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How to Travel Around South Africa

May 13, 2015 / By NomadicMatt

kristin from be my travel muse sitting on a mountain ledge in south africa thinking
On the second Wednesday of the month, Kristin Addis from Be My Travel Muse writes a guest column featuring tips and advice on solo female travel. It’s an important topic I can’t adequately cover, so I brought in an expert to share her advice. This week she talks about her recent trip to South Africa.

When I started planning my South Africa trip, a lot of questions went through my mind: Is a country that big easy to travel around? Is it expensive? What is even possible?

The resources I found online were vague, negative, or simply nonexistent. But after traveling through the country for close to two months, I found a wide variety of reasonably affordable ways to get around. So, to fill the void, here is a breakdown on how to get around South Africa:

By Bus

intercape bus in south africa
There are several companies that run in the country including Greyhound, Intercape, and Baz Bus, which caters specifically to backpackers.

Baz Bus runs a route from Johannesburg to Cape Town (or vice versa) with several stops along the way. You can hop on or off whenever you want and can begin your trip anywhere, but as those two cities have major airports, most people start in one or the other, or sometimes Durban. There’s no limit on how long you can take to go from one end to the other. (Matt says: I’ve taken similar buses in New Zealand and Australia. They can be good for people who want to meet other travelers.)

One-way fares on Baz Bus are available starting at around 500 Rand (about $41) for the shortest journey, which takes about two hours, and increase from there. For those looking to save a bit of cash and use the bus to travel across the country, there is a 21-day, hop-on-hop-off pass, which runs 4,200 Rand ($355). Baz Bus is not a big money saver, as the fares are more than the train and other bus companies, but it is a convenient option for those who are happy to travel along the popular routes and meet other backpackers. The route includes the big cities in South Africa, the famous Drakensberg mountain range, popular spots along the coast, and the famous Garden Route in the Western Cape.

The drawbacks to taking the bus include dealing with a lack of transport once you’re at your destination, though shuttles to various local attractions, such as the bungee jump in Wilderness, are sometimes available at an additional cost. You’ll also need to be flexible with your schedule since the shuttles don’t run every day. The biggest drawback for me was that the buses run along one set route and only go to the most popular tourist destinations, and drop off only at certain backpackers’ accommodations, so for those who like to head off the beaten path, it’s not a great option.

For one-off trips, Greyhound and Intercape serve various bus ports around the country. The buses are large, air-conditioned, comfortable, and filled with locals, not backpackers. Be sure to bring along snacks, as the buses run on a tight schedule and most stops are very brief, if they happen at all.

Prices are more expensive than Baz Bus for shorter journeys of two hours or so ($30-40), but cheaper for longer journeys, such as from Durban to Cape Town, which takes 15 hours ($56). During the high season (December and June through August), you should book ahead as buses fill up quickly.

By Air

orange mango air plane from south africa
Flying around South Africa isn’t that expensive. Budget Airlines like Mango and Kulula serve all major — and even minor — airports in the country with several flights per day. They are easily booked online using any major credit card. For example, a one-way ticket from Johannesburg to Durban is $67.

Even last-minute flights, as long as they still have quite a few seats left, tend not to go up in price if it’s a major route. For a last-minute planner like me, that was a real treat! For less common routes or smaller airports, prices go up the closer the date is. Unsurprisingly, inconvenient times and early morning flights tend to be the cheapest. As with most budget airlines the world over, checked baggage and meals onboard cost extra.

By Car

rental car for transportation in south africa
When I told my friends I was planning to drive solo through South Africa, they immediately talked me out of it, envisioning dangerous roads and thieves with no help should something go wrong. In truth, road-tripping through South Africa is not much of a problem at all, as other cars are passing by all the time should a breakdown occur, and South Africans are incredibly friendly and helpful.

That’s not to say driving in South Africa is without risk. There are carjackings from time to time, and break-ins are common, but being aware of this and taking precautions to keep valuables hidden and doors locked greatly reduces the risks.

Regardless, if you would rather not travel alone, there are options. You can post on travel forums such as Nomadic Matt’s, Thorn Tree, the Africa Backpacking Facebook group, or Couchsurfing.org. Gumtree and hostels also are good ways to find ridesharing buddies. There are always travelers looking for a ride to some off-the-beaten-path destination. (I found my partner in crime through a friend of mine.)

Renting a car is the most convenient way to get around since you can get to many out-of-the-way parks, cities, and destinations, and, when splitting gas and rental fees with one or more other passengers, it beats the price of Baz Bus.

