From Cape Town

  (make sure you collect your free copies of the Winelands, West Coast, Route 62 & Overberg Travel Companion  and the Garden Route and Klein Karoo Route 62 Travel Companion from any Tourism Information Office. The maps in the back of the guides are excellent.)

There are three main routes from Cape Town to the Red Mountain Lodge. Straight up the N1 to Prince Albert and a night at De Bergkant Lodge, then over the Swartberg or up the N1 to Worcester and then through the Breede River Valley to Route 62, or along the N2 to Swellendam, and over the Tradouws Pass to Route 62. The R62 routes offer visits to a number of wine farms, take you through wonderful scenery and have a number of tourist attractions.

The N1 Route: Leave Cape Town and head for Paarl. The Winelands map offers directions to all the wine farms along the route. You can drive through the Huguenot Tunnel - or over the Du Toit's Kloof Pass, stopping to see the orchid collection at Amburg Guest Farm 3km into the pass and to admire the view down towards Paarl with Table Mountain on the horizon. On the far side of the Huguenot Tunnel and the Du Toit's Kloof Pass you can visit a Trout Farm. In Worcester you might like to pay a visit to Kleinplasie, where you can experience farming traditions and activities and see architectural styles spanning three hundred years in an open-air Museum. The Karoo National Botanical Garden at Worcester is Africa's only true succulent garden. The town is also home to Schools for the Blind and Deaf - visitors are warmly welcomed. Resume your journey north on the N1.

27km before Laingsburg look out for a Union Jack fluttering on a flag pole to alert you to the turn off to Matjiesfontein, the whole village is a National Monument. Visit the historical Lord Milner Hotel with its Coffee House, Post Office and Gift Shop, the Laird's Arms Pub, the Marie Rawdon Museum (the largest private collection in the country) and the Transport Museum.

Laingsburg suffered a devastating flood in the 1980's - a Flood Route is being developed. Drive north some 89km and just before the tiny hamlet of Prince Albert Road Station turn right onto the R407 and head towards the Swartberg. At the foot of the mountains you will find Prince Albert and the peaceful haven of De Bergkant Lodge. Spend a day or two in the village and then head over the Swartberg Mountains to the Red Mountain Lodge.

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The Breede River Valley Route: Leave Cape Town and head for Paarl. The Winelands map offers directions to all the wine farms along the route. Drive through the Huguenot Tunnel - or over the Du Toit's Kloof Pass, stopping to see the orchid collection at Amburg Guest Farm 3km into the pass and to admire the view down towards Paarl with Table Mountain on the horizon. On the far side of the Huguenot Tunnel and the Du Toit's Kloof Pass you can visit a Trout Farm. In Worcester you might like to pay a visit to Kleinplasie, where you can experience farming traditions and activities and see architectural styles spanning three hundred years in an open-air Museum. The Karoo National Botanical Garden at Worcester is Africa's only true succulent garden. The town is also home to Schools for the Blind and Deaf - visitors are warmly welcomed. 

Follow the R60 into the Breede River Valley, which with Route 62 prides itself on being the longest wine route in the world! At Montagu you can visit Joubert House with its medicinal herb garden. The famous hot springs lie 3km outside the town. The road winds through orchards towards Barrydale and the R62. At Barrydale you can enjoy a meal or a snack at The Copper Kettle or drive a little further and pop into Ronnie's Sex Shop - it's not what you think! This little bar in the back of beyond provides a warm welcome to thirsty visitors. You have to stop and take photos. Drive on to Ladismith with Towerkop (the Wizard's Mountain) as a backdrop. The road meanders past the little missionary villages of Zoar and Amalienstein, passing the turn-off to Seweweekspoort, a magnificent pass through the mountains - but that's for another day, keep going through the breathtaking Huisrivier Pass to Calitzdorp, there's time for port wine tasting at one of the farms or a cup of tea at Ebenhart's where you can view his Handmade Smoking Pipes - all produced from local woods. Then on just 14km to the left hand turn on towards Kruisrivier and the Red Mountain Lodge. 

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The N2 Route: takes you through Somerset West, over Sir Lowrey's Pass to the apple orchards of Grabouw and Elgin. Drive on towards Caledon with its Victorian Hot Springs Pool and wineries and then through to Riviersonderend on your way to Swellendam. The town is the third oldest magisterial district in the country and the old Drosty is now a fascinating museum with antique furnishings, a working mill and the ambagswerf, where tools used by artisans three hundred years ago are on display. Outside the town lies the Bontebok National Park, home to a wide variety of antelope, small mammals and birds. Your drive now takes you through the impressive Tradouw Pass to Barrydale and Route 62.  At Barrydale you can enjoy a meal or a snack at The Copper Kettle or drive a little further and pop into Ronnie's Sex Shop - it's not what you think! This little bar in the back of beyond provides a warm welcome to thirsty visitors. You have to stop and take photos. Drive on to Ladismith with Towerkop (the Wizard's Mountain) as a backdrop. The road meanders past the little missionary villages of Zoar and Amalienstein, passing the turn-off to Seweweekspoort, a magnificent pass through the mountains - but that's for another day, keep going through the breathtaking Huisrivier Pass to Calitzdorp, there's time for port wine tasting at one of the farms or a cup of tea at Ebenhart's where you can view his Handmade Smoking Pipes - all produced from local woods. Then on just 14km to the left hand turn on towards Kruisrivier and the Red Mountain Lodge. 

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From the Garden Route 

(make sure you collect a free copy of the Garden Route and Klein Karoo Route 62 Travel Companion from any Tourism Information Office. The map in the back of the guide is excellent.)

