Camper trip in the Cape

You can pick up your camper rented from us from 8 am in the relevant camper depot in Cape Town (not included, choose a camper from our wide selection). Please note: if you are flying with KLM (late arrival), also book an extra night in Cape Town so that you can pick up your camper the next morning.

After all the checks and paperwork you drive to the small town of Kommetjie on the Cape peninsula, where you can relax and recover from the long flight.

You will camp for two nights in the Imhoff Caravan Park, located approximately 34 km from Cape Town. There are two beautiful beaches in front of the park; Long Beach, a famous surfing beach and Noordhoek Beach. You have enough time to explore Cape Town and the Cape Peninsula.

A visit to Table Mountain National Park that ends at the Cape of Good Hope is highly recommended for the coming days. After a steep climb or a short ride with a cogwheel train you will arrive at Cape Point and look out over the ocean.

Keep your windows closed because they are always hungry. On the beautiful coastal route around the Cape Peninsula you drive via the famous Chapman’s Peak Drive, one of the most beautiful scenic routes in the world. If you feel hungry at the end of this route, drive to the  Hout Bay harbour and treat yourself to tasty fish, fresher does not exist! Stay on the coast so you will be trendy Camps Bay, Clifton and  Sea Point (perhaps time to stop at the V&A Waterfront).

Today you have a beautiful ride ahead of you. There are several possibilities to drive to Swellendam, either via the Sir Lowry’s Pass (N2, as on the map) or via the spectacular coastal road (R44). If you decide to drive via the Sir Lowry’s Pass, enjoy the view towards Cape Town and False Bay. You can stop en route at the Peregrine Farm Stall or a little further at the Houwhoek Inn Hotel. In both you can buy local products and enjoy the South African stuffed pies and other dishes.

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. The Palmiet River is popular with swimmers or (wild) water canoes. The region is known for its abundant underwater life, so you can fully enjoy the fresh “seafood” on the grill or barbecue. Breathe in the wonderful fresh sea air and enjoy beautiful, unspoiled and clean beaches. 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.

If you are in the whale season (July – November), then you should definitely take a look at Hermanus.

You are on your way 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 hiking trails are mapped out in the beautiful fine forest area with, among other things, Erica’s and Proteas.  Bontebok National Park  is only 6 km south of Swellendam. This was established in 1931 and is certainly worth a visit. Here too, picnicking is recommended in the middle of nature.

Your next sleeping place is in the beautiful Kam’Bati River Resort which is 23 km outside of Swellendam. 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 is a long drive on the program today. You continue your way along the Garden Route via the pleasant town of Knysna, located on a beautiful lagoon, where you should definitely stop. Here you can take the John Benn Ferry to the Featherbed Nature Reserve and the famous Knysna Heads.

If you are a bird lover, you can for example choose to visit Birds of Eden. Here you follow a short walking route of about 2 km from where you can see different colorful, exotic birds from up close. With a bit of luck you will get to see the well-known but timid “Knysnaloerie”! A combined admission ticket is also possible for the neighboring Monkeyland.

You’ll spend two nights at the SANparks Storms River Mouth Rest Camp, which lies within the boundaries of the Tsitsikamma park and where you can enjoy the fantastic nature on the pristine coast. 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. You may see a seal swimming under the bridge! If you climb a little up, you will be rewarded with a beautiful view of the surroundings from the high rocks.

The park extends over a distance of 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.

Park opening times: From 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. If you arrive later than 18:00, you can report to the security at the entrance of the park.

It is time to look up some animals in the malaria free Addo National Elephant Park.

In the early 17th century there was frequent hunting of elephants. When only 11 elephants were left in 1920, an attempt was made to create a national park. This finally happened in 1931 and at the moment there are more than 660 elephants in Addo 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 certainly one of the most important animals in the park, is the protected Flightless dung beetle. This beetle lays its eggs in the elephant shit. It is very important to be careful that you do not drive over these important critters when you go on a game drive!

You will spend the next two nights on a caravan site in the SANparks Addo Elephant Rest Camp,

Today you drive back to Plettenberg Bay. On the outward journey you have already stopped here and you may even have made a short stop here. Plettenberg Bay is certainly one of the most sought after (and chiguere) beach resorts in South Africa.

Your place to stay for the coming night, Keurbooms Lagoon Caravan Park, is located directly on the water and has good service and facilities. You can camp in a well-maintained and shady place and you can use all the facilities of the park.

During your stay you can visit the nearby Keurbooms Nature Reserve and go water skiing, fishing, bird watching or enjoy a wonderful sundowner. There are also six beautiful beaches here and you can make beautiful walks and mountain bike tours. Also in ‘Plett’ you will certainly not be bored!

