There are two ways to drive from Cape Town to Hermanus. The N2 over Sir Lowry's Pass is about 120 km and 1 hour 35 minutes from the city centre outside peak traffic. The coastal route leaves the N2 for Gordon's Bay, follows Clarence Drive along the cliffs above False Bay to Rooi-Els, and continues through Betty's Bay and Kleinmond to Hermanus, which is about 136 km and a little over 2 hours without stops. The Cape Town to Hermanus drive on the coast is slower and better to look at, and it depends on the weather and the state of the road.
The two routes compared
| N2 over Sir Lowry's Pass | Coastal route via Clarence Drive | |
|---|---|---|
| Distance from the city centre | About 120 km | About 136 km |
| Time outside peak traffic | About 1 h 35 min | About 2 h, before stops |
| Character | Dual carriageway, then the pass and farmland | Winding cliff road, then small coastal towns |
| Best for | Getting there, early boat trips, poor weather | A morning with time in hand and calm conditions |
| Affected by | Peak traffic near the city | Wind, heavy rain, rockfall closures |
The figures come from routing data and exclude traffic. On a weekday, the N2 near the city is busiest in the morning and late afternoon, which affects both routes because both start on it.
What you see on Clarence Drive
Clarence Drive is the stretch from Gordon's Bay to Rooi-Els, about 20 km of road cut into the mountainside with False Bay below. The road bends constantly and is driven slowly, which is the point of taking it. On a clear morning the view runs back across the bay towards the peninsula.
After Rooi-Els the road passes the turn-off to Pringle Bay, runs through the Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve and continues to Betty's Bay and Kleinmond. Two stops are worth planning for:
- Stony Point, Betty's Bay. A colony of African penguins managed by CapeNature, viewed from a boardwalk. Check current visiting times with CapeNature before the day.
- Harold Porter National Botanical Garden, Betty's Bay. Run by SANBI, mostly natural fynbos with a cultivated section and walking trails into the kloofs behind. A good place to stretch your legs for an hour.
From Kleinmond the road continues past the Bot River Lagoon, where Arabella golf course sits, and on into Hermanus.
When the coastal road is the wrong choice
Clarence Drive is a mountain road above the sea, and it closes. In recent years sections have been shut for months at a time after storm damage, landslips and rockfalls, with the Western Cape government running stop-and-go controls and emergency repairs. Before you commit to the coastal route, check the provincial road notices for the current status. If a section is closed, the N2 is the answer and the day loses nothing important.
Weather matters as much as the road. In strong wind or heavy rain the cliff road is slow and the view disappears, so there is no reason to take it. The south-easter, the Cape Doctor, blows between October and March, so check the wind forecast the evening before and decide on the route then.
Two other cases call for the N2:
- A fixed departure in Hermanus. If you have a whale-watching boat or a lunch booking at a set time, take the faster road and keep the margin.
- Passengers who suffer from motion sickness. Twenty kilometres of tight bends is a long stretch for anyone who feels unwell in the back of a vehicle. A front seat helps, but the N2 helps more.
Out on the coast, back on the N2
The arrangement that works best for most days is the coastal route out in the morning light, and the N2 back in the late afternoon. You get the view when it is at its clearest and the faster road when everyone is tired.
On a full day, which includes ten hours and 250 km, the distance needs watching. The coastal road out and the N2 back come to about 255 km from the city before any driving in and around Hermanus. That means a few kilometres over the included distance, billed at the rate on your quote. The driver tells you before either limit is reached, so there are no surprises at the end of the day.
A Hermanus day built this way has time for a stop at Betty's Bay, the cliff path in town, lunch and a tasting in the Hemel-en-Aarde valley before the drive home. In whale season, read when to go for the whales first, because a calm morning on the cliffs and a calm morning on Clarence Drive are the same morning, and you may have to choose.
Driving it yourself or with a driver
The route asks a lot of whoever drives it. On Clarence Drive the driver's eyes are on the bends, and the person at the wheel sees the least. On the way home, after a tasting and a long day, the same person is on the N2 in the late afternoon traffic.
If you are a confident driver, comfortable on mountain roads and keeping left, and not planning to taste wine, you can do this route yourself in a hired car. Many visitors do.
A private driver makes sense when everybody in the party wants to look out of the window, when there is wine at the end of the day, or when the group is too large for one car. The rate is per vehicle, never per person, and driver, fuel and tolls are included. The Hermanus day trip page sets out what a full day covers, and the guide to the Hermanus day trip from Cape Town covers what to do once you arrive.
Common questions
Is Clarence Drive safe?
In good weather it is a well-used public road. The risks are rockfalls and slips after heavy rain, which is why sections close from time to time. Check the current road status before the day and choose the N2 when the weather is poor.
How much longer is the coastal route to Hermanus?
About half an hour more than the N2 without stops, on routing data that excludes traffic. With a stop at Stony Point or the botanical garden, allow an hour or more.
Can we stop for photographs on Clarence Drive?
Yes, where it is safe to pull over. The road is narrow, so the driver chooses the place rather than stopping on a bend.
Can an airport transfer to Hermanus take the coastal road?
Ask the concierge when you book. Transfers are a fixed fee per zone, so a detour along the coast is agreed and quoted at the time of booking.
To plan the day, send the concierge your date, the number of people, where you are staying and any fixed times in Hermanus. The concierge replies with a written quote and a booking reference.