Top 5 mountain holiday destinations to drive to
Top 5 mountain holiday destinations to drive to
South Africa is a country that offers much in terms of beautiful, mountainous scenery. Next time you feel overwhelmed by your problems, take a drive to any of these five majestic mountain ranges that will make you realise just how insignificant you really are.
1. The Drakensberg National Park
An oldie, but a goodie. Besides, being the most extensive mountain range in South Africa, you'll probably have a hard time exploring all of the Drakensberg. But if you call yourself a South African, it's a must-drive-to. It's roughly 4-hour drive from O.R. Tambo to the Maloti-Drakensberg Park in the Mkhomazi Wilderness area.
The Drakensberg National Park is split into 3 sections: The Northern, Central and Southern berg. The Northern Drakensberg starts in the Free State in the Golden Gate Highlands National Park and extends down into the Royal Natal National Park. The central Drakensberg is the largest section of the mountain, incorporating Cathedral Peak, Champagne Castle, and Giant's Castle. The Southern section of the Drakensberg runs down the Transkei and into the Underberg and Sani Pass region.
If you're not afraid of heights, the Sani Pass is a must. However, be sure that your vehicle has ample clearance and a low-range transfer case, especially if you plan on navigating the steep Sani Pass in winter, as Icy Corner has seen its share of fatalities. Once you get to the top, the Sani Lodge is home to the highest bar in Africa. Here you can toast your successful ascent! Going down the Sani is much easier than going up, and as long as you have ground clearance, you won't necessarily need a 4x4. We drove down the pass in a Kia Soul, which was equipped with underbody protection.
The 12 easiest entry points to the Drakensberg National park are Cathedral Peak, Champagne Castle, Giant's Castle, Highmoor, Kamberg, Loteni, Vergelegen, and the abovementioned Sani Pass which takes you into Lesotho, Drakensberg Garden and Bushmen's Nek.
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2. The Cederberg Wilderness Area
If hiking dramatic landscapes are your thing, the Cederberg should be on your bucket list. Here you will find interesting rock formations, views to die for, caves, waterfalls, natural rock pools and an incredible diversity of fynbos. There is a network of over 254 km of hiking trails for you to enjoy, with a large collection of San Rock Art that is easily accessible.
The Cedarberg Wilderness Area is located 200 km north of Cape Town off of the N7. The closest towns are Clanwilliam to its north-west and Citrusdal to its south-west. When travelling to the reserve, you will need to cross a bridge over the Olifants River, between Citrusdal and Clanwilliam.
The reserve is a 2.5-hour drive (from Cape Town) along smooth tar roads for most of the journey, but the last section of the road is gravel, but a regular car (but not a low-slung coupé) won't have any trouble.
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3. The Table Mountain National Park
The Table Mountain National Park is "recognised as being extraordinary in its richness and diversity" of both plant and animal life. Things to do include hiking up Lion's head, a scenic drive along Signal Hill, or a cable car ride up to Table Mountain. There are two guided tours per day free of charge, at 10 am and at noon. Another must-see are the Kirstenbosch Botanical gardens - there is no place more perfect for a picnic.
The next two destinations on your list should be Boulders Beach and Cape Point, who too make up a part of the Table Mountain National Park.
The majority of the Table Mountain National Park has free access; However, you will need to pay conservation fees at The Cape of Good Hope, Boulders Beach and Silvermine, and when you take the cable car up the mountain, of course. Read more about it on Siyabona Africa here.
4. Baviaanskloof Wilderness Area, Eastern Cape
The harsh beauty of the Baviaanskloof Wilderness area has turned it into a South African World Heritage site. Here, nature lovers can feast their senses of rugged mountains, deep gorges and an abundance of plant and animal life. Being very remote, the entire area has been left beautifully untouched. See Baviaanskloof photos here.
The Baviaanskloof is located 170 km from Port Elizabeth along the N2 and 281 km from Knysna on the Garden Route. However, the breathtakingly beautiful R332 that runs through Baviaanskloof is known to be treacherous at times, being extremely steep and narrow. If you have nerves of steel, however, it's well worth driving. Baviaanskloof.net says: "The distance between Komodomo at the Eastern entrance, to Willowmore in the West, is approximately 203 km. The travelling time however, is 6 to 8 hours. It is advisable to make enquiries beforehand regarding road conditions as well as suitable vehicle type. Presently the stretch of road between Cambria and Geelhoutbos can only be accessed with a 4x4 or other High-rider type of vehicle."
5. The Malutis - Golden Gate Highlands National Park
The Golden Gate National Park is a Free State Nature Reserve in South Africa, located in the north-eastern Free State. Its name is derived from the luminous shades of gold which is reflected on the deeply eroded sandstone cliffs. The Brandwag rock is the park's most well-known landmark.
The area is famous for its stunning scenery, wooded ravines, gullies and grasslands, with a wide range of lesser-spotted birds and other wildlife, including Zebra, Black Wildebeest, Eland, Blesbok, Springbok and the threatened Oribi. Some 140 bird species have been identified here. This Free State Nature Reserve is said to be one of the last refuges of the rare Bearded Vulture and Bald Ibis.
Golden Gate Highlands National Park was founded in 1963 to protect the sandstone rocks that were once shelters for the Bushmen, and one can still view many of these well-preserved paintings today. You can also expect to see a wide range of indigenous flowers, including the Arum Lily, Watsonias, Fire Lilies, and Red-Hot Pokers.
It's an easy, but longish 318 km drive from O.R Tambo airport, or a 300 km drive from Bloemfontein Airport, and it's done in any car - but look out for potholes.
If you're keen on doing a 4x4 trail, the Rebellie Trail near Clarens is quite spectacular, but not easy. We did it in a four-wheel-drive Duster, which is much more capable than you'd think. We used a previous-gen diesel model, but read our 2025 Duster First Drive Review here.
*Source: Siyabona Africa