Airport and dropped it off at Port Elizabeth Airport. This procedure was very smooth.
It is a big country and while a road trip in South Africa is amazing, you can save time by taking domestic flights. The most popular tourist attractions in South Africa are well connected. South Africa is not the safest place to travel in terms of crimes and robberies, but I honestly felt safe all the time. Just be aware and make informed choices, like everywhere else in the world! Keep the doors of your car locked at all times, also when you’re driving and give some of your small money to a parking attendant.
In this travel blog, I will share tips for planning your self-drive route from Cape Town to Port Elizabeth. Let's dive in!
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Port Elizabeth to Cape Town (Garden Route) DRIVE | 4k
Getting Around
To travel around Cape Town we used Uber a lot. It is an easy, affordable and safe way to get around in the city. No parking problems and no stressful driving in the busy city.
The best way to stay connected when traveling to South Africa is a local prepaid sim card for tourists or an e-sim card.
Cape Town: A City of Wonders
Cape Town is one of my most favourite cities in the world and I could write several articles about the best views, great restaurants and best things to do in Cape Town.
Are you a first-time visitor? You would probably want to explore the most popular places to visit in Cape Town including tourist attractions like Table Mountain, Robben Island, Lion’s Head, Victoria & Alfred (V&A) Waterfront, the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, the penguins at Boulders Beach, Cape of Good Hope, Cape Point and the wine area of Stellenbosch to taste some of South Africa’s finest wines. For the sake of convenience there’s a Hop-on Hop-off bus that will easily take you to most of the Cape Town highlights, but you can also walk or take an Uber.
You should also add Bo-Kaap and Camps Bay to the list of things to do in Cape Town and don’t forget to visit Signal Hill, one of the best sunset spots in Cape Town. Another top thing to do in Cape Town is driving the iconic 9km long Chapman’s Peak Drive, that contains 114 curves and beautiful sceneries everywhere. If you visit the Mother City between November and April, a great Cape Town travel tip is to attend the Kirstenbosch Summer Sunset Concert Series that take place every Sunday. It’s a great way to enjoy music in Cape Town. As you might imagine there is absolutely no shortage of things to do in Cape Town.
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Accommodation in Cape Town
If you’re looking for a boutique hotel with excellent service; Derwent House Boutique Hotel is the place to be! Derwent is perfectly located in a safe neighbourhood called ‘Gardens’, around the corner of Kloof Street (an extension of Long Street). It’s close to delicious restaurants and nearby popular attractions. The rooms are equipped with everything you’ll need; some contain a living room and kitchen and all rooms are differently designed and decorated!
The team of Derwent offers a great service. There is always someone on duty at the reception desk and they even serve a nightcap when you come back in the evening. Guests can use the free and guarded parking area and every morning there’s a various breakfast with a daily special. The staff really made me feel at home in this cosy boutique hotel and I would stay again!
Coastal Route to Hermanus
From Cape Town we drove a beautiful, coastal route to Hermanus. We were hoping to spot the Great White Sharks at Dappat se Gat, because False Bay used to be home to this world's largest known predatory fish. Unfortunately, they vanished and haven’t been seen in 2019; nobody knows why. It could be the presence of orca’s or fishermen, because they sell their prey, but it’s still unclear.
We had more luck with spotting penguins at Stoney Point because they are always there. This nature reserve is a much quieter place to watch African penguins than the more famous Boulders Beach. Entrance fee for Stoney Point is 25 ZAR per person.
Hermanus is famous for Southern Right Whale watching between May and November, but sadly the whale sightings in South Africa have dropped extremely the past few years. Locals explained they have seen whales, but they left two weeks before we arrived in Hermanus. Because of the poor shark and whale sightings, we changed our program in Hermanus and enjoyed the Cliff Path Walk, instead of a marine activity like natural Shark predation and spotting whales. The Cliff Path offers outstanding views of the coast and sea, where you can enjoy rock formations and extremely high waves.
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Accommodation in Hermanus
We spent two nights at Whale on Main B&B that offers 5 spacious rooms. We were given a room with a large balcony and a comfortable king-sized bed. The accommodation offers a free private parking and a garden with a swimming pool.
