An international bestseller, this is an emotional and riveting story of the Owens’ travel and adventurous life in the Kalahari Desert.? “A remarkable story beautifully told. It’s actually a freaking amazing place to travel, so long as you go with the flow and don’t worry too much about seeing it all. Is there any other way to book or you have to call directly? This trail becomes fully booked every summer through the Parks Canada online booking system. Oh – thanks for letting me know that South Africa is actually pretty affordable and easy to get around. To be honest, I didn’t spent much time here, but you can continue east to KZN’s best wildlife parks near Mozambique. One important tip: never let anyone assist you at ATMs. There are so many trekking opportunities in South Africa, including several famous multi-day coastal and mountain hikes. I think budgeting $40 a day will make for a comfortable backpacking experience if you want to participate in some of South Africa’s unique experiences, like wildlife viewing and hiking. Favorite moments on the water: 1. Then drive to Wilderness – a beautiful beach town, and Plettenberg Bay, which is famous for surfing dolphin spotting. It was recommended to us by countless people but for so many reasons, I just wasn’t a fan. The town is full of surf schools and surf apparel outlet stores, so if you want to stock up on anything by O’Neills, Billabong or RVCA at discounted prices, this is the place to do it. Taking a tent backpacking is not always practical but hammocks are lightweight, cheap, strong, sexy (chicks dig hammocks), and allow you to pitch up for the night pretty much anywhere. South Africa can feel completely European or completely African depending on where you go. This isn’t really a backpacking/budget trip as I travelled via hire car and stayed in Airbnbs and hotels. This bus does have some frustrating limitations though. I’m in Cape Town now and thinking about my next stop so this was super useful. The park is also known for its variety of landscapes, hills, and hiking trails. I didn’t even know there was a rasta community!! Looking forward to my Southern African holiday next year! You can do a point-to-point route without any backtracking by flying into Cape Town and flying out of Johannesburg (or the other way around). You have to drive an out-and-back, windy single lane road to get to Coffee Bay, Dwesa Nature Reserve, Morgan Bay, etc. The backpacker scene. The KwaZulu-Natal region has the highest density of rhinos in South Africa. However, whenever you are volunteering do stay vigilant especially when working with animals or children. It’s not the most impressive, however, when you compare it to Kruger or Hluhluwe Reserve. Public transportation options are almost comically limited, so you either have to do it as a road trip, or take the Baz Bus, which only goes to certain popular stops. Two weeks is just enough time to get a feel for the country. This is the most thorough land crossing I’ve ever been through. It’s a pleasant holiday retreat in a wealthy part of South Africa, with many self-catering holiday cottages, trails with designated picnic areas, and camper van spots. One market is particularly interesting as it’s set on top of an unused elevated highway off-ramp, and sells all kinds of herbs and artifacts used in traditional rituals. I did 5 days in Cape Town and a couple weeks with a friend in Joburg. I was given a 30 day visa at the Zimbabwe border by mistake, which almost led to a dicey detainment at the airport, but that’s another story. As for local transport, there are bus services in all of South Africa’s cities, and minibus taxis that run almost everywhere (stopping in the middle of the highways to pick people up). Found insideThe Africa Book covers 54 countries and all 5 regions of Africa through maps, history, geography, and a selection of classic journeys and itineraries. As the 18th century drew to a close, and the Dutch power faded, and the British empire took over. South Africa even boasts the “Big 7” because it’s possible to see great white sharks and southern white whales. One of the main campsites, Sanddrif, has a winery with a tasting room, and a brewery. Ask your hostel management and locals which neighborhoods are less safe to visit. There are so many beautiful places in South Africa, so let’s keep it that way. 5.2 Last day in Johannesburg. Sorry to hear you never had the best time, but we must agree that SA isn’t the easiest destination for independent travel. With an extra week, you can make the long trek up north to Kruger National Park, and fly out of Johannesburg. Most independent travellers seem to rate Wilderness and The Crags as their top spots along the Garden Route. Discover this beautiful country with this South Africa 3 week itinerary. I recommend checking out South Africa’s highlights, like Cape Town and the Garden Route, without forgetting to visit some of South Africa’s hidden gems. Additional reading – Check out Drakensberg’s best neighborhoods to stay in! I tried to do things independently but lost much time wrestling with slow public transportation and expensive taxis. There are a lot of remote areas and parks worth visiting in South Africa that are hard to get around via public transportation. The roads are generally well maintained. When backpacking South Africa, you may be asked to show your yellow fever vaccine certificate if you have recently travelled in a yellow-fever area, so make sure to have it on hand! Here I aim to inspire others to travel more — and to share honest travel guides from around the world. I never knew this