Trip Notes
A focused look at how to match a self-drive tour to the road ahead, the vehicle you have, and the time you can spare.
Published 14 March 2025 · 6 min read
Every week I get the same kind of question: "We have five days, should we do the Garden Route or head into the Karoo?" The honest answer is rarely about which route is prettier. It is about what kind of driving you actually enjoy, how much time you want behind the wheel, and whether you are comfortable on gravel. This post is about making that decision before you book anything.
The first thing to sort out is the vehicle. A sedan will handle the tar between Cape Town and Knysna without complaint, but the moment you turn off toward the mountain passes or the back roads of the Karoo, you will wish for more clearance. I have driven the Swartberg Pass in a small hatchback and it is doable, but you spend the whole time watching the surface instead of the views. If you want to explore the passes and farm roads, a bakkie or SUV changes the experience completely.
Self-drive tours are not one-size-fits-all. A weekend itinerary from Johannesburg works well if you want to get out of the city without a long haul. The Drakensberg foothills or the Magaliesberg are close enough for a Friday afternoon departure. But if you have your heart set on the coast, you need to plan for a full day of driving each way, which means a longer trip makes more sense.
For the Garden Route, I usually suggest at least four nights. That gives you time to stop at the farm stalls, walk a bit of the forest, and still make it to the next town before dark. The distances between towns look short on a map, but the roads are winding and you will want to pull over often. Rushing the route defeats the purpose.
The Karoo is a different story. The gravel roads there are often in better condition than people expect, but they change quickly after rain. A route that was smooth in the morning can develop washboard sections by the afternoon. If you are not used to driving on loose stone, stick to the main routes and save the back roads for a day when you have time to spare.
I always carry a basic recovery kit, even on short trips. A shovel, a tow strap, and a tyre pressure gauge take up almost no space and can save you a long wait in a remote area. It is not about being prepared for disaster, it is about being able to handle the small problems that come up on any gravel road.
Where you sleep shapes the whole trip. Bush camps are wonderful if you want to be close to the landscape, but they usually mean a longer drive to the next meal or activity. Guesthouses in the towns are easier for a relaxed evening, especially if you have been driving all day. I tend to mix them: a night in a bush camp for the experience, then a guesthouse when I need a proper bed and a hot shower.
The best trips I have done were the ones where the accommodation matched the day's driving. If you know you have a long stretch of gravel ahead, plan for an early arrival and a comfortable night. If the day is short, you can afford to stay somewhere more remote.
For more route ideas and practical notes from recent drives, have a look at the other posts in the journal. And if you are planning a specific trip and want advice on the format, the contact page is the easiest way to reach me.