Who doesn’t love road trips? it’s a great way to unwind while looking at beautiful surroundings and playing feel-good music at full blast. 

Plus, it satisfies our hunger for adventure as we explore different parts of South Africa and learn new things along the way. But this time, we’re taking you along for the ride as explore the best routes in the country.

What are the best routes in South Africa?

1. Garden Route

When it comes to a road trip in South Africa, you can never go wrong with going through the Garden Route – one of our favourite travel destinations!

There are lots of places to visit while you’re on the road, whether you want some delicious seafood or a refreshing drink. Plus, you don’t have to worry about gas during your trip because there’s a station at almost every corner.

So while you’re on the road, enjoy the fresh air and bask in the beautiful scenery of the long coastline as we did. You can even see a stream of lush forests along the way so be on the lookout for that.

But of course, one of the best things about passing along this route is the plethora of activities you can do in the area. 

Whether it’s taking a dip in the crystal clear waters or going on a hike in the nearby mountains – either way, you’ll love every moment of it here!

2. Panorama Route

You’ll be lost for words as you ride through the Panorama Route and we’re not being biassed here. In fact, this route’s one of the most well-known travel attractions all over the world.

Located in Mpumalanga, we enjoyed exploring every nook and cranny of this travel route. Whether it’s canyons or valleys, we tried going to different peaks to find the best vantage point to take our photos with our beautiful surroundings as the backdrop.

By the way, there are lots of clean toilets at the gas stations that we saw so you won’t have to worry about that part if you’re going this route. Plus, there are convenience stores in the area to fill in your stock of food for the road trip.

3. Wild Coast

If you’re looking for an exciting and amazing experience by the sea, we highly recommend going through the route of the Wild Coast. 

Starting from the coastal city of East London, Eastern Cape and then ending at the border of KwaZulu-Natal (what is KwaZulu Natal known for?), there are tonnes of places to discover here, particularly their stunning and untouched beaches.

Since it’s going to be one long ride, we suggest making lots of stopovers along the way to avoid feeling too exhausted, especially if you’re the driver. 

As for us, we did make a few pit stops like dropping by Steers and KFC Nkandla whenever we got hungry – because what’s a road trip without a full stomach?

By the way, if you have enough time, try horseback riding because you’ll miss half of your life by not trying it at the Wild Coast – even we couldn’t resist giving it a try despite being beginners!

4. Route 62

We love Route 62 because of the series of vineyards found in the Cape Winelands, having lots of vintage bottles in stock!

Although it’s not as developed as the Garden Route, it’s that fact that makes it stand out from the rest. Whenever we’re passing through, we enjoy a glass of good wine without the unnecessary noise or large crowds.

5. Beer Route

Now, if you fancy a pint, you can drop by the Beer Route. This route’s named after the fact that the road has lines of breweries in the area!

Of course, before you get started on the fun, pick a designated driver from the group who’ll stay sober to ensure your safety. You wouldn’t want to run into any problems later on so it’s better to be safe than sorry – trust us, we’ve been there!

Pro Tip: Pick the places you want to visit beforehand and check their peak hours ahead of time to avoid big crowds while you enjoy your drinks.

6. Waterberg Meander

The Waterberg Meander, known as Africa’s Eden, is another one of our favourite routes because it’s not as congested.

While on this route, we saw the iconic Waterberg Mountains, golden savannah plains and imposing river valleys by our car’s window. 

If you love game viewing like us, you’ll enjoy going here too. There are lots of national parks and game reserves in the area housing the famous Big 5: lions, leopards, rhinos, elephants and Cape buffalos.

You’ll even see lots of nearby diners and gas stations in case you need to make a pit stop as well.

7. Spice Route

If we have a Beer Route, we also have a Spice Route for those who want to add extra flavour (pun intended!) to their road trip. It’s off the beaten path, but we can definitely say that it’s worth the adventure!

This route’s by the N1 Highway where you’ll pass through the municipality of Paarl, the treasure trove for the world’s best spices. It’s around 45 minutes away from the centre of Cape Town so you have nothing to lose if you make a detour.

Admittedly, there’s nothing much to do while you’re here apart from stuffing yourself with good food made with the best herbs and spices. But it’s perfect if you want to have some downtime with your family or friends while enjoying the scenic views.

8. Sani Pass

For a thrilling and unforgettable road trip experience, you should try the Sani Pass. But fair warning though, this route is not for the faint of heart – we’re saying this from experience because our heart did skip a beat or two.

We had to pass through a zigzag of roads through uneven terrain from Underberg, KwaZulu-Natal to Lesotho Highlands. But we had our seatbelts on tightly so we got through it in one piece.

By the way, make sure to look through your window to see the best natural landscapes of the country, especially the iconic Drakensberg Mountains, and take a photo while you’re at it.