7 Best Road Trips from Cape Town You Can Do in a Rental Car (2026)
Cape Town is the starting point for some of the most spectacular drives in the world. From cliff-hugging coastal roads to vineyard-lined mountain passes, the Western Cape has routes that rival anything in California, Italy, or New Zealand — and they’re far less crowded.
The best part: you don’t need a 4×4 or a specialist vehicle for most of these. A standard car hire in Cape Town with unlimited mileage will get you to every destination on this list. Here are seven road trips worth planning your holiday around, with distances, driving times, fuel costs, and the best stops along the way.
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1. Chapman’s Peak Drive (Hout Bay to Noordhoek)
Distance: 9 km | Driving time: 20 minutes (without stops) | Toll: R52 per car | Best car type: Any — the road is fully tarred and well-maintained
Chapman’s Peak is often called one of the most scenic drives on the planet, and it earns that title within the first two minutes. Carved into the near-vertical face of Chapman’s Peak mountain between 1915 and 1922, the road features 114 curves with the Atlantic Ocean hundreds of metres below.
Best stops along the way:
The northern viewpoint just past the Hout Bay entrance has parking and a panoramic view back across Hout Bay harbour with the Sentinel mountain behind it. About halfway along the route there’s a popular picnic area with braai spots (book in advance during peak season). At the southern end, Noordhoek Beach stretches for 8 km — one of the longest and most unspoilt beaches near Cape Town. The Foodbarn in Noordhoek Village is an excellent lunch stop.
Tips: The road closes during bad weather and rock falls. Check the status at chapmanspeakdrive.co.za before setting out. Sunset drives from south to north are the most photogenic, but arrive early as the road closes at certain hours. This route connects naturally with a Cape Point day trip — drive Chapman’s Peak in the morning, then continue south to Cape Point and loop back via Simon’s Town.
Fuel cost: Under R20 for the drive itself — negligible. The toll is the main cost.
2. Cape Point and the Cape Peninsula Circuit
Distance: 120–150 km (round trip from Cape Town CBD) | Driving time: 3–4 hours driving, full day with stops | Best car type: Any sedan or hatchback
The Cape Peninsula loop is the quintessential day trip from Cape Town and the single best reason to rent a car in Cape Town rather than rely on tour buses. The standard route runs south from the city through Muizenberg, Kalk Bay, Simon’s Town, and into the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve, then returns via Scarborough, Kommetjie, and Noordhoek.
Best stops along the way:
Muizenberg’s colourful beach huts are one of Cape Town’s most photographed spots — park on the main road and walk down. Kalk Bay is a working fishing harbour with outstanding restaurants (Harbour House, The Brass Bell, Olympia Café) and quirky antique shops. Simon’s Town is home to Boulders Beach, where you can walk among a colony of African penguins (entry fee applies). Cape Point itself has two options: a moderate hike to the old lighthouse (about 30 minutes each way) or the Flying Dutchman funicular for those who prefer not to walk.
Tips: Leave Cape Town by 8:00 AM to beat the tour buses to Boulders Beach and Cape Point. The reserve gate opens at 06:00 in summer. Drive the route clockwise (Atlantic side out, False Bay side back) for the best light. Pack a picnic — there are limited food options inside the nature reserve.
Fuel cost: Approximately R180–R280 depending on vehicle and fuel price.
3. The Cape Winelands (Stellenbosch, Franschhoek, Paarl)
Distance: 50–120 km depending on route | Driving time: 45 minutes to Stellenbosch; 2–3 hours for a multi-estate loop | Best car type: Any — all roads are tarred
The Winelands are Cape Town’s backyard, and having your own car rental is the only way to properly explore them without paying for an expensive wine tour. Stellenbosch is the closest and most accessible wine town (45 minutes from the CBD), while Franschhoek — often called the food and wine capital of South Africa — is about an hour’s drive via the scenic Helshoogte Pass.
Best stops along the way:
In Stellenbosch, Delaire Graff Estate has some of the most spectacular views in the Winelands. Spier is family-friendly with a picnic lawn and Eagle Encounter. Tokara has an excellent fine-dining restaurant alongside its tasting room. In Franschhoek, La Motte, Boschendal, and Haute Cabrière are all outstanding, and the town’s main street (Huguenot Road) has world-class restaurants including La Petite Colombe and Foliage.
