Motorhome trip from Johannesburg to Cape Town

If you come between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m. to the depot in Johannesburg where you will find the camper, choose from our extensive range. After all the paperwork has been arranged and you have received all the instructions, you can hit the road. Your adventurous vacation starts with an interesting route. Welcome to South Africa! If you have booked a late flight, we recommend that you book an extra night.

The monotomous grassy plains from Johannesburg will soon turn into fascinating landscapes on your way to the province Mpumalanga. The  Forever Resort Blyde Canyon where you will park your camper for two nights is located at the third largest canyon in the world, the Blyde River Canyon. This resort offers all modern facilities, and from the restaurant you have a breathtaking view of the famous Three Rondavels. If you want to stretch your legs, look for the Tufa Waterfall (one-hour walk). The gorge itself is a nature reserve and only accessible to hikers.

Since you will be staying here for two nights, you can take it easy on the second day of the Panorama Route are going to enjoy. The road along the edge of The Escarpment is so spectacular that it is not called the Panorama route for nothing. Take all the time for this, so that you won’t miss the breathtaking views along the way. Pinnacle Rock, Jock’s View and God’s Window are some of the high-lying rock points from which you can look out over the vast Lowveld.

At Bourke’s Luck Potholes you reach viewpoints via paths and bridges from where you can admire the wonderful riverbed carved rock bed where the Treur and Blyde rivers meet. you can also via Graskop to  Pilgrim’s Rest drive, a former ‘mining village’ where gold was mined up to the 1920s. Today the entire town is a national monument and open-air museum: a must to visit.

In Mpumalanga Due to the altitude, the many rainfall and erosion many beautiful waterfalls have been created. The so-called Waterfalls Route runs on the R 532 from Graskop to Sabie, and is a nice route to drive for those who would like to visit a few waterfalls such as the Sabie, Horseshoe, Lone Creek, Bridal Veil and MacMac Falls. You can swim in the crystal clear water of the Mac Mac Pools (a small entrance fee is requested). A 3 km walk can also be made from here. Sabie is at an altitude of around 1,000 meters and is therefore malaria free. The former Voortrekkers therefore usually stored their base camps in this area in order to hunt from here in the low field (where the Kruger Park is also located).

Today you head for the famous Kruger National Park where your safaris will start. The park is renowned worldwide for its huge variety of wildlife, rich fauna and vast savannas spread over an area of no less than 19,000 km²! The park is 352 km long, 60 km wide on average and has an extensive network of roads and camps.

During the ride to your camp you will not only spot animals, but you will also be surprised by the beautiful nature. Overgrown areas are interspersed with large open plains with trees, such as the interesting baobab tree. Take your time and enjoy all the beauty of nature around you.

Your overnight stay will take place in the Skukuza Rest Camp. Skukuza is the ‘capital’ of the Kruger National Park and has many amenities such as a gas station, a bank (you can pin here), a shop, two swimming pools and two restaurants. You will also have electricity again at your pitch. If you are a golf fanatic, you can even hit a ball here. The camp is very central and close to some of the best ways to view wildlife. Use this and book a bushwalk or game drive to be more likely to be in the right place to see wildlife.

Today you can have another African country, namely the kingdom Eswatini to visit, which is completely enclosed by South Africa (and Mozambique), and which is slightly smaller in size than the Kruger Park. There is an official border crossing between South Africa and Eswatini. You must clear customs through both customs upon arrival and when leaving the country. This also applies to the camper  that is rented in South Africa and taken to Eswatini. Make sure the rental company gives you a statement in which permission for this customs clearance is given. You are also required to pay a toll upon arrival in Eswatini.

The Matsamo Cultural Park was established to preserve the Swati traditions and to show and hear them to visitors. The inhabitants are part of the Shongwe clan, once a fully autonomous group led by a king. Over time, they formed an alliance with King Mswati II in an effort to protect the territory against attacks from the north. There are daily tours of the village and cultural shows with traditional song and dance.

Continue along the impressive Piggs Peak route to Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary. Along the way you can visit the Ngwenya glass factory, here decorative and functional glassware is made from waste glass. Or view the world’s largest exposed granite dome, Sibebe Rock. You can also visit a local market and experience for yourself that the Swati’s are known for their manual labor. This is possible in the traditional village of Mantenga, located in the eponymous nature park. Here is also the highest waterfall of Eswatini (95 m). In Mantenga there are countless stalls selling carvings and other artisans. The roads are not always top quality, so keep that in mind when you travel.