I rented a Volkswagon Vevo on a car comparison website, which we booked online and picked up in person. The price worked out to be $250 for two weeks, including gas, the fee for dropping off in a different city than we rented in (we picked the car up in Johannesburg and dropped it off in Cape Town), and insurance. Gas runs an average of about $1 per liter at the time of this writing, and, if driving a small car like we had, mileage is pretty good. We also gave rides to other backpackers we met along the way in exchange for a bit of gas money.

While it’s possible to buy a cheap car and sell it later, the paperwork can sometimes take months to go through and thus is not the best for travelers who don’t plan to spend ages in the country.

For most of the popular destinations in South Africa, a small manual car will do, though a 4×4 would have been helpful for a few of the lesser-visited places that we went to during our road trip, such as the amphitheater hike in the Drakensberg mountains. Had we taken Baz Bus, we would have spent an extra $100 per person and missed some of the areas we visited that Baz Bus doesn’t drive to.

By Train

yellow train riding through south africa
South Africa has a lot of train tracks. Most aren’t currently in use, as the population has increasingly come to rely on the extensive highway system. However, major cities in South Africa are still served by a few train companies that range from cheap to high luxury.

Shosholoza Meyl long-distance trains serve Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, Bloemfontein, Durban, East London, Johannesburg, Queenstown, and East London. They’re comfortable and safe and make various stops at smaller towns along the way. The fares are some of the cheapest available for any mode of transport in South Africa, running as low as $28 for a sleeper berth from Johannesburg to Durban. You can visit the company’s timetable for more information on fares and stops.

For those who are interested some luxury, the famous Blue Train, which runs form Pretoria to Cape Town, costs $1,300 one-way for a shared berth during low season and goes up from there. It’s an expensive but luxurious experience that includes wine, cigars, great food, and comfortable compartments.

Safety

One last issue of safety: South Africa isn’t more dangerous for a solo traveler than your typical big city in the United States. I was surprised to see that the murder rate of Detroit is actually significantly higher than that of South Africa. That said, muggings are still common, especially amongst tourists and particularly in Cape Town and Johannesburg. Given the high level of rape and theft in South Africa, I wouldn’t advise hitchhiking (and this is something I love to do!).

Additionally, one shouldn’t walk around alone at night, be flashy, or leave things showing in the car, but much of that is true around the world.

There are numerous ways to get around South Africa, and after testing several methods, I think the best is a car rental. Nothing else offers the flexibility, convenience, and reasonable price tag. If a car rental isn’t your thing and you’re solo, I’d consider the Baz Bus.

That said, regardless of which of the above transport methods you choose, South Africa is easy and relatively affordable to travel around, whether you’re solo, in a group, or a duo.

Kristin Addis is a solo female travel expert who inspires women to travel the world in an authentic and adventurous way. A former investment banker who sold all of her belongings and left California in 2012, Kristin has solo traveled the world for over four years, covering every continent (except for Antarctica, but it’s on her list). There’s almost nothing she won’t try and almost nowhere she won’t explore. You can find more of her musings at Be My Travel Muse or on Instagram and Facebook.

Conquering Mountains: The Guide to Solo Female Travel

conquering mountains: solo female travel by kristin addisFor a complete A-to-Z guide on solo female travel, check out Kristin’s new book, Conquering Mountains. Besides discussing many of the practical tips of preparing and planning your trip, the book addresses the fears, safety, and emotional concerns women have about traveling alone. It features over twenty interviews with other female travel writers and travelers. Click here to learn more about the book, how it can help you, and you can start reading it today!

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  1. Kicy

    May 13, 2015 at 6:27 pm

    I never considered renting a car in South Africa, not because of safety, but I assumed it would be very expensive. I was planning on using the Baz Bus but not I will reconsider. The is remarkably cheap for 2 weeks and gives you so much freedom!

    One question, do you need a South African driver’s license to rent a car?

    • Kristin Addis

      May 14, 2015 at 4:52 pm

      Nope you just need a license in English and if not then an international license.

  2. Ava

    May 13, 2015 at 6:55 pm

    @Kicy, we rented a car for our 2 week trip and found it to be the most affordable option while also allowing us flexibility to adapt our journey as we desired. We have US drivers license and they were accepted without problem from the rental place. Do keep in mind you will be driving on the other side of the road and the more affordable cars are manual transmission.