The Franschhoek Wine Tram is popular but books out weeks in advance in peak season — having a car means you’re not dependent on its schedule.
Tips: If you’re tasting wine and driving, South Africa’s blood alcohol limit is 0.05% — lower than many countries. Use a designated driver, limit yourself to sips rather than full tastings, or book accommodation in the Winelands and make it an overnight trip. Many estates offer excellent lunch options that help pace the day.
Fuel cost: R80–R180 depending on how many estates you visit.
4. The Garden Route (Cape Town to Port Elizabeth)
Distance: 750 km (one way) | Driving time: 8–9 hours non-stop, but best done over 4–7 days | Best car type: Any sedan or SUV; a comfortable car matters for this distance
The Garden Route is one of the world’s great road trips and the journey most people picture when they think about car hire in Cape Town for a longer adventure. The route follows the N2 highway along the southern coast from Cape Town through Mossel Bay, George, Wilderness, Knysna, Plettenberg Bay, and Tsitsikamma National Park before ending in Port Elizabeth (Gqeberha).
Best stops along the way:
Mossel Bay is the official start of the Garden Route and has the Bartholomeu Dias Museum Complex and good beaches. Wilderness has a beautiful lagoon and stunning beach. Knysna is the jewel of the route — the Knysna Heads, the lagoon, and the Featherbed Nature Reserve are all worth a full day. Plettenberg Bay has Robberg Nature Reserve (a 3–4 hour circular hike with seals and dolphins) and Monkeyland/Birds of Eden sanctuaries. Tsitsikamma has the famous Storms River Mouth suspension bridge and the start of the Otter Trail.
Tips: Most Cape Town car rental companies allow one-way rentals to Port Elizabeth, but check for drop-off fees (typically R1,500–R3,000). Book your one-way rental early, especially in December–January, as availability is limited. If you’re flying back to Cape Town from PE, compare the one-way drop-off fee against the cost of fuel and time for the return drive.
Allow at least 4 nights for the trip: one in Mossel Bay or Wilderness, two in Knysna or Plettenberg Bay, and one in Tsitsikamma. Rushing the Garden Route defeats the purpose.
Fuel cost: Approximately R900–R1,500 one way depending on vehicle.
5. Clarence Drive and the Whale Coast (R44)
Distance: 90 km (Cape Town to Hermanus) | Driving time: 1.5–2 hours | Best car type: Any
Clarence Drive between Gordon’s Bay and Kleinmond is regularly voted one of South Africa’s most beautiful roads. It hugs the coast between mountain and sea, with pull-off points offering views across False Bay. Beyond Kleinmond, the road continues to Betty’s Bay (home to a penguin colony at Stony Point — less crowded than Boulders Beach) and on to Hermanus.
Best stops along the way:
Gordon’s Bay has a small but charming harbour and beach. The Harold Porter National Botanical Garden near Betty’s Bay is a hidden gem with indigenous fynbos and a waterfall hike. Hermanus is the whale-watching capital of South Africa — between June and November, Southern Right Whales come into Walker Bay to calve, and you can see them from the cliff path without needing a boat.
Tips: The best whale-watching months are September and October. If you’re visiting in these months, combine Clarence Drive with a night in Hermanus — the town has excellent restaurants and wine farms nearby in the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley (home to some of South Africa’s best Pinot Noir and Chardonnay).
Fuel cost: R120–R200 one way.
6. West Coast and Wildflowers (R27)
Distance: 120 km to Langebaan; 250 km to Clanwilliam | Driving time: 1.5 hours to Langebaan | Best car type: Any for Langebaan; a higher-clearance vehicle for Cederberg gravel roads
The R27 north from Cape Town along the West Coast is the opposite of the dramatic cliffs and mountains on the Atlantic Seaboard — here it’s wide-open fynbos, salt marshes, and a wild coastline that feels like another country entirely. In August and September, the Namaqualand wildflowers transform the landscape into a carpet of orange, purple, and white.
Best stops along the way:
Bloubergstrand (technically still in Cape Town) has the iconic Table Mountain view across the bay. Darling is a quirky small town with wine farms and the Evita se Perron theatre (run by legendary satirist Pieter-Dirk Uys). The West Coast National Park in Langebaan has the Postberg wildflower section (open only in August–September) and the turquoise Langebaan Lagoon. Paternoster is a whitewashed fishing village with outstanding seafood — Wolfgat, a tiny restaurant in the dunes, was named the World Restaurant Awards’ “Off-Map Destination” winner.