Today’s journey takes around 2.5 hours, so you can take it easy in the morning and also take your time during the journey. The shortest route (as on the map) follows the N2 along Knysna and Sedgefield (as you have arrived on the way there). If you prefer a different route, lasting around 3 hours, you can go up the R340 to the R62 at Keurboomsstrand. This tour takes you through the dry little Karoo, winding mountain passes, vineyards and interesting villages.

Visit Uniondale, where life is quiet, although the village is sometimes startled by the appearance of a ghost, “The Ghost of Uniondale“. A South African film was even released in 2014 about this legend! Nice is the old watermill, whose blades are still rotating.

The building is on the list of monuments, as well as the fortress that was used during the Boer War. A few artists live and work in the village.

On the south side of the village, direction Oudtshoorn, the Rooikoppie hills are on the right. These hills have been declared a national monument because of their color and composition.You can take a walk there. Before you begin the hike, you must request permission from Mons Ruber Wine Estate across the road. The hike to the hills starts directly behind the railway line. At Mons Ruber you can also taste various wines such as port and jerepigo (desert wine). On the other side of the road, about four km further in the direction of Oudtshoorn, lies Doornkraal where you can taste a wide selection of red and white.

Located between the Outeniqua mountain range and the Swartbergen lies the village of Oudtshoorn with 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 springs were so popular that the price was even higher than 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). For those who like to feel the adrenaline flowing through their veins, an adventurous tour is also possible, sometimes crawling through very narrow passages. 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 will stay two nights at  Kleinplaas Holiday Resort, a cozy 4 * campsite with electricity close to the center where you can make all your trips or perhaps want to relax by the pool.

Also a relic from the past is the railway that is no longer in use, but was previously the drain for agricultural products to Cape Town. In 1981 the area was hit by a serious flood; since then the railway line is no longer in use. Don’t forget to stop at Ronnie’s Sex Shop on the way (it is a little outside of Barrydale). Contrary to what the name suggests, coffee, soft drinks and snacks are available here. The name originated as a joke to attract more customers.

The resort is named after the Montagu Cave (also known as Guano Cave). At least 4 different species of bats live in this cave. The cave is therefore a very important habitat!

There are many roads that lead to Paarl. If you want to continue to enjoy the interior with its vineyards, stay on the R62 / R60.

The village of Robertson is located on the edge of the Kleine Karoo. In part you will still see the Karoo landscape with its low bushes and scarce overgrown land. On the other hand, the vines are already growing abundantly, fed by the water of the Breede River, making it a varied region of green and orange.Moreover, Robertson is sheltered by the Langeberg which give the town a picturesque background. For a long time the village had a good reputation in the area of coach and wagon builders. Now the village is known for the different wines and roses. In the village you will find a branch of KWV, the merchant wine association whose parent company is located in Paarl You will also find the Robertson Museum in the village, at 50 Paul Kruger Street. A nice village walk of one hour to one and a half hours leaves from the museum.

Worcester is a prosperous town on the N1. The brandy distilleries of KWV are located here. Just outside the village is Klein Plasie, an open-air museum about farming life.

Paarl got his name in a fun and visual way. In 1657, Abraham Gabemma left the land inland from Cape Town to look for a new source of meat. After a rainstorm, he saw a mountain in the distance with a large granite rock glittering like a wet Pearl. He called the mountain Peerleberg (in old Dutch: paerleberg) and the village that developed over time at the foot of this mountain has become Paarl.

Paarl is also proud of the fact that the headquarters of the Co-operative South African Wine Growers Association, better known locally as KWV, resides here. The KWV was the first wine cooperative in South Africa. For tourists, Paarl is particularly known for its impressive Taal Monument.

You can park your camper on the banks of the river at De Hollandsche Molen in Wemmershoek (between Paarl and Franschhoek). From here you can get lost in the Cape wine countries. And relax from your long day and recharge for the next. Don’t forget

Stellenbosch is one of the oldest towns in South Africa. In the beautifully preserved historic city center you will find many atmospheric streets and buildings in Cape Dutch style. The nickname of Stellenbosch is Oak City and when you walk around here you will soon discover why. The wood from the oak was used to make wine barrels. Nowadays, Stellenbosch is primarily known as a student city. Young people come to study here from all over Africa and from other parts of the world. The city was founded in 1685 by Governor Simon van der Stel, and has now become the heart of the wine region. You can taste no less than 260 different wines and that makes the choice no easier! One of the many wineries on the Stellenbosch wine route,  Rust and Vrede, was given a special honor in 1993: during a blind tasting, the Rust and Peace Merlot from 1989 was chosen as the wine to be served at the formal dinner in Oslo on the occasion of the Nobel Peace Prize being awarded to Nelson Mandela and FW the clerk.

The route from  Stellenbosch to Franschhoek  leads over the impressive Helshoogte Pass, part of the Four Passes circular route from Cape Town (the remaining three are the Franschhoek Pass to the Rivier sonder end Valley, the Viljoen Pass to Elgin, and the Sir Lowry’s Pass at Somerset West).