What it costs to drive the Garden Route at R27 per litre

South Africans hoping to enjoy the best road trip in the world – the Garden Route stretching around 200km between Mossel Bay and Storms River – can expect to spend around R300 on the drive.

That is, of course, if they live in either of the two towns. Those who need to travel from the nearest major cities – Cape Town or Gqeberha – will spend much more than this merely to get to the route.

Those driving from Cape Town to Mossel Bay can expect to add 387km, and at least R400 to this, while those coming from Gqeberha should expect an additional 171km, and around R200 to the total.

This is a best-case scenario for motorists whose vehicles can maintain an average fuel consumption of 4.0l/100km on the drive; those with less-efficient vehicles are likely to pay significantly more.

As a result, holidaymakers coming from Cape Town will spend R700 or more on petrol and tolls to get to Storms River, while those from Gqeberha will spend over R500 to get to Mossel Bay.

Either way, according to Autotrader UK, the road is worth the drive, as it ranked top of a list of the world’s best international road trips, based on a major factor that influences driving, the weather.

“Every driver has experienced it: windows down, the road ahead stretching out under a brilliant sky, conditions so good you could stay behind the wheel all day,” said the UK-based company.

It sought to determine the most iconic roads that reliably deliver the best driving weather, and which kind of weather is best, partnering with Senior Meteorologist Jim R. N. Dale to define the best weather conditions for driving.

Using historical weather data, Autotrader identified the Garden Route as the best international road trip, topping the rankings with a score of 90.6 out of 100.

This route also benefits from comfortable temperatures and gentle winds, while also boasting a variety of diverse locations, ranging from forest paths to mountain roads.

Notably, the Garden Route beat the famous Route 66 and Pacific Coast Highway in the USA, as well as Italy’s Amalfi Coast, which finished fourth.

What it will cost to enjoy a drive along the Garden Route

The road from Mossel Bay to Storms River is a 200km drive along the N2 highway, passing through towns like George, Knysna, and Plettenberg Bay.

With the latest fuel price adjustment taking effect on 3 June, Petrol 93 retails for R27.16 per litre along the coast, while Petrol 95 retails for R27.19 per litre, an almost negligible difference.

Here is a breakdown of what fuel could cost you to enjoy the Garden Route road trip right now:

Driving between Mossel Bay and Storms River, travellers will only have the Tsitsikamma Toll Plaza to worry about, adding R73.00 to their trip in either direction.

As a result of these factors, the best-case scenario for motorists means paying around R290 to get from one side of the Garden Route to the other.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, those driving thirsty vehicles can expect to pay just shy of R780 for the same trip.

This represents only half of the cost equation, unless your road trip takes you through the Garden Route, and not to it and back again, meaning these figures need to be doubled.

As a result, those driving along the stretch of N2 in an economical vehicle can expect to pay as little as R280 for petrol and tolls, while others may need to budget as much as R1,560 for the round-trip.

Those motorists merely road tripping through the Garden Route from Cape Town to Gqeberha, or vice versa, can expect to pay as little as R890 for the 750km trip, or as much as R2720.