South Africa is a cool country for comfortable road trips: there are good roads and the scenery outside the window changes frequently.
We traveled to this country as a foursome in late January 2021, during a time of strict coronavirus restrictions: beaches and some attractions were closed, buses between cities did not run. But that didn’t dampen the vacation, quite the opposite. For example, we found ourselves alone on Bolders Beach, where penguins live – it won us over.
The trip turned out to be diverse: we admired picturesque mountains, walked through interesting cities, ran along the ocean coast, drank local wine and watched animals in the safari park. I think South Africa is perfect for those who don’t want to choose between urban and natural beauty and want everything at once. My friends and I were delighted with the trip and the choice of country.
In this article, I’ll talk about what we saw in the Southwest, how we organized our trip, and how much it cost to rent a car.
Itinerary
South Africa is a large country, ranking 24th in the world in terms of territory. We did not go on a road trip through the whole country and drove only through the Western Cape Province, where Cape Town is located – we limited ourselves to a small part of the country in order to explore it in detail.
Many travelers still go to Johannesburg to reach the country’s main national park, Kruger Park, from Johannesburg. The distance between Cape Town and the capital is 1400 kilometers. It is convenient to overcome it by airplane: a direct two-hour flight costs 800-900 ZAR one way.
I based the trip plan on our preferences: we wanted more nature and good food and less rush. It turned out to be a great circular route:
- three days in and around Cape Town;
- two days at the safari park;
- three days in the town of George and the Garden Route;
- one day in the town of Oudshoorn;
- three days in the wine region around the town of Stellenbosch;
- three days in Cape Town before flying home.
We had planned to spend 12 days in South Africa, but fate decided otherwise. Our flights were rescheduled and we were delayed in Cape Town for another three days. When we got the message from the airline, we thought, “Okay, super.” We had a great time with the extra time: we rented a house by the ocean, went to the botanical gardens, and sunbathed on the beach. By then the coastal restrictions had been lifted and we enjoyed the ocean breeze.
Rent a car in South Africa
We love traveling by car, plus because of the lockdown in the country, there were no buses between cities. We contacted a rental company a month before the trip.
There are offices of several international rental companies at Cape Town airport. We chose Europcar and took a brand new Toyota Corolla with automatic transmission. We paid ZAR 6368 for 14 days of rent with full insurance coverage. The contract is concluded with a driver over 25 years old with three years of driving experience.
We purposely chose a car that would not be conspicuous, because we had heard that in South Africa it is common to break car windows and steal things from cars. We stowed our suitcases and bags in the trunk and only left the car in parking lots or parking lots where there are locals who guard the cars for tips. They charge 10-20 ZAR for their services. We spent about 200 ZAR for two people on parking lots and tips for the whole trip.
Traffic and roads
In South Africa, traffic is left-hand drive, and the first few days behind the wheel were unaccustomed: you had to constantly think about how to rearrange and make the right turn, from which side to expect oncoming cars. There were two drivers in our company – both of them got used to such traffic on the third day.
Roads in South Africa are smooth, mostly straight, with clear markings. Often there are two lanes in one direction on the highways. There are few cars. It is a pleasure to drive.
For the whole trip we traveled 1890 kilometers. We were not on the road every day, but sometimes we traveled long distances at a time. For example, when we drove from Oudshoorn to Stellenbosch, we covered 391 kilometers in 5 hours. We were comfortable on all the journeys.
Gasoline and gas stations
There were no problems with gas stations on the trip: there are a lot of them on the roads, and we managed to pay everywhere with a bank card. During the whole trip we spent about 1400 ZAR on fuel.
Employees at gas stations washed the windshield of the car, were ready to pump up tires or wipe license plates. In return they would ask for a tip, at least 10 ZAR. Often they would wash the car without asking when we left to pay for gasoline. Afterward, the gas station attendants would wait for a gratuity.
Cape Town
We spent six days in Cape Town, including days of flight delays. And I would visit there again. The city is diverse and ambiguous. It has poverty, high unemployment and crime rates alongside luxury penthouses, expensive cars and fine restaurants.
To better understand Cape Town’s history, I suggest reading more about apartheid, South Africa’s first black president, Nelson Mandela, and watching the movie Unconquered. Then Cape Town’s colorful streets and sights will make a stronger impression. I felt proud of the country: it started its democratic development only 27 years ago, and it has already become a center of attraction for the whole of Africa.
