Tour Cheaply and Safely Around South Africa

For most of the popular destinations in South Africa, a small manual car will do, though a 4×4 would have been helpful for a few of the lesser-visited places that we went to during our road trip, such as the amphitheater hike in the Drakensberg mountains. Had we taken Baz Bus, we would have spent an extra $100 per person and missed some of the areas we visited that Baz Bus doesn’t drive to. By Train South Africa has a lot of train tracks. Most aren’t currently in use, as the population has increasingly come to rely on the extensive highway system. However, major cities in South Africa are still served by a few train companies that range from cheap to high luxury. Shosholoza Meyl long-distance trains serve Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, Bloemfontein, Durban, East London, Johannesburg, Queenstown, and East London. They’re comfortable and safe and make various stops at smaller towns along the way. The fares are some of the cheapest available for any mode of transport in South Africa, running as low as $28 for a sleeper berth from Johannesburg to Durban. You can visit the company’s timetable for more information on fares and stops. For those who are interested some luxury, the famous Blue Train, which runs form Pretoria to Cape Town, costs $1,300 one-way for a shared berth during low season and goes up from there. It’s an expensive but luxurious experience that includes wine, cigars, great food, and comfortable compartments. Safety One last issue of safety: South Africa isn’t more dangerous for a solo traveler than your typical big city in the United States. I was surprised to see that the murder rate of Detroit is actually significantly higher than that of South Africa. That said, muggings are still common, especially amongst tourists and particularly in Cape Town and Johannesburg. Given the high level of rape and theft in South Africa, I wouldn’t advise hitchhiking (and this is something I love to do!). Additionally, one shouldn’t walk around alone at night, be flashy, or leave things showing in the car, but much of that is true around the world. There are numerous ways to get around South Africa, and after testing several methods, I think the best is a car rental. Nothing else offers the flexibility, convenience, and reasonable price tag. If a car rental isn’t your thing and you’re solo, I’d consider the Baz Bus. That said, regardless of which of the above transport methods you choose, South Africa is easy and relatively affordable to travel around, whether you’re solo, in a group, or a duo. Kristin Addis is a solo female travel expert who inspires women to travel the world in an authentic and adventurous way. A former investment banker who sold all of her belongings and left California in 2012, Kristin has solo traveled the world for over four years, covering every continent