The owners, Marlene and Zeno, were lovely hosts; their service is very good and personal. The Bed & Breakfast was fairly new, perfectly located across the street where you can enter the Cliff Path and close to Hermanus town (15 minutes).
Inland to Oudtshoorn via Route 62
The route from Hermanus to Oudtshoorn is about 360km and will take you around 5,5 hours including road works and a quick lunch stop on the way. You will drive the Cape Route 62 that serves as a tourist route. The R62 will lead you through the dryer parts of the Klein Karoo; very different from the landscapes you see on the Garden Route, but not less beautiful.
On your way to Oudtshoorn, I would recommend stopping in the town called ‘Barrydale’ to have your early lunch (or breakfast).
Oudtshoorn is known as the Ostrich Capital of the world and a lot of people go there to visit ostrich farms, the Cango Caves or to do a Meerkat adventure, some great things to do in Oudtshoorn.
Safari Experience in Oudtshoorn
Buffelsdrift Game Reserve is located in Oudtshoorn and is a reserve where you can go for a bush safari. Apart from spotting a variety of animals, the guides will also teach you some facts about birds and plant species of the Karoo. I personally think it’s a good activity for a first-time safari experience, but it’s a relatively short activity and less spectacular wildlife viewings.
Because of the extremely drought in the Karoo, the reserve added extra feeding grounds for the animals. In terms of wildlife we spotted two rhinos at the feeding ground and some giraffes and impalas.
Meerkat Adventure
Another popular thing to do in Oudtshoorn is the daily wild habituated Meerkat experience. During a 2 to 3-hour tour, you will share the sunrise with a Meerkat family. There are only a few operators who run this tour. We did this Meerkat Adventure with Five Shy Meerkats on a farm just outside Oudtshoorn, which is home to the original Meerkat conservation site ‘De Zeekoe’.
The tours of Five Shy Meerkats are operated by experienced tour guides. I think it’s an amazing and very unique experience to see these wild animals in their natural environment. I would definitely recommend this tour by Five Shy Meerkats.
Accommodation in Oudtshoorn
Boutique glamping is a great way to experience the Karoo and that’s possible at AfriCamps Klein Karoo, where you will be staying in a luxury tent, located only a 10-minute drive from Oudtshoorn centre. We were given a tent with the best view, near the dam.
Preparing your own ‘braai’ (bbq in Afrikaans) or watching the milky way from your tent makes this experience even better. At the check-in you will receive an extensive breakfast box with fresh juice, coffee, water, bread, eggs, yoghurt, cereals, and muffins.
The Garden Route: A Coastal Paradise
The Garden Route, also known as Tuinroute, is one of the most popular things to do in South Africa. The official Garden Route starts in Mossel Bay and ends at Storms River. From Oudtshoorn we drove to George, which means we skipped the first part of the Garden Route.
We had an overnight stay in Plettenberg to have a little more rest and spend some time at the beach. The Garden Route has a lot to offer like beautiful beaches, extreme outdoor activities and national parks. More inland you will find beautiful mountains, lakes and lagoons. You can visit this area over and over, and explore different things every time you drive the Garden Route.
I really liked Knysna, a cosy and charming town at the Knysna lagoon. This is also one of the most popular stops halfway the Garden Route.
After our overnight stay in Plettenberg, we visited Tsitsikamma National Park and did the most popular ‘Mouth Trail’ to the Suspension Bridge, the hanging bridge over the Storms River.
Another adventurous thing to do along the Garden Route is jumping off the 216-meter high Bloukrans Bridge above the Bloukrans River. The Bloukrans Bungy is the highest bungy bridge in the world and a bucket list item for many travellers.
Port Elizabeth and Beyond
From Tsitsikamma National Park to Port Elizabeth is only a 2-hour drive. Port Elizabeth is Cape Town’s little sister, with a nice relaxing atmosphere.
Safari near Port Elizabeth
Many people travel to South Africa to see wildlife and experience their first safari. The largest and most famous wildlife park in South Africa is Kruger National Park in Johannesburg, that is almost as big as Belgium. When you stay near Port Elizabeth, you can choose out of different Big Five safari game reserves.
