Day trips

The 14 Best Day Trips from Paarl

Drive times, distances, what to see, and a sample day plan for every place worth the trip.

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There are 14 good day trips from Paarl, South Africa, led by Cape Town, Somerset West, Worcester. The closest is Stellenbosch, about 35 min by car, and 10 of them fit into half a day. Below: drive times, distances, what to see, and a sample day plan.

Day trips from Paarl at a glance

DestinationDistanceDrive timeBest as
Cape Town55 km SW1 hr 5 minFull-day trip
Somerset West41 km S45 minHalf-day trip
Worcester45 km E50 minHalf-day trip
Stellenbosch24 km SW35 minHalf-day trip
Atlantis49 km W55 minHalf-day trip
Saldanha125 km NW1 hr 55 minFull-day trip
Kraaifontein27 km SW40 minHalf-day trip
Hermanus80 km S1 hr 15 minFull-day trip
Durbanville32 km W35 minHalf-day trip
Kuils River34 km SW40 minHalf-day trip
Vredenburg130 km NW2 hrFull-day trip
Malmesbury38 km NW45 minHalf-day trip
Ceres51 km NE1 hrHalf-day trip
Grabouw47 km S55 minHalf-day trip

Drive times are estimates from the distance. Check live traffic before you leave.

The best day trips from Paarl

  1. 1

    Cape Town, South Africa

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 5 min by car55 km south-west of Paarl2 hr 10 min round trip

    Known for Non-Violence.

    Also nearby: Athlone.

  2. 2

    Somerset West, South Africa

    Half-day trip
    About 45 min by car41 km south of Paarl1 hr 30 min round trip
  3. 3

    Worcester, South Africa

    Half-day trip
    About 50 min by car45 km east of Paarl1 hr 40 min round trip
  4. 4

    Stellenbosch, South Africa

    Half-day trip
    About 35 min by car24 km south-west of Paarl1 hr 10 min round trip
  5. 5

    Atlantis, South Africa

    Half-day trip
    About 55 min by car49 km west of Paarl1 hr 50 min round trip
  6. 6

    Saldanha, South Africa

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 55 min by car125 km north-west of Paarl3 hr 50 min round trip
  7. 7

    Kraaifontein, South Africa

    Half-day trip
    About 40 min by car27 km south-west of Paarl1 hr 20 min round trip
  8. 8

    Hermanus, South Africa

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 15 min by car80 km south of Paarl2 hr 30 min round trip
  9. 9

    Durbanville, South Africa

    Half-day trip
    About 35 min by car32 km west of Paarl1 hr 10 min round trip
  10. 10

    Kuils River, South Africa

    Half-day trip
    About 40 min by car34 km south-west of Paarl1 hr 20 min round trip
  11. 11

    Vredenburg, South Africa

    Full-day trip
    About 2 hr by car130 km north-west of Paarl4 hr round trip
  12. 12

    Malmesbury, South Africa

    Half-day trip
    About 45 min by car38 km north-west of Paarl1 hr 30 min round trip
  13. 13

    Ceres, South Africa

    Half-day trip
    About 1 hr by car51 km north-east of Paarl2 hr round trip
  14. 14

    Grabouw, South Africa

    Half-day trip
    About 55 min by car47 km south of Paarl1 hr 50 min round trip

A sample day trip: Paarl to Cape Town

A realistic pace for Cape Town, 55 km from Paarl. Packy AI builds this for any place on the list, with a route, opening hours and timings you can edit.

  1. 08:30Leave Paarl
  2. 09:35Arrive in Cape Town (1 hr 5 min drive)
  3. 09:50Non-Violence
  4. 11:50Lunch
  5. 13:05Explore the old town, markets and cafes of Cape Town
  6. 15:35Head back to Paarl
  7. 16:40Home in Paarl

Good to know

Frequently asked questions

What are the best day trips from Paarl?
The best day trips from Paarl are Cape Town, Somerset West, Worcester, Stellenbosch, Atlantis. The closest is Stellenbosch, about 35 min away by car.
What is the closest day trip from Paarl?
Stellenbosch is the closest, 24 km south-west of Paarl, roughly 35 min by car. Best as a half-day trip.
Where can I go within an hour of Paarl?
10 places are within about an hour's drive of Paarl: Stellenbosch (35 min), Kraaifontein (40 min), Durbanville (35 min), Kuils River (40 min), Malmesbury (45 min), Somerset West (45 min).
What is the biggest city near Paarl for a day out?
Cape Town is the largest city in day-trip range, 55 km south-west of Paarl and about 1 hr 5 min by car. With that much to see, start early or stay the night.
How far is too far for a day trip from Paarl?
Up to about two hours each way keeps the day relaxed. The farthest place on this list is Vredenburg at 130 km, around 2 hr by car.

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