Travel times and distances in South Africa
How big is South Africa?
From coastal roads and mountain landscapes to world-famous safari regions, South Africa offers unforgettable journeys across huge distances. Knowing how long routes really take helps you make the most of your road trip adventure.
Why road trips in South Africa take longer than expected
Driving in South Africa is very different from driving back home. Distances between destinations can be huge, and while many roads are well maintained, travel times often include scenic stops, mountain passes and long stretches through beautiful landscapes. Road trips are a big part of the South African experience. That’s why journeys are planned around realistic driving times rather than kilometres alone.
In South Africa, the journey is part of the adventure.
Popular road trip routes
From the Garden Route to Kruger National Park, South Africa offers some of the world’s most scenic road trips. Here are a few popular routes and their approximate travel times.
Shorter drives 🚗
| Route | Distance 📏 | Approx. travel time ⏱ |
| Cape Town → Stellenbosch | 52 km | 45 min |
| Cape Town → Boulders Beach | 45 km | 1 hour |
| Plettenberg Bay → Knysna | 34 km | 30 min |
| Wilderness → Knysna | 47 km | 40 min |
Scenic road trips 🌿
| Route | Distance 📏 | Approx. travel time ⏱ |
| Cape Town → Hermanus → Winelands → Cape Town | 341 km | 5 hours |
| Garden Route highlights | 437 km | 5-6 hours |
| Johannesburg → Panorama Route → Kruger | 1,441 km | 17 – 25 hours |
Flights ✈️
| Route | Approx. travel time ⏱ |
| Cape Town → Johannesburg | 2 hours |
| Cape Town → Durban | 2 hours |
| Johannesburg → Durban | 1 hour 10 min |
The best road trips leave room to explore
South Africa is not a country best experienced in a rush. The most memorable journeys leave room for scenic detours, relaxed lunches, spontaneous viewpoints and extra time in places you unexpectedly fall in love with. That’s why we carefully design our itineraries around realistic driving times, creating road trips that feel balanced, enjoyable and full of unforgettable experiences along the way.
Need help planning the perfect South African road trip? Our travel specialists are happy to help you create the right balance between scenic drives, safari experiences and unforgettable destinations.
Full travel time overview
Planning a South African road trip? Below you’ll find a complete overview of common travel routes, driving times and domestic flights across the country.
By car 🚙
| Route | Distance 📏 | Approx. travel time ⏱ |
| Ballito – King Shaka Int. Airport (Durban) | 20 km | 20 min |
| Cape Town – Stellenbosch | 52 km | 45 min |
| Cape Town – West Coast National Park | 130 km | 1.5 hours |
| Cape Town – Boulders Beach (penguins) | 45 km | 1 hour |
| Boulders Beach – Cape Point Nature Reserve | 23 km | 35 min |
| Cape Town – Cape of Good Hope (Agulhas) | 65 km | 1.5 hours |
| Cape Town – Tulbagh | 121 km | 1.5 hours |
| Cape Town – Constantia | 19 km | 20 min |
| Jeffreys Bay – Addo Elephant Park | 114 km | 1 hour 15 min |
| Jeffreys Bay – Port Elizabeth | 78 km | 1 hour 10 min |
| Jeffreys Bay – Tsitsikamma National Park | 104 km | 1 hour 5 min |
| Johannesburg – Pretoria | 50 km | 30 min |
| Johannesburg – northern Drakensberg | 400 km | 5 hours |
| Johannesburg – Hazyview | 408 km | 4 hours 40 min |
| Kruger National Park – Nelspruit (Mbombela) | 67 km | 1 hour |
| Kruger National Park – Hoedspruit | 30 km | 25 min |
| Kruger National Park – Johannesburg | 406 km | 4 hours |
| Oudtshoorn – Mossel Bay | 87 km | 1 hour 20 min |
| Plettenberg – Knysna | 34 km | 35 min |
| Plettenberg – Tsitsikamma National Park | 64 km | 50 min |
| Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth) – Addo Elephant Park | 102 km | 1 hour 10 min |
| St Lucia – Durban | 245 km | 3 hours |
| St Lucia – Johannesburg | 595 km | 8 hours |
| St Lucia – Hluhluwe iMfolozi Park | 50 km | 50 min |
| St Lucia – Nelspruit | 520 km | 7 hours |
| Wilderness – Knysna | 47 km | 40 min |
| Wilderness – Mossel Bay | 60 km | 50 min |
By domestic flight ✈️
| Route | Approx. travel time ⏱ |
| Cape Town – Johannesburg | 2 hours |
| Cape Town – George | 55 min |
| Cape Town – Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth | 1 hour 15 min |
| Cape Town – Durban | 2 hours 5 min |
| Johannesburg – Durban | 1 hour 10 min |
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