The
Garden Route and South Africa offers a long list
of interesting towns with lots to do. Most of these
towns are included in a Garden Route Tour. Remember
to let us know if there is a certain town you would
like to see during your Garden Route Tour and we
will do our best to include it in the tour.
-Franschoek
Pass, Garden Route Tours and Safari, South Africa
One
of the popular recommended day drives from Cape
Town is known as the Four Passes route. This takes
you through the heart of the Winelands, and as the
title suggests over four mountain passes. The first
stop on the drive is Stellenbosch. From here you
take the R310 towards Franschhoek. Driving up out
of Stellenbosch you cross the first pass, Helshoogte
Pass. After 17 km you reach a T-junction with the
R45: a left turn would take you to Paarl, 12 km,
but the route continues to the right. This is a
very pleasant drive up into the Franschhoek Valley.
The road follows a railway line and for a part the
Berg River. After passing through Franschhoek, take
a left in front of the Huguenot Monument and climb
out of the valley via the Franschhoek Pass. This
pass was built along the tracks formed by migrating
herds of game centuries earlier, and was originally
known as the Olifantspad (elephant’s path).
One of the more surprising aspects of this drive
is the change in vegetation once you cross the lip
of the pass, 520 m above the level of Franschhoek.
As the road winds down towards Theewaterskloof Dam
you pass through a dry valley full of scrub vegetation
and fynbos – gone are the fertile fruit farms
and vineyards. Take a right across the dam on the
R321 towards Grabouw and Elgin. The route continues
across the Theewaterskloof Dam and then climbs Viljoens
Pass, the third of four. To the right lies the Hottentots
Holland Nature Reserve, a popular hiking region.
The country around here is an important apple growing
region. The fourth and the most spectacular pass
is Sir Lowry’s Pass, which crosses the Hottentots
Holland Mountains.
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Route Tour or Safari?
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