backpacking side of SA! This place was like something out of a dream. Let me know if you have any questions about any of the stops. Be prepared for what life throws at you on the road. Thanks for commenting Black people were oppressed through legislation, denied skilled jobs, and barred from the military. Wilderness boasts a beautiful coastline as well as estuaries and lagoons, making this a great place for hiking and kayaking, as well as surfing. I am personally fascinated with nomadic hunter-gatherer communities, the oldest continuous culture in the world. Most of the destinations on this route can be seen in a day or two. If you are backpacking South Africa during spring, be sure to hike around Namakwa in the Northern Cape, known for its colorful wildflowers, and less crowded than the National Parks in Western Cape. A decent head torch could save your life. I haven’t been to South Africa but I have colleagues who were assigned there for long-term work. I loved Soweto! KZN hosts a few of South Africa’s coolest parks: iSimangaliso Wetland Park and Hwlulwe, as well as South Africa’s wildest beaches and tropical coral reef, which I think are both worth visiting while backpacking in South Africa. The Ultimate Travel guides and Backpacking itinerary for South Africa, South Africa is truly the gateway to Africa. Worldpackers: connecting travellers with meaningful travel experiences. Backpacking South Africa is surprisingly easy and affordable. I realllllyyy hope to backpack in South Africa myself soon enough! Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park is home to a large concentration of rhinos, as well as all of the big cats. My first thought was to follow the same route that had been described in the article, and in many other blogs/reports that I’d found online since then. Bungee Jump off the highest commercial bridge near Storm’s River/Nature’s Valley. It requires a special shuttle booked through Away with the Fairies hostel. I have two weeks from Cape Town to Port Elizabeth. The Western Cape province is where you’ll find Cape Town and the Garden Route, the country’s main tourist destinations. Accommodation is either super luxurious and expensive, or pretty basic bush camps. Public transportation is very lacking, which is why most travelers either self-drive or take the Baz Bus, a hop-on hop-off backpacker bus service. My favorite farm stall was definitely Nature’s Way in Nature’s Valley on the Garden Route. Taking the Baz Bus has its advantages, but one potentially annoying aspect is the compulsory overnight in Port Elizabeth. (Seriously, don’t underestimate the size of South Africa!) We were invited to random braais (BBQs) and hang outs while backpacking South Africa. It has almost everything a traveller would love to see and experience. If you don’t feel like cooking your own breakfast, The Barn on 62 has the best coffee and omelets. Many people who are on a shorter holiday visit only these places, which makes sense as together they lend themselves well to manageable 7 or 10-day itineraries. South Africa is a huge country divided into several diverse regions. Afterwards we visited the Rasta Village in Knysna Township. There’s no doubt the Garden Route is beautiful, but this itinerary is much more wild. The Baz Bus, which is a dedicated coach service used by many backpackers, sadly doesn’t go everywhere — but it does go to most places you’d want to tick off the list. On this suggested budget, you’re staying in a hostel, cooking most of your meals, doing lots of free activities, keeping your drinking to a … South Africa is so much fun! South Africa has a population of 58 million and 29% is unemployed. In Cape Town, I would have relied more on tours. Further up north are Port St. Johns and Mpande. No Patreon and no ads: just you, The Broke Backpacker, and good vibes central. Known for its warm hospitality. I know that Joburg can be a bit dangerous in places. Although the rand is gaining in strength, it is still pretty weak against the euro and prices in general were cheaper than in Europe. During my stay while volunteering in South Africa we made some trips in the region and afterwards if it was time for a backpacking trip through South Africa!. Found inside – Page 591HOTELS Your hotel in South Africa will be similar to one at home; ... fit into your itinerary as they may save you some money if you're planning to visit ... Euros/Pounds are fine for money exchange in South Africa, but many other countries in Africa will only accept USD, and actually prefer it to their local currency (since many currencies in Africa are so unstable). Will be having a look at their options and your recommendations . The Wild Coast gets its name from, well, its wild coast. As you go east of Knysna on the N2, you’ll hit a few more epic towns along the Garden Route, like Nature’s Valley and Storm’s River. What a fabulous trip you had. We were the only campers on Maltese Cross, and it was totally worth it. There are kayaking tours up Storms River that start from the ocean at Tsitsikamma National Park. Fully updated with new maps, the second edit ion of this Guide to Ethiopia offers information on the hist ory, culture, landscape and wildlife of the country for West erners travelling off the beaten track. ' What a beautiful telling of your journey in South Africa. While the Garden Route was just OK, the Eastern Cape tickled my travel bones much more. Apologies for my late reply, technology has failed me recently but I’m back in action with a new laptop. The Grand Hostels revolutionizes travel for the stylish, design-led, budget-conscious