Last Updated: 11/7/20 | November 7th, 2020
Welcome to another edition of our new Africa column with Natasha and Cameron from The World Pursuit. While I’ve been to the continent in the past, I’ve only seen a few countries and this website is really thin on Africa content. I’m super duper excited to have these two travelers share their knowledge about traveling the continent. They will share budget tips, detailed guides, itineraries, and stories to get you excited and prepared for your own trip! Today, they share their tips and tricks on how to get around Southern Africa on a budget.
In 2016, we started thinking about our trip through Southern Africa. We knew that the region was vast and that travel there was a difficult mystery. We weren’t even sure if it was possible to cross the continent on our own. All we knew was that we wanted to see the great African plains, watch lions attack impalas, and have a drink while listening to the sound of fish eagles.
Fast forward nine months, and we now own a South African–registered Land Cruiser and have been touring the massive continent by ourselves.
How did we get to this point? Was it the cheapest option? Or did we make a massive blunder by throwing a bunch of cash into a major liability, what with bad roads, border officials, bribes, and mechanical costs?
Perhaps an overland tour would have been the best option? Or might backpacking across the continent have achieved our goal?
What is the best option for budget travelers in Southern Africa: an overland tour, backpacking, or self-driving? It all comes down to what you want to see and how you want to experience Africa.
Here are the pros and cons of each option:
Overland Tours
Overland tours are one of the most popular options for young people wanting to travel Southern Africa. All transportation and accommodation, most food, and many activities are covered. They require little to no planning and no driving, are safe, and offer a sure way to meet other travelers.
Intrepid Travel, Acacia Africa, Nomad, Oasis, and Absolute Africa are five of the most popular “budget” overland safari companies. These tours venture in and around South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Malawi (as well as Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania).
Some tours cut out a few countries, while the “mega” tours include all of them. Some of the tours spend only two days in a certain country; others may spend a week there.
Additionally, some tours include almost all activities, food, and park fees in the cost while others make these add-on fees. There are also other add-ons you can include such as bungee jumping off the Victoria Falls Bridge or a hot-air balloon ride over the Serengeti.
Regardless of the overland company, expect to add roughly $5-10 USD a day for various expenses, like waters, beer, and tipping your guides.
Tour Company | Average Daily Cost |
Acacia | $112 USD |
Nomad | $150 USD |
Oasis | $88 USD |
Absolute | $115 USD |
Intrepid | $131 USD |
Note: The prices differ according to where in Africa you are traveling, albeit not drastically. This is a crucial detail when determining to take an overland tour or go at it alone. Southern Africa is intrinsically cheaper and easier to do on your own than the rest of Africa. I like to call it “Africa Light.” Gas is cheaper, national parks are cheaper, food is cheaper, and the infrastructure is better suited for tourism. A tour in Southern Africa won’t be the same price as a tour in East, West, or North Africa. Every region costs different; Africa is far from uniform!
Pros of Doing an Overland Tour in Southern Africa:
- Organized tours require little to no planning on a challenging continent
- Great option for meeting people, especially as a solo traveler
- Knowledgeable guides and safe drivers on harsh road conditions
- Groups can be great fun
Cons of Doing an Overland Tour in Southern Africa:
- Lack of “adventure” on an organized tour
- No independence and hard to get away from the typical tourist activities
- Lack of genuine local interaction
- High cost
- Enjoyment is subject to the atmosphere of the group
Note: There are a few experiences offered by some overland tours that we do not agree with ethically. Any tour that puts you in contact with wild animals, such as lion walks, cheetah petting, and elephant riding, should raise immediate red flags.
Ethics and tourism in Africa can be very murky; don’t always expect your tour operator to vet every activity and attraction. For more information about ethical animal tourism, read this post.
Self-Driving
There are a plethora of variables that go into self-driving, but we’ll stick with the basics. Operating on the assumption that you will not choose to purchase a vehicle in Africa (you’d have to be crazy like us), your four main expenses will be transportation, food, accommodation, and activities.
Transportation
When we first arrived in South Africa, we got a small pickup rental truck for $650 USD per month ($21 USD a day), split between the two of us. We went with a 2×4 to travel through Mozambique, but if you route carefully and skip the dirt roads and sand, it’s very possible to get around most of southern Africa in a sedan (we’ve even met people doing it on motorcycles)!
