South Africa

terencemc

Hey y'all,
Im heading to south africa in september for 5 weeks. Travelling between Capetown and Jo'burg. Going to get the baz bus. Can people tell me if the Kruger safari is worth doing or is their a cheaper/better one?
Also, if anyone had a really good time in one of the random stopoffs, please tell me.
Cheers

Ginger

We drove from Jo'burg to Cape via Lesotha in a rental using only a lonely planet map, you know the ones big black line is the road and thats about as much detail as you get

Kruger is a great spot. Tho I preferred Etosha in Namibia and Chobe in Botswana.

You should do whatever you can while you are down there.. part of the fun really.

On a related note we did an overland tour with Nomad and it was up as far as Zimbabwe from Cape Town and then back to Jo'burg and took us about 6 weeks... might be an option for you

crisco10

terencemc wrote: »

Hey y'all,
Im heading to south africa in september for 5 weeks. Travelling between Capetown and Jo'burg. Going to get the baz bus. Can people tell me if the Kruger safari is worth doing or is their a cheaper/better one?
Also, if anyone had a really good time in one of the random stopoffs, please tell me.
Cheers

I have been to SA multiple times and only once have i NOT gone to Kruger. I think its phenomenal. Its so bloody exciting. Been looking to go back and i found accomodation outside the park that you can do daytrips from http://www.krugerparkbackpackers.com/

but, yeah, kruger definitely. As for any of the smaller game parks, they can feel a little like big zoos. Kruger is a lot more authentic feeling...

Trapattoni

Do any of you know if you need a visa to get into South Africa? I will be travelling overland through the country but believe you can arrange visas on all borders.....just thinking i will prob need one for SA?

I will only be in Cape Town for approx 2 weeks or less

Thanks

Ginger

Once you land you get a 1 or 3 month holiday visa (IIRC) and thats for Irish citizens anyways. Staying for 2 weeks we will be fine

Considering that I did

KEY : ZAR (South Africa), NAMibia, BOTswana, ZIMbabwe,ZAMbia,LESotha

ZAR-NAM-BOT-NAM-BOT-ZIM-ZAM-ZIM-BOT-ZAR-LES-ZAR without any issues I think you will be fine.

Usually if you head to other countries you can specify how long you need entry for.

Spider_Baby

terencemc wrote: »

Hey y'all,
Im heading to south africa in september for 5 weeks. Travelling between Capetown and Jo'burg. Going to get the baz bus. Can people tell me if the Kruger safari is worth doing or is their a cheaper/better one?
Also, if anyone had a really good time in one of the random stopoffs, please tell me.
Cheers

I spent 5 weeks going from Cape Town to Jo'burg on the Baz bus too.
Some of our fave things were:
- The wine tasting day trip from Cape Town. Loved it! Such a good day trip, great craic.
- Cape of Good Hope - amazing.
- Coffee Bay - fave place in S. Africa. It was well worth the long trip off the Baz Bus route. Baz Bus drops you at Umtatta and then a bus from the hostel picks you up from there. Really reallly fun place. Google Bomvu Backpackers Hostel - best hostel I've ever stayed in. So so fun!

Hogsback is meant to be amazing too, although we couldn't get to it due to bad weather conditions.

Trip to Soweto is a must in Johannesburg, along with the Apartheid museum.
So much to take in at the museum, you'll need a good half day if not more.

I'm jealous, wish I was going back

Trapattoni

Sounds great Spider, I will not be going anywhere near Jo but maybe you can advise which hostel in cape town would be best to stay in alone? young/lively enough

I will be staying in cape around 4/5 days and then i am doing an overland trip for 5 months from cape town all the way up to cairo and then onto istanbul

Many thanks

Ginger

Trap.. sounds amazing.. overlanding rocks!!!!

We stayed in a place just up from Long Steet... cant remember what it was must try and remember it

Trapattoni

Thanks, Would it be Long st Backpackers? or maybe Inn Long st?

Ashanti lodge also sounds good but is bit away from long street - I have'nt done anything like the hostel thing alone so very excited AND nervous ... have'nt a clue what to expect!!

