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AfricaAdventureWildlifeCultureCity Break

South Africa

Cape Town, the Garden Route, Kruger Park, and a country of staggering natural beauty and complexity.

Africa
🦁 Safari🏄 Surf🍷 Wine🏔️ Table Mountain

Backpacking South Africa

South Africa is Africa's most accessible entry point — Cape Town regularly tops world city rankings, the Garden Route is extraordinary, and a budget safari in Kruger National Park is genuinely achievable under £100/day.

£30–65/day avg daily budget
Key Info
Rand (ZAR)11 official languages (English universal)Type M (SA 3-round-pin)Drive Left
10–15% at restaurants — expected
Weather
Best: Oct–Apr
Shoulder (Mar–May)Warm Cape Town, great wine country, wildlife still excellent
Southern hemisphere summer October–April. Cape Town best March–May (quieter and warm).
Health
Tap water safe — Tap water safe in Cape Town and major cities
Hepatitis Arecommended
MalariaKruger/northeast regions
Transport
UberBoltBaz Bus hop-on-hop-off
✈️ Johannesburg (JNB) / Cape Town (CPT) / Durban (DUR)
No reliable metro — Uber in cities, Baz Bus for the backpacker route
Emergency
👮 Police10111
🚑 Ambulance10177
🔥 Fire10111
The Highlights

8 Things to Do in South Africa

01
Hike up Table Mountain (cable car down) and watch the sunset over the Cape
02
Drive the Garden Route from Cape Town to Port Elizabeth — take two weeks
03
Do a cage dive with great white sharks off Gansbaai
04
Safari in Kruger National Park — do it yourself camping is brilliant value
05
Take the Blue Train or Shosholoza Meyl overnight train from Cape Town to Johannesburg
06
Visit Robben Island where Mandela was imprisoned
07
Eat a braai (South African BBQ) and drink Pinotage wine in Stellenbosch
08
Hike the Otter Trail along the Garden Route — book a year ahead
Where to Go

Breaking Down South Africa

Each region has a completely different character. Here is what to expect.

🏙️Cape Town

One of the world's great cities — Table Mountain (cable car or hike), Boulders Beach (African penguins), Chapman's Peak Drive, and the Cape Winelands (Stellenbosch, Franschhoek) an hour inland.

🦁Kruger National Park

South Africa's greatest game reserve — the Big Five in a park the size of Wales. Self-drive safaris are possible and cost a fraction of guided safaris. SANParks accommodation is the most affordable overnight option.

🌊Garden Route

The 300km coastal drive from Mossel Bay to Storms River — Knysna's lagoon and oysters, Tsitsikamma National Park, and the bungee jump at Bloukrans Bridge (the world's highest commercial bungee at 216m).

🍷Winelands

South Africa produces extraordinary wine (Pinotage, Chenin Blanc) at a fraction of European prices. Franschhoek's French Huguenot heritage shows in both the architecture and the food — one of the best restaurant strips in Africa.

Money Breakdown

What to Budget For

Getting Around

South Africa is excellent value for Western travellers due to the weak rand.

Budget Tip

Braai from a township market £2-4.

Eating Out

Cape Town restaurant dinner £10-18.

Hostel Dorm

Hostel dorm £10-18.

Budget Tip

Kruger SANParks rest camp accommodation £20-40 per night.

Travel Responsibly

Eco and Community Tips

South Africa's rhino population is under severe poaching pressure — support conservation funds directly (WWF South Africa, Save the Rhino). Township tourism: choose operators who employ township residents as guides and return a significant portion of revenue to community development. Stay on marked paths in all fynbos areas in the Cape Floral Region.

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