South Africa is a beautiful country and travelers from all over the world come here to discover its magic every year. With grand mountain ranges, world-class beaches, lush forests, majestic waterfalls, and some of the finest national parks, South Africa has something to offer each and every person who chooses to admire its unparalleled beauty.
Even the deserts in this country are incredibly beautiful, from the red sands of the Kalahari to Namaqualand and the Karoo. Below are our top 5 scenic drives that you simply have to add to your road trip bucket list.
Garden Route Western Cape
The Garden Route is a 300km stretch of breathtaking natural beauty and salty coastline. The area is diverse with a host of sandy beaches, lagoons, lakes, protea-studded slopes and shady evergreen forests. On this route, you can visit towns like Knysna, Wilderness, Plettenberg Bay, Sedgefield as well as the Tsitsikamma National Park. With the beauty of nature combined with the ultimate adventure, it’s not hard to see why the Garden Route is considered the most iconic drive in South Africa.
Route 62 Western Cape
Stretching from Cape Town to Port Elizabeth, Route 62 will connects the urban and rural communities and take you through fascinating towns like Tulbagh, Worcester, Robertson, Oudtshoorn, introduce you to glorious treats and tastes while offering you truly unique South African experiences. To say the scenery is spectacular would be an understatement.
The Panorama Route Mpumalanga
Also known as the place where you feel like you can touch the sky because they are so wide. Home to some of the most brilliant waterfalls and hiking trails in South Africa, this route twist and turns through the heavenly landscapes of Mpumalanga. Along the Blyde River Canyon Nature reserve, you can visit famous towns like Pilgrim’s Rest (an old mining town) and Sabie (right next to South Africa’s largest man-made forest). When driving between Sabie and Graskop, you will pass Mac Mac Falls.
Lichens Pass (R712) aka Golden Gate Pass
The Golden Gate Highlands National Park is very unusual, in that it has a public road (the R712) that runs right through the middle of it. Breathtaking scenery that consists of cliff formations and rolling slopes is what you can expect when driving through the Golden Gate National Park. The fresh air and tranquillity of its natural surroundings provide an unspoiled location to unwind from the rush of day-to-day life.
If you would prefer to spend more time taking in the many additional attractions whilst you are in the area, there are several accommodation options to choose from, ranging from hotels and chalets to mountain retreats, guest farms and self catering accommodation in Clarens.
Unequaled mountains and wildlife, whales and waterfalls, antiquity and architecture, the world’s most stunning Spring and the world’s most beautiful city, plus a multitude of natural treasures make South Africa a must-see traveler’s dream.
