The Best Road Trips in Africa

PART 6 OF THE OF THE SERIES: BEST ROAD TRIPS AROUND THE WORLD

The Best Road Trips in Arica is our final part in the series exploring worldwide road trips via some of the savviest new travel writers today.

This article hones in on a few samplings from the continent of Africa. The diverse landscape, wildlife, and culture all contribute to an epic journey as seen through the eyes of these experienced globetrotters.

Without further ado, we present to you the most epic, unforgettable routes in Africa.

South Africa

by Debbie Fettback from World Adventurists

There are many incredible things to do in South Africa, but driving the Garden Route is among one of the top attractions due to its breathtaking scenery. The drive stretches along some of South Africa’s most beautiful coastal scenery from Mossel Bay to Storms River in Tsitsikamma National Park. It offers an endless amount of breathtaking scenery and attractions to experience.  

Cape Town is a great spot to start your Garden Route trip. From Cape Town take a drive around Camps Bay, Hout Bay, and Chapman’s Peak.  Do not miss the adorable penguins at Boulders Beach in Simon’s Town. You will be mesmerized by the coastal views around the Cape of Good Hope lighthouse. 

For the thrill of a lifetime, go cage diving with great white sharks in Gansbaai. 

In Oudtshoorn, feeding ostriches at an ostrich farm is guaranteed to make you giggle. Stop by the Cango Wildlife Ranch to go cage diving with another intimidating animal, crocodiles. Go on the adventure tour of the impressive Cango Caves. 

You will be mesmerized by the scenery in Robberg Nature Reserve in Plettenberg Bay as you do the picturesque 6km Robberg Peninsula hike, one of the most famous hikes in South Africa. Take a kayak tour to share the water with some wild dolphins. 

Before ending your trip, spend some time in Natures Valley. It is one of the most beautiful areas of the Garden Route and is within Tsitsikamma National Park. 

The best time to drive the Garden Route in South Africa is during the spring or summer. You will have longer days and more comfortable weather from September to March.   

–Debbie

Namibia

by Martha from May Cause Wanderlust

Namibia is one of the most adventurous road trip destinations. Its spectacular landscape is best navigated by road – and the scenery is mind-blowingly beautiful!  

There are some tarmacked roads, on the main routes between the capital Windhoek and some of the other major towns, but most of the roads are gravel, some of which are corrugated and uneven.  This can be hard going on tires, so driving with a 4×4 is best, though you will be OK with a high clearance 2WD.

Along the way, you’ll see dramatic mountains and canyons, as well as sand dunes and fierce coastline. Look out for wildlife, too – there are lots of wild animals which might appear on the side of the road, or, indeed, dart across it – so be on the lookout!

You need two weeks minimum to explore Namibia – there’s too much to see and the distances are too great to do it justice in less time.  Most people fly into Windhoek and pick up a rental car at the airport before hitting the gloriously open road.  There are plenty of high-quality lodges around the country, but camping is also popular, with many sleeping in rooftop tents on top of their 4x4s.

Top tip: Before you set off, make sure you have a spare tire and pack plenty of bottled water and dry food in your car, just in case you get stranded somewhere for a while!

Some of the attractions you can visit during your road trip include the Fish River Canyon, Etosha Safari Park, where you can see elephants, Rhino, Giraffes, Lions, and Leopards – and the main event, the stunning Namib Desert, which includes Sossusvlei, Sandwich Harbour, and the Skeleton Coast.

–Martha

Route du Volcan, Reunion

by Cecily from Groovy Mashed Potatoes

If you love adventure, there is no better place for a road trip than Reunion.

Located to the east of Madagascar, the small island is known for its incredible volcanic landscapes, wild beaches, and isolated villages found inside calderas.

Although Reunion Island is located near Madagascar, it’s actually an overseas region of France. Its roads are very well developed and in fact, have the most expensive road in France, which sits above the ocean on columns. Driving is on the right-hand side of the road just like in Europe and North America. 

What makes this island one of the best road trip destinations in the world is the Route du Volcan, where you can drive up to one of the most active volcanoes in the world. From Saint Paul, take highway N1A for scenic views of the Indian Ocean until you reach Plage de l’Étang Salé. Continue onto the N1 until you reach Saint Pierre.

From Saint Pierre, take the RN3 through Le Tampon and continue up the mountain until you reach the start of the Route du Volcan (RF5/RF6). The Route du Volcan will first take you through beautiful forests with sweeping views of the countryside and charming villages. Once you reach Plane des Sables, the landscape suddenly changes to one that looks like you’ve landed on the moon. You are now driving through an expansive plain of volcanic rocks. 

Continue past the paved road onto a gravel road to reach Enclos Fouqué, a large caldera which encloses one of the most active volcanoes in the world, Piton de la Fournaise. When eruptions aren’t happening you can actually hike down the caldera and up the shield volcano! 

–Cecily

Wrap Up

What an incredible sampling of road trips in Africa! If you have not yet been, add each of these to your bucket list. We want to thank the writers for their contribution.

Please be sure to read more on each of their respective websites. You can find the link in their post.

However, this is the last article in our series of the Best Road Trips Around the World. And even though we had over 55 contributors, we have barely scratched the surface.

If you think we missed something that absolutely belongs in one of these articles, be sure to leave a comment. We would love to consider it for a future update.

More Road Trips!

In fact, if you are looking for some more ideas for road trips, check out our articles on some great destination trips. Like Yosemite National Park where you can combine camping, hiking, and chilling in any combination of ways.

Or road trip from Kansas City to a surprisingly vast array of destinations. From the mountains to the beach, anything is just a short drive away from KC.

And if you like camping, check out some of our guides like How to Make the Best Coffee When Camping (one of my favorites) or the guide to Road Trip Car Camping.

Travel is adventure. Make sure you’re covered

Wherever you travel this year, whether for adventure or relaxation, we hope it’s worry-free. Don’t let unforeseen events rob you of your peace of mind. To ensure your trip goes well, insure your trip as well. Get a quote from Travel Insurance Masters.