You overnight in Mlilwane Game Reserve that lies halfway in the beautiful Ezulwini valley, also known as “The Valley of Heaven”. Zebras, jackals, hippos, giraffes, crocodiles, kudu and antelope now live on this land that used to be a farmland. You can book game drives here to explore nature on foot, on horseback or by bike.See our range of excursions and activities in Swaziland: excursions Swaziland. We are happy to reserve these excursions for you to avoid disappointment. If you want to undertake activities, it is advisable to spend an extra night at the Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary . Extra price on request.

It is time to leave this fascinating kingdom and head for the Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park in the KwaZulu-Natal province. The Zulu’s (or Zulu’s) form the largest population group in South Africa. Nowhere else will you see the traditional lifestyle of Africa as beautifully as in Zulu country, the kingdom of Shaka Zulu. The main road takes you past numerous game reserves and the traditional Zulu villages. The Zulu people have continued their traditional lifestyle for years. You will also encounter mud huts everywhere during your trip. The residents live off what the country offers them and they honor their gods through elaborate ceremonies. Despite the great poverty, the Zulu people are a proud people.

The Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park is only a 20-minute drive from your next campsite. This is the oldest park in South Africa and was established in 1895 to protect the white rhino from eradication.

You will spend the night in the Bushbaby Lodge & Camping

Enjoy the pure peace and nature for a little while, as you are going via the Dolphin Coast to your next location that will be more inhabited world. Despite the great popularity of this area among holidaymakers, it is still possible to find wide, unspoilt beaches, as well as sheltered coves. As the name ‘Dolphin Coast’ suggests, Tumblers (Bottlenose dolphins) are so common here that you can often see them from the beach.

Your camping place in the Salt Rock Hotel & Resort nestled among tropical palm trees on the golden coast of the warm Indian Ocean. If you want to dive into this, make sure you do that where there are life guards. Usually flags indicate where it is safe to enter the water, but the ocean is and remains unpredictable. In many places there are also so-called rock tidal pools (kind of natural swimming pool surrounded by rocks) where you can safely enjoy the water. If you are a golf fanatic, you can hit a ball on various courses in the area. Shopping is possible at a huge shopping mall nearby: Gateway Theater or Shopping (Umhlanga).

After perhaps an early morning dive, it is time to head back inland towards the impressive Drakensberg. If you want to visit the capital of KwaZuluNatal, Pietermaritzburg, has left you behind, the traffic on the road will slowly decrease. Do you want to make another stop en route and are you interested in sharks; then visit the ‘Natal Sharks Board’ in Umhlanga Rocks. Here you can see how the sharks are kept under control and existing prejudices about these extraordinary animals are also removed. In Umhlanga Rocks with its attractive center and beautiful beaches you can enjoy a cup of coffee / tea before you have to take the highway.

The Drakensberg consists of three parts: the Northern, the Central and the Southern Drakensberg, of which the Southern Drakensberg are perhaps the roughest of the three areas. Your next camping place is here, Silverstreams Caravan Park (you stay here for two nights) on the banks of the Ngwangwan River, close to the Boesmannek border crossing with Lesotho (for hikers only) and the Garden Castle nature reserve. Here you can take beautiful walks, go horse riding or swim in the river … or just do nothing. Only enjoy the peace and beautiful surroundings!

In Underberg you can stop for a cappuccino with pastries or possibly a delicious lunch at the Lemon Tree Bistro. Would you rather have a picnic on the way? Then it is definitely worth stopping at the “Pucketty-Plaasstal” for all kinds of delicacies such as home-made jams, freshly baked bread and pies.

From  Underberg you can also take a breathtaking Sani Pass tour. We recommend that you book this excursion in advance.

Today you will head south to Port St. Johns, and will leave KwaZulu Natal and then drive through the Eastern Cape to the Wild Coast. The Wild Coast was once part of the ‘independent’ Transkei, which was designated as the homeland of the Xhosa during apartheid. As you drive through this region, you can occasionally see a boy standing by the road wrapped in a patterned blanket and the face covered with white clay. This is part of the ritual where a boy becomes a man. On the grassy hills are still the traditional huts of grass and clay, the women still paint their faces with ocher tones and smoke from pipes with long stems.

