"We must use time wisely and forever realize that the time is always ripe to do right"
...Nelson Mandela
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Classic Route 62 to the Garden Route 5N |
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| | Route 62 is an alternative to the N2 if heading from Cape Town up the coast to the Garden Route. It skirts the edge of the Little Karoo, and passes through some fascinating little towns each with its own character. | | Day 1 |
Instead of leaving Cape Town on the N2, leave on the N1, and turn off at Worcester and head through Robertson and Ashton to Montagu, which is the first town on the R62. Here you will find delightful wineries to explore, hot springs and some pretty scenery. This area also has some of South Africa?s best climbing. | | Day 2 | From here the road goes through the Langeberg (Long Mountain) area, which produces much of our best fruit.
| | Day 3 | The next town is Barrydale, which is a great place to stop for lunch. There is a hot spring resort nearby and, as you leave the town, one of the strangest places on the Route. Ronnie?s Sex Shop is not what it sounds like. It?s a strange little wayside pub that really does only sell drinks, coffee and food. But it?s worth popping in, as you?re likely to find a strange assortment of local farmers and tourists.
| | Day 4 | Just before Ladismith is the Klein Karoo Nature Reserve. Ladismith is another small, interesting town with lovely old buildings, and some great little coffee shops and guesthouses. The road traverses some spectacular mountain scenery from here on. Turn off onto the Seweweekspoort Road and, when you get to the end, continue by turning right into the Bosluiskloof Road. After a few kilometres, the road opens up to offer incredible vistas of the Great Karoo. It?s a dead end, so you?ll need to turn around and retrace your route back to the R62.
| | Day 5 | The next town is Calitzdorp, which is famed for its fortified wine (which we are not allowed to call Port) and dried fruit. This, too, is a lovely little town with many pretty Victorian buildings and charming gardens.
| | Day 6 | | From here it?s a short drive to Oudtshoorn and then to George on the Garden Route. |
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