We explored the city with a guide from Free Walking Tours. The project works simply: you look up the place and time of the meeting on the website and come to the tour. Usually you don’t need to book a place in advance: the walks are held every day regardless of weather conditions. These tours are organized by locals.
The guides share information about the city and their stories, and tourists leave them a donation of any size. I have already walked like this in Rio de Janeiro and Belgrade and tried it in Cape Town.
The guide took us on a two-hour walk through the entire central part of the city, where we wouldn’t have dared to walk alone due to unfamiliarity and first false impressions: some parts of Cape Town look unfriendly. We enjoyed immensely his friendly way of telling us, helping us with parking lots and recommending places. After the tour we left him a tip – 300 ZAR.
We toured the Castle of Good Hope, visited a museum dedicated to apartheid, walked around the Bo-Kaap neighborhood with colored houses, stopped by the Museum of Modern Art and the Botanical Gardens.
We also visited the neighborhoods of Camps Bay and Clifton, which are located at the foot of Table Mountain. These trendy parts of Cape Town have white-washed villas with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the Atlantic.
There are two popular observation decks: in the parking lot at Clifton and on the beach at Camps Bay. They offer cool views of Table Mountain and the ocean. People also come to these neighborhoods to swim and sunbathe. There are five golden sand beaches along the coast, but the waves are strong. Entrance to all beaches is free.
Cape Town neighborhoods
Half an hour’s drive from Cape Town city center are the cozy towns of Fisook, Simonstown and the fishing village of Kalk Bay. They have waterfronts, cafes and restaurants, stores with ice cream, souvenirs and clothing. The day we walked around them, we lost track of time and didn’t make it to the Cape of Good Hope.
In Kalk Bay, we stopped at the harbor to see sea lions coming ashore for fish. The local fishermen feed them and they are happy for the easy profit. We saw seven individuals lying on the concrete. Lions do not react to tourists – they sleep and bask in the sun. If someone decides to get too close to them or touch them, the animals immediately growl. I advise you to be careful.
Table Mountain National Park surrounds Cape Town. It includes not only the summit itself and the cable car to it, but also the Cape of Good Hope and Cape with lighthouses, Bolders Beach with a colony of penguins, Signal Hill and Lion’s Head mountains with observation decks and picturesque beaches. A week is not enough to explore all the attractions of the National Park, and you have to buy a separate ticket for each place.
Balders Beach is located in Simonstown. Usually there are a lot of people in this part of the coast, but we walked in the park all alone because of the pandemic.The small beach is equipped with viewing bridges that hang directly above the penguins and their homes.
It is convenient: tourists do not disturb the animals, and they feel like masters. Penguins walk and swim funny, have scuffles and mating games, hatch eggs and communicate with each other. They are very interesting to watch. We spent about an hour on the beach and didn’t want to leave.
Bolders Beach is open from 7-8am to 5-7pm, opening times vary depending on the season. Admission costs ZAR 170 for adults and ZAR 85 for children under 18.
The Cape of Good Hope is a place I’ve dreamed of seeing since I was a child studying geography at school. It is the southwesternmost point of Africa and feels like the end of the Earth.
It is not possible to move around this area on foot: the distance from the park entrance to the coast and the cape is 15 kilometers. It is better to take an organized tour with private guides or drive your own car. We got there by rented car, so there were no problems. We did not have to pay for parking and entry by vehicle. Entrance ticket for an adult costs 340 ZAR, for a child under 18 – 170 ZAR.
From April to September, the Cape of Good Hope is accessible to the public from 07:00 to 17:00. In other months, the park opens one hour earlier and closes one hour later.
There are many attractions in this part of the national park, but first of all everyone goes to the Cape of Good Hope. Next to it is Cape Cape Cape with two lighthouses: the old one is on a rock, and the new one is lower down, closer to the water. There are also great beaches for swimming and picnicking.
There is a boardwalk from Cape Cape Cape to Cape of Good Hope, which is a pleasant walk along the ocean. You want to photograph every bush from every angle, especially if you walk in the evening, in the soft sunset light. The length of the trail is 2 kilometers, but you can spend several hours on it, it is so beautiful. We walked at sunset for about two hours and caught the rays of the sun against the background of the ocean.
Chapman’s Peak Drive is one of the most beautiful roadways I’ve seen. It’s only about 10 kilometers long, but it runs right along a sheer cliff above the raging Atlantic.
This one-lane road is periodically closed for repairs or landslide clearing, so I advise you to check the website to see if it is open on the day of your arrival. It costs 52 ZAR for a passenger car to drive along the road. It is paid at the entrance to the checkpoint.
