Adventure seekers will find plenty of different routes in South Africa to take their fancy. Kim Emmanuel rounds up nine of the best.
Western Cape
Southern Overberg Fynbos Route
The Southern Overberg Fynbos Route runs from Agulhas Plain to Stanford Gansbaai, Baardskeerdersbos, Pearly Beach, Elim and Wolvengat.
This route offers shark-cave diving, antique stores, vineyards, horse riding, boat cruises, hiking and bird watching. White Shark Projects in Gansbaai offers shark-cage diving experiences along with a continental breakfast. Before diving, guests are briefed on safety measures, and are accompanied on their dive by a skipper, qualified paramedic, dive master, and support crew. Both non-divers and experienced divers are able to enjoy this activity.
Additional activities along the route include angling spots, hiking trails, birding, and land- and boat-based whale- and shark-watching.
Free State
Eagle Route
The Eagle Route runs from Ficksburg to Harrismith. Activities include cherry picking, seeing dinosaur fossils and rock paintings, arts and craft shopping, skiing in winter, horse riding and 4x4 trips.
The town of Clarens offers a host of adventure activities, such as white-water rafting, abseiling, 4x4 or quad bike safaris and golfing. At the Golden Gate Highlands National Park, adventurers will find horseback riding, canoeing, abseiling, and swimming in the natural rock pool in the hills behind Glen Reenen. There are also a number of hiking options in the park, ranging from one- to four-hour hikes.
The park has two tarred self-drive loops. The Oribi Loop is about 4.2 kilometres and includes attractions such as the Vulture Feeding Project and views of the Drakensberg. The Blesbok Loop is about 6.7 kilometres with attractions including the Generaal’s Kop viewing point.
Other towns along the Eagle Route include Ladybrand, Clocolan, Ficksburg, Fouriesburg, Bethlehem, Phuthaditjhaba, Harrismith, and Memel.
Lion Route
The Lion Route extends into the towns of Deneysville, Sasolburg, Parys, Vredefort, and Kroonstad. Outdoor activities include golf, fishing on the Vals River or the Bloemhoek Dam, boating on the Serfontein Dam, horse riding, gliding, and hiking.
Deneysville is well known for all types of water sports, including power boating, pontoon boat trips, and fishing trips. The Deneysville Croc Ranch has about 2 800 crocodiles and also farms emus.
Flamingo Route
The Flamingo Route runs through the Lejweleputswa District and includes Bothaville, Welkom, Ventersburg, Virginia, Winburg, and Brandfort.
Phakisa Freeway Race Track is north of Welkom and is the fourth-fastest track in the world. The track hosts a Formula 1 Grand Prix flat circuit and a Super Speedway Oval. The 12m-wide Grand Prix Track, the only motor racing track outside US with a speedway track, is a 4-in-1 track with a flat, a short, an up-and-down and an oval track.
The town of Bothaville has hiking, birdwatching and water sport opportunities available.
Northern Cape
Richtersveld Route
Travellers visiting the Richtersveld Route are recommended to do so only with a 4x4. The route is in a mountainous, desert area in the north-west corner of South Africa. The Richtersveld has the greatest diversity of succulent plants in the world – 4 849 species, of which 1 940 are endemic.
The Richtersveld National Park offers guided trails between April 1 and September 30. Activities include hiking, 4x4 trails, bird watching, mountain biking and donkey-cart rides. There is also the option of a two- to three-hour, full-day, or overnight river-rafting trip.
Travellers can also visit some of the Nama people living in the area, who migrate seasonally with their livestock from mountains to the river.
Kalahari Red Dune Route
The Kalahari Red Dune Route runs from north of Upington into the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park.
Activities along the route include sandboarding, 4x4 trails, game drives, guided walks and birding expeditions. The route also offers cultural and historic attractions. Kalahari Trails, located south of the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, offers guided walks with an expert biologist or tracker, night walks from October to April, and night drives where hand-held spotlights are used to catch sight of nocturnal animals. Spotlight night drives are only offered from October 1 to May 1.
Visitors can also experience regional customs and sample and prepare traditional cuisine at Kalahari Info and Tented Camp.
Eastern Cape
Tsitsikamma Adventure Route
The Tsitsikamma Adventure Route stretches from the Tsitiskamma Mountains in the north to the Tsitsikamma River in the east.
Some of the activities on offer along the route include a Segway tour, Tsitsikamma canopy tours, and bungee jumping in Bloukrans. Canopy Tours offers tours in the Tsitsikamma rainforest. Professional guides ensure the safety of guests while also providing information on ecological features along the way.
Tsitsikamma Segway Tours offers two options. Both include a 15-minute introductory training session before journeying through the Tsitsikamma Forest.
Sunshine Coast Route
The Sunshine Coast Route stretches from Port Elizabeth to East London.
Cannon Rocks, a small coastal town along the route, provides the ideal location for kiteboarding. Kiteboarding is best from September to April, however it can be enjoyed all year round. Intermediate to advanced riders will enjoy this activity along the route. Kiteboarding tours include one-on-one coaching and tips, and a supervised session with either an English, French or Italian speaking supervisor. Other activities include wakeboarding, surfing, fishing, diving, and forest walks.
Attractions along the route include Sibuya Private Game Reserve, Keiskamma Community Art Project in Hamburg, Kowie Canoe Trail, Alexandria Dune Hike, and Quinn Sculpture Garden.
Kouga Route
The Kouga Route extends from the Tsitskamma area to the Van Stadens River between Port Elizabeth and the Garden Route, and includes the Lankloof Valley and the Baviaans Mega Reserve.
Adventure activities include surfing, bungee jumping and hiking. The best waves for surfing are found at Jeffrey’s Bay during the autumn and winter season. The Chokka Trail stretches 62 kilometres between Oyster Bay, St Francis Bay and Cape St Francis, allowing travellers to explore the Kouga region by foot. The hike is completed in four days and three nights, with accommodation available along the way.
Other attractions along the route include the Gamtoos Valley, Cockcomb Mountains, Kouga Dam, Baviaanskloof Mega Reserve, St Francis Links Golf Course and Sanccob – a centre that rescues and rehabilitates seabirds from oil spills.