traveler. Not just the journey but the place you choose to stay should be an adventure"--Provided by publisher They’re the kind of people where their friends are your friends, and they don’t mind doing a favor for a stranger. Do you wish you could travel more — but can never find the time or money? Check out Backpacker Safety 101 for tips and tricks to stay safe whilst backpacking, and pick yourself up a backpacker security belt to keep your cash safe on the road. Day one is all about travelling to South Africa. Our Is South Africa Safe? Our camp moved with us which meant there was no turning back. However, if you are coming from a country with a strong currency (I’m Australian), you will find that South Africa is very cheap to travel through. South Africa has a great “backpackers” culture that caters to budget travellers. I love the safari tent experience at Nature Valley and the bungee! I followed a coastal route from Cape Town and Johannesburg, which is the popular backpacking route through South Africa. I love your descriptive narration. Week 2: Travel to the islands and check out the central part of Thailand. It’s a lovely place where you can kayak up the rivers or hike along an abandoned railway line. North America – USA 2021 Around The World (RTW) Air-Backpacking Guide- Itinerary, Route, Airlines and Budget Costs North America – Canada 2021 Around The World (RTW) Air-Backpacking Guide- Itinerary, Route, Airlines and Budget Costs … On the other hand, the independent travel scene feels more diverse and all-ages, perhaps because what’s known as a “backpackers” in South Africa is subtly different from hostels elsewhere around the world. The Lower Bergs are near the Sani Pass, a road that leads into neighboring Lesotho’s mountains, and requires a 4WD high clearance car. Or pinning it on my home screen. For me, it’s always interesting to talk to people about how they live! Deciding where to stay in South Africa can be a real struggle. While scuba diving along this coast, it’s possible to see tons of colorful fish, and sea turtles among the colorful reef, as well as pelagic life, like manta rays and sharks. This area is famous for its abundance of ragged tooth sharks, and hammerhead sharks can also be spotted in season. There is a Couchsurfing community here, but it’s not as large or as active as in Europe. You can’t beat free wine tastings or an average $4USD. South Africa is a great country for a road trip, which makes it a great country for motorcycling. Whilst there are so many places to stay in South Africa, it’s pretty easy to get off the beaten path while backpacking South Africa, but it’s going to require your own wheels. Basic breakfast — 40 rand ($3 or €2) 5.1 3 days and 2 nights in Kruger National Park. We found it just a bit cold in August. Drive along Route 62 through Huguenot Tunnel for two hours to reach Robertson Wine Valley. This may not be a true safari like you’ll get at Kruger, but it’s an easy and fun way to see some wildlife on a day-trip. Castle and Black Label are the most popular beers in South Africa, but the microbrew trend is becoming more popular throughout the country. If you’re into dramatic scenery, South Africa is home to semi deserts, mountain ranges, and wild coastlines. South Africans love their beer, and it’s easy to find a party anywhere. On a backpacker’s budget you’ll pay 600-850 ZAR ($33-46 USD) per day. Plus it never felt crowded despite its popularity. Canned hunting is when animals are raised in captivity simply to be hunted. More Comfortable South Africa Backpacking Budget. Most international flights land either here or Johannesburg so this itinerary can also be done in reverse! Pick up an AMK Travel Medical Kit before you head out on your next adventure. Writer and Editor, Ana Pereira is a California native, inspired by Earth exploration and introspection. Pack your trash out. Currency converted automatically based on current rates. Any hostels we couldn’t find on a third party website, we just emailed and most were good for getting back to us. South Africa’s shark cage diving takes place around Gansbaai and Hermanus. For 3 days we walked from point to point, across craters, depressions and farmland. Chobe river boat cruise, Botswana 3. Who the hell isn’t? The Dutch settlers and their descendants, who permanently settled in South Africa became known as Boers. I would credit this mostly to the great time I had on the Wild Coast. More exciting to me was Addo Elephant Park. Wilderness was my favorite town along the N2. Hi Allison, Get Ready for the African Massage. We’ve recently kicked off our own tour which aims to make travelling SA more accessible and safe. The Wild Coast hike takes about 5 days at a 12KM per day pace. You may be luckier and get the epic views the region is known for! I always wonder what a local would think of my impressions! Would love to do a safari and go up table mountain. This guide outlines how much a trip to South Africa costs, the price of accommodation in South Africa … Giriyondo – Between Kruger National Park and Massingir. All of this just ends up in landfill or in the ocean. There are some diving companies that use chum to bait them. Found inside – Page 46The recent outpouring of research work based around backpacker tourism has picked ... service between 180 backpacker hostels and lodges around South Africa, ... I also still had to experience the best parts of my journey. Alexancer Bay – Along the Atlantic coast, you can enter by ferry (2017). Jo’burg is going to be one of the cheapest places to buy a car. I did regret not getting to hike the coastal route