Along drive along a bumpy gravel road brings you to De Hoop Nature Reserve on the Cape south coast – don't be put off; the destination is a spectacular reward. And you can even do the trip in a sedan, if you drive carefully.
For me, it was a sturdy Ford Ranger Wildtrak 3.9 V6, which made light work of the bumps, with me in the driver's seat as cool as a cucumber.
The 36 000 ha reserve is a World Heritage Site rich in biodiversity, with more than 70 km of pristine coastline. Its 19 km vlei is Ramsar listed. If you want more, every year, about 40% of the world's southern right whales turn up to breed
