The Western Cape gets all the love when it comes to scenic driving routes. From mountainous topography to above-average road surfaces, it’s hard to deny the province has plenty going for it where motoring adventures are concerned.
But if you are tired of Gauteng’s largely flat surfaces and veld-intensive landscapes, you need not slog all the way down the N1 in the direction of Cape Town to experience sights of breathtaking cliffsides and curvy roads.
A three-hour or so trek takes you to a place like the Golden Gate Highlands National Park. There are other ways to get there, but we opted to sail down the smooth N3 toll route, exiting the national freeway just after Harrismith, then joining the R712 and R57 roads, which leads straight into the park.
Once off the N3, the road surface changes — not terrible - but there are potholes that would swallow a Renault Kwid whole. The prospect of colliding with one of these craters is a tad less daunting when piloting a vehicle like the Ford Everest Platinum. This particular unit is part of our motoring hub’s long-term test fleet (read more about the nitty-gritties of ownership on TimesLIVE Motoring); it needed its legs stretched on the open road and was called into action for the journey.
In all, it was a trek of 612km (there and back) which took the vehicle’s odometer to 4,200km all accrued since joining our garage in September 2025. It will return to its custodians at Ford’s headquarters towards the end of March.
The Everest is based on the Ranger’s architecture, but disguises its agricultural roots rather well. Especially in the case of the Platinum model tested here, which is the range-topping derivative. And the most expensive Ford sport-utility vehicle on sale in the country, with a list price of R1,324,000 — one step below that is the Wildtrak version, for R1,244,000.
The personality of the Platinum is swankier than the Wildtrak. Like its metal namesake, this Everest shines with gratuitous brightwork, from the grille to the finish of the 19-inch alloys. It seems to echo flavours of US-market models: brawny, assertive and with a gangster-like swagger.
Dons of industry — and their families — will appreciate the cabin appointments of the Everest Platinum. Supple black leather upholstery, a panoramic roof, heated and ventilated front seats (the second row is just heated); as well as a powerful air-conditioning system that really earned its stripes over summertime December — the big Ford is a pleasant space in which to cover miles.
The driver benefits from a raft of assistance functions, making a jaunt down straight freeways less tiresome. That includes adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring and a fatigue monitor.
But the real ace up the Everest’s sleeve is its potent V6 engine, a turbocharged-diesel unit churning out 184kW/600Nm. With such figures, it could just about move mountains without breaking a sweat. And it never feels exerted — you plant the power pedal down and it complies with a groundswell of torque, accompanied by an endearing diesel bellow.
The roads through the Golden Gate Highlands National Park are narrow and less conducive to spirited driving. Instead, it is a route that encourages leisurely cruising — windows and sunroof open — taking in the fresh air. But, being overtaken by overzealous Hilux drivers and more than one Lesotho-plated VW Golf GTI, not everyone gets the memo.
At the end of 2024 we took a Mustang Dark Horse through some of Lesotho’s finest roads. The Golden Gate route gives one a taste of what the landlocked Mountain Kingdom has to offer, as it is in close proximity to the country’s borders. It is an expansive reserve, covering an area of 340km2.
Beyond the majestic rock formations and natural streams, there is some wildlife action too, with birds of prey such as the Cape vulture out and about, as well as an abundance of buck species. All we managed to see were some curious Chacma baboons that forced a retreat back into the car from our picnic spot. There are many quiet spaces along the road at which to pause, break bread and enjoy a cup of coffee.
Overnighters have options such as the Golden Gate Hotel, Glen Reenen Rest Camp and Highlands Mountain Retreat or driving about 20km further from the park’s west exit into the charming, tiny town of Clarens.
The daily conservation fee for entry as listed by the South African National Parks website is R73, or R37 for children under 12.
