Driving the Must-See Southern South Africa Coastline

Last Updated on June 6, 2025 by Travelationship

We love a great road trip. The freedom to come and go as we please, and the idea that one road may lead us to crazy, unexpected adventures, fuels our desire to road trip whenever possible. When in South Africa, renting a car and driving the southern coastline between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth is an absolute must.

South African Road Trip

Not only will you gasp at the views along the famous Garden Route, but you will be amazed by all the little stops along the way. I have taken quite a few road trips in my lifetime, all over the US, through the hills of Rwanda, and down the west coast of Italy, to name a few, but the South coast of South Africa has to be my favorite.

There are so many places to stop and see along the drive that it would be nearly impossible to name them all. Instead, here are a few of our can’t-miss locations. We did the drive from east to west and capped our time off exploring Cape Town.

Addo Elephant National Park

North of Port Elizabeth, you will find Addo Elephant Park. The park isn’t just an elephant park; it’s an entire Big Five safari destination. We loved our experience at Addo and would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a self-guided safari tour. The park offers guided tours at all levels and accommodations at very reasonable prices.

There are a few different elephant parks or safari-type options along the southern coastline of ZA. We chose Addo because it maintains the most natural living experience for its animals. Although walking with an elephant or a cheetah would be fantastic, we felt those locations were more zoo-like and exploitative to the animals.

Addo was perfect for us, and we quickly spotted all the Big Five within our day and a half there. You can find more information about Addo Elephant Park here, and read more in-depth about our Addo Elephant Park experience here.

Cape Recife

We initially headed to the Cape Recife area for a simple lunch and maybe a glimpse of the ocean, but nothing extravagant. We quickly learned this was not the expected trip as we turned off Marine Drive to head toward Cape Recife Nature Reserve. Looking up, we noticed we were being followed by vervet monkeys racing down the power lines. Upon approaching Pine Lodge Resort, we observed tons of different birds flying around, and they were also hanging out with the monkeys in the trees and on the power lines.

We kept driving into the nature reserve and eventually stopped to walk along the beach. Unfortunately, we did not note the particular beach’s name, but it was located between the Pine Lodge Resort and the end of the reserve. I loved this area and would highly recommend it because of the seashells on the shoreline.

I have never been on a beach with that many intact, gorgeous seashells. The colors of the shells and the sheer volume kept us there, wandering, oohing, and ahhing for hours. For more information about Cape Recife.

Jeffreys Bay

We had a little difficulty getting to Jeffreys Bay, but it was worth every death-defying second. Anyone looking for a proper surfer beach-type holiday would be in heaven in JB. The locals are friendly, and the small-town vibe is welcoming.

We felt right at home during our stay in JB. We can’t wait to return to try more water activities and relax on the beach. JB is also a bit of a surfer’s paradise. Check here for more information regarding Jeffreys Bay activities and accommodations. Head here to read more about our Jeffreys Bay experience.

The Garden Route

The Garden Route is a famous stretch of the southeastern coastline between the towns of Mossel Bay, located on the Western Cape, and Storms River, situated on the Eastern Cape of South Africa. Named for its abundant and diverse terrain of greenery, lakes, lagoons, Outeniqua and Tsitsikamma Mountain ranges, and the Indian Ocean.

The GR is home to ten nature reserves, several marine reserves, and thousands of flora, fauna, and animal species. Don’t be scared to divert your route from the main N2 freeway and explore one of the many side roads leading you into the beauty’s heart. To read more details and ideas regarding the Garden Route tourism.

Storms River / Otter Trail / Tsitsikamma National Park

Located on the east side of the Garden Route, this area is to die for — literally! There is so much to do, and the views are breathtaking in every direction you look. If you love the outdoors, hiking, biking, adventure, water activities, camping, and much more, this is the perfect place to hang out for a day or more.

Storms River is located in the heart of the Tsitsikamma National Park and is also the starting/ending point for the challenging Otter Trail hike. We would love to return and hike more, or even the Otter Trail. We recommend camping or a cabin stay at Storms River Mouth Rest Camp if you are in the area. Looking for more information about the Otter Trail or the Storms River Mouth Rest Camp. Read more about our time in the Tsitsikamma National Park, our stay at the River Mouth Rest Camp, or our zipline adventure.

Gansbaai and Great White Sharks

Gansbaai is known as the White Shark capital of South Africa. We participated in a white shark cage dive with White Shark Diving Company. We arrived in Gansbaai 1 day after a 3-day storm and were treated to a bright blue, cloudless morning of 9 different white sharks. The experience left us relaxed and in awe of these incredible, massive creatures.

If white sharks are not your thing, Gansbaai is famous for its Southern Right Whale-watching tours as well. Read more about our Gansbaai White Shark Dive experience.

Cape of Good Hope

The name alone makes it worthy of a visit, but who wants to pass on a chance to stand at the most southwestern point of an entire continent? The wind can be crazy and the water a little rough, but that is old hat for an area previously known by sailors as the Cape of Storms.

Travelationship Rating:

5 out of 5 Travelationship High Fives. This is a dream trip. We recommend planning for seven days or longer. Of course, it can be done in less time, but you will miss out on so much if you rush through it. We did it in 5 days and had one of our best trips to date, but we missed quite a bit.