Tips: The wildflower season (typically mid-August to mid-September) is short and depends heavily on winter rainfall. Flowers open with the sun, so morning drives are best. Beyond Langebaan, Cederberg has rock art sites, the Maltese Cross rock formation, and rugged hiking — but the roads become gravel, so check your car hire Cape Town contract for gravel road restrictions before heading that far.
Fuel cost: R160–R350 depending on how far north you go.
7. Route 62 (The Inland Alternative to the Garden Route)
Distance: 680 km (Cape Town to Port Elizabeth via Route 62) | Driving time: 8–10 hours non-stop; best over 3–5 days | Best car type: Any sedan or SUV
Route 62 is the longest wine route in the world and the scenic inland alternative to the N2 Garden Route. The road passes through the Breede River Valley, over dramatic mountain passes, through the Little Karoo, and past ostrich farms before joining the Garden Route at Oudtshoorn or continuing to Port Elizabeth.
Best stops along the way:
Worcester has the Karoo Desert National Botanical Garden. Robertson and McGregor are wine towns with excellent value tastings (far cheaper than Stellenbosch). Montagu has hot springs, rock climbing, and the Cogmanskloof pass. Barrydale has quirky art galleries and the legendary Ronnie’s Sex Shop (a bar, not what the name suggests). Oudtshoorn is the ostrich capital of the world, with the Cango Caves and Cango Wildlife Ranch nearby. Calitzdorp produces South Africa’s best port-style wines.
Tips: Route 62 is less touristy than the Garden Route and significantly cheaper for accommodation and food. Several of the mountain passes (Tradouw Pass, Seweweekspoort) are among the most dramatic drives in South Africa. Combine Route 62 with the Garden Route for a loop: drive inland via Route 62 and return along the coast, or vice versa. This works perfectly with a one-way Cape Town car rental dropped off in Port Elizabeth.
Fuel cost: R850–R1,400 one way depending on vehicle.
Which Car Should You Hire for Cape Town Road Trips?
The right vehicle depends on where you’re going:
For Chapman’s Peak, Cape Point, Winelands, Clarence Drive, and the Garden Route: Any economy or compact car will do. These are all tarred roads in good condition. A VW Polo, Toyota Starlet, or Hyundai i10 from any Cape Town car hire company is perfectly adequate and keeps your daily rate low.
For the West Coast beyond Langebaan or Route 62 with detours: A compact SUV like a Ford EcoSport or Hyundai Creta gives you more ground clearance and comfort on gravel sections without the fuel cost of a full-size SUV.
For Cederberg, 4×4 trails, or off-road adventures: You’ll need a proper 4×4 like a Toyota Hilux or Ford Ranger. Check your rental agreement — most standard car hire contracts exclude gravel and off-road driving from insurance cover.
For families or groups of 4+: A people carrier like a Toyota Avanza or Hyundai Staria gives everyone space for luggage plus legroom on longer drives.
Always check the mileage policy before booking. Some cheap car rental deals in Cape Town include limited kilometres (typically 200–300 km/day), which can result in excess charges on longer road trips. For any trip beyond the Cape Peninsula, choose an unlimited mileage option.
Planning a road trip from Cape Town? Compare car hire deals in Cape Town from R201/day and find the right vehicle for your adventure.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need an international driver’s licence to rent a car in Cape Town?
If your licence is not in English, an International Driving Permit is strongly recommended. Always carry your original licence as well.
Is it safe to drive in Cape Town?
Driving is generally straightforward on major routes. Use standard travel precautions, avoid distracted driving, and plan routes in advance if you are unfamiliar with the area.
What is the best car type for Cape Town?
A compact car works well for city-focused itineraries. For longer road trips, extra luggage, or mixed conditions, an SUV is often more comfortable.
Can I rent a car at Cape Town International Airport?
Yes. Cape Town International Airport has multiple reputable car rental desks and is one of the most common collection points for visitors.
How much does car hire insurance cost in South Africa?
Costs vary by provider and vehicle class and are typically charged per day. The key is to understand what’s covered and what the excess (liability) would be in the event of a claim.
