A 10-Day South Africa Road Trip: Cape Town to the Garden Route
The drive from Cape Town along the Garden Route to Port Elizabeth covers roughly 750km of coastline, mountain passes, and indigenous forest. It is one of the most rewarding road trips on the planet.
Day 1–3: Cape Town
Pick up your car at CPT. Spend three days acclimatizing: Table Mountain on day one, the Cape Peninsula (Boulders Beach penguins, Cape Point) on day two, and the Winelands on day three. Don't try to do all three in a single day — Cape Town rewards a slower pace.
Day 4: Cape Town to Hermanus
Drive east along the False Bay coast. Stop at Betty's Bay for another penguin colony (quieter than Boulders), then on to Hermanus. In season (Jul–Nov), this is one of the best land-based whale-watching spots in the world.
Distance: ~120km
Day 5: Hermanus to Wilderness
Cross the Overberg wheat fields to the N2, then into the Garden Route proper. Stop at Mossel Bay for lunch and the Dias Museum. Wilderness is your overnight — wide beaches, a lagoon, and a forest trail if you have time.
Distance: ~350km
Day 6: Wilderness to Knysna
A short drive, but plan for a full day. The Knysna Heads viewpoint, a lagoon cruise, and the Knysna Forest (where the last wild elephants in South Africa once roamed). End with oysters at the Waterfront.
Distance: ~60km
Day 7: Knysna to Plettenberg Bay
Detour to the Goukamma Nature Reserve for a coastal hike. Plettenberg Bay ("Plett") has the region's best beaches — look out for dolphins in the surf.
Distance: ~35km
Day 8: Plettenberg Bay to Tsitsikamma
The Tsitsikamma section of Garden Route National Park is the dramatic payoff — sea cliffs, the Storms River mouth, and the famous suspension bridge. Stay inside the park if you can.
Distance: ~70km
Day 9: Tsitsikamma to Addo Elephant National Park
Detour inland to Addo — the only Big Five reserve in the Eastern Cape and the best place on the route to see elephants in number.
Distance: ~250km
Day 10: Addo to Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth)
Drop the car at PLZ and fly home, or continue onward to the Wild Coast. Either way, you've just driven one of the world's great coastlines.
Distance: ~75km
Practical notes
- Drive on the left
- Distances look short on the map; build in 1.5x the time Google suggests
- Fuel is widely available along the N2 but closes early in smaller towns
- A standard SUV is ideal — a sedan will manage, but ground clearance helps on the gravel detours
Final word
The Garden Route is not a single road — it's a sequence of small towns, each with a personality, strung together by one of the most beautiful drives in the world. Take your time.
Written by
Sarah Nakato
COO & Co-founder