10 Day Southern Route Self-Drive Tour

This 10-day self-drive journey begins with three nights in Cape Town, where you can explore some of South Africa’s most iconic attractions at your own pace. Ride the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway for sweeping views over the city and coastline, spend time at the V&A Waterfront, or book a Robben Island tour for a deeper look into South Africa’s history. Staying at the Portswood places you close to the waterfront precinct, making it easy to enjoy restaurants, museums, and harbor activities between sightseeing outings.

You then continue to Franschhoek for two nights, staying at Maison Chablis in one of the Cape Winelands’ most charming towns. Here you can enjoy acclaimed restaurants, wine estates, and the popular Franschhoek Wine Tram experience. After that, the route continues to Knysna for four nights at Knysna Hollow, a well-placed base for exploring the wider Garden Route. From here, you can visit Plettenberg Bay’s beaches, enjoy forest and lagoon scenery, and add wildlife experiences such as elephant or wild cat encounters nearby before returning to Cape Town to complete the loop.

Before the Huguenots came, the Franschhoek valley was known as Olifantshoek, after the herds of elephant that once roamed it. The Huguenot Monument at the end of town remembers the settlers who gave it a French name. The village itself is small enough to explore on foot between wine tastings and long lunches.

The road to Knysna runs east into the Breede River Valley to Robertson, then through the rock gorge of Cogmanskloof to Montagu, where Route 62 begins. Barrydale, Ladismith and Calitzdorp follow across the dry Little Karoo before Oudtshoorn, and from there the Outeniqua Pass drops through the mountains to George and the coast.

Heading home, the N2 passes Swellendam at the foot of the Langeberg. Founded in 1745, it is South Africa’s third-oldest town after Cape Town and Stellenbosch. The Drostdy, a Cape Dutch building at the center of its museum complex, is an easy stop before the last 220 km to the city.

Ferries and sailing boats share the Knysna lagoon, and indigenous forest climbs the hills behind the town. Plettenberg Bay is a short drive east. On the edge of that town, the Robberg peninsula walk is a half day to add at your own cost, for anyone who likes cliffs, seals and sea air.