  3. Anthony

    May 13, 2015 at 7:28 pm

    South Africa is a fantastic place to visit – I’ve been there 5 times and have never had a problem there. By far, has the best infrastructure in Africa and relatively easy to get around.

  4. tania donald

    May 14, 2015 at 7:02 pm

    Kristin,
    thank you so much for writing this I’m going to use it in my ESL lesson (I’m a South African currently teaching English in Brazil) . It is so refreshing to read positive comments about SA for a change, It is a beautiful country (albeit it’s political turmoil) and there are some really great things/places to see. Your comments about safety and being vigilant wherever you are in the world are echoed by myself, if only people would use their intelligence when it comes to the media hype, it is often just that – media hype and 99% of incidents happen because people are oblivious to their surroundings. Thank you so much for expressing/sharing your worldly opinion.

    • Kristin Addis

      May 15, 2015 at 12:41 am

      Thanks for the kind words, Tania! Such a fabulous country to travel through and I didn’t have any incidents.

  5. James Childre

    May 15, 2015 at 4:12 pm

    Any advice for family travels in SA? My family and I are in a round the world, open-ended trip and will be in Africa after our wandering in Europe is complete in a few months. I have 3 daughters and wish to keep them safe. As a female traveler is there any advice you can give? You can see our current adventures at tribeof5.com.

    • Kristin Addis

      May 17, 2015 at 12:23 pm

      I’d take the same precautions and would still suggest renting a car. I met plenty of people traveling with families and babies there. No wildly different concerns safety-wise.

  6. Bob Merrick

    May 18, 2015 at 10:49 am

    South Africa has been on my radar lately as I have been hearing a lot of good things about traveling there. I would never have thought about car travel, but it sounds like the best way to go. I always enjoyed trains, so I might still look into it even though they may have become neglected as you suggested.

  7. Ross Clarke

    May 20, 2015 at 1:57 pm

    I’m from South Africa I’ve driven hundreds of thousand kilometres in most of the cities and I am alive and well. However we do have major political and criminal problems. These problems however should not deter anyone from visiting such a beautiful country. As long as you are vigilant and safe (as you should always be) then you will be fine.

    Just keep in mind the strict new travel laws for parents coming June 1 2015.

  8. John Williams

    May 22, 2015 at 5:04 pm

    Always wanted to see South Africa and really like the sound of the Blue Train.
    Thanks for an interesting article.
    Have booked marked this blog

  9. Samantha

    May 25, 2015 at 12:12 pm

    Thank you for this helpful information. I went as a single female traveler to Cape Town for New Year’s and I agree that I felt just as safe there as I do in some big American cities like Chicago. The next time I go, I want to see more of the country, so this information is useful.

  10. Noelle Brah

    May 29, 2015 at 12:50 am

    Great advice. I did a 10 day trip of South Africa and we used a car to see six different cities (and some quicker stops in between).

    I would advise against hitchhiking as well, and definitely don’t walk around at night. In general, being with another person is always safer there.

    Cape Town is a truly amazing city though and one of my favorites now.

  11. Grace Blake

    May 30, 2015 at 2:31 am

    I really love this article! I am an Australian currently living in Botswana. I’ve been to South Africa a few times but I haven’t travelled as extensively as I’d like to there. It’s great to hear in-depth information about alternative travel routes and options compared to the usual over landing tours. Keep up the great work and thanks!

  12. Darren

    October 9, 2016 at 12:36 am

    Hi, hope this finds you well,

    I have enjoyed reading the Posts and looking at going to SA in July 2017.

    Can you give me an idea of SA’s affordability for travellers – i.e accommodation, food, game park accommodation costs, internal flights, fuel and general cost of living comparisons etc (if possible) to the Australian dollar.

    Many Thanks

  13. Monika

    December 21, 2016 at 12:51 am

    It is absolutely awesome to read about your own country from a traveler’s perspective. Thank you! 🙂 This is a very informative piece. There is so much to see and so much more to experience in South Africa. From beaches to the bush, from museums to whale watching, from the Cradle of Mankind to hot air ballooning in the North West Province, from biking tours to hiking tours – this is definitely a bucket list destination.

  14. NomadicMatt

    May 26, 2017 at 12:35 pm

    Hey everyone! Due to the age of this post and the difficulty in moderating lots of posts spam, comments here have been turned off. If you would like to continue the discussion, head over to the forums at http://forums.nomadicmatt.com and chat there! I post frequently and reply to threads on the boards! See ya there! Thanks! – Matt

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