Rental vehicles are the cheapest in South Africa and can be driven into neighboring countries with a letter from the rental company stating your intent to cross borders. A manual sedan in Johannesburg can be rented for as little as $120 USD per week.
You may want to drive to remote areas, which means a fully kitted 4×4 rental; those come in at $650-1,000 USD a week out of South Africa and Namibia on the low end for a round-trip car rental.
However, for that price, you can score a truck that can go anywhere and has comfortable roof tents that can accommodate four people — which is the best way to get one heck of a safari for an affordable price. (We self-drove into the Okavango Delta and got further than any backpacker or overland tour could ever go.)
It’s important to factor in road tolls and gas into your costs. Tolls in southern Africa are few and far between, but they do exist and you can expect to pay $10–20 USD a week in tolls if you’re driving around South Africa.
Keep in mind that distances are vast in Africa, so you’ll be covering some major ground getting from point to point. Southern Africa is bigger than all of Europe, so expect to budget about $150–225 USD a week for fuel, depending on how fast you move and the distances covered.
While these numbers may be difficult for a solo traveler, a group of friends together can make an African road trip very cheap. Obviously, the cost per person goes down with the more travel companions you add. If you don’t have travel partners, try joining groups on Facebook like Backpacking Africa.
Food
Food in Africa can be very affordable (of course there are some exceptions to this if you are eating out or have a special diet). You can find almost everything you want at large Western supermarkets in South Africa; however, as you work your way north, Western-style grocery stores become a rarity.
Outside of big cities, most food will come from roadside stands or tiny convenience stores — all of which offer affordable local prices. If you’re cooking your own meals, you can get by on less than $80 USD a week for food. That includes eating three meals a day and items that may be considered luxuries to backpackers, such as steak, real coffee with milk, and a decent sandwich lunch.
Accommodation
Campsites can range from $7–20 USD per person a campsite; this does not include a tent or sleeping bag. Camping in southern African national parks is closer to $20–30 USD per person plus daily park fees. The campsites are usually fenced in to provide protection from wildlife and have facilities such as an ablution block.
In major cities, you will be able to find hostels, budget hotels, and Airbnbs, and it’s possible to get a bed for the same price as camping. Dorm beds run $10–20 USD per night and a double room $15–50 USD per night (depending on how fancy you want to get). Keep in mind, however, that this isn’t Europe. Don’t be picky and prepare for some less-than-desirable rooms.
If you’re feeling truly adventurous, rooms in local roadside establishments cost around $3–8 USD a night but don’t plan on sleeping much because they’re often noisy and a little dirty.
Activities
You can’t get around Africa without some activity expenses. National parks, private game reserves, and safaris all cost money (as do other activities like bungee jumping, hot air balloon rides, and any other adventure activities).
The good news is that park costs in the region are all affordable. Although you won’t have the comfort of being in a big game viewer and will have to spend money on fuel driving around the park all day, you will still able to see wildlife driving your own vehicle on your own time. Prices for parks will vary but expect to pay between $10-25 USD for admission.
Note: These entry fees are based on international passports and do not include vehicle fees. Almost every park in Africa charges a vehicle fee for self-drivers. The fee can range anywhere between $5-50 USD per day, depending on the country and the car’s type and registration (though most fees are under $10 USD). In summary, it is next to impossible to estimate a budget for driving yourself.
Here are some average self-driving costs per day per person:
Rental car and fuel (two persons)* | $25 USD (sedan) to $90 USD(4×4) |
Accommodation | $10 USD (camping) to $25 USD (dorm or shared private room) |
Food | $10–15 USD |
Activities | $10 USD |
Total | $55–140 USD |
Prices based on car rentals in South Africa.
Pros of Self-Driving Southern Africa:
- Sense of adventure tackling Southern Africa on your own
- Freedom to drive wherever you want
- National parks are cheaper than hopping on an organized safari
- You can take as much or as little time in a place
- You can delve deeper into local and rural African life with your own set of wheels
Cons of Self-Driving Southern Africa:
- The paperwork and bureaucratic headache of crossing borders with a car
- Constant planning and routing and always being “on” can become exhausting
- Maintaining and fixing the car if anything goes wrong
- Little to no help if problems arise
- Poor road maintenance can lead to potholes and road corrugation
Public Transport or “Backpacking”
It is incredibly hard to estimate the cost of backpacking around Southern Africa because it can vary so widely depending on one’s style. It’s also dependent on if you want to completely go off the grid or if you want to do touristy things.