Along the way there are several viewing platforms where local young people gather with pizza and beer and watch the sunset. There aren’t many parking spots, but we had no problem leaving the car in the pandemic: there weren’t many visitors. The view amazed me: the sun was going far below the horizon and the ocean waves were raging far below my feet. To make the road especially beautiful, drive in the evening, when the sun shines from the right side. Before dinner, the road is in the shade.
At one of the parking lots, the hiking trail to the top of Chapman’s Peak, the mountain along which Chapman’s Peak Drive runs, begins. We didn’t hike this trail, but I’ve read rave reviews from hikers. The length of the track is about 5 kilometers. It takes 3-4 hours to walk it.
Safari Park
An African safari was the main purpose of our trip. There is only one national park in South Africa where animals live truly in the wild – Kruger Park, which is located near Johannesburg. It is the oldest and largest national park in the country, where more than 150 species of mammals live: elephants, hippos, lions, giraffes, antelopes, leopards, crocodiles and others. There the animals feel like real masters. On the territory of the Kruger Park tourists move exclusively by car and only on the roads. Unfortunately, we could not fit it into our itinerary.
All other parks are just fenced private areas where animals live in good conditions. Most of the animals in them have been saved from poachers or diseases. There are separate areas for lions and other predators so they don’t eat all the herbivores. In the parks, they limit the number of individuals so that they can live together comfortably.
Private parks usually have a visitor center, hotel and restaurant. Safari tours are conducted twice a day: in the morning and in the evening. Sometimes additional services are offered: a night walk through the park accompanied by a ranger, a horseback or quad bike safari. Guests can spend several days in the park – in addition to watching animals, they can, for example, relax in the swimming pool overlooking the savannah.
We looked at 7-8 parks near Cape Town. In the end we chose the one that was on the way and that we liked from the reviews – Garden Route Game Lodge. It is located on the road from Cape Town to George Town, where we were headed.
We spent two days and one night at the safari park. On the first day we arrived in the afternoon and checked in. Due to the pandemic there were few guests and we were offered more expensive rooms at no extra charge. We had booked a double bungalow, but they put us in separate mini-cottages with two bedrooms, private pool, kitchen, terrace and outdoor bath.
We had a wonderful rest, swam and went on an evening safari for two hours. We were put into an open six-seater jeep with no side walls or windows, and we went in search of animals. The area of the park is very large and it is good luck to meet the animals. They are not fed, they live in the wild, so they can be anywhere. We were lucky: we saw rhinos and elephants, ostriches, zebras, antelopes and lions. We were taken around the area by a local ranger who told us about the history of the park and the habits of its inhabitants.
In the morning we got up at 5 o’clock to take the same jeep and try our luck again. We were lucky again: we met a family of cheetahs eating an ostrich. We spent more than an hour around them, unable to tear ourselves away from the amazing sight of real wild animals with prey in their teeth coming towards us.
We paid ZAR 3,490 for two people to stay in the safari park. This price included accommodation in double bungalows with a terrace, morning and evening safaris, breakfasts and dinners and use of the common areas: pool and lounges. If we had booked the cottages we were put in, the same package would have cost us ZAR 5,600.
Garden Road
The Road of Gardens is a popular tourist route. It is so named because of the abundance of vegetation and mild subtropical climate on the coast. The road stretches along the ocean coast for 700 kilometers from Cape Town to the city of Port Elizabeth. The 300 kilometer stretch from the village of Witsand to the Storms River is particularly noted for its beauty and changing scenery.
We explored part of this route: we got to George and rented a house in neighboring Wilderness, drove past the towns of Mosselbay and Naizna, fed elephants and walked the sand dunes at Robberg Nature Reserve. I was not impressed by the cities and architecture along the way, they seemed boring, but the nature and wildlife – very much so.
We accidentally found the Robberg Nature Reserve on a map, decided to stop by and we did not miss out. It is located near the resort town of Plettenberg Bay. The park has two walking trails with equipped paths: a large one for 9 kilometers and a small one for 5 kilometers. We ran the second one in 2 hours as we arrived late. It was enough for us: we saw how the rocks, sand dunes and ocean meet together.
The park has wide golden beaches, a high sand dune that goes straight down to the ocean, a sea lion rookery and beautiful views of the Atlantic coast. Residents from neighboring villages come there for a morning jog – it’s a beauty.
