As a South African travel specialist and travel blogger I have travelled South Africa extensively and picked up many lessons along the way about travelling South Africa on a budget. I know that traveling to South African destinations can be expensive even if you live in South Africa and simply want to experience other provinces within the country.
Fortunately there are things you can consider doing to bring your travel costs down and experience budget travel in South Africa. I don’t want you to miss out on the exciting activities and beautiful landscapes in South Africa so in this post I have shared 8 simple ways to travel cheap in South Africa.
Learn more about me (Farirai) and my journey through Gophari.
How to travel cheap in South Africa
1. Consider taking the bus while exploring South Africa
I know the sound of taking the bus makes some people cringe. I get it, I used to feel that way. Buses are slow and it’s the less appealing way to travel to South African destinations but they can get you there for less!
When I travelled to Tsitsikamma I paid R930 for a return bus ticket instead of opting for a return flight which would have cost me R4000.
When you can, I recommend opting for a bus scheduled to travel at night. Doing this is a great way to not waste any daytime hours. You will be travelling to your destination while you would have been sleeping anyway – WINNING!
How to find cheap bus tickets:
- Travelstart buses is a bus ticket comparison website that makes it easy to find cheap bus tickets to South African destinations and others across Africa.
- Baz Bus provides transportation to 200 accommodations along South Africa’s coast. I especially love the hop-on-hop-off ticket because it allows you to use one ticket to get off at multiple locations en route to your final destination.
2. Get advice from travel blogs
There is no need to figure things out on your own when traveling in South Africa – especially if South Africa is the country you are from. There are so many great South African travel bloggers sharing informative posts about every place you could think of visiting in South Africa. Because of this and being able to ask friends, colleagues or even broadcasting a question on social media, there is a lot that you don’t need to figure out by yourself. Take full advantage of the travel information available to you.
Knowing what to expect, before you get to a South African destination for the first time can save you money. For example, if you knew that you can hike Table Mountain for free and that the route is marked out, you won’t pay a guide to take you up. No joke, some people are paying R650 to hike a free mountain.
If you’re looking for detailed information about places to visit in South Africa, I have blog posts about the following South African provinces/regions:
& road trip options from Johannesburg
Check these South Africa travel guides out for advice before you travel.
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3. Make the most of SANParks pricing for SADC Nationals
South African National Parks (SANparks) have entrance fees that favour South Africans and SADC Nationals. This means that if you are a South African citizen (or resident) or you are SADC National you pay less to access SANparks!
What are SANparks?
South African National Parks is the conservation authority that manages 19 major national parks across South Africa. Popular SANparks include:
- Kruger National Park
- Addo Elephant Park
- Table Mountain National Park
- Golden Gate Highlands National Park
- Garden Route National Park
- & more!
How to claim SANparks local rates:
South African citizens and residents need to have their South African ID with them
SADC Nationals must have their passport with them.
4. Consider staying at a hostel
Travel cheap in South Africa by staying at a hostel instead of a hotel. Backpack South Africa to experience more of South Africa for less.
There was a time when I honestly did not consider hostels because the word made me think of a school camp set up. I LOVE comfort and luxury. If I could always stay 5 star I would.
HOWEVER, when I stayed at Curiocity Hostels in Durban my perception changed because it was not like high school camp at all. I stayed in their beautifully decorated private room which had its own bathroom. Besides the comfort of the room, I also enjoyed meeting other travellers and participating in the hostel activities and social events. To pay even less and mingle even more with other travellers, opt for a shared dorm.
CURIOCITY Cape Town is offering 10% off bookings if you book using the code GOPHARI.
Check out the other great travel discount codes here on Gophari.com
Then when I was in Tsitsikamma, I went to Tube n Axe Backpackers to do one of their group activities. When I entered, I immediately regretted not booking my stay there. Who knew hostel life could be this nice? It has a pool with hammocks around it, a bonfire area and A VIBE. Backpacking in South Africa is well suited to people looking to have a social travel experience. I can imagine that solo travellers in South Africa really enjoy themselves while staying there.
How to find hostel / backpacker accommodation in South Africa:
A great way to find hostel / backpacker accommodation in South Africa is by using Coast to Coast – “a backpackers guide to Southern Africa.”
5. Join a travel rewards program
Travel Rewards programs in South Africa generally work by giving you points or discounts in exchange for your loyalty. Most airlines and some hotel groups have travel reward programs as a way of retaining their customers. Take advantage of the potential savings you can get by sticking to one airline for example so that you can experience more cheap travel in South Africa.
Examples of hotel travel rewards programs in South Africa include Marriot Bonvoy and Tsogo Sun Hotel Rewards. Banks also commonly offer travel reward programs that usually work by earning points when you swipe your credit card.
In 2019, South African Airways and Nedbank launched the SAA Voyager cheque card which is the first of it’s kind. Unlike credit cards, there is no qualifying criteria to get a SAA Voyager cheque card. This means that everyone can get one and use it to earn miles. Miles can then be spent on any of the voyager partners which include Avis car hire, Protea hotels and of course SAA flights. I tested out the SAA Voyager cheque card while exploring Cape Town. You can read more about how the SAA Voyager Card earns you miles while traveling in South Africa.
Make the most of the travel discount codes page here on Gophari.com. This is a working way to reduce your travel expenses. Why pay more when you can pay less by simply using a code at checkout??
All codes are for travel products and services that I use and love.
7. Go Camping
Another way to travel cheap in South Africa is to go camping! I camped at Tugela Falls in Drakensberg and was so appreciative of the peace that being isolated in nature brings.
To all the naysayers (including my younger self) camping actually is nice. Of course it’s a different kind of nice to being in a luxurious hotel. It’s a fresh air, bright stars, digital detox, nature appreciation type of nice.
If you want to try out camping but don’t want to do it alone, join TBG campout on one of their group camping trips in South Africa.
And if you want to be prepared for your first camping experience, read TBG Campout’s camping tips for first time campers.
If camping is too much of a stretch for you try out glamping (glamorous camping) first. Check out Hoopoe Haven Luxury Tents in Magaliesburg for example.
8. Make the most of free things to do in South Africa
I LOVE FREE! Doing free activities is a guaranteed way to travel more affordably in South Africa. Including free things to do in South Africa in your travel plans will go a long way. Find joy in simple pleasures.
Free things to do in Cape Town:
- Hike Lions Head
- Relax at the beach (Camps Bay, Muizenburg & Kalk Bay are favourites)
- Take in the Sunset at Signal Hill
- Go on a free walking tour
Free things to do in Joburg:
- Enjoy a walk or picnic at a park
- Browse through a market like Neighbourgoods Market or Market on Main
- Take on a free hike
Start applying these tips for cheap travel in South Africa – your pockets will thank you!
Related post: Pay less for travel – flight & accommodation hacks
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Thank you so much for this tips☺️
It’s a pleasure. Happy to help!