After the rural tranquility, you will experience Port St. Johns as a world city. Here the mighty Mzimvubu, the only navigable river on the Wild Coast, has carved an impressive passage to the sea. You will stay one night at the Cremorne Holiday Resort located on the river. Here too you can enjoy the many facilities and activities, and if you are a diving and / or golf fan then you have arrived at the right place.

The Wild Coast got its name from the deep canyons, cliffs rising steeply from the sea and wild waterfalls. The reefs and rocks off the coast have already crashed many ships. from the town Coffee Bay (110 km from Port St. Johns) a beach / coastal walk of 8 km in a southerly direction is rewarded with a view of the impressive rock formation ‘Hole in the Wall’. A nice place to visit and take beautiful photos if time permits.

On the way to East London, halfway between Mtatha (formerly Umtata) and the Mbasher River, you will pass the village of Qunu. Here Nelson Mandela was born and raised and buried on December 15, 2013. This is also where, since his resignation as the first president of a democratic South Africa, Mandela has lived in a house he had designed himself. The design was based on the home of the Victor Verster Prison in the Western Cape where he spent the last of the 27 years of his imprisonment. At this house there is also a museum and a visitor center (and the “skuifklip”,

Continue on the N2 to East London and pass the village of Butterworth from where you can take a short detour to the relatively unknown but impressive Bawa waterfall (103 m).

East London is South Africa’s only river port, located at the mouth of the Buffalo River. The river got this name because of the large amount of buffalo that lived in this area in the old days.East London was founded with the intention of serving as a storehouse for the garrisons that protected the settlers from the enemy Xhosa. Nowadays it is a pleasant place to visit because of the well-maintained golf courses, friendly people and various beautiful 19th century buildings.

You will spend the night in the riverside location Areena Resort. You have a shady place and you can enjoy many modern facilities including a swimming pool and a cozy restaurant

It is time to visit some animals again and this time the huge thick skins, the elephants in  Addo National Elephant Park.

It goes without saying that this is the place to be to see elephants. But there are no longer just elephants living in Addo. It is now even a “BIG 7” park which means that in addition to the Big 5 (elephant, lion, rhino, buffalo and leopard), the Southern Right Whale and Great White Shark have recently been added to the list. The latter two live in the Woody Cape Area on the Indian Ocean. The smallest, but one of the most important animals in the park, is the protected Addo dung beetle. This beetle lays eggs in the elephant poo.

You spend the night in  SANparks Addo Elephant Rest Camp with all facilities in the park so that you can fully enjoy these beautiful animals.

Back on the road towards the coast! You drive a piece of the familiar today Garden Route (or Garden route). Surfers can make a stop in Jeffrey’s Bay, a true surfing paradise. The Billabong Pro Jeffreys Bay international surfing competition is held here every year (in July) (Supertubes Beach). If you have enough time, continue to Cape St. Francis. The architecture of this village is actually very unique within South Africa. In part, the village consists of black and white houses attached to each other be linked via channels and surrounded by the ocean. In another part, the Mediterranean character prevails with spacious residential areas in earth colors. You will find shops and restaurants in the port of St. Francis Bay.

You continue your way through the beautiful Garden Route to Storms River where you will be in beautiful Tsitsikama National Park can enjoy the fantastic nature on the pristine coast. If you have a lot of energy, you can certainly lose it during a bungee jump of the Bloukrans Bridge (125 m) above the Bloukrans river.

The park stretches for 65 km along the coast, between the sleepy Nature’s Valley and the town of Storms River. The beautiful green jungle houses a very varied flora and fauna.

You will stay two nights in it Storms Rivier Mouth Camp that lies within the boundaries of Tsitsikamma National Park. It is a good base for swimming, snorkeling and hiking. You should definitely take the short walk from the camp to the suspension bridge over the river mouth.

NOTE: The Tsitsikamma National Park and Wilderness National Park have recently been merged into one park. The new name is the Garden Route National Park. Probably not all signs have been replaced and the Tsitsikamma National Park is still indicated on the signs along the way.

On the program for today is a beautiful route via George and the impressive Outeniqua mountains direction Oudtshoorn. Fortunately no long distance to drive, so plenty of time to discover Oudtshoorn with its many sights such as the Cango caves and ostrich farms. National monuments form part of the city and they are mainly known as “feather palaces”. These feather palaces were created by the high demand for ostrich feathers during the period 1875-1910. The feathers were so popular that the price even exceeded the price of gold or diamond.

