South Africa is a vast country that caters to the needs of every traveler – from the tourist, to the backpacker, to the honeymooner. A country so vast, one that boasts everything from burgeoning culture to striking landscapes, beautiful oceans and lush greeneries…It’s the ultimate backpacking destination. People who backpack to South Africa end up not wanting to backpack anywhere else due to the fact that they’ve seen everything there. National parks, sprawling terrains, breathtaking routes and UNESCO World Heritage Sites are some of the reasons to visit South Africa but are just the tip of the iceberg .
If you seek adventure, you’ve got it. You’ve got trekking, hiking, bungee jumping, safaris, sky-diving and much more. If you’re just looking for a relaxing holiday, you’ve also got it. Wildlife reserves with spas, relaxing resorts and beautiful beaches all beg to be explored.
Despite the fact that it would practically take an entire lifetime to actually explore every nook and cranny of South Africa and really see what the country has to offer, backpacking there is the best ultimatum you can reach. When backpacking on a budget, the choice of destination is an important one. In this article I will list 5 awesome backpacking destinations in South Africa
Best Places to Backpack in South Africa
Before figuring out where you want to go, you have to realize that South Africa is divided into several diverse regions. You have the Garden Route, the Western Cape and the Eastern Cape.
If you want to see the highlights your itinerary should include Cape Town, the Garden Route, Kruger National Park and the Wild Coast in the Eastern Cape.
Cape Town
You can’t visit South Africa without visiting Cape Town. The epitome of South African beauty and the most popular city in the country – Cape Town should be on top of your list. If you can, try going there as the first destination as well.
There are so many things to do in Cape Town. You’ve got jaw-dropping scenery, architecture that backs to centuries ago, Victorian structures and much more. All of this is juxtaposed with mountainous surroundings, lush flora, and a pulsing nightlife. You can visit the Table Mountain National Park, go hiking, mountain biking, or revel in the energetic aura of the city.
The Garden Route
The Garden Route is the most popular road tripping route in all of Africa and if you’re backpacking around South Africa, you’d be incredibly delighted to travel around. There are so many popular towns along the route so not only do you get exposed to mind-blowing scenery, you also get to explore beautiful towns. From Knysna, to the Victoria Bay – the array of beach towns will keep you entertained throughout your trip. You can skip the beach towns and visit game reserves along the Garden Route if you’re into wilderness and nature more. Check out the Addo Elephant Park or the Plettenberg Bay Game Reserve. You can easily fly into the Garden Route with South African Airways from Cape Town.
The Eastern Cape
The Eastern Cape is also definitely worth checking out. You can try going for popular towns along the route to surf or enjoy some beach – you have the Nature’s Valley,
Storm’s River and Coffee Bay. Also this is where you’ll find the world renowned bungee jumping bridge called Bloukrans Bridge.
The Wild Coast
The wild Coast has Coffee Bay which is a backpacker’s favorite destination. It’s one of those extremely cheap places you can learn how to surf in, and has got incredible scenery to match that. The Wild Coast is simply a remote stretch of beautiful shoreline after beautiful shoreline and you’re bound to find the best coastal scenery in the world.
Kruger National Park
If you’re backpacking around South Africa then you have to go to Kruger National Park. One of the most popular reserves in the world, you’ll get to experience the epitome of African safari, animal tracking and wild savannahs. If there’s anything that feels just like a movie, then this is definitely it.
South Africa needs to be on top of your Africa travel bucket list if you’re going backpacking. Of course, you will be overwhelmed with the array of incredible choices you have. An overload to your senses (in a good way!), South Africa makes your backpacking dreams come true.
