Recommended routes

Western Cape Roads to Travel By:

When asking any South African about the Cape West Coast they'll immediately tempt you with stories of fresh seafood and spring flowers. But those are only two of the hundreds of treasures that you'll find when you follow the R27 northwards from Cape Town. Visit quaint fishing villages like Paternoster and St Helena Bay, explore archaeological sites, fossil beds and view the Spring flowers at Hopefield, enjoy the artists' colony at Aurora, and experience exceptional bird-watching at Laaiplek and Bird Island.

Enjoy the wide variety of water sports in the turquoise-blue waters of the Langebaan Lagoon, dine on delicious Crayfish in Eland's Bay and further up at Lambert's Bay. Sample the local wines along the Swartland Wine Route, and travel inland a little to the Cedarberg Wilderness Area, with its spectacular lunar-like rock formations.

Leave the N7 at Citrusdal, and take the R303 - the "back" road - down to Ceres and drive through one of the most perfect fruit growing valleys in the world.

Follow a "Wine Route" could invite confusion. Most visitors think of Stellenbosch or Paarl when they plan a trip to the winelands, but in fact the Western Cape's winelands stretch from the coast as far inland as the Little Karoo. There are currently four distinct wine-producing regions, encompassing some 560 wineries, on over 20 wine routes. For something different you may want to try lesser-known routes such as Breedekloof, Tulbagh, Durbanville, Elgin, Wellington or Darling.

The Great Karoo is regarded by some as the true heart of South Africa, and perhaps the best way to explore this  fascinating region is to follow the N1 north-eastwards from Cape Town towards Beaufort West. Plan to spend at least one night in Matjiesfontein along the way - this delightful little Victorian village has been declared and preserved as a national monument.

Turn off the N1 at Lainsburg and head towards Ladismith for an unforgettable experience. Two magnificent passes will take you to Calitzdorp - the Sewe Weeks Poort with its towering red rock formations will leave you speechless, and the Huis Rivier Pass that offers the most magnificent views across the Karoo.

Enjoy the hot springs and port that Calitzdorp is famous for, and then return to Cape Town via the famous Route 62. With few major centres along the way, this is the perfect road to follow if you're looking for a really rural South Africa. It's dotted with picturesque little towns like Barrydale, Bonnievale and Montague, where you'll be invited to relax, rejuvenate and explore attractions like museums, galleries and quaint arts and crafts stores.

Cape Town - where does one start? Try starting off at Hout Bay with a boat tript to Seal Island followed by a quick drive up Chapman's Peak (it is closed indefinitely so you can only go half-way up).  Continue towards Cape Point for some of the most jaw-dropping scenery one can imagine and enjoy a lunch at the Two Oceans Restaurant. Follow the coast around to Boulder's Beach for a bit of Penguin viewing and then onto Simon's Town for a historic visit to the Naval Museum.  Carry on along the coast of False Bay through Kalk Bay and over Boye's Drive for a scenic view of False Bay.  Visit Muizenberg and catch a glimpse of some surfers at Surfer's Corner.

Leaving Cape Town, you will want to visit the Whale Coast Route that begins with Clarence Drive - the road from Gordon's Bay via Rooi Els and Cape Hangklip to Betty's Bay. It is a spectacular route with many viewpoints offering excellent views over the sea and mountains, and great whale-watching between June and November.

Visit the African penguin colony at Betty's Bay and then continue via the fishing community of Hawston to Hermanus - the only town in the world that has a Whale Crier, and is able to boast the world's best land-based whale-watching.

Further east along the coast you will come to Cape Agulhas, which is the southernmost tip of Africa. For this reason, and also because it is the Geographical meeting place of the Indian and Atlantic Oceans (the commonly known meeting place being Cape Point), it is well worth making the trip to this wild, windswept part of the Western Cape.

Further east still, the Garden Route along the N2 is one of South Africa's favourite holiday destinations. The largely untouched indigenous forests, lakes, and gorgeous beaches make it one of the most scenic regions in the country, and you can choose to overnight in resorts such as Wilderness, Sedgefield, Knysna and Plettenberg Bay.

If you're looking for a challenging and dramatic scenic detour, drive about 6 kilometres past Knysna and turn left onto the R339 and follow the Prince Alfred's Pass to Uniondale. It is a gravel road and at some sections the road is the width of a car with a shear cliff on the one side making it a drive for experienced drivers, also check conditions with the local tourism office before you depart.

Once you have passed Plettenberg Bay, and before you enter the Tsitsikamma National Park, another detour off the N2 will take you through thick indigenous forest down to Nature's Valley. This is one experience that you cannot afford to miss, as the road winds its way through the most amazing scenery. It is a circular road that will take you back to the toll road, just before you leave the Western Cape and cross over into the Eastern Cape.