Road trips have been popular in South Africa ever since automobiles became a everyday object, filling the streets with travelers. South Africa offers everything you need to enjoy an adventure: an extensive system of quality roads, various routes with incredible landscapes and the possibility of discovering a large number of destinations.

Driving on the left

In South African cities like Cape Town you may not understand the traffic lights, as well as their driving system. In South Africa ─ as in many other African countries such as Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia or Tanzania ─ you drive on the left. The reason is because all of them have been, or are surrounded by, British colonies.

The first thing you may feel is confusion: you sit on the other side, the gearbox is on your left, roundabouts and road exits are in the opposite direction. Many travelers put South Africa in their top countries to drive to. Without a doubt, it is one of the best ways to tour the country and find even its most hidden secrets. It is a comfortable and practical system.

Traffic rules

As in most countries around the world, wearing a seatbelt is mandatory when driving in South Africa. In addition, it is forbidden to talk on the mobile while driving. Regarding speed limits, in urban environments it is 60 km. per hour; on highway of 100 km. per hour on the highway; and on motorways and highways of 120 km. per hour.

When it comes to permits, you will need your national driver's license when renting a car, while on the road you may be asked for an international license. This is a simple procedure that you can do in your country of origin before traveling to South Africa.

Gas stations and highways

Many gas stations are open 24 hours a day and their service is quite good. However, you may find yourself with long stretches where there is little ─ or even non-existent ─ to fill in. It is advisable to carry a full tank of gasoline and calculate the route well to avoid scares during your trip.

Other tips

• In certain areas it can be dangerous to drive at night, so it is advisable to avoid it.
• National parks have their own speed limits and regulations, remember to watch for signs and drive carefully.
• It is possible that the best option is to rent a 4×4.
• Applications like Google Maps or Maps.me allow you to download the maps and save them on your phone, being able to use them even without having an internet connection.