For an absolutely wonderful, rewarding and most luxury safari near Port Elizabeth, you have to choose Shamwari Game Reserve. I think it is the whole package that makes Shamwari such a wonderful place to be.
Samara Private Game Reserve
The luxury, malaria-free Samara Private Game Reserve covering 67,000 acres of land, is located near Graaff-Reinet in the mighty Great Karoo. The best way to get there is by car over fairly good roads. From Port Elizabeth it will take you 2,5 hours to the main entrance gate of Samara. Once you reach Samara’s main entrance gate, you have to drive an unpaved road.
We stayed in the rustic-chic Karoo Lodge; a renovated farmhouse. We were given a luxury cottage with private veranda. Our two-night stay included two early-morning game drives, two afternoon game drives and all meals. Together with our guide and tracker, we traced wild cheetahs on foot, observed a mother and baby rhino and came very close to a group of elephants.
Standing on top of the plateau with such spectacular views, makes you feel very small and humble. This special moment is one of my most vivid memories of this South African trip.
Samara is most famous for their story of a wild cheetah, Sibella, who has become a global ambassadress for cheetah conservation. Sibella’s life nearly ended at the hands of hunters but was rescued by De Wildt Cheetah and Wildlife Trust. In 2004 Sibella was the first to be released into the wild and the first cheetah back in the Karoo in 125 years. At the time of her death in 2015, Sibella was mother to 9, grandmother to 10 and great-grandmother to 18 cheetahs still alive across the country.
Bellevue Forest Reserve
Bellevue Forest Reserve is a 2.500 hectare private and malaria-free game reserve, located in the Greater Addo region. This family friendly reserve is most famous for the unique Giraffe Walk excursion and home to wildlife such as lions and buffalo.
Because Bellevue Forest Reserve is the only one who offers a giraffe walk, we couldn’t miss out on it. I think it’s an enjoyable activity; especially when you haven’t been close to wildlife before it’s very impressive to walk up very close to these animals. When the giraffes are comfortable you get out of the game drive vehicle to slowly walk in the footprints of the giraffes to observe their behaviour and get closer to them. Quite impressive if you look up to the most elegant animals of the African bush.
In Bellevue Forest Reserve, we stayed in the Elephants Lodge (Olifantskop Lodge), which overlooks the valley of the Reserve. It’s a cosy environment with natural gardens. The recently renovated rooms are small but very clean and equipped with everything you need.
The hosts will do anything to make their service as personal as possible and because of that, they really create a familiarity of home. For this reason, I would recommend this place in particular for solo travellers and families. The hosts also prepared a delicious Braai and joined their present guests - including us - for dinner!
Addo Elephant National Park
Addo Elephant is South Africa's third largest national reserve and is home to the Big Five animals, namely; Black Rhino, Lion, Leopard, Buffalo and of course the Elephant. You should definitely visit Addo Elephant Park for at least a day trip, but you can also stay in the National Park.
You can either go there with a guided tour or on a self-drive. Addo is perfect for a self-drive but you are not allowed to go off-road.
Franschhoek: The Wine and Food Capital
As the name refers, Franschhoek is a traditionally French town that is appoint to the food and wine capital of the country. The Franschhoek valley is one of the most stunning parts of the Cape Winelands and popular for some top restaurants, wine estates, golf courses and of course the Wine Tram which will take you to several wine estates for wine tastings.
Accommodation in Franschhoek
We stayed at the amazing and peaceful Angala Boutique Hotel, located within the Wine Estate of Vrede & Lust in the heart of the Cape Winelands. We were given their biggest bungalow including a private swimming pool with mountain views from our bedroom and from the pool. I loved their outside breakfast overlooking their natural pool in a nicely decorated garden.
Be aware that Angala Boutique Hotel is not in the centre of Franschhoek, but located between Franschhoek and Paarl in the area called Drakenstein. From the property you can easily go for a hike up to magnificent mountains and walk through the beautiful gardens.
Don’t forget to go for a wine tasting at Vrede & Lust; you will receive a voucher for a complimentary wine tasting. I could have stayed here for a few more days, because it’s so peaceful.
