Detour #158: Escape the Cape on Route 62, South Africa
It might sound counter-intuitive but if you’re tracking the Western Cape eastwards, then you should really head north, says Sudhir “Banzai” Matai.
Almost everyone who wishes to travel eastwards from Cape Town chooses the N2 national coastal road. This especially holds true for foreign tourists who enjoy long stretches of uninterrupted ocean views and might even catch a whale sighting, depending on the time of year.
However, for those who prefer less traffic and seek wide open skies, there is Route 62. Initially, it seems a bit odd to head north from Cape Town when you really want to go east. But once you get to the town of Worcester you, essentially, hang a 90-right and head into the heart of the Western Cape.
Route 62 technically starts just outside the town of Ashton and ends at Oudtshoorn, which is the largest town in the region, although most people count the bit between Worcester and Ashton (R60) and the latter part towards Port Elizabeth as part of the same artery.
The road runs through the Klein or Little Karoo and links the small towns of Montagu, Barrydale, Ladismith, Zoar and Calitzdorp. The latter is the home of South Africa’s best Port… sorry, fortified wine producers. The warmth-producing liquids are handy for the cold desert nights. Incidentally, Karoo is a Khoisan (the aboriginal people) word meaning “land of thirst”.
As Route 62 meanders through the middle of the Western Cape it provides a wide array of scenery, ranging from vineyards and orchards to scrubby desert. Initial rocky red formations make way for wide open spaces with spear-straight strips of tar. What doesn’t change is the condition of the road. The causeway is impeccably maintained, making it an ideal weekend jaunt for sports- and supercar owners. There are also a number of entertaining passes that shoot off from R62. The 16 km-long Tradouw’s Pass is one of the highlights and definitely worth the detour.
Towns along the route have worked together to provide tourists an opportunity to explore the region, and its many attractions, at leisure. There’s plenty to do, from mountain biking, hiking, and off-roading courses, to wine tours and festivals. Visit one of the local game reserves and you could see lions, cheetahs, elephants and rhino. Heck, you can even ride an ostrich if you’d like.
There’s also the occasional padstal (Afrikaans for road store) in the middle of nowhere such as Ronnies ‘Sex’ Shop, which attract travellers out of sheer curiosity. There are also plenty of places to eat and stay along the route, each with its own small-town charm. Karoo lamb, according to the locals, is the best in the world thanks to the particular diet of the sheep that are reared here. The rich meat is found in many forms: from grilled chops and burgers to pies and stews cooked over an open fire, all of it delicious. Most establishments are owner-operated and everyone is happy to chat, sometimes for extended periods, whether you have the time or not…
Words and Photography: Sudhir “Banzai” Matai Twitter | Instagram
