Route 62 meanders through the Western Cape, between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth, offering a scenic alternative to the N2 highway through an area of magnificent landscapes and towering cliffs, clear streams, abundance of indigenous flora and quaint towns and friendly villages
Route 62 traverses the dramatic open spaces of the Karoo and the sharp, prolific mountains that devide the arid interior from most coastal regions. Also called the Inland Route East, this is the road less travelled between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth and was the original link between these two towns before the N2 highway was built in 1959.
The route covers an area of magnificent landscapes and towering cliffs, crystal clear streams and the abundance of trees and indigenous flora - all contribute to make Paarl and Wellington, the Breede River Valley, the Klein Karoo and the Langkloof some of South Africa's most diverse regions.
Although the route does visit a few major centres, it's the quaint towns and friendly villages that offer a truly unique South African rural encounter. It weaves a tranquil path through wine regions and some of the most spectacular agricultural fields, dotted with an abundance of grapes, deciduous fruit and olives, all set amidst miles of natural expanse.
Claimed to be the longest wine route in the world, Route 62 includes the wine cellars and estates of Paarl, Wellington, Tulbagh, Worcester, Robertson, Montagu, Barrydale, Ladismith, Calitzdorp and Oudtshoorn.
Route 62 offers the visitor range upon range of striking mountain edifices. Thomas Bain was the enigneer and constructor of several of the mountain passes on Route 62 - Cogmans Pass, Tulbaghkloof (Nuwekloof Pass), Prince Alfred Pass, Garcia Pass, Tradouw Pass and the famous Swartberg Pass.
Route 62 offers ample opportunity for discovery. From visits to wineries and game reserves, tribal art, cultural tours, museums and for the more adventurous: hiking trails and mountain climbing, 4x4 routes, canoeing, horse riding, even ostrich riding, fishing and caving.
Towns:
Amalienstein & Zoar
Ashton
Barrydale
Bonnievale
Calitzdorp
Ceres
De Doorns
De Rust
Haarlem
Jeffreys Bay
Kareedouw
Krakeel
Ladismith
McGregor
Montagu
Oudtshoorn
Paarl
Prince Albert
Rawsonville
Robertson
Tulbagh
Uniondale
Wellington
Wolseley
Worcester
