6 Best Sights in The Western Cape and Winelands, South Africa

It spans less than 25 km (15½ miles), but it is without question one of the most beautiful stretches of road in South Africa. Clarence Drive—less poetically known as the R44—begins as you leave Gordon's Bay headed south. Sandwiched between ocean and mountain, the road winds around more than 70 bends on its way to the hamlet of Rooi Els. There are plenty of places to pull over, though, and you'll make good use of them because Clarence Drive is a photographer's dream. On a clear day you'll see right across False Bay all the way to Cape Point. Keep an eye out for baboons when you're driving; they're usually in no great hurry when crossing the road.

Built by engineer Andrew Geddes Bain and opened in 1853, Bain's Kloof Pass Road links Wellington to Ceres and Worcester. The vertiginous road, an extension of the R303, winds north from Wellington and through the Hawekwa Mountains, revealing breathtaking views across the valley below. On a clear day you can see as far as the coast. The road has a good tar surface, but unlike many Western Cape passes, Bain's Kloof has not been widened much since it was built, so take your time and enjoy the views. There are places where you can park and walk down to lovely, refreshing mountain pools—great on a hot summer's day.

Halfway down the hill from the Afrikaans Language Monument is a turnoff onto a dirt road and a sign for the Paarl Mountain Nature Reserve. The dirt road is Jan Phillips Mountain Drive, which runs 11 km (7 miles) along the mountainside, offering tremendous views over the valley. Along the way it passes the Mill Water Wildflower Garden and the starting points for several trails, including hikes up to the great granite domes of Paarl Mountain. The dirt road rejoins Main Street at the far end of Paarl.

The three-hour Langeberg Tractor Ride takes you to the summit of the Langeberg (Long Mountain) and back. The tractor winds up some tortuously twisted paths, revealing magnificent views of the area's peaks and valleys. After a short stop at the summit, a similarly harrowing descent follows, but you won't be disappointed by the views or the driver's chirpy banter. If you're here in spring or summer when the flowers are in bloom, you might even get to pick some gorgeous proteas on the way down. Following your trip, you can enjoy a delicious lunch of potjiekos (traditional stew cooked over a fire in a cast-iron pot) for an additional fee. Reservations are essential.

East of Clanwilliam, the R364 becomes a spectacularly scenic road called Pakhuis Pass (Warehouse Pass, so named for the rock formations that look like crates piled up in a packing shed). A steep, narrow road to the right leads to the mission town of Wupperthal, with its characteristic thatch houses and sleepy air. This used to be a thriving Moravian mission station, and remnants of the old industries remain. A baker still turns out soft, yeasty loaves that are snapped up as fast as they come out of the oven, and you can see shoes being made in the local shoe factory. The main industry here today though is the cultivation of rooibos tea. You can drive this road in an ordinary rental car, but be very careful in wet weather. A community tourism project here offers guided hikes and donkey cart rides between these frozen-in-time villages.

On the outskirts of town, a pair of white gateposts set well back from the main road signal the start of Rotary Way. This scenic drive climbs along the spine of the mountains above Hermanus, offering incredible views of Walker Bay and the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley. The entire mountainside is laced with wonderful walking trails, and there are a few scenic lookout points. It's a short drive, just 4 km (2½ miles) of tarred road. There is a short section of rough gravel road that continues up the mountain and leads to the border of the Hamilton Russell wine estate, but you can't access the winery from here. The start of the drive is about 2½ km (1½ miles) west of the Old Harbour.