Fantasy South Africa RV Safari #3

Finally, the big day is here — camper pickup day! Each couple gets their own Class C RV, with 16 of us in total. When we arrive at the rental company, it’s pure organized chaos. Every couple needs a full walkthrough of their camper, there’s paperwork to sign, questions to ask, and somehow, we all have to squeeze our luggage and groceries into every available cupboard and cubby. It’s a bit of a circus — but an excited one. Then it’s time to hit the road. Two important reminders:

1. Drive on the left.

2. Don’t blindly follow the camper in front of you unless you’re absolutely sure they know where they’re going

Steve takes the wheel and nails the “drive on the left” rule like a pro. Unfortunately, we’re a little too trusting with rule number two. We faithfully follow the camper ahead… and promptly miss our very first turn. Instead of a smooth departure, we kick things off with a scenic (and completely unplanned) little detour. And just like that, the adventure officially begins!

Our first official stop is the grocery store, because priorities. We need supplies to get us through the next few days, and honestly, grocery shopping in another country is one of my favorite parts of traveling. There’s something fun about wandering the aisles and spotting familiar brands sitting next to things you’ve never seen before. Some items look the same but go by totally different names—like ketchup, which here is called tomato sauce. Little differences like that make it feel like a mini treasure hunt. We fill our basket with food, a few camper essentials, and of course some wine, beer and bourbon for good measure. Once everything is strategically crammed into cupboards and the tiny RV fridge, we hit the road again for another 72 kilometers—yes, kilometers, not miles—toward our campsite at Onrus Caravan Park in Hermanus, and just like that, the real road trip vibes start kicking in.

The drive is absolutely beautiful as we wind our way through the mountains, and by chance a few of us end up traveling together, which feels comforting at first. That is, until a local in a box truck seems to decide our little convoy is a good target. He starts swerving erratically, cutting some of us off and nearly forcing one or two campers off the road (including us). The situation escalates when he actually follows us into the campground and claims that someone in our group damaged his mirror. Thankfully, when our group leader calmly suggests calling the police, he quickly backs off and drives away. It is definitely a stressful start to our first day behind the wheel, but the evening redeems it. We settle into the peaceful campsite, soak in the beautiful scenery, stroll over for views of the water, and eventually head into town for a lovely, well-earned dinner.

It rains through the night and is still drizzling when we wake up, and the first sign of trouble comes the moment we open the camper door as water pours off the roof and instantly creates a puddle on our indoor step. Everything feels damp and gray as we start the day, and even our daily briefing, held under a grove of trees for some shelter, offers little protection from the steady drizzle. Despite our best efforts to huddle close and keep things covered, all of our carefully organized paperwork ends up getting wet, making for a soggy and slightly chaotic start to the morning.

Off we go to our next campsite, with the WagonMasters typically heading out first and letting everyone know during the morning briefing what time they plan to depart. The rest of us are free to leave at our own pace, as long as we allow enough time to reach the next group stop, and we are always encouraged to pull over for anything interesting we spot along the way, often with a few favorite suggestions shared in advance. We enjoy a leisurely start to the morning with a proper cup of coffee—thanks to Kay for lending us a French press—before getting back on the road.

Thankfully, today’s drive is far less dramatic, with no rogue drivers in sight. Our first stop, somewhat amusingly, is a mall with a grocery store so we can pick up all the items we quickly realized we needed but forgot.

The route takes us through beautiful mountains and stretches of farmland, and along the way we notice signs warning of wildlife. We are lucky enough to spot small antelope in the distance, a few ostriches, and even baboons, including a mother carrying a tiny one on her back.

We also make our first fuel stop, where a very friendly attendant welcomes us to South Africa; here you do not pump your own fuel, as the attendant handles it for you, often washing the windshield and even checking under the hood if you ask.

Our destination is the coastal town of L'Agulhas, and as we enter town we continue straight through to Cape Agulhas, the southernmost tip of South Africa where the Atlantic and Indian Oceans officially meet. It is rainy and windy when we arrive, so we decide to warm up first with some ramen in the camper, watching the weather do its thing outside. By the time we finish eating, the sun begins to poke through the clouds, so we bundle up and head down to the water’s edge for a couple of photos by the famous plaque before carefully climbing over the rocks to dip our fingers first into the Atlantic and then into the Indian Ocean.

Perched on a small hill above us is the historic Cape Agulhas Lighthouse, which is open to visitors, so we head inside and begin climbing the steep, ladder-like steps. By the second set my fear of heights starts to kick in, and I decide to wait on a landing while Steve continues up the remaining ladders—five in total—to reach the top, where a narrow walkway offers sweeping views over the oceans and the surrounding town. With the lighthouse conquered, we make our way to the campground, settle into our spot for the night, and call it another full day of adventure.

That evening our WagonMasters host a wine and cheese social beside their camper, but Mother Nature has other plans and sends a steady rain, so a handful of us huddle under the awning until the worst passes and then linger a bit longer to keep the conversation going. The next morning we are on the move again, with many of us making an early stop at Kapula Candles, a charming shop set inside a quaint old barn and filled with beautifully handcrafted, hand-painted candles, ceramics, and other local treasures.

After a quick round of shopping, we head back out on the road toward Bontebok National Park, where a self-drive dirt loop takes about two hours if you include plenty of photo stops. We navigate the loop in our camper and are rewarded with sightings of bonteboks, red hartebeest, Plains zebras, a few fascinating insects, and more birds than we can properly identify, and at one point we even spot another camper from our group, who sees us as well and gives us a cheerful shout, providing the perfect excuse to test out our walkie-talkie radios in the wild.

Back on the road, our next bit of adventure takes us through Tradouw Pass, a twisting, winding stretch of mountain road that keeps both hands firmly on the wheel, and I am more than happy to let Steve handle the driving.

Once we emerge from the pass, we roll into the small town of Barrydale, which has a nostalgic feel reminiscent of Route 66 back in the States, complete with quirky stops and roadside charm. We settle in for lunch at Diesel & Crème, where we are served a delicious meal of ostrich burger, crème soda, and an over-the-top milkshake that perfectly matches the town’s retro vibe.

From there we continue on to De Hoek Mountain Resort in Oudtshoorn, where our campsite is tucked beneath a tree filled with beautifully intricate woven nests that sway gently overhead. After three days on the road in the camper, everything is finally starting to feel comfortable and familiar, and with the early miles behind us, we are excited and ready for whatever the next part of this adventure has in store.

On the Road

Fantasy South Africa RV Safari #3

Caves, Ostriches, & Elephants

Meeting the Crew & Kicking Things Off