Spend three weeks discovering the best of South Africa, from the vibrant Cape Town and the lush Garden Route to the dramatic peaks of the Drakensberg and the wild heart of Kruger National Park. You’ll start by flying into Cape Town International Airport (CPT), picking up a rental car for the first leg, and flying from Port Elizabeth to Durban to begin the second half of your adventure. This travel route is diverse and epic, so expect long driving days, some mountain passes, and varying road conditions. Sometimes the itinerary includes different options which are marked as 'optional'.
Total Driving Distance: ~2,600 km (1,615 miles) across two rental cars.
Route: Cape Town → Franschhoek → Swellendam → Oudtshoorn → Garden Route → Addo Elephant Park → [Flight from Port Elizabeth] → Durban → Underberg (southern Drakensberg) → Cathkin Park (central Drakensberg) → Royal Natal National Park (northern Drakensberg) → Mbombela → Panorama Route (Graskop) → Kruger National Park (Satara to Berg-en-Dal) → Kruger Airport
Best Time to Go: Best Time to Go: The autumn shoulder season (April to May) is the ultimate "sweet spot" for this route. You’ll catch the Cape Winelands in their golden autumn glory, enjoy the most stable, clear weather for hiking the Drakensberg, and experience the Kruger as the bush thins out, offering excellent wildlife visibility without the intense summer heat. The spring shoulder season (September to October) is also good with blooming wildflowers in the Cape, whale watching in the Garden Route, and the end of the dry season in Kruger, which makes for spectacular wildlife viewing.