Ginger

ashanti was the one. Nice place and clean too. Hostels are fine you will get into the groove easy. Will post a few things later about things in sa for you

Trapattoni

Thanks a million Ginger, Ashanti sounds good but looks like it is a little far from the action? maybe im wrong

Cheers]

Spider_Baby

Trapattoni wrote: »

Thanks a million Ginger, Ashanti sounds good but looks like it is a little far from the action? maybe im wrong

Cheers]

I would absolutely one million per cent recommend the Africa Backpacker and Travel Hostel (I think thats what its called, or some variation of that). It's on New Street as far as I remember.
Near to Long Street. It's cheap to get to V&A Waterfront from here too, and also Table Mountain.
Its one of the freindliest hostels I stayed in. The staff are all lovely. Its a few different buildings all linked together. There is a little pool too, and a fab fab bar. They have a big bbq there once or twice a week which is great for meeting other people.
Nice little touches too, like the bring you to your dorm upon check-in and place a sticker with your name on your bed, so everyone in the dorm knows everyone elses name without having to ask! I thought that was nice

Cant recommend this place enough! You can book heaps of tours from here too including Baz Bus, Safari trips, Wine Tours etc.

Spider_Baby

http://www.backpackers.co.za/

Here it is!

paddylonglegs

Hey I'm doing the exact same thing as terencemc,baz bus from cape town to jo'burg.

Just wondering will I get a better deal if I book a hostel beforehand on the net now or will I get a better deal there and then?Was talking to mates who were over there and they said alot of sites overcharge because europeans/americans don't know any different

Thanks

LaMer

Im doing the baz bus from Jo'Burg to Durban via Swaziland and Mozambique in July/Aug, was thinking of flying to Cape Town but I've been there a few times already, and will prob be heading there new years so I decided on leaving it. Can't wait. I'm planning on heading to Kruger within the first few days, spending a night or two in the park, from what I've heard it would be criminal to not go if you;re in the area. Another one thats meant to be great in Hluhlue-Umfolozi in Natal, you can organise tours there from any of the cities or towns in Natal, and from what I've heard of it it's meant to be one of the best in S. Africa, its also got the biggest White Rhino population also.

I've looked around and plan on shopping about for hostels when I get to most of my destinations, from what I've heard they're mostly cheap enough, and rarely overcharge.

LaMer

some good sites for organising Kurger tours and accom in Nelspruit: www.krugerandmore.co.za, www.funky-monkeys.co.za, tours seem pricey eitherway bit they get alot in.

Also Trappitoni, you wont need a visa for SA if you have an Irish passport, you get a free temporary residence permit for 90 days on arrival.

paddylonglegs

For all that have been to south africa recently,how did you find spending money?What did you spend most of your cash on,accomodation?food?travel?

Considering our baz bus will be 250euro each and will want to do a kruger park tour which is looking like about 200euro each. (500 + 400=900euro) so far.

For a six week we're hoping that we won't spend much than 2500euro between us.Does this sound possible?considering that we would like to do a few activities too,bungey jump,shark diving etc.

Anywhere we should stay away from to stop getting ripped off?We'll be in cape town for a week which I hear is the most expensive part of SA

preddy

Food and drink pretty cheap so only ur accomidation will cost, my shark dive cost about €150 i think considering the drive to mossel is well over an hour from Cape town.

So things like that will cost. food and drink cheap, just dont go shopping all clothes etc same price as here.

mac123

preddy wrote: »

Food and drink pretty cheap so only ur accomidation will cost, my shark dive cost about €150 i think considering the drive to mossel is well over an hour from Cape town.

So things like that will cost. food and drink cheap, just dont go shopping all clothes etc same price as here.

you can get clothes cheaper, theres a good few factory stores around cape town..you just have to ask the locals. all the surf gear is cheaper there too!

id say 2500 between two will be cutting it tight, the shark diving is 100, and the bungy is around 70 i think, but that was 3 years ago...so probably closer to 100 now.

LaMer

2500 is serious cutting it close between 2 for 6 weeks, I'm looking at about 1000 for one person for 3 weeks, thats including the Safaris that're planned. If you can pull that off fair play. You should be looking at about €40/R400 a day.

paddylonglegs

Ok cool,might rework it and have a bit more of a contingency.Although considering the euro is quite string against the rand compared to a year ago,its about 25% more valuable now