The reserve is open from 08:00 to 17:00. Entry for a car costs 50 ZAR, pedestrians enter free of charge. There is no charge for parking near the entrance
The Elephant Sanctuary in Naizna is a small private park where elephants that have been attacked, are sick or unable to live independently in the wild are kept. There are now 13 elephants and a small herd of zebras. All of them are calm towards people. In the park, travelers are introduced to these huge animals on a daily basis.
The program costs ZAR 430 for adult tourists and ZAR 210 for children. It includes watching a five-minute video about the history of the reserve and interacting with elephants and zebras for 45 minutes. The animals don’t run away because visitors buy a bucket of fruit for an extra 45 ZAR and hand feed the elephants. I liked the place, but especially, I think children will find it interesting there.
The elephants have a large area, but they are trained to come to a specific spot for feeding. This place didn’t remind me of zoos, which I don’t approve of. At the sanctuary, the animals can turn around and go off into their thickets at any time.
Oudshoorn
Oudshoorn is a town 420 kilometers from Cape Town. It is called the capital of ostriches because of the farms where these birds are raised. The main entertainment for tourists in the city is to go to the ostrich farm, watch them, marvel at the size of their eggs, which weigh up to 2 kilograms, and buy souvenirs made of ostrich feathers.
Highgate Ostrich Show Farm is the largest farm in the county. It offers guided tours, talks about the anatomy and behavior of ostriches, offers to feed the animals, and then try ostrich meat dishes in the restaurant. The tour without food costs ZAR 187 for adults and ZAR 112 for children, with lunch – from ZAR 372 depending on the selected dishes.
We didn’t go to a farm, but rented a ranch house with different animals. The owners introduced us to goats, ostriches and antelopes that had come to them from reserves and other farms. They also raise ostriches for meat and sell them. I will tell you more about the living conditions at the ranch in the article below
The Cango Caves are located 29 kilometers from Oudskhorn. There are hiking trails in the ancient underground cave system. We didn’t go to Cango, we didn’t have enough time, but I learned useful information about the trails.
There are two options for tours inside the cave: Heritage Tour and Adventure Tour. The first one lasts 1 hour and costs ZAR 150 for an adult and ZAR 100 for a child. The second tour is half an hour longer. It costs 220 ZAR for an adult and 150 ZAR for children. Groups depart every hour and the caves are open to the public from 09:00 to 16:00.
The wine region around Stellenbosch
We came to the country’s main wine region at the end of our trip, and for good reason: from February 1, 2021, South Africa lifted restrictions on buying and drinking alcoholic beverages. We were lucky: the wineries were open and we could not only admire the vineyards, but also taste the famous South African wine at tastings.
Stellenbosch is home to many wineries, with literally every estate making wine. The neighboring regions of Franschhoek and Wimmershoek are also famous for this drink. Each winery tries to stand out with art objects, additional entertainment, restaurants, design or beautiful landscaping.
Choosing between all the options is a daunting task. And it’s quite impossible to continue an active day after tasting eight varieties of wine. They don’t skimp on portions – I don’t recommend planning to visit more than two wineries in a day.
Tokara Winery. I had heard of Tokara as a beautiful place among vineyards where you can walk around and enjoy the views. There we tried the wine, local olive oil and balsamic vinegar. We liked the wine, but the oil and vinegar were a total delight – we took two bottles each home. We still use them and have warm memories of the trip.
Visitors walk around the territory for free, but tastings are paid for separately. Tasting four types of red or white wine costs 60 ZAR, premium wines – 100 ZAR. Snacks are not included in the tasting set, but can be ordered separately.
We took one set of red and white wines each for four people, and took home three bottles. The sauvignon blanc from the 2021 vintage cost ZAR 100, the 2018 shiraz cost ZAR 130, and the 2018 cabernet collection cost ZAR 350.
There is a restaurant overlooking the vineyards and an art gallery of modern art on the winery grounds, entrance to which is free, but we didn’t go in. We also tasted grapes of different varieties straight from the vine – delicious. The winery is open from 10:00 to 18:00, the last guests are welcomed at 17:30.
Delaire Graff Estate is the second winery we visited. It was beautiful there: a view of the mountain, flowers everywhere, well-tended vineyards, a terrace with tables under the trees. But we did not like the local wine, and the prices in the restaurant seemed overpriced. Hot dishes cost from 300 ZAR, and salads and soups from 250 ZAR.
The tasting has different wines: white, red, aged, premium. The price for the set starts from 75 ZAR for three glasses of wine of different varieties.
