[1] The R61 begins in Port Shepstone at an interchange with the N2 highway from Durban (at the Oribi Toll Plaza).

As the 1st section is maintained by SANRAL, the R61 is a toll road for 22 km from the N2 Interchange, through Shelly Beach, Margate and Ramsgate, up to Southbroom.

[1] From the provincial boundary (Mtamvuna River), the R61 heads north-west for 50 km to the town of Bizana, which it bypasses to the south.

It continues southwards for 40 kilometres to cross the Mzimvubu River and reach a junction just north of the town of Port St. Johns.

The R61 continues for 85 kilometres as the Wapadsberg Pass to reach a junction with the N9 national route south-east of Bethesdaweg.

The R61 joins the N9 and they are one road southwards for 46 km into the town of Graaff-Reinet, where they meet and are co-signed for a few kilometres with the R63 route, crossing the Sundays River.

This new Wild Coast Highway will provide a shorter and more direct route from Lusikisiki to Port Edward (via the Mtentu Bridge and Msikaba Bridge) while the current R61 passes through Flagstaff and Bizana on the route between those two towns (it will be 69 km shorter than the current R61).