Some may be okay with walking into a village, paying a few dollars to the local chief, and pitching a tent in the dirt, while others wouldn’t dream of this and would rather take public transport from campsite to campsite. Living like a local in Southern Africa is very hard if you’re traveling. Poverty is rampant in Africa, and many Africans can’t even afford to adequately feed themselves, let alone travel to the next town while living on a dollar a day.
Due to the lack of demand and infrastructure for long-distance travel, the transport options are much more difficult compared to the West and Asia.
Transportation
Local buses around town can cost anywhere from $0.25-1.50 USD. They also only serve local towns and villages. For the larger intercity buses, you can expect to pay $10–25 USD for a 4–12-hour bus ride (sometimes longer). Tourist spots, parks, hostels, and campsites are often not near any major towns or villages, so you’ll need some budget for local taxis or plan on hitchhiking. The price of a taxi can range from $3–15 USD, depending on distance and remoteness.
Food
There shouldn’t be any difference here compared to self-driving. The only exception is that self-drivers have the advantage of buying items in bulk and carrying cooking gear with them. If you are traveling by local transport and backpacking, your food options may be cheaper as you eat more and more of the local food and have less access to supermarkets.
On the other hand, your costs could rise since you may not have the proper gear to cook all your own meals and may, therefore, frequent restaurants more.
Accommodation
Campsites, hostels, and guesthouses will not differ in pricing compared to those for self-drivers. However, as an overland traveler without a car and just a backpack, you can sometimes instead pay a small fee ($3–5 USD) to a local village chief and pitch a tent in the community.
Activities
While you’ll be able to save on most things when backpacking southern Africa, you will lose out when it comes to seeing wildlife. Whereas overland tours and self-drivers have their own vehicle, backpackers will have to pay for each and every safari experience they want to have. Hopping on a day game drive into game parks costs between $75-250 USD. The price difference is large when compared to self-driving with your own vehicle, but most backpackers visit fewer parks so the cost difference isn’t out of this world.
These are some average backpacking costs per day:
Transportation | $10-15 USD |
Accommodation | $10-25 USD |
Food | $10-15 USD |
Activities | $15 USD |
Total | $45-70 USD |
It is possible to backpack Africa for cheaper; we’ve even met people walking, backpacking, or cycling around the continent. However, someone who travels slowly, camps in villages, and skips national parks will have a much different trip than overland tours and self-drivers in southern Africa.
Pros of Backpacking Southern Africa:
- Complete integration into local life
- Cheaper than a tour or self-driving
- Breaks boundaries with locals as they do not view you as having many means
- Operate on your own schedule
Cons of Backpacking Southern Africa:
- Uncomfortable, exhausting, long, and even dangerous bus and train rides across the continent
- Greater chance of getting in an accident or having items stolen
- You should get used to being dirty
- No one to help you should something go wrong
- Constant routing and planning can get tiring
Final Verdict
So what’s the best option for seeing southern Africa? It’s a difficult decision because overland tours are certainly the easiest, but also the most expensive and least adventurous.
Backpacking can be difficult and uncomfortable and may hinder your experiences in Africa as most of the natural sights and national parks are far removed from populated cities where public transport operates.
However, if you’re looking to meet some of the friendliest people on earth Africans are quick to befriend a backpacker. Self-driving falls somewhere in the middle, as it can be incredibly adventurous but will offer the most flexibility with a more mid-range price tag.
In my opinion, Southern Africa is best done on your own because of its infrastructure and lower cost. Travel through each country varies a lot. In the end, it comes down to what you are looking for in terms of adventure, interactions, costs, comfort, and ease.
Natasha and Cameron run the blog The World Pursuit, focusing on adventure and cultural travel. They met in the film industry before deciding to abandon the American lifestyle and travel the world together. You can follow along with their adventures on Instagram and Facebook.
