Garden Route, South Africa

10 days between ocean and wildlife

The Garden Route is one of the most varied road trips in the world: over 1,200 km, you go from Table Mountain to the forests of Tsitsikamma, along a coast where whales come to breed. Add vineyards and African wildlife: it is a classic of van travel.

Duration: 10 days
Distance: 1 200 km
Level: Moderate
Season: November to April
Budget: €930 to €2,070rental, fuel, nights

The route

Indicative route, in straight lines between the stops, in travel order.

View on Google Maps →

The 6 stops

Good to know before you go

The real budget for 10 days

Allow around €930 to €2,070 for 10 days, for two, in a 2-berth campervan. This budget covers three items only: rental, fuel and nights (one campsite night each evening). Flights, food, park entry fees (R272 per day per foreign adult at Tsitsikamma, according to Lekkeslaap), the Table Mountain cable car and sightseeing are extra. The budget assumes you return to Cape Town: dropping the van in Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth) adds a one-way fee, ask the rental company. Prices checked in October 2026, converted at €1 = R18.6438 on 30/10/2026 (Pound Sterling Live).

Van rental: from R1,239.70 per night for the cheapest 2-berth van (Rent-Motorhome, updated 19/10/2026), up to R2,740 per day for a 2-berth VW Africana at the highest rate, insurance included (Lekker Camper). For 10 days: R12,397 to R27,400, or €665 to €1,470. Check what the insurance covers: at Lekker Camper the excess ranges from R4,000 to R35,000 depending on the van and the option chosen.
Fuel: in October 2026, R29.38 per litre of 95 unleaded on the coast and R32.80 per litre of 50ppm diesel inland (OilPrices.co.za). Prices change on the first Wednesday of each month (next change on 4 November 2026). For 1,200 km at 10 to 12 litres per 100 km (our estimate), so 120 to 144 litres: R3,526 to R4,723 (low end on unleaded, high end on diesel), or €189 to €253.
Nights: R150 to over R500 a night at a Cape Town campsite (Rent-Motorhome, updated 29/10/2026); R457 to R648 for two at the national park campsite at Storms River Mouth, until 31/10/2026 (parks booking agent). At R150 to R650 per night, over 10 nights: R1,500 to R6,500, or €80 to €349.
Total: R17,423 to R38,623, or €934 to €2,072, so around €930 to €2,070.

Where to sleep in your van

On streets, beaches and car parks: sleeping in your van there is generally not allowed, especially around Cape Town (Rent-Motorhome, 29/10/2026).
In national parks and coastal reserves: only at designated campsites; fines can be issued (CamperChamp).
The simple option: a campsite or a national park campsite every night. This is what our budget counts. On private land, only with the owner's permission.

Updated 31 October 2026