Johannesburg to Cape Town – Gariep Dam

Just two hours later, I found my next beautiful stop, the Gariep Dam. Again, this iconic South African dam is only a few kilometres off the N1 and a much more scenic spot to stop for lunch than simply a service station along the highway. You can even consider spending a night or two – I sure wish I did! Get your fill of water sports on the dam before heading home. It’s the perfect way to make the trip itself part of the holiday.

I settled for lunch on the deck of the Tjailatyd restaurant. You don’t get to look out over the dam from here, but they do show the latest sporting events on the flat screen televisions and they organise boat trips on the dam if you feel like extending your lunch hour.

Another place that’s great for lunch with a view is De Stijl Hotel perched high against the hill and overlooking the dam in all its glory. They were closed for a function when I visited, but it’s definitely worth a shot, just for the view.

Back to “Beame road trip’s it along the N1 with Adel Groenewald”