If you are travelling south on the R102 from Plettenberg Bay you will want to spend some time exploring Knysna with its beautiful estuary - the last home of the endangered Knysna seahorse. A cruise on the John Benn and a visit to the Featherbed Nature Reserve reveal some of its natural wonders. The shops, art galleries, restaurants and curio shops at The Quays are bound to appeal. 

The drive continues through stunning countryside with views of the sea and the extensive lake system. At Sedgefield drive up Cloud 9 Ridge for stupendous views. At the Wilderness take a stroll along the boardwalk to watch kingfishers and waterfowl including the endangered Black Oystercatcher. If you venture into the forest you might catch a glimpse of a Knysna Loerie.

Stop at the viewpoint to see the Kaaiman's River Bridge and then head up the steep climb towards George. The Outeniqua Transport Museum, Fancourt Golf Course, Saarsveld Forestry Museum and walks in the Outeniqua Nature Reserve are some of the attractions you might like to visit. George has some excellent restaurants serving seafood and traditional South African cuisine. 

At George you have a choice - head south along the N2 to Mossel Bay, then over the Robertson Pass (click here for this route) or take another climb - this time through the Outeniqua Pass, on the N12, heading for Oudtshoorn, ostrich capital of the world. The ostrich industry had its birth here and the CP Nel Museum records the rise an fall of the Feather Barons. Visit an ostrich farm, the Cango Wildlife Ranch and the Cango Caves. Oudtshoorn offers curio shops specialising in ostrich leather goods and some good restaurants and coffee shops: Kalinka's Russian Coffee Shop, 93 Baron van Reede Street 044 279 2596 and Jemima's - voted one of the top ten South African restaurants for 2003, 94 Baron van Reede Street 044 272 0808.

Head out on the R62 towards Calitzdorp and after 28km take the right hand turn to Kruisrivier and the Red Mountain Lodge.

If you choose to travel down the N2 to Mossel Bay be sure to visit the Dias Museum Complex where you can see a full size replica of Bartholemew Dias' caravel which sailed these waters in 1488. The Maritime Museum (which is said to be haunted) and the Shell Museum are fascinating places. You can take a trip to Seal Island and keep your eyes peeled for sharks. During the whale season you are bound to sight whales and dolphins. Then it's off, on the R238 through the Robertson Pass to Oudtshoorn. Head out on the R62 towards Calitzdorp and after 26km take the right hand turn to Kruisrivier and the Red Mountain Lodge.

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PICTURE GALLERY OF THE RED MOUNTAIN LODGE

From Prince Albert

it's just a hop, skip and a jump to the Red Mountain Lodge, with a choice of two routes, both of which offer breathtaking scenery and the romance of the Karoo.

Over the Swartberg Pass:  with its magnificent scenery. The pass, constructed from 1882 - 1888 is a National Monument and during your drive you will see spectacular geological formations, a wide variety of flora from Karoo scrub to mountain fynbos and marvel at Thomas Bain's design and the convicts who built the road and drystone walls using pickaxes, mallets, chisels and shovels. Once you reach the tar road it's just over a kilometre to the right hand turn to Matjiesrivier and the Red Stone Mountains. The road runs parallel with the Swartberg and soon becomes a gravel surface. Carry on until you reach a T junction, then turn left and follow the road to the Red Mountain Lodge.

Through Meiringspoort: leave Prince Albert from the south and head through the Prince Albert Valley with its newly established vineyards. After 45km turn left at the T junction and head past Klaarstroom (it's worth a slight diversion to drive through the Victorian village) towards Meiringspoort.  Soaring cliff walls with spectacular rock formations line the 18 km tarred road which winds along the floor of the gorge, crossing the Groot River 25 times. Each crossing, or drift, has its own name and story - stop at the Waterfall information site to learn more.

The first road through the poort was constructed between 1856 and 1858 by Adam de Schmidt. Over the years spectacular floods have caused great damage. In 2000 the road was officially reopened after major reconstruction which cost R70 million. 

The overwhelming features of a drive through Meiringspoort are the wonders of nature. The folds of the Table Mountain sandstone strata tower above the road, constantly changing colour as you move through sunlight and shade. Hardy plants, including indigenous pelagoniums, cling to the precarious rock faces while birds, baboons and smaller fauna abound in the protected kloofs and crevices. 

Look out for Herrie's Stone - there can't be much graffiti that has been declared a National Monument. C.J. Langenhoven carved the name of his famous fictional elephant on a boulder in Meiringspoort in 1929.

The village of De Rust lies on the other side of Meiringspoort and then its just over 30km to Oudtshoorn. You might like to stop en route at Mons Ruber -  King George VI, Queen Elizabeth and the Princesses visited in 1947 - see the little Museum at the wine tasting room and then pop into the other wine tasting venue at Doornkraal.

Oudtshoorn is known as the ostrich capital of the world. The ostrich industry had its birth here and the CP Nel Museum records the rise an fall of the Feather Barons. Visit an ostrich farm, the Cango Wildlife Ranch and the Cango Caves. Oudtshoorn offers curio shops specialising in ostrich leather goods and some good restaurants and coffee shops: Kalinka's Russian Coffee Shop, 93 Baron van Reede Street 044 279 2596 and Jemima's - voted one of the top ten South African restaurants for 2003, 94 Baron van Reede Street 044 272 0808.

Head out on the R62 towards Calitzdorp and after 26km take the right hand turn to Kruisrivier and the Red Mountain Lodge.