South Africa is an extraordinary country with countless attractions – it really is the world in a one country.
Thanks to its excellent infrastructure, signage, and the ability to visit most highlights without a 4×4, South Africa is a fantastic destination for self-drive travellers.
With some travel experience, basic English, and a sense of adventure, a self-drive tour is straightforward.
We’ll book the perfect vehicle for your trip. Once the adventure begins, you will find that our itineraries are designed to help you cover long distances without feeling exhausted.
You will explore South Africa with confidence, knowing that our Travel Experts have organised every detail to perfection and that our local operations team is ready to assist if an unforeseen need arises.
If this kind of experience appeals to you but you prefer to go off the beaten path, our guided self-drive tours are ideal.
What to see and where to stay on our self-drive tours
South Africa is vast, nearly four times the size of Germany. With so much to see and do, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed, but we’ll narrow down the options to make it easier for you.
Self-drive tours in South Africa start and end in Johannesburg or Cape Town. This provides you with three options for things to see and do:
The northeast, starting and ending in Johannesburg, is perfect for wildlife and landscape lovers. On our South Africa’s North & East Coast tour, you’ll visit iconic national parks such as Kruger National Park, the Indian Ocean, and the Drakensberg Mountains.
The southwest, beginning and concluding in Cape Town, offers a blend of culture and nature. Our South Africa and the Garden Route tour enables you to see the stunning coastline, the big five and sample the delights at the country’s winelands.
For the ultimate road trip, combine both regions with our South Africa Highlights tour. Start in Johannesburg, explore the northeast; fly from Durban to Port Elizabeth, then travel along the Garden Route to Cape Town.
What to see and do when starting from Johannesburg
Johannesburg, in Gauteng Province, played a crucial part in the fight for independence, a history best understood through a visit to the Apartheid Museum.
As you leave Gauteng Province, you cross into Free State Province, where the Drakensberg Mountains form part of the Great Escarpment. Here, Clarens, a charming town, is a perfect stop before visiting the Golden Gate National Park.
The Drakensberg Mountains continue into KwaZulu-Natal Province. Highlights include the Royal Natal National Park and Giant’s Castle Game Reserve, both offering superb hiking trails and numerous Bushman rock paintings at the latter.
Durban, located on the Indian Ocean, is a captivating city famed for its warm seas and Indian cultural influence.
St Lucia, a small town on the north coast, is worth a visit. It is located on a large estuary flowing into the Indian Ocean, where boat trips to observe hippos and crocodiles depart.
Nearby iSimangaliso Wetland Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, will delight wildlife lovers. A short distance inland, the Big Five can be seen at the Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park.
Before leaving the Indian Ocean, visit Kosi Bay to enjoy numerous activities at the freshwater lakes that flow into the ocean.
The return journey passes through Swaziland and Kruger National Park, culminating in a drive along the Panorama Route to Johannesburg—the ideal end to a perfect road trip.
What to see and do when starting from Cape Town
Cape Town offers so much to see at the beginning of your self-drive tour.
Highlights include riding a cable car up Table Mountain, walking to the summit of Lion’s Head, exploring V&A Waterfront’s shops and aquarium, discovering the heritage-rich Bo-Kaap neighbourhood, and visiting the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens.
Outside the city, you can visit Robben Island Museum or relax on the beaches of Camps Bay, Muizenberg, with its colourful huts, and Boulders Beach, home to critically endangered African penguins.
Leaving the city behind, take the Hout Bay & Chapman’s Peak Drive, one of the world’s most scenic coastal routes, to the Cape of Good Hope.
Having seen so much already, your journey continues east along the Garden Route.
Hug the picturesque coast passing Gordon’s Bay and Betty’s Bay to visit Stoney Point Nature Reserve.
Hermanus, on Walker Bay, is a popular stop with excellent wineries, hiking, and whale watching from June to November.
Drive through Mossel Bay and George to reach Wilderness, where you can relax on the beach, hike, and explore Wilderness National Park.
Knysna, a historic town, is worth stopping at before continuing to Plettenberg Bay for more breathtaking views.
Stay in Nature’s Valley, a village on the Indian Ocean, surrounded by a magnificent lagoon and forest. The nearby Tsitsikamma National Park is a paradise for bird lovers, and thrill-seekers can cross the park’s suspension bridge.
Addo Elephant National Park is home to the Big Five, and for many, it is the halfway point.
The inland return journey via Route 62 passes through the Langkloof towns, renowned for growing Honeybush tea and fruit, before reaching Oudtshoorn.
The Cape Winelands, including Stellenbosch, Franschhoek, and Paarl, allow you to end your adventure in style. Enjoy their fine wines, historic towns, and gourmet dining, all within an hour of Cape Town.
Cross-border self-drive tours: Namibia, Botswana, and Victoria Falls
South Africa is a tremendous self-drive destination, offering an easy first adventure.
Once you’ve gained experience here, broaden your horizons with our cross-border self-drive tours in Namibia and Botswana.
These countries are well connected by air, and our sister companies, with teams in both nations, are here to help plan your adventure.
Why not explore Namibia’s stunning desert scenery, cross into Botswana to see the Okavango Delta, and finish at Victoria Falls?
We offer itineraries to experience all these natural wonders, and our teams can arrange your vehicle and accommodation.
Talk to our Travel Experts for self-drive tours in South Africa and beyond.
Who should go on a self-drive trip in South Africa?
Self-drive tours in South Africa are ideal for couples, friends, and families who enjoy exploring independently and prefer to overnight in comfortable accommodation.
If you’re a confident driver, comfortable with long distances, and have basic knowledge, such as changing a tyre, you will enjoy a worry-free experience.
You also don’t need to be an off-road driving expert. Well-maintained roads, including inside the national parks, mean most of the country can be explored with two-wheel-drive vehicles.
For many, road trips are the ultimate experiences, but with multiple stops along the way, few have time to plan all the details. This is when we can help.
Ready to start planning your self-drive tour? Contact our Travel Experts for a no-obligation consultation.
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