Self-drive

Routes through South Africa

Driving routes worth taking slowly, each one a string of towns with places to stay that give something back to the landscape around them. Open a route to see its stops, the stays along it and what the country does between them, or take any of them into the planner and change every night.

Plan your own trip Read the long route guides

Birding routes

Built around hosts who carry the BirdLife Affiliated badge, so a share of every booking goes back to BirdLife South Africa. Tell your host what you are hoping to see and they will point you at the morning's best spot.

Cape birding route
Cape Town to Calitzdorp
520 km · 5 to 8 days · 4 stops
Fynbos endemics, a pelagic trip and Karoo specials, from Cape Town over the mountains to Swellendam, Montagu and the Klein Karoo.
BirdLife escarpment
Wakkerstroom to Magoebaskloof
780 km · 6 to 9 days · 4 stops
Wakkerstroom grasslands, Dullstroom highlands, Lowveld raptors and the Magoebaskloof mist-belt, built from BirdLife affiliated stays.
Zululand birding
Hluhluwe to Manguzi
260 km · 4 to 7 days · 3 stops
Sand forest, wetlands and Big Five reserves, from Hluhluwe up to the Kosi lakes, with BirdLife affiliated stays along the way.

Routes through South Africa

Birding routes

Cape birding route

BirdLife escarpment

Zululand birding

Routes through South Africa

Birding routes

Cape birding route

BirdLife escarpment

Zululand birding

Coastal routes

Garden Route

Surf and conservation coast

Whale Coast

Wine and food routes

Route 62

Cape Winelands Route

Gravel, MTB, 4x4 and surf routes

Karoo gravel loop

Drakensberg MTB

Karoo to Richtersveld 4x4

Nature and wildlife routes

Panorama Route

Trout Triangle

Culture and heritage routes

Owl Route

Mohair Route

Cherry Route