About Self Drive Swellendam to Witsand
Route: Swellendam, Bontebok National Park, De Hoop, Malgas, Witsand
Description: the rolling countryside of the Duineveld (west of the Breede River) and Ruggensveld (south of Riviersonderendberg and east of the Houhoekberg)
Length: roughly 220 km
Time: a day, at least
Overnight: Any of the villages and national parks are worth an overnight stay but our favourites are Swellendam and Witsand.
From the Swellengrebel Street entrance to Swellendam cross the N2 and take the gravel road to the Bontebok National Park. You will start to see bontebok almost immediately. The park can get incredibly hot during summer, so start early.
Explore.
Leave the park by the same route to the N2 and take a left. You will cross the Breede River. Just beyond the bridge take a left for Malgas and Infanta (gravel road) past the beautiful scenery of the Overberg's rolling wheat fields.
Around 22 km after turning off the N2 take a right for the little village of Ouplaas and De Hoop.
Another 13 km will bring you to a t-junction at which you take a right, past Ouplaas and a little later take a left to De Hoop Nature Reserve.
You approach De Hoop from a slight rise and are able to see right across the reserve, on a clear day, virtually to the beach. Pay the reserve entrance fee and then park at rerception. There is a lovely walk along the vlei towards the sea, or a walk along the beach on either side of Koppie Alleen (a 14 km drive from reception – great for seeing whales in season!).
There are places to have a picnic in the reserve, or lunch at the restaurant.
Leave the reserve and head to Witsand via the famous Malgas Pont (the only hand-drawn pont of its kind in the country). Turn right at the t-junction after leaving the reserve. Pass Ouplaas and the road you took from Swellendam on your left.
A little further along take a left for Malgas and Infanta.
You now head to the Malgas pont to cross the Breede River. At a t-junction take a right, and a little way along a left for Malgas. Cross the river on the pont.
On the opposite bank after about 3 km, take a right for Heidelberg. 3.7 km later another right and then at the intersection with the R324, another right. The R324 will take you all the way to Witsand, one of the best places along the coast to see whales, particularly from the beach restaurant, which has a telescope in place on its flat roof.
To head back, retrace your route to the junction 3 km before the pont, swing right and head back to Swellendam until you intersect with the N2.
Need to Know
WhereStart in Swellendam.
Route: Swellendam, Bontebok NP, De Hoop, Malgas, Witsand.
WhenBest during daylight hours.
How muchFree
OvernightStay nearby in Swellendam, in Western Cape
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Find Self Drive Swellendam to Witsand in these collections
In the vicinity
Hotels & other accommodation options by proximity
* Distances shown are "as the crow flies", not driving distances. Please confirm with the establishment should driving distance be a factor in your decision.

Langeberg Guest Lodge
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Moolmanshof
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Aan De Bergen Guest House
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La Sosta Guest House
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Swellendam Self Catering Cottages
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Winterson en Somerkoelte
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Elianthe's Guesthouse
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Old Thatch Lodge
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Rothman Manor
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Swellendam Country Lodge
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Bloomestate
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Old Mill Guest House
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Marula Lodge
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De Oude Pastorie Guesthouse
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The Swellengrebel Hotel
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Impangele Cottage
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Aalkie's Dream
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Impangele Guest House
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Flametree Guesthouse
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Guesthouse Larachelle
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Windmill Guesthouse
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Hermitage Huisies
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De Kloof Luxury Estate
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Babette Bed and Breakfast
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de Companjie Guesthouse
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Roosje van de Kaap
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Cypress Cottage
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Wildebraam Berry Estate
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Gapa House
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Schoone Oordt Country House
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Aan De Eike Guest House
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Augusta De Mist Country House
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The Country Cottage Holiday Home
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A Hilltop Home
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A Hilltop Country Retreat
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The View Swellendam B&B
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Aan De Oever Guesthouse
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Bergview B&B
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33 Berg Self Catering
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Grace Walk Guesthouse
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Moffid's Place
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A Riverbed Guesthouse
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Gaikou Lodge
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Aquaelberg Place
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Country Paradise House
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Lang Elsie's Kraal Rest Camp
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Wolfkloof Boerdery
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Rotterdam Boutique Hotel
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Swallow Creek Cottages
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A Log Home at Buffalo Creek
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Leeurivier-onder-die-Hoogte
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Kwetu Guest Farm
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Stonehill River Lodge
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Somerset Gift Getaway Farm
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AfriCamps at Kam'Bati
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Frog Mountain Getaway
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Bibi's Joy
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Jan Harmsgat Country House
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Aloe Canyons
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Other things to do in the area

Swellendam Hiking Trail
The Swellendam Hiking Trail, situated in the Langeberg, starts at the forestry station, 3km outside of the Swellendam town, and is of the few tra...

Berry Picking at The Berry Farm
The Berry Farm grow youngberries, blackberries and blueberries and during harvest time you can go the the Berry Farm and pick your own! (Harvest ...

Rasondale Farm Stall and Restaurant
If you are looking for the perfect pit stop on the way back from the Garden Route to Cape Town (or vice versa of course) then make sure you stop ...

Sulina Fairy Sanctuary
For all things mythical, magical and wonderful, come visit the Sulina Faerie Sanctuary. Tucked away on a side road in Swellendam this mystical ga...

The Old Gaol Restaurant
Dine alfresco with stunning views of the Langeberg mountains, while at The Old Gaol restaurant.This coffee shop and restaurant serves traditional...

Bukkenburg Pottery Studio
Bukkenburg Pottery Studio is a beautiful studio and workshop spread over a gorgeous Victorian house, cow shed and barn with stunning surroundings...

Roosje van de Kaap Restaurant
If you are taking a journey along the Garden Route make sure you have an overnight stay in Swellendam to enjoy not only the pictureques scenery b...

Liqour Tasting At Wildebraam Berry Estate
The beautiful berry estate is exquisitely scenic and is an absolute delight to visit. Come berry picking through the months of November and Decem...

Kunstehuijs Fine Art Gallery
If you are an art admirer or looking for something unique then get down to the Kunstehuijs Fine Art Gallery in Swellendam. Here you can find orig...
Noteworthy attractions

Swellendam Golf Course
The nine-hole course can be played as such or as an 18-hole one with a par of 72. It is situated right at the base of the Langeberg Mountain Rang...

Baardskeerdersbos Art Route
The artist's village of Baardskeerdersbos, more commonly known to locals simply as Bbos, lies on a dirt road somewhere between Stanford and Wolve...

Walker Bay Fynbos Conservancy
Part of the value of this conservancy is that it is the natural hub of a range of endangered and rare fynbos species and habitats. So many of the...

Mountain and Meadows Route
Based on the Overberg Tourism map, the Mountain and Meadows Route starts in Villiersdorp, the assumption being that you have already done the Gre...

Overberg Fynbos Route
The Overberg Fynbos Route, also known as the Southern Overberg Fynbos Route, is a route put together by a group of land owners in the southern Ov...

Flower Valley Farm
Flower Valley Farm partners with Fynsa, based in the nearby town of Stanford. They provide a group of local people to pick fynbos at Flower Valle...

Theewaterskloof Dam
On the Sonderend River close to the little town of Villiersdorp lies Theewaterskloof Dam. It is a large, sprawling, remarkably unround dam that l...

Grootbos Nature Reserve
Grootbos Nature Reserve is spectacularly situated on the fynbos and forest clad hills that overlook the whale-watching haven of Walker Bay. This ...

Platbos Indigenous Forest
Just off the coast of Gansbaai you will find Africa's southernmost forest. Platbos is an ancient, indigenous forest that lies on the slopes of th...
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