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ROUTE 62 - SOUTH AFRICA
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| Route 62, Western Cape, South Africa:
Route 62 is modeled after the iconic US Route 66, made famous by the late, great Nat King
Cole in the song of the mid 20th century. Travelers headed for the Garden Route will find
that Route 62 offers a better alternative to the dull N2 motorway between Cape Town and
George, being more scenic and slightly shorter. This well-maintained blacktop highway
meanders from Worcester, by way of the Breede
River valley, through Robertson, Ashton and Montagu, then the Klein
Karoo landmark towns and then on to George and the Garden Route ... |
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ROUTE 62 MAP
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| ROUTE 62 MAP |
Click on the map to view s large, detailed Route 62 Map |
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| The road follows winding and spectacular
mountain passes that slowly unfold before your eyes, leading to lush green valleys hosting
crystal streams and framed by the distorted geological shapes and colours of rock faces
dating from hundreds of millions of years ago. Then there is the abundance of indigenous
flora. No fewer than 500 different species of succulents are to be seen along Route 62.
Orchards and vineyards are there in abundance, too. The main highway traversing this
fascinating land, Route 62, is reputed to be the longest wine route in the world. And keep
an eye on dams and wetlands for a chance to spot the Blue Crane,
South Africa’s national bird and an endangered species often visible along Route 62. |
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TOWNS ON ROUTE 62
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  Ashton:
Ashton is situated on the R62, between Robertson and Swellendam, at the foot of
the Langeberg Mountains. Ashton is an important wine producing and fruit processing centre
and home to five wineries and two large canneries. Activities include a visit to the Wine
Estate, Viljoensdrift, situated on ... more about » Ashton
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 Bonnievale:
Appropriately named after the Roman godess of plenty, Ceres lies in the most
important deciduous fruit-producing district in South Africa. The town is a popular
holiday resort, with warm, windless summers and frequent winter snowfalls. Among a number
of places of interest, the Ceres ... more about » Bonnievale
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 Calitzdorp: Driving east on Route 62,
from Ladismith via the striking Huisrivier mountain pass, travelers suddenly encounter the
little town of Calitzdorp, once renowned as the Port Wine Capital of South Africa, but now
more commonly known to be the Heart of The Klein Karoo. No less than five wine cellars ...
more about » Calitzdorp » |
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 Ceres:
Appropriately named after the Roman godess of plenty, Ceres lies in the most
important deciduous fruit-producing district in South Africa. The town is a popular
holiday resort, with warm, windless summers and frequent winter snowfalls. Among a number
of places of interest, the Ceres ... more about » Ceres
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 De Rust: The quaint
little Victorian town of De Rust, on Route 62, is conveniently positioned at the southern
entrance to Meiringspoort - a magnificent gorge through the Swartberg Mountain Range - and
just a few kilometres from Oudtshoorn, the
ostrich capital of the country. De Rust might be small but it is ... more about » De Rust » |
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 Herold doesn’t need much by way of imaginative writing to inspire a
visit. The little hamlet of Herold lies right on the Montagu Pass cradled by
some of the most majestic mountain scenery in the country on the R62, (Route 62) one of South Africa’s newest and most
scenic travel routes that meanders between » Herold Info » |
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 Ladismith: The little
town of Ladismith lies in the shadow of the Towerkop Mountain peak on Route 62, 300 km
from Cape Town in the Karoo. The pretty town is unique in a number of senses, not least of
which is its unique ‘Ladismith’ style of architecture that has evolved from the
hotchpotch mixture ... more about » Ladismith » |
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 McGregor:
The mystically imbued town of McGregor lies just 10 minutes from the town of
Robertson on Route 62, less than two hours’ drive from Cape Town. One of the few
places in the world to lie directly on ley lines, McGregor is considered a sacred site and
a natural energy means that the town ... more about » McGregor
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 Montagu:
Known as the ‘mountain mecca’ of the Cape, Montagu lies surrounded by
the Langeberg mountain range nestled between the Keisie and Kingna Rivers in the western
corner of Kannaland, and is famous for her orchards, vineyards, local herbs, rock
formations and healing hot mineral springs ... more about » Montagu
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 Oudtshoorn: Know as "The Feather Capital
of the World" because of the flourishing ostrich industry. Oudtshoorn's attraction
include three show farms: Highgate, Safari and Cango Ostrich Farm. Palatial homes known as
"feather palaces" which sprang up during the boom years are a distinctive ...
