Capetown Stellingbosch Caledon
This route was brought to you by:
RouteXpert René Plücken (MRA Master)
Last edit: 16-08-2025
Route Summary We'll drive through South Africa's beautiful countryside, with mountains, valleys, orchards, and vineyards. This region of South Africa is known for its wines, and you'll pass many vineyards along the way.
Along the route you can visit nice towns and villages and there are also a number of museums (motorcycle, toy and history) to visit.
Enjoy this beautiful ride which I rate with 4 stars.
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Animation
Verdict
Duration
8h 28m
Mode of travel
Car or motorcycle
Distance
184.23 km
Countries
RouteXpert Review It's definitely worth spending some time here to visit "Oom Samie Se Winkel." One of the oldest businesses, "Oom Samie Se Winkel" (Uncle Samie's Store) is an iconic shop that continues the beautiful, long tradition of the rural trading post. They sell everything from straw brooms to handmade clothing, a selection of South African herbs and teas, and arts and crafts.
The Stellenbosch Toy Museum is an enchanting world not to be missed. It houses a collection of 1:12 scale miniatures, room boxes, antique dolls, miniature cars, stuffed animals, and much more! A highly detailed and lifelike miniature of South Africa's famous Blue Train.
After about 30 minutes, we stop at the Helderberg Motorcycle Museum, which houses over 200 motorcycles from brands like Moto Guzzi, BSA, Royal Enfield, Harley-Davidson, and Kawasaki. It's closed on Mondays, and the entrance fee is R100.00. Definitely worth it!
We drive over the beautiful Sir Lowry's Pass, a mountain pass on the N2 national road. This pass crosses the Hottentots Holland Mountains between Somerset West and the Elgin Valley. The pass is four lanes wide and is heavily used, especially at the beginning and end of the holiday season, when many people travel to and from Cape Town. The pass is sometimes considered an accident-prone area. So, be mindful of other traffic, but above all, enjoy the beautiful surroundings and stop at the Sir Lowry's Pass lookout to enjoy the view. This is the summit of the pass, at 460 meters. The lookout is also used as a launching point for paragliders. Beware of the baboons that are often seen in this area. Do not approach or feed them.
After a short coffee break in Grabouw, we leave the N2 and drive through part of the Theewaterskloof towards the Hottentot Mountains. You'll drive through beautiful orchards and vineyards, partly on unpaved roads, so be careful. One of the vineyards you definitely should stop at is the Iona Vineyard, open Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM. Here, at an altitude of 420 meters, you'll have a truly magnificent view along the southern ridge of the Elgin Valley.
Via the Karwyderskraal Pass, a rugged gravel road through the area of the same name and past the Bos Dam, you can already see the Babylonstoren (Babylon Tower) in the distance, rising to a height of 1,186 meters. This pass is very popular with mountain bikers and adventure bikers, as it is quite challenging in some sections and conditions can vary depending on the time of year, especially in wet weather. It can be slippery and dangerous.
You can avoid this pass by following the R43 to Sandbaai and then taking the Hemel en Aarde Road (R320) towards Caledon, you will then join the correct route again just after La Vierge Vineyards.
We stop at the Bos Dam to enjoy the beautiful view and drive past the Babylonstoren to the east, stopping along the way to enjoy the beautiful view and take some photos.
We leave the R320 and drive to Tesselaarsdal, where we have lunch at Postkantoor Café, a gem in the quiet village of Tesselaarsdal. It's a great place for breakfast and lunch; booking in advance is recommended. The road to Tesselaarsdal is unpaved, so if you want to avoid this, stay on the R320 towards Caledon, where there are also plenty of lunch options.
Via Bovenplaats, we return to the R320, passing the Klein River along the way, one of the most beautiful stretches of flat water in South Africa. Just before Caledon, the two routes converge again.
In Caledon, we visit the Caledon Museum, which comprises two buildings with exhibitions showcasing many different aspects of Caledon's history and culture. The collections on display include memorabilia such as antique clothing, vintage medical equipment, and historical militaria, all of which make for a fascinating visit that emphasizes the Overberg town's strong Victorian roots.
In line with this, the Caledon Museum has recreated an authentic Victorian house, furnished to offer a lifelike glimpse into the past. The Caledon Museum also has a section dedicated to Khoisan history, showcasing incredible artifacts collected locally. The talented storyteller and museum guide, Marlon Sauls, will captivate you with fascinating stories about the artifacts on display at the Caledon Museum. For a deeper understanding of Caledon's history, the museum offers guided Heritage Walks by appointment.
After visiting the museum, we check in at the Caledon Hotel & Spa. There are several hotels in Caledon if you don't want to stay here, or if you can't. Caledon has a lot to offer, so enjoy your stay. More about Caledon can be found in the links in this review.