The fascinating Cango Caves are among the most beautiful in the world and you can take a guided tour here (normal tour takes about an hour). Just outside the center you can visit the Cango Wildlife Ranch, which has been established as a breeding center for endangered species. And of course you can visit an ostrich farm.

You spend the night on Kleinplaas Holiday Resort, a cozy 4 * campsite close to the center from where you can make all your trips or relax by the swimming pool.

You are subject to the beautiful and very peaceful town Swellendam with its many historic Victorian and Cape Holland houses. Swellendam lies at the foot of the Langeberg and is the third oldest settlement in South Africa, after Cape Town and Stellenbosch. A visit to the Drostdy Museum is interesting. There are also nice shops and plenty of wonderful restaurants.

Near the Breederiver this is a place for the cultivation of blackberries, blueberries, wine and cattle. Behind the city are the Langeberg Mountains where various walking routes are mapped out in the beautiful fine forest area with Erica’s and Proteas, among others. It is only 6 km south of Swellendam Bontebok National Park.

Your next sleeping place is beautiful Kam’bati River Resort  that is 23 km outside Swellendam is. This resort is located on no fewer than two rivers and you can relax, throw out your fishing rod or cool off in the swimming pool. All modern facilities are available and you can park the camper in the shade of a large tree on the banks of the river.

There are many roads that direction Kommetjie,

At the start of  Hermanus lies Grotto Beach (indicated small) with a beautiful long and a cozy terrace to relax. If you continue your journey, you will arrive in the pleasant center of Hermanus, the largest coastal town in the Overberg region. Between June and December you can come and enjoy the whales. These swim close to the coast and stay in the bay.

From Hermanus you follow the R44 which you follow via the beautiful coastal pictures Kleinmond, Betty’s Bay, Pringle Bay and  Rooi-Els along a spectacular route. Kleinmond is a holiday village near the Palmiet River and takes its name from the narrow mouth at the beach lake of the Bot River. The 650 hectare Kleinmond Reserve, which is located east of the Palmiet River, has no fewer than 1,200 species of Fynbos that are divided into coastal and mountain fynbos and 40 tree species. Enjoy the cozy Harbor Drive street full of shops and restaurants. With a little luck you can buy fresh fish directly from the fishing boats.

The Overberg area around Betty’s Bay and Pringle Bay is ideal for nature lovers. If you have time, pay a visit to the penguins at Stony Point in Betty’s Bay. You can also go hiking, swimming, surfing and cycling. The picnic areas in the Harold Porter Botanical garden and the “mountain bike” routes on the Kogelberg are spectacular.

Hanging cliff (454m), the eastern terminus of False Bay, overlooking Pringle Bay and Silversands beach. The caves of Cape Hangklip used to be a hiding place for slaves who fled from Cape Town and surroundings for their masters.

From Gordon’s Bay you can continue to the N2 highway to Cape Town.

You spend the last two nights at Imhoff Park in the town Kommetjie on the Cape Peninsula.

In the coming days you can make a wide choice from all the sights in and around Cape Town, the mother city of South Africa. There are so many things to do so prepare well. Take a look at our range of excursions and activities in and around Cape Town: excursions Western Cape.

A great way to explore Cape Town is e.g. with the ‘hop on/hop off‘ bus. You will be guided through Cape Town and / or surroundings in a relaxed way with explanations and you can step in and out at various locations. Or visit Robben Island (advance booking required) where Nelson Mandela has been imprisoned for years.  A visit to Table Mountain should of course not be missed (it is recommended to do this early in the day because of the ‘table cloth’ that often comes over Table Mountain in the afternoon). Go shopping or visit the aquarium at the V&A Waterfront, test the Malay cuisine in the Bo Kaap, visit the Castle of Good Hope or stroll through the streets of downtown Cape Town. At the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens you can enjoy the South African flora.

A visit to the Cape Peninsula National Park that ends at the Cape of Good Hope is highly recommended. After a steep climb or a short ride with a cogwheel train you will arrive at Cape Point and look out over the ocean. The reserve is an important resting area for rare ungulates such as the Mountain Zebra, Bontebok and Eland. Along the way you will certainly encounter baboons, do not feed them and do not quote them, they are still wild animals.

Unfortunately all good things come to an end. Similarly to your vacation in South Africa. You must return your camper to the camper depot in Cape Town before 4 p.m.