more about » Oudtshoorn
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 Robertson:
Robertson is well known for its beauty, renowned for its wines of connoisseur
quality, radiant roses and thoroughbred horses. Columns of red or yellow cannas and
flaming bougainvillea line the roads outside the wine estates, gardens overflow and
vineyards are banked with roses, while ... more about » Robertson
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 Tulbagh:
Just 80 minutes’ drive north of Cape Town, at the northern edge of one of
the most beautiful fertile valleys in the country, lies the historical town of Tulbagh.
The village nestles in amongst the Winterhoek, Witzenberg and Obiqua Mountains, which
surround it on three sides and provide one of the ... more about » Tulbagh
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 Wellington: Nearby is
the smaller and very attractive town of Wellington. Visit the Wellington Museum in Church
Street and the Dutch Reformed Church. Beyond Wellington is the Bain's Kloof Pass which is
a historical monument. Built by Andrew Bain in 1853, the pass links Wellington to Ceres
and ... more about » Wellington |
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 Wolseley:
Lying in the picturesque Het Land van Waveren valley, surrounded by the majestic
Waaihoek, Witsen and Waterval Mountains, sometimes covered in snow in winter, the quaint
little Wolseley village is a stone’s throw from Tulbagh and Ceres and only 90
minutes’ from Cape Town. Also in ... more about » Wolseley
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 Worcester:
Worcester is a town with a particularly impressive cultural heritage. In 1819
Worcester was proclaim a sub-drostdy of Tulbagh. Two farms were bought for the purpose of
laying out a town. In 1822 Worcester was proclaimed a full drostdy. The town was named
after the Marquis of Worcester ... more about » Worcester
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ROUTE 62 WINE ROUTES
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 Breedekloof Wine Route: The youngest
wine route in South Africa and just 90 km outside of Cape Town, the Breedekloof wine route
lies in the Breede River Valley, which stretches from Gouda in the west, McGregor in the
south, Montagu in the east and the Tankwa-Karoo National Park ... more about Breedekloof Wine Route » |
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 Klein Karoo: A little surprising,
perhaps - that grapes can grow in a semi-arid area - but grow they do in this region,
renowned for its extremes in soils and climate. Despite the low rainfall for the area,
viticulture happens in the riverine sites, kloofs and valleys of its spectacularly rugged
... more about Klein
Karoo Wine Route » |
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 Klein Karoo: Only 1.5 hours’ drive
from Cape Town and in the heart of Route 62 - the longest wine route in the country -
Robertson Wine Valley lies surrounded by majestic mountains in the Breede River Valley.
With a minimal annual rainfall and harsh weather conditions, including hot, dry days and
... more about Robertson
Wine Route » |
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 Tulbagh Wine Route: Only 80
minutes’ drive from Cape Town, the Tulbagh Valley lies surrounded on three sides by
mountains – in the west, the Obiqua Mountains, to the north the Winterhoek Mountains
and to the east, the Witzenberg Mountain range. Cool, south-easterly winds blow in along
the ... more about Tulbagh
Wine Route » |
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 Wellington Wine Route: Only 45 minutes
outside of Cape Town, the Wellington wine route is one of the youngest wine routes in the
Cape, although the viticultural heritage dates back to the French Huguenots of the late
1600s. Officially launched in the mid 1990s, the predominantly working but ... more about Wellington Wine Route » |
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 Wellington Wine Route: Only an
hour’s drive from Cape Town, the Worcester winelands incorporate over 250 years of
winemaking knowledge to produce, amongst other cultivars, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chenin Blanc
and Columbar to national acclaim. The town of Worcester lies in the ... more about Worcester Wine Route » |
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