Thankfully, South Africa is home to some of the most beautiful landscapes and scenic routes; you can’t help but make a pit-stop to capture the beauty of it all. You may even stop on your journey to enjoy a bite or simply take a picture for the gram.
Here are some of South Africa’s most scenic routes if you are road-tripping this Easter:
The Garden Route, Western Cape
The Garden Route is a 300-kilometre stretch of coastline in the Western Cape. This beautiful region is famous for its stunning scenery, diverse flora and fauna, and endless activities. The Garden Route is home to lush forests, rolling hills, and incredible beaches. The area is also known for its mild climate, making it a year-round destination.
Visitors to the Garden Route can enjoy activities such as hiking, whale watching, surfing, and zip-lining. The region is also dotted with charming towns such as Knysna and Plettenberg Bay, offering incredible restaurants, cafés, and boutique shops to explore.
The Garden Route is truly a paradise for nature lovers and adventure seekers, and South Africans hold this scenic route close to their hearts and makes travelling with your vehicle a magical experience.
Swartberg Pass, Oudtshoorn
Feast your eyes on the magnificent sandstone strata. The Swartberg Pass is known as one of the world's top scenic drives, nestled in the Swartberg Mountains. The pass remains a popular attraction, and many local and international tourist make their way to the historical site with its arid valleys and towering peaks.
Sani Pass, Kwazulu-Natal
Sani Pass is an iconic road in Southern Africa. It’s a 18km gravel pass on the road between Underberg in KZN and Mokhotlong in Lesotho. The road may look rough and steep, but the views are unmatched.
It’s best enjoyed using a 4X4. However, that hasn’t stopped two-wheelers from exploring the scenic route. If you’re up for an adventure, Sani Pass is the perfect route.
Long Tom Pass, Mpumalanga
This scenic route is one of Mpumalanga’s famous driving roads. Travellers can see the old road twisting, but most importantly, breathtaking views and vegetation. Additionally, the route was used for transporting goods from Mozambique to Lyndenburg. It was considered dangerous. The tumblng road was known as ‘Devil's Knuckles’ due to so many wagons getting lost on the pass.
However, it’s known for its beautiful scenery; Misty Mountain, South African Natural Heritage Site, is also situated on Long Tom Pass, with views across the escarpment and into the Lowveld.
The Waterberg Meander, Limpopo
This route in the Limpopo Province is also known as Africa’s Eden and is a 350km self-drive with its soaring mountain peaks, sandstone rock formations, golden savannah plains, forests and river valleys.
The Waterberg Meander is a 350km self-drive route and leads drivers through the heart of the Waterberg Biosphere. On your journey, you’ll be able to see cultural and historical sites, most importantly, breathtaking views.
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