Book Your Trip: Logistical Tips and Tricks
Book Your Flight
Use Skyscanner or Momondo to find a cheap flight. They are my two favorite search engines because they search websites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is left unturned. Start with Skyscanner first though because they have the biggest reach!
Book Your Accommodation
You can book your hostel with Hostelworld as they have the biggest inventory and best deals. If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use Booking.com as they consistently return the cheapest rates for guesthouses and cheap hotels.
Don’t Forget Travel Insurance
Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:
- World Nomads (for everyone below 70)
- Insure My Trip (for those over 70)
- Medjet (for additional repatriation coverage)
Looking for the Best Companies to Save Money With?
Check out my resource page for the best companies to use when you travel. I list all the ones I use to save money when I’m on the road. They will save you money when you travel too.
Christine
This is such a great post, and reminded me why I wanted to go back to South Africa after coming back from my vacation there a few years back! We rented a vehicle for our group which was by far the best idea as you get to explore this amazing country!
Natasha
There are so many nooks and crannies you get to see when you have your own vehicle. We rented a car too and traveled around for three months and still didn’t see all we wanted. Totally understand the want to go back!
Raimee
I want to go! 😀
Pierce Sohlden
Hey Matt,
I have never been to South Africa but it seems like a very interesting place. It seems like it has some very interesting cities as well as lots of beautiful nature.Thank you for providing such a detailed blog. I like how you have the prices for activities, food, travel, as well as accommodation. If you had to pick one country in South Africa to travel to on pricing what would it be? Also if you had to pick one country in South Africa just off of what there was to do in the country what would it be?
Natasha
South Africa has many great cities to explore. Our favorites are Cape Town, Clarens, and Durban but many cool places are not in cities! South Africa is the cheapest country we have traveled in Southern Africa and I would say that Namibia is packed with unique things to do and see.
Liam
Great post guys and congrats on getting a regular guest post gig with Matt 🙂
Will you be writing anything about buying your own vehicle? As that seems like the best option if you didn’t want to make a return trip. Eg go from South Africa to Kenya. Or am I completely wrong and buying a car is as crazy as you say?
Cheers,
Liam
Natasha
Thank you! We actually do have a post on buying our own vehicle (it’s linked out on this one under “purchase a vehicle in Africa” towards the top. We have been driving for just over six months from Cape Town and are currently in Uganda. We get to see anywhere in Africa that we want because of the car (just pick a trustworthy one). I will let you know if it’s crazy once I find out how easy it is to sell in a few months! 🙂
Liam
Thanks for the speedy reply Nat. Good luck selling the car and looking forward to hearing how crazy the idea was haha 🙂
Ritika Gupta
Hi Matt,
Thank for sharing amazing guide & comprehensive blog with us. In my experience great options are available here to travel South Africa. Several years ago I went to South Africa and hire a car and self drive. My journey is flexible and tons of fun and I carry a vast of information on travel, accommodation, safari’s, tours, national parks etc. I recommend anyone with a sense of adventure, if the budget allows
Natasha
Car hires in SA are very affordable and roads are decently easy to navigate. Definitely a good option for adventure!
Carlo
Southern Africa is absolutely awesome. The first concern is normally security. South Africa, Botswana, Namibia and Southern Mozambique is fine as long as you stay in the “safe areas”. There are some areas in the USA and even Paris where even the police fear to tread. Therefore find out from the locals, and by that I don’t mean somebody on the side of the road, which areas to avoid. You will then enjoy a fantastic time!
Natasha
Totally true! We don’t drive at night in Africa and haven’t had any issues. Of course, it’s always advisable not to go into dodgy areas anywhere!
reema negi
thanks for sharing your amazing trip of South Africa. it seems very beautiful. love to travel there.
Kendra
My sister went on safari in Southern Africa some years ago and was one of the best travel experiences she’s ever had. I hope I can get there one day, too! Your info is very helpful 🙂
Natasha
You’ll have to follow in her footsteps then!
Mark
Great post. I used to live in Uganda, Pearl of Africa. usually Safari’s are expensive, mainly due to the lodges. I actually got infected with Malaria twice on a Safari.
Natasha
Ah! Greetings from Kampala – where we are currently at. Sorry to hear about the malaria, we are hoping to make it out without ever getting it. Fingers crossed xxx
Leanne
Yes! More Africa content! I never thought of renting a car to get around the continent. Do you have to be at least 25 like in the US?
