Road Tripping in South Africa for Beginners
Travelling abroad may seem glamourous, but when it comes to the perfect road trip, South Africa is hard to beat. The vast variety of terrain, scenery, climate, and culture leaves us all too spoilt for choice. Most of the country is easily navigable and the highways are invaluable to get you from A to B quickly and efficiently.
From the northern most reaches of the wild Limpopo African bushveld to the southern most reaches of the Cape Wine lands, there is a network of well-travelled routes that require little more than a manual sedan. For the more adventurous, a 4 x 4 is almost compulsory, depending on just how exploratory you want to get.
Before You Start Planning
First figure out what you like. It sounds obvious but many travellers don’t consider the interests and preferences of the whole party. For example, by assuming that the entire family or group of travelling companions are interested in game viewing when some are actually really interested in art could lead to a lot of boredom and unnecessary unhappiness.
If interests differ, agreeing to compromise is the most amicable route to take as well as a good way to broaden each other’s horizons. Encourage an attitude of willingness to be open-minded and it should work out to be an extremely enjoyable trip.
Types of Travel
In terms of geographical features, there are five basic types of travel in South Africa
- Sun, sea, sand, and surf
- Bushveld/Game Safaris
- Mountains
- Forests
- Snow
And three basic character types:
- Relaxation
- Outdoor/Adventure/Racing
- Art and culture
There’s no reason not to combine more than one, but it does help to have a loose idea of where preferences lie in order to get the most out of your time away. Not only does it help plan your destination and route but also helps you select the type of accommodation that is most conducive to your particular activities. You’ll find that many venues cater for specific likes with on-board activities such as game drives, a spa, or hiking and fishing.
When it comes to travel, wherever it may be, it’s always worth going off-the-beaten-track at some points. By all means, visit the popular tourist spots and bungee jump off that bridge, but often you’ll find that the most special places and activities are the ones you stumbled across unexpectedly yourself when you took the road less travelled.
With such a big, beautiful country to explore, if you’re deciding on where to spend your next holiday (and your money), why not opt for local. After all, even foreigners think it’s one of the best travel destinations in the world!
For peace of mind when travelling, you have the option to take out the AutoPedigree Plus Plan when you buy a used car from Auto Pedigree. You can count on assistance 24 hours a day, every day for the next two years. Find your nearest branch and pop in for a visit.