properly! I actually loved Mossel Bay, but I think it is more of local taste, There are a lot of antiquities, and there is also a coastal cave route, where you can follow the tracks and see where our early human ancestors lived. The shuttle goes from East London and can take up to 2 hours. It’s a beautiful place. As South Africa’s biggest city, there’s plenty to see. Some of those include Kingfisher Trail in Wilderness, the coastal trails in De Hoop National Reserve for whale sighting, and trekking around the Drakensberg Mountains. I heard mixed reviews about Baz Bus. I recently discovered the beauty of South Africa and my main goal is to reach Cape Town as soon as possible. First of all, I am very jealous! This is a perfect trip for seeing some of the greatest highlights of South America. Day 1 -2: Johannesburg. There is quite a bit of world-class diving in South Africa, mostly within the KZN region. The N2 is the highway that parallels the coastline. Lonely Planet: South Africa, Lesotho, and Swaziland Edition: A detailed guide to all things South Africa. In the 1950s, the apartheid was institutionalised, which prohibited mixed marriages, limited property ownership, and segregated races. Backpacking South Africa 2 Week Itinerary #2: Wild Coast, Animals, and Mountains 2-3 Weeks: Wild Coast, Mountains, and Animals There’s no doubt the Garden Route is beautiful, but this itinerary is much more wild. I loved De Bos Farm, which is walking distance from most of the trailheads. It is definitely do-able in 2 weeks but the more time there, the better Great pics, looks like you had a fab time! As of 2017, the Western Cape is dealing with a detrimental drought, so conserve your water usage. In case you’ve missed them you can read my guide to the Baz Bus here and my guide to Maboneng, Johannesburg here. This is often overlooked by many travellers but it’s really an amazing place. Long Walk to Freedom, by Nelson Mandela and Richard Stengel: Mandela’s famous prison diaries that were smuggled off Robben Island. Header modified from a photo by Ryan Maple under a creative commons licence: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/legalcode. With 3 weeks up your sleeve for Africa, you can really start exploring more than one country. In a month I surfed, scuba dived, hiked, kayaked, and rock climbed my way through South Africa’s dramatic topography and endless coastline. Southern Africa-Most Developed. The value of the rand has fluctuated over the years, though it’s historically been weak against other major currencies. Yep, another newsletter... but it's a good one! Book your transport on 12Go now and guarantee your seat easily. There are some awesome towns off the N62, which I found to be more scenic than the N2. Nakop – This border is open 24 hours a day. If you’re travelling without car camping equipment, like I was, there’s a backpacker 20 minutes up the road called Cederberg Oasis with amazing staff that give the best local advise. I felt safe where we stayed in Joburg (Curiocity in Maboneng) but I definitely wouldn’t be straying too far from there without a guide. Don’t buy one-use water bottles, don’t take plastic shopping bags, and forget straws. Among them was the famous ANC leader, Nelson Mandela, who fought for equality and civil rights his entire life. Pssssst! 3 Week Africa Itinerary – Southern Explorer. I barely scratched the surface when I visited SA and would love to come back someday to see more in Kwazulu Natal This wetland park looks amazing, As a South African I really enjoyed your article and the picture you painted of our country. While the Western Cape felt to me vaguely like traveling in Australia or California (speaking in a very generalized way), the Eastern Cape felt faintly like my adventures in Latin America or Asia. South Africa is huge. Great hiking advise, kitchen, dining room, good campsites, Close to Sani Pass and Lesotho, great hiking and activities, and swimming pool. I thought it was too difficult to get around, unsafe in places, and somehow not as exotic as I expected (which was probably due to starting in the most ‘European’ part). The ANC movement was banned, and its members were arrested and tried for treason. This definitely isn’t possible in parks of this scale in East Africa, which is why those safaris can be so expensive. Tips for traveling the rainbow nation from Cape Town to Johannesburg. Other exchange programs offer a lot of opportunities in South Africa. Many backpackers travel onwards to Namibia, Botswana, Mozambique or Zimbabwe. Mass-farming of cows etc leads to the rainforest being cut down – which is obviously a huge problem. Hi Christina, It gives a range of contact details for all of them and whether or not the Baz Bus stops there. He talks to former guerrilla fighters and their ex-captives; women whose sons were 'disappeared' by paramilitaries; the nomadic tribe who once thought they were the only people on earth and now charge $10 for a photo; the Japanese 'emerald ... Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park is one of Africa’s best parks to see rhinos and hippos, and it’s possible to see the Big 5 here. They were my favourite too! Table Mountain, Capetown, South Africa 3. You can combine them for an amazing Around The World RTW itinerary. Be sure to hike Wolfberg Arch and Maltese Cross because the rock formations and landscapes are epic, and check out the Stadsaal Caves, where you can see ancient hunter-gatherer (bushmen) cave paintings. Kosi Bay – Entrance near the Elephant Coast, one of my favorite areas. Here’s our ultimate backpacking guide to South Africa.