Natasha
You can rent a car, but may have to pay a fee if you are under 23.
Kevin
Very nice post! I haven’t been to Africa yet, but definetely wanna go, hopefully soon 🙂 I prefer buying or renting your own car to be as flexible as possible!
Kate
I’m heading to Africa in 2018, and this has helped me a lot! I’m thinking of spending some time in the Maasai Mara to experience the wildlife. It’s more just juggling around how to get there and how long to spend! Very informative post X
Natasha
We are heading there next month and are very excited. Will be able to share our experiences with you after – it’s supposed to be incredible!
Shawn
Hey Matt,
Great blog! I really dig your positivity. My co-workers make the same amount of money as I do but don’t understand how I have travelled to over 50 countries on every continent except Antarctica (soon…haha) while they hit the same resort for a week every year in Cuba or Jamaica. The main secret? Confidence in myself to be able to travel “outside of the norm” and discipline in myself to save the amount of money necessary. It is possible to view some of the world’s greatest buildings and natural wonders for what a lot of people spend at a bar on a Saturday night (your airfare should be the most expensive part of your trip or you are not doing it right and, with the internet and competition, airfare can be had cheaper than ever!). I had to take 4 planes from my house in Canada in 1999 to get to Australia yet last year I did the same trip with one plane for $700 U.S. !!!)
Keep on travelling 🙂
Shawn
Whoops… I have multiple windows open and I may have posted my original comment in the wrong section. My comment still holds true, though.
And no, that was not a typo, $1000 Canadian to fly from Toronto to Sydney (via a brief stop in Vancouver… using the same airplane) during a seat sale with Air Canada.
Cheers…
Prem Bharti
I always wanted to visit Africa and I did visit Africa last year. The experience I had was amazing. I had no problem in commuting because I had the opportunity to there by a ferry flight.
Becky
I’ve never been to South Africa, but I love your break downs of the pros and cons with doing tours vs. self-driving. I would love to visit someday, so this is great info that I can use to plan what will work best for me.
Elzabeth
This blog post is great! Love following your trip through your pics on Instagram! I’ve always wanted to visit Africa and am now thinking I’d like to this after my next trip!!!!
Buying the car makes complete sense!!
xx
Elizabeth
Cameron
Hey Elizabeth,
Happy you liked the post and enjoy following our journey on Instagram!
Southern Africa is an incredible place to travel and I’m certain you’ll have a wonderful time once you make it there.
Cheers!
Cameron
James Maddock
Hi NomadicMatt,
Great Blog. My name is James Maadock. After reading this I am also interested to visit Africa. Thank you for sharing this information with us.
Ryan
Yay! Please come to our beautiful country (South Africa). I have done so many trips in the last couple of years, there’s still so much to see.. and I live here! Heading out on the Put Foot Rally in a couple of months time and then doing the iconic Otter trail later in the year, good times 🙂
Cameron
Ryan,
We love South Africa! In fact, we overstayed our visa :o!
There is so much to see we’ll have to make several trips back to South Africa.
Safe travels,
Cameron
Natasha Spokes
Thanks Natasha (great name by the way) and Cameron for this informative article! You touched on it briefly but do you have any advice on how to find out about a tour or activity operator’s ethics to make sure that the money you spend isn’t going towards exploiting animals, people of the environment? Thanks!
Cameron
Any Natasha I’ve ever met has been pretty awesome!
The best way is to see what activities are on offer. If something looks fishy it’s worth digging. Should only take a few minutes with Google. There is also the matter of opinions. We’ve seen, experienced, and now had some time to contemplate our beliefs on animal conservation. Us along with many other conservationists do not believe most instances of animal/ human interactions are ethical, especially in regards to tourism. Think elephant rides, cheetah petting, or lion feeding.
Hope that helps!
Safe travels,
Cameron
riti
Africa is my dream land for travelling. I am planning to visit there but budget maintenance is my major problem. You have shared very detailed and useful information here. It gonna be very helpful for me. Now i can visit there to fulfil my travelling dreams. Keep sharing.
Cameron
Happy to help. Understanding costs involved is super important when it comes to budgeting for a trip. I’m sure you’ll make it here some day soon!
