South Africa’s Garden Route is famed across the world, but relatively few people know about the parallel route that runs across the country from east to west just inland of the Swartberg mountains from the Cape winelands to the Addo Elephant Park in the Eastern Cape. Far removed from the European-style greenery and tea shops of Knysna and George, this takes you through the vast open scrubby plains of the Karoo Desert, with its scattered Cape Dutch hamlets, ostrich and sheep farms.
To me, this is a far more exciting drive. If I’ve travelled thousands of miles to the southern tip of Africa, I want to experience the continent in all its magnificent, rugged glory – skies so wide you could drown in them, so filled with stars at night they could give Times Square a run for its money. This drive gives you all of that and more. And while the desert is dry and dusty for most of the year, for a few short weeks every October, the whole landscape, for hundreds and hundreds of square miles, bursts into bloom, a carpet of pink and white, yellow and orange daisies, like a giant Jackson Pollock painting.
You can do the drive in a couple of days, but far better to take four to five and explore properly.
Day 1
Start out by wandering around one or two of the lesser known vineyards in the Cape winelands in towns such as Worcester, Barry and Robertson. Then head east to spend the night in Swellendam with its wonderful collection of Cape-Dutch B&B's. Or stay at the famous Lord Milner Hotel in remote Matjiesfontein.
Day 2
Driving across the dramatically rocky Swartberg Pass, explore the Cango Caves, the largest and most accessible show caves in South Africa. In Oudtshoorn, ostrich capital of the world, you can visit one of the ostrich farms, buy an ostrich handbag and eat an ostrich steak (if you are that hard of heart after meeting them). There are some good hotels here, but I would be tempted to carry on down to the coast and stay at George or Wilderness, one of the prettiest towns on the Garden Route.
Day 3
Take the day to explore along the coast. Have a look at the Knysna forest, go canoeing on the backwaters in Wilderness or try some Knysna oysters before turning your back on the sea.
Day 4
You are in for a long drive, but it’s worth it. Up in the north of the Eastern Cape, Graaf-Reinet, on the edge of the Valley of Desolation, is a picture-book perfect Cape-Dutch town, with more national monuments than any other town in the country and some lovely guesthouses for over-nighting such as the Drostdy Hotel or Andries Stockenström Guest House.
Day 5
Start early and head a little further north to nearby Nieu Bethesda and visit the Owl House, the legacy of the untrained, unhappy artist, Helen Martin. It’s one of most extraordinary, haunting sights in South Africa.
Don’t hang around too long however, as you have a lot of driving to do. Look out for animals as you cut past the Mountain Zebra National Park, then stop for lunch and to stretch your legs in Cradock, another lovely old Cape-Dutch town.
If you wish to stay in the Addo Elephant Park (www.addopark.com), you need to be at the gate before sunset. However there are also numerous luxury lodges and guest houses around the edges of reserve including the historic Zuurberg Mountain Inn and Woodall Country House & Spa.