A country notorious for potholes now also has the smoothest ride: South Africa’s Garden Route is the world’s best road trip, according to Auto Trader UK. The 300km stretch from Mossel Bay to Storms River has California’s Pacific Coast Highway, the US’s cross-country Route 66, Italy’s Amalfi Coast and Australia’s Great Ocean Road in its rearview mirror.
And it’s taken along tourism establishments, trade agencies and even South African National Parks as passengers.
The judges considered road quality, traffic levels and overall driving ease along the world’s best routes and gave the Garden Route a chequered flag ahead of roads as different as Spain’s Costa Brava and Canada’s vast Icefields Parkway. Even the gentler elegance of France’s Loire Valley, the winding Kahekili Highway in Hawaii and Norway’s striking Atlantic Ocean Road could not compete.
Not only is the Garden Route appealing, it’s also resilient. Last week’s heavy storm that hit the region did not stop the traffic.
There were temporary road closures over some of the more adventurous and scenic passes in the area, like Swartberg (between Prince Albert and Oudtshoorn), Meiringspoort, Karatara (between George and Sedgefield), but the N2 stayed open.
This would also have impressed Auto Trader, which did the rating in partnership with senior meteorologist Jim Dale.
Dale pointed out that visibility is the most important factor when it comes to ideal driving conditions, and from there, the study looked at five key elements: road surface conditions, clear days, wind speed, ground temperature and humidity comfort. The Garden Route got a score of 90.6 out of 100.
Stretching along South Africa’s southern coastline, the Garden Route N2 links Mossel Bay, George, Knysna and Plettenberg Bay as far as Tsitsikamma, providing a changing landscape of sea views, indigenous forest, mountain passes and lagoons.
Such diversity, often over relatively short driving distances, sets the route apart.
The Garden Route is also compact and easily navigable, allowing travellers to move between destinations at a relaxed pace while still encountering a wide range of environments.
Positioned alongside the other best routes in the world, the Garden Route gains enormous credibility as a destination delivering a world-class experience
— Cindy Wilson-Trollip
The N2, which forms the backbone of the Garden Route region, is generally well maintained and signposted, making it user-friendly to local and international travellers who might be unfamiliar with its twists and turns.
Roadworks on the Kaaimans River Pass have added some time to a trip to George, but an extra lane will be worthwhile when this project is finished later this year.
Even though the N2 isn’t pockmarked with potholes, there are hazards, like cattle that stray onto the tar, especially where the N2 meets Nekkies (just outside Knysna), and over the years there have been several collisions. There is a need to be vigilant on this stretch because it is also where pedestrians cross instead of using an overhead bridge.
Being named the world’s best road trip is more than a flattering headline for the Garden Route. It is a powerful piece of global marketing that translates directly into increased visibility, visitor interest and, ultimately, tourism spend.
The accolade also helps to extend stays because travellers are encouraged to explore the route at their leisure rather than simply passing through. Importantly, such recognition reinforces the Garden Route’s identity as a world-class destination, supporting local tourism bodies and businesses in their continuing efforts to market the region internationally.
Cindy Wilson-Trollip, acting CEO of Plett Tourism, says: “Framing the Garden Route as a globally recognised ‘best road trip’ will have an impact on the time that travellers spend in the region. Instead of focusing on one town, they may linger, stop more often, and spread their spending across multiple towns along the route. Positioned alongside the other best routes in the world, the Garden Route gains enormous credibility as a destination delivering a world-class experience.”
Lieschke Steven-Jennings, COO of Mossel Bay Tourism, says: “We are justifiably pleased. All tourism contributors and heads of tourism along the Garden Route should take pride in this award. It makes our hard work worthwhile when getting such positive feedback.”
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