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South Africa
About this region
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. Its nine provinces are bounded to the south by 2,798 kilometres (1,739 miles) of coastline that stretches along the South Atlantic and Indian Ocean; to the north by the neighbouring countries of Namibia, Botswana, and Zimbabwe; to the east and northeast by Mozambique and Eswatini; and it encloses Lesotho. Covering an area of 1,221,037 square kilometres (471,445 square miles), the country has over 62 million people. Pretoria is the administrative capital, while Cape Town, as the seat of Parliament, is the legislative capital. Bloemfontein has traditionally been regarded as the judicial capital. The largest and most populous city is Johannesburg, followed by Cape Town and the busiest port city in sub-Saharan Africa, Durban.
Archaeological findings suggest that various hominid species existed in South Africa about 2.5 million years ago, and modern humans inhabited the region over 100,000 years ago. The first known people were the indigenous Khoisan, and Bantu-speaking peoples who expanded from West and Central Africa later settled in the region 2,000 to 1,000 years ago. In the north, the Kingdom of Mapungubwe formed in the 13th century. In 1652, the Dutch established the first European settlement at Table Bay, and in 1795 and 1806, the British occupied it. The Mfecane, a period of significant upheaval, led to the formation of various African kingdoms, including the Zulu Kingdom. The region was further colonised, and diamonds and gold were discovered, bringing a shift towards industrialisation and urbanisation. The Union of South Africa was created in 1910 out of the former Cape, Natal, Transvaal, and Orange River colonies, becoming a republic in 1961. Though a system of non-racial franchise had existed in the Cape, it was gradually eroded, and the vast majority of Black South Africans were not enfranchised until 1994.
The National Party imposed apartheid in 1948, institutionalising previous racial segregation. After a largely non-violent struggle by the African National Congress and other anti-apartheid activists both inside and outside the country, the repeal of discriminatory laws began in the mid-1980s. Universal elections took place in 1994, following which all racial groups have held political representation in the country's liberal democracy, which comprises a parliamentary republic and nine provinces.
South Africa is a multi-ethnic society encompassing a wide variety of cultures, languages, and religions; it is often referred to as the "rainbow nation" to describe the country's multicultural diversity, especially in the wake of apartheid. As a middle power in international affairs, South Africa maintains a significant regional influence. In addition to that, the country is a member of BRICS+, the African Union, SADC, SACU, the Commonwealth of Nations, and the G20. A developing, newly industrialised country, South Africa has the largest economy in Africa by nominal GDP. It is tied with Ethiopia for the most UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Africa, and is a biodiversity hotspot with unique biomes, plant, and animal life. Since the end of apartheid, government accountability and quality of life have substantially improved. However, crime, poverty, and inequality remain widespread. Having the highest Gini coefficient of 0.63, South Africa is considered one of the most unequal countries in the world, if not the most unequal.
Read more on Wikipedia
Archaeological findings suggest that various hominid species existed in South Africa about 2.5 million years ago, and modern humans inhabited the region over 100,000 years ago. The first known people were the indigenous Khoisan, and Bantu-speaking peoples who expanded from West and Central Africa later settled in the region 2,000 to 1,000 years ago. In the north, the Kingdom of Mapungubwe formed in the 13th century. In 1652, the Dutch established the first European settlement at Table Bay, and in 1795 and 1806, the British occupied it. The Mfecane, a period of significant upheaval, led to the formation of various African kingdoms, including the Zulu Kingdom. The region was further colonised, and diamonds and gold were discovered, bringing a shift towards industrialisation and urbanisation. The Union of South Africa was created in 1910 out of the former Cape, Natal, Transvaal, and Orange River colonies, becoming a republic in 1961. Though a system of non-racial franchise had existed in the Cape, it was gradually eroded, and the vast majority of Black South Africans were not enfranchised until 1994.
The National Party imposed apartheid in 1948, institutionalising previous racial segregation. After a largely non-violent struggle by the African National Congress and other anti-apartheid activists both inside and outside the country, the repeal of discriminatory laws began in the mid-1980s. Universal elections took place in 1994, following which all racial groups have held political representation in the country's liberal democracy, which comprises a parliamentary republic and nine provinces.
South Africa is a multi-ethnic society encompassing a wide variety of cultures, languages, and religions; it is often referred to as the "rainbow nation" to describe the country's multicultural diversity, especially in the wake of apartheid. As a middle power in international affairs, South Africa maintains a significant regional influence. In addition to that, the country is a member of BRICS+, the African Union, SADC, SACU, the Commonwealth of Nations, and the G20. A developing, newly industrialised country, South Africa has the largest economy in Africa by nominal GDP. It is tied with Ethiopia for the most UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Africa, and is a biodiversity hotspot with unique biomes, plant, and animal life. Since the end of apartheid, government accountability and quality of life have substantially improved. However, crime, poverty, and inequality remain widespread. Having the highest Gini coefficient of 0.63, South Africa is considered one of the most unequal countries in the world, if not the most unequal.
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