What is Driving Road?
A winding road that has its route shaped by natural features such as a lake or mountain.
Best Driving Roads In South Africa
R54 – Franschhoek Pass – Western Cape – 15km
No compilation of South Africa’s best driving road is complete without mentioning Franschhoek Pass. Tight, twisty and often blighted by trucks, it is nonetheless one of the standout roads that rewards and thrills from base to summit.
N9 – Outeniqua Pass – Western Cape – 13km
The road between George and Oudtshoorn along the mountains of the same name doesn’t have the twisty layout of Franschhoek but boasts an open and flowing nature that allows for the longer opening of the taps.
Instead of trucks, mist poses the biggest problem, but once cleared, it easily rivals the R54 for views.
N12 – Meiringspoort – Western Cape – 25km
Famous for its 25 crossings over the same river that often leads to flooding when the rains arrive, Meiringspoort is more spectacular to look at than eliciting the same number of wheel twirls required on the Outeniqua or Franschhoek.
That being said, the flat layout still requires some concentration to avoid a meeting into one of those crossings.
R37 – Long Tom Pass – Mpumalanga – 50km
At double the length of Meiringspoort, the Long Tom Pass rates as one of the biggest petrolhead attractions of the Lowveld.
Climbing 2 150mm, it’s a mixture of tight bends, breath-taking descends, and scenery that adds up to a road many will describe as the “ideal driver’s road”.
Which is the best road in South Africa?
The Garden Route, Western Cape
The Garden Route is certainly South Africa’s best-known road trip route, and not without good cause.
It comprises an unfailingly picturesque 200km stretch of the N2 highway between Mossel Bay in the Western Cape and the Storms River Mouth on the Western fringes of the Eastern Cape.
What is the most beautiful road in Johannesburg?
Chapman’s Peak Drive, arguably South Africa’s best-known scenic route, runs from Hout Bay to Noordhoek for about nine kilometers.
The drive is a toll road but it’s worth the fee for the spectacular and dramatic views of the Atlantic. Vantage points along the way allow you to stop to take photographs.
What is the fastest road in South Africa?
South Africa’s Northern Cape is home to the speediest road on the continent with a 155 mph limit – as long as you know who to ask. The little corner at the very bottom of the African continent is known as the Western Cape.