Day trips for locals

Sacha van Niekerk

There’s no need to venture far if you’re looking to get away from the city. Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban are surrounded by a plethora of thrilling game reserves and small towns with a rustic appeal that is ideal for day trips

Babylonstoren

Durban

The Midlands

Just an easy one-hour drive from Durban and four and a half hours on the N3 highway from Johannesburg, the Midlands Meander is a collection of arranged routes situated in the heart of KwaZulu-Natal. The landscape is vast and green, boasting stretches of open land and clusters of trees. From an assortment of fabulous restaurants to artisanal crafts with the warmest hospitality in naturally beautiful surroundings, it’s the perfect place to unwind. Attend a wine tasting at one of the boutique wineries or perhaps seek out some R&R at one of the many spas offering luxurious treatments in the most tranquil settings.

Oribi Gorge

Whether it’s an adventure you’re seeking or family time, head to Oribi Gorge for a day of fun. The majestic canyon is situated in southern KwaZulu-Natal, 120km south of Durban. Surrounded by lush greenery and wildlife, the road trip is worth it for the scenery alone. For the best views, visit Leopard’s Rock or Lake Eland Game Reserve. At Lake Eland, the experience of traversing the suspension bridge can only be described as awe-inspiring as you get to witness the grandeur of the Oribi Gorge from a very unique point. While there, pack a picnic basket of your favourite foods because, apart from the restaurants and tea garden, there is also a site for picnics and braaing. Guests have the choice to go on a self-guided game drive through one of their various routes.

Lake St Lucia

iSimangaliso Wetland Park is a huge protected area along the coast of KZN. It stretches 220km from Cape St Lucia to the Mozambique border and is a World Heritage Site. The area is dominated by Lake St Lucia and St Lucia Estuary with its network of coastal lakes, dunes, subtropical forests, swamps and wetland systems that are a haven for indigenous fauna and flora. There are many ways to enjoy the beauty that surrounds St Lucia – from bush and beach safaris, hippo and croc boat cruises, Big 5 safaris, bicycle tours and rentals to Zulu cultural tours, and deep-sea fishing.

Leopard’s Rock | @melissabrownza Instagram

Johannesburg

Dinokeng Game Reserve

Rattling over winding dirt roads in a 4x4, passing thorny acacia trees and the golden and green landscape that’s home to South African wildlife is the adventure we all seem to be craving this year. Just over two hours from Johannesburg, Dinokeng Game Reserve is one of the closest safaris to the city. There are several ways to spend your day in the game reserve, with thousands of acres of wildness at your disposal. Take your time driving through a meandering self-drive route, stopping at a bird hide or for a break and a braai at one of the picnic areas. Take a guided wildlife drive or a guided bush walk with one of the many expert rangers to get even closer to nature.

Sterkfontein Caves

Plan your next road trip around the history and intrigue of the magnificent Sterkfontein Caves – one of the world’s most important fossil sites in the world. The set of limestone caves is located in Gauteng province, about 40km from Johannesburg. From the only virtually complete Australopithecus skeleton, “Little Foot”, to the oldest stone tools, the world-famous site can be explored for hours. You can spend the day venturing through the caves on walkways and a boardwalk past the excavation site where globally acclaimed fossils have been discovered. With so much natural beauty to soak up, take a rest at the Sterkfontein restaurant where you can grab a bite to eat and enjoy the views.

Soweto

Soweto is located south west of Johannesburg’s city centre. It is South Africa’s most renowned township and one of its largest too. Encapsulating the rich culture of its people as well as the time before our country’s democracy, there are an array of museums ranging from the Hector Pieterson to Nelson Mandela museums that offer a deeper, more meaningful travel experience. Soweto also has a vibrant and thriving music and social scene with soccer at the very centre. Taste the local cuisine or perhaps book a guided tour to get the most out of your day trip. For thrill-seekers, bungee jumping off of the Soweto Towers is an exhilarating way to soak up the views while ticking off a bucket-list item.

Cape Town

Franschhoek

Majestic mountains, luscious rolling hills and crisp countryside air with a charming European atmosphere, Franschhoek is a quaint town in the Western Cape. About 75km from Cape Town, it is the perfect distance for a day trip. Dotted with beautiful vineyards, original Cape Dutch farmhouses and palatial villa hotels, the options for exploring are plentiful. You could hop on the wine tram touring some of the country’s best vineyards and taste a range of exquisite wines or indulge in cuisine from some of the culinary gems boasting freshly sourced ingredients and flavours and techniques harnessed from across the globe. If you fancy something more fitting for the whole family, why not get lost meandering Babylonstoren and their many paths that lead you through 15 clusters spanning vegetable patches, stone and pome fruits, nuts, citrus, berries, bees, herbs, ducks and chickens and even their iconic prickly pear maze.

Paternoster

Paternoster is one of South Africa’s oldest fishing settlements on the West Coast. It is located 145km north of Cape Town, between Saldanha Bay and St Helena Bay, near Cape Columbine. The town has a population of just over 1 880 people. The quiet village comes complete with quaint fishermen’s huts, an array of sublime restaurants boasting delicious seafood and the laidback lifestyle of its inhabitants. Seals, dolphins, and whales may all be seen here on a daily basis. The area’s coastal birds will delight bird enthusiasts.

Langebaan

Langebaan was founded in 1922 as a whaling station, but it has since been turned into the West Coast’s busiest vacation resort. The town clusters around a small lagoon that’s just an hour’s drive from Cape Town. Langebaan is a haven for water sport enthusiasts, especially kite surfers, boaters, yachtsmen and fishermen because of the almost year-round sunlight and consistent winds. Whatever your palate desires, Langebaan offers a range of restaurants including fine dining options if you’re looking for more of an experience. There are monthly artisan markets and art exhibitions.

Die Strandloper in Langebaan | @urbaneddie Instagram

The Soweto Towers. @jkaisimm Instagram