9 DAYS SOUTH AFRICA: KLEIN KAROO & TWO OCEANS

Baie welkom in Suid-Afrika, Nayimkelekile eMzantsi Afrika, Welcome to South Africa!'As you step out of Cape Town International Airport, the warm welcome and buzz of the city greet you instantly. Pick up your rental car—it’s time for your adventure to begin! Your first drive offers a vibrant first glimpse of Cape Town before you settle into your hotel. From tomorrow, you're in full road-trip mode, exploring at your own pace. The beauty of self-driving? Total freedom! Choose what to see, when to go, and how long to stay. And with our handy travel guide and list of local eats and must-stop spots, you're all set for an unforgettable journey!

Accommodations:

• Silver City Lodge Hotel - VA Waterfront
• Gold Cape Heritage Hotel
• Platinum The Bay Hotel

The scenic drive from Cape Town to Oudtshoorn via Route 62 takes 5 hours (not counting stops) and winds through charming towns like Robertson, Montagu, Barrydale, and Calitzdorp. To break up the rather long journey, stop in Robertson - nicknamed the Valley of Wine and Roses - for a relaxing garden tour, wine tasting, and lunch at Van Loveren Vineyards. Along the way, keep an eye out for the quirky roadside attraction Ronnie’s Sex Shop - just a normal pub with a name that was changed as a prank and now draws curious visitors by the hundreds. As you near Oudtshoorn, the ostrich capital of the world, the landscape shifts and ostriches appear left and right. A guided ostrich farm tour is a great way to start your Small Karoo adventure.

Activities:

Accommodations:

• Silver De Denne Country Guest House
• Gold Buffelsdrift Game Lodge
• Platinum Surval Boutique Olive Estate

You leave Oudtshoorn after breakfast and hit the road, direction Swellendam. Your drive covers 220 kilometres and it's a scenic one, through stunning landscapes and over rugged mountain passes. You should be able to reach your destination after a good 2,5 hours drive (that's excluding coffee breaks), so you'll still have enough time for the heritage walk in the beautiful historic centre of Swellendam, before having lunch in one its many restaurants. And if you're in for some outdoor fun and game spotting, Bontebok National Park should be on your list too.

Activities:

Accommodations:

• Silver De Oude Pastorie
• Gold Swellendam Country Lodge
• Platinum De Kloof Heritage Estate and Spa

You leave Swellendam just after breakfast, for a 90-minute drive (110 kilometres) via Bredasdorp to Cape Agulhas. Here, you enter Agulhas National Park (the southernmost tip of Africa) where two oceans meet. Take your time to explore the park with the historic Cape Agulhas lighthouse and the shipwrecks that dot this rugged, beautiful coastline with crashing waves in the background. Then continue your drive to Gansbaai but stop in Elim, after 45 minutes or 45 kilometres (still on the R43) and taste the fantastic cool climate wines from the Cape Agulhas Wine Triangle (with a snack platter) at The Black Oystercatcher before you take on the last part of the drive… You should reach your hotel in Gansbaai a mere 35 minutes after that.

Activities:

Accommodations:

• Silver Arniston Spa Hotel
• Gold Romans Villa Boutique Guest House
• Platinum Grootbos Garden Lodge-Private Nature Reserve

Make the most of your day in Gansbaai, before setting off for your next stop. It's only a 40-kilometre or 30-minute drive via the R43 to Hermanus, so feel free to tick off all the boxes in Gansbaai before heading to your next accommodation in the whale capital Hermanus. Stay active with a fatbike dune experience or even more exciting; join the Big Five Marine Safari in Walker Bay (close to Gansbaai) to spot penguins, dolphins, seals, whales and marine birds – with a bit of luck and in the right month, you spot them all in this 2-hour boat ride!

Activities:

Accommodations:

• Silver Saxon Lodge - Gansbaai
• Gold Romans Villa Boutique Guest House
• Platinum Grootbos Garden Lodge-Private Nature Reserve

Start your day in Hermanus with a wine-tasting plus lunch at Benguela Cove (from 10 AM to noon, to be booked at least 48 hours in advance), then stroll through town, visit the Whale House Museum, the Old Harbour and the Old Harbour Market with arts, clothing, jewellery and lots of restaurants and bars with yummy cuisine and marvellous ocean views. And of course, don't forget the highlight, which is the whale cruise or (land-based) walk that you can do from June to December, when Hermanus turns into the whale-watching capital of the world. From January to May, you can hike through the Fernkloof Reserve instead, and see magical forests and dramatic coastlines!

Accommodations:

• Silver Whale Coast Ocean Villa
• Gold Grand Lux Boutique Manor
• Platinum The Marine Hermanus

Today, you leave the whale capital and head towards Stellenbosch. The scenic drive takes 1.5 hours (just under 100 km via the R43 and N2), but we recommend a stop in Betty’s Bay to visit the African penguins at Stony Point Nature Reserve for close-up views of a colony of these black and white beauties. You’ll still arrive in South Africa’s second-oldest town in time for a premium wine tasting and gourmet lunch, a stroll through the oak-lined streets or a historical walk. Don’t forget your camera!

Activities:

Accommodations:

• Silver Marianne Wine Estate
• Gold The Hazendal Hotel and Spa
• Platinum Coopmanhuijs Boutique Hotel and Spa

The end of your Western Cape adventure is approaching, as you are leaving Stellenbosch today. The last drive of this road trip is a short one, with only 50 kilometres to Cape Town. If traffic is smooth, you will reach the airport (or the city) in 45 minutes. The Western Cape thanks you for your visit!

Activities: