The Trip of a life time!
Southern Africa has been blessed with more than her fair share of beauty, impressive wildlife, astonishing cultures and breath-taking landscapes. But there’s more to the land than meets the eye… Something rises from the continent itself and vibrates deep in your soul like a slow drumbeat that captivates both heart and spirit.
But prose aside, there’s something for everyone in Southern Africa. No matter whether you’re a city slicker, a nature lover, an adrenaline junkie, a culture vulture or a beach bum. All you need to have a really good time is a little cash in your pocket and an open heart.
So get your ass over here. It’s glorious!
Choose your destination
- The Crags and Natures Valley
A secret gem on the Garden Route with bird and animal sanctuaries, creative people and local art centres.
- Tsitsikamma Storms River
Although the actual river mouth is geared up for visitors, magnificent Mother Nature can be found living wild everywhere else.
- Cape Town
If you are looking for a backpackers in Cape Town then put your backpack down and spend a few days in this haven which is beautiful, sexy and endlessly fascinating.
- Wine Region
The Cape Town winelands are situated on either side of the Hottentot Holland Mountains which lie to the north and east of Cape Town. They have a Mediterranean climate, plentiful water and fertile valleys which provide ideal conditions for vineyards and orchards to flourish. There are a number of fantastic backpacking hostels in the Stellenbosch area. Most of the Stellenbosch backpackers offer great day trips and activities within the Winelands area.
- West Coast
The West Coast is wild, rugged, tempestuous and untamed. If you are looking for a wild backpacking experience in South Africa, you have found it....
- Overberg
Lying at the Southern most tip of Africa where the cold Atlantic and warm Indian oceans meet is a fertile stretch of land, surrounded on one side by sea and the other by majestic mountains, called the Overberg.
- Cederberg
A heaven for hikers and rock climbers.
- Garden Route
The Garden Route is a favourite for backpackers and has some of South Africa's best backpacking lodges.
- Sunshine Coast
The sunshine coast encompasses a beautiful stretch of the coastline that's lapped by the warm Indian Ocean, and so called because it offers more sunshine hours per year than anywhere else in South Africa. The main cities that are included are Port Elizabeth and East London and all of the towns found along this route.
- Wild Coast
The Wild Coast has some of the countries best backpackers.It is a wilderness where man is a part of the landscape, nor it's unordained boss. Rolling green hills are met by sky-sized bursts of cloudbreak and patches of brilliant blue, the hillsides littered with sheep, goats, cows and pin pricks of mud huts.
- South Coast
The South Coast coastline is less dramatic than in other parts of South Africa, but there are plenty of great beaches and lots of good surf spots. It has some awesome backpacking lodges.
- Durban
Durban, is a backpackers haven with its reliably warm sea and all its dedicated surf rats, Indian market, happening waterside bars and great music scene, is a city that’s always on holiday. What makes it so appealing to backpackers is that has a perfect climate and the Drakensberg mountains are a 3 hour drive away and Zululand with her games parks and real Africa only a 1 hour away.
- Drakensberg Backpacker Hostels
Once you have found your backpackers in the Drakensberg then get ready to plug into a throbbing Soul Rejuvenator. The Drakensberg is uplifting, energising, relaxing and exactly what everyone needs more of. Unless of course you’re spiritually dead. And even then, it’ll do you good.
- Zululand
Zululand is wrapped up in one province with all the sights and sounds of Africa. Amidst endless fields of sugarcane, you’ll find game parks that teem with wildlife, exquisite beaches lapped by a warm ocean and a thriving African culture. There are some fantastic backpackers in the area. A few places to check out backpacking lodges are : Hluhluwe, Eshowe and St Lucia.
- Johannesburg
Johannesburg is the starting point for many backpackers coming to South Africa. If you are looking to do a safari it is the best city in South Africa to go from. there is an excellent choice of backpackers in Johannesburg.
- Pretoria
The administrative capital of South Africa and home to most embassies, Pretoria is considered by many to be Jo’burg’s safer sister. Truth is, they’re like chalk and cheese. Pretoria is home to the Voortrekker Monument and, by implication, Afrikaans culture. There are some major universities and a thriving alternative art and culture scene.
- North West Province
This small province is home to Sun City, Pilanesberg Game Reserve and the Magaliesberg mountains.
- Mpumalanga
This is one of the most beautiful areas in South Africa and well worth the trip - not only because of its rich wildlife and the Kruger National Park, but for the abundant and breath-taking natural wonders.
- Limpopo
Limpopo offers a gateway into the Kruger National Park - not to mention loads of private game farms and beautiful natural locations. Its tropical vegetation and abundance of locally grown fruit and vegetables also make it a cheap area to travel in. The name of the province has been changed to Limpopo, and some town names have changed. You should still see the old and new names together for a while longer though.
- Eastern Cape Inland and the Karoo
The Hottentot word for this place "Karoo" (a thirstland) perfectly describes this arid area of low rainfall, meagre vegetation and haunting rock outcrops. It's a remote, moody and lonely - but absolutely extraordinary – landscape and any time spent here will have you touching parts of your soul you don't often access.
- Klein Karoo
This narrow plain lies between the Swartberg and Outeniqua mountains.
- Northern Cape
Stretching from the West Coast across to Kimberley on the Free State border, this is the largest of the nine provinces in South Africa by far.
- Free State
The open plains of the Free State stretch between the Vaal River in the north and the Orange River in the south. To the east the land rises to the highlands and the mountains of Lesotho. This wealthy province boasts gold and diamond mines as well as fertile farmlands.
- Swaziland
The backpacking hostels in Swaziland are amazing and well worth visting a few. Swaziland is also filled with backpacker adventures from Game drives to shooting white water rapids.
- Lesotho
Lesotho is a great place to go backpacking if you’re feeling frustrated by South Africa’s “unAfrican-ness” and you’re wanting to encounter traditional African lifestyles,there are some wonderful backpackers in this mountain kingdom.
- Namibia
Namibia means different things to different people. But there's no doubt that the common thread through everyone's feelings is based on the awesome natural phenomenon of the country. The vast tracts of unpopulated land that stretch forever. The incredible Soussusvlei dunes. The ghostly coastline. The harshness. And of course, man's insignificance.
- Botswana
Botswana is home to the world’s biggest inland delta. It is here that the Okavango River floods the Kalahari Desert, forming a maze of winding channels that create palm-fringed islands and fertile floodplains.
- Zimbabwe and Zambia
Due to the present political climate, most backpackers tend to stick to the Vic Falls area, so we have included Zambia with Zimbabwe as they both border on the Falls.
- Mozambique
The coastline of Mozambique is one of the most beautiful in all of Africa and boasts some of the finest deep-sea game fishing that can be found. It is now the haunt of big game fishermen from all over the world and sport fishing is big business.
- Zanzibar Island
A tropical paradise island
- Malawi
This backpackers paradise is bordered by Zambia on the north-west, Tanzania on the north and Mozambique on the east, south and west, Malawi lies in the Great Rift Valley, which runs through the country from north to south.
- The Interior
Stretching from the West Coast across to Kimberley on the Free State border, this is the largest province in South Africa. And it’s not only diamonds that are found in profusion here. There are numerous places of stark natural beauty such as the Kgalagadi National Park, the Augrabies Falls, Namaqualand and the Richtersveld. It’s here that the enterprising San people lived. When the stars sang, they hunted eland across the sky. In those days, God was a person. Life here is dominated by the mighty Orange River. Moody, sullen and mysterious, it brings life to this desert area. Sometimes the river scarcely flows, at other times it floods. But it’s a river of water, as opposed to the rivers of sand that surround it.
- Route 62
Route 62 is filled with amazing backpacker lodges. It starts at Robertson and winds its way through quaint towns to just past Oudtshoorn. It is worth getting off the N2 and spending a few days exploring this amazing part of South Africa.
- Drakensberg Area Information
If you are looking for information about the Drakensberg read on from here. All the information about backpackers in the Drakensberg is contained in the Region heading Drakensberg Backpacker Hostels.
Feeling lucky?(randomly selected service providers from all regions)
People from PE are smooth operators when it comes to finding a soul mate to share their ride.
(Port Elizabeth,Sunshine Coast)
This Cape Town backpackers hostel is over the road from the V&A Waterfront.
(Green Point,Cape Town)
This is an amazing trip into the heart of the Wild Coast. Their office open daily from 7am to 10pm.
(Port Edward,Wild Coast)
Situated within a vibrant Xhosa community overlooking a spectacular untouched beach, this is a true glimpse into rural Africa.
(Coffee Bay,Wild Coast)
If the awesome mural wrapping the side of Stoked Backpackers in Muizenberg doesn’t hook you, then maybe the killer views will.
(Muizenberg and Kalk Bay,Cape Town)
A backpackers in Alexandria with access to game reserves, rivers and one of the most stunning bits of coastline in the world
(Kenton-On-Sea,Sunshine Coast)
This dedicated backpackers in Joburg organises everything from car hire to safaris.
(Johannesburg,Johannesburg)
Studying Linguists and Backpackers tune into this Cape Town jazz vibe
(Sea Point,Cape Town)
Ex Sleek Hostel, they've re-created the whole place from the ground up and are huge fans of live music (it's all soundproofed, don’t fret).
(Johannesburg,Johannesburg)
Within a yell (scream) of the Great White shark's playground…
(Gansbaai,Overberg )