Housing
We booked all of our accommodations on Booking. We felt like there were too many cool options in South Africa. We had to vote among the best ones to choose where we would stay the next night.
When we traveled to South Africa, it was the third level of the lockdown, there were few tourists in the country, and hotels lowered their prices. This worked to our advantage: we were able to afford more luxurious options.
We traveled with four of us and chose whole houses or apartments to stay in. Parking and kitchen facilities, two full bedrooms, light and beautiful views were important. From each place of accommodation we wanted to get as much experience as from the sights. And we succeeded: we liked the accommodation we stayed in very much.
We stayed in two places in Cape Town. At the beginning of the trip we chose the Strand Beach Apartments by Totalstay, where we spent four nights and paid ZAR 4044 for two people. We had a two-bedroom bright apartment, a huge living room, a terrace, a barbecue area and a rooftop pool.
Toward the end of the trip, we stayed at an oceanfront house, 6 Jamaica Beach. It had two floors and the beach was right at the steps of the house. It was perfect before our flight home. We paid 1851 ZAR for two nights for two people.
In Wilderness near George we also rented a house by the ocean – Dune Side Retreat. Two nights in it cost ZAR 2596 for two people. We had a stunning terrace overlooking the Atlantic where we had breakfast, dinner, read books and watched the sunset.
We spent another night in the Wilderness at Oakhurst Farm Cottages. It’s an amazing place where I wish I could stay longer. There’s plenty to do there: visitors ride horses, ride bikes through the fields, hike trails to waterfalls, pet goats, and sample local dairy and meat products. There are several houses for rent on the farm. All are at different ends of the large property, so it feels secluded and enjoys country living. We paid ZAR 1,642 for a night’s rental of a large farmhouse with a terrace and pool for four people.
In Stellenbosch we wanted to live amongst the vineyards, so we rented a cottage at the Mont Angelis Aparthotel. We liked the location: there were mountains surrounded by vineyards and it was nice to walk among them. The house itself was not big enough for our group. We paid ZAR 2622 for two nights for two people.
Food
There are no problems with catering in South Africa: there are fancy coffee shops, nice restaurants, and cafeterias. We almost always dined out. We chose places by rating them on Google Maps or searching for them on Instagram from South African bloggers. The food was always delicious. I don’t remember a single dish that we didn’t like.
In Cape Town, I was pleased with Our Local restaurant, where they prepare excellent breakfasts. The establishment is located in a large hangar. Inside there is antique furniture and lots of plants. It looks very aesthetic. Shakshuka there costs 115 ZAR, avocado toast with feta cheese – 95 ZAR, berry granola – 90 ZAR, and a double shot of espresso – 24 ZAR.
The food at the Garden Route Game Lodge Safari Park was also amazing. We were offered a multi-course menu to choose from: appetizers, steaks or fish with side dishes, freshly baked bread with homemade butter. Breakfast was a European-style buffet: eggs cooked in different ways, porridge, toast and lots of pastries. The food was included in the price and we paid separately for drinks.
In Wilderness, the Blue Olive restaurant was a memorable experience for me. We were tired after a walk and were offered wine and oysters from the doorstep. They are caught in this region and they were divinely delicious. One piece costs 30 ZAR. They also serve pastas, salads, steaks, burgers – all from the European menu. Every day the restaurant offers fresh fish – what kind depends on the catch.
In Stellenbosch it was good at the Java Bistro cafe. The tables are outside, but in the shade. It felt like sitting somewhere in Paris. The menu selection is wide: they serve pastas, pizzas, steaks and breakfasts. Eggs Benedict cost 59 ZAR, soup of the day – 49 ZAR, salad with salmon and avocado – 129 ZAR, classic burger – 79 ZAR, and homemade chicken pie – 69 ZAR.
Embarrassingly, we never went to an African food restaurant the entire trip. I wouldn’t say they are at every turn. From the reviews I liked Afro Life Petro’s Kitchen and Ethiopian Madam Taitou in Cape Town. We’ll stop by another time.
What’s the bottom line
It was great to be in Africa: we watched elephants, cheetahs and rhinos, drank young South African wine, and saw the edge of a continent farther away than only Antarctica.
The trip was not cheap, but it was worth it. It was our first trip abroad for a long time. We were tired of the quarantine and wanted to have a good time, so we didn’t skimp on comfort and entertainment.
The fact that our return flight was postponed was only to our advantage: we had time to enjoy Cape Town and spend a couple of days without rushing. And I would love to return to the city and South Africa again.