Safe travels,
Cameron
Cameron
Waylo,
You should definitely make Southern Africa your next trip! Just be warned it will be tough to do only one trip, because Africa will get under your skin and bring you back.
Safe travels,
Cameron
Cameron
YES! You’ll have a great time! South Africa is a pretty well-developed nation. In comparison to the rest of Africa, it feels like another world at times.
Kamran Shahnawaz
Picking up my camera and planning to fly here soon!
Thank you soo much!
Dominic
This post is amazing, so much valuable information! I’m planning a trip to South Africa in the near future and have travelled independently through Europe and Asia, so I was not really wanting to join a tour. This post has given me hope of doing it independently and I’m definitely going to look into self-drive. Thank you 🙂
Samantha
I love The World Pursuit! I used their blog, *cough* stalked their blog *cough* when I was planning my South Africa trip for a month last January.
Since it was my first time on the continent, and I’m still under that pesky age of 25 (which makes renting cars so much more expensive), I stayed in the towns/cities where my friends lived, chipping in for gas or getting an Uber (this was mainly in Cape Town). I’d LOVE to go back and see other countries nearby as well as the rest of SA outside of the Western + Eastern Capes. I think I’d probably rent a car. I like going at my own pace, which tours often don’t match, and I don’t know how well I’d do backpacking especially if I want to lug all my camera gear.
Sally
What a great informative post for those looking to visit Africa. I have always wanted to take the kids to Africa but I have always been concerned about safety. All the options I have concerned have been to expensive for 5 people. This post has made me think I need to research it a little more.
Janet
So much great information guys. I’m loving following this journey so much! I sort of wish this is how we did our trip as public transport was such stress and the costs actually added up so quickly. Maybe in the future I’ll have enough to buy my own vehicle!
Frank
We spent 3 months in South Africa, using Cape Town as a base. One of the highlights was renting a car and driving through the Garden Route, Little Karoo, and over the Swartberg Pass to Prince Albert in the Big Karoo. I agree that doing it on your own is the best option – the major reason being the flexibility to go according to your own schedule and enjoy the peacefullness of the wide open landscapes. Africa is an incredible continent. We’ve been travelling full time now for 3 years and nowhere else compares.
Good read. Wow, buying your own land cruiser. Pretty crazy but what an experience!
Frank (bbqboy)
Jolene Ejmont
I am from South Africa and man I miss my home country so much!! I really want to head back, take my family and show them around! I also want to take my time to travel around South Africa and the surrounding countries so this article is truly helpful and inspirational! Time to start saving and planning!! 🙂
Paul M.
Wow! Thank you for sharing such an informative and comprehensive guide! It’ll definitely come in handy during my upcoming trip!
Barb
This is a great guide with lots of valuable info. I am so glad I came across this. South Africa is so high on my bucket list.
bolsa de mensajero
thanks for your tips
Luisa
This is a great post! Can’t believe I just discovered your blog, it’s amazing and so inspiring. South Africa is defo on my bucket list!! 🙂
Gerry
Hi Matt,
Thank you for the informative and comprehensive post! You mentioned truck hire to go further than with an SUV. Could you share more tips on that? What trucks and where to rent?
Thanks,
Gerry
Jade
Great post! If you’re looking for a great location on your travels try Wildehondekloof private game reserve, nestled in the Little Karoo. It’s a wonderful opportunity to see a truly beautiful part of South Africa
Peter Vandever
Has anyone actually done Africa on $44 a day?
Isabel Leong
Really useful information here! Just planning my SA trip and this busts some myths about expensive travel in SA. 🙂
Anke Marais
Hi,
I am a South African and have actually travelled most of Southern Africa, but always with my family when I was younger and backpacking otherwise. So, I never had to deal with the car issues on borders and so on. Now a friend and myself want to self-drive from SA to Tanzania, but we’re unsure of how to approach the borders; is it possible to simply drive without prior insurance and just buy third party insurance at every border, or as many older people suggest get a Carne de Passage to pave the way? (we are trying to avoid the Carne, since it requires a hefty deposit, budget unfriendly for two young people). Anyway, I don’t see any mentions of the specifics for crossings borders and was hoping someone could help me out?