I started my Cape Town to Cairo trip by taking Baz Bus from Cape Town to Johannesburg. Baz Bus is a hop-on hop-off bus for backpackers taking you from one hostel to another. They have different ticket options, and you can either choose a ticket with an unlimited time to travel or a travel pass for either 7, 14 or 21 days. I selected the hop-on hop-off ticket from Cape Town to Johannesburg and stopped almost everywhere along the way. Check out the map below to see the route and all the stops.
Port Elizabeth and Durban are compulsory stop-overs but other than that you can choose wherever you want to stay. Here is a summary of pretty much all of the stops so you can decide where you want to go. Also, check out my post of the best hostels in South Africa!
Cape Town
Cape Town is a perfect place to start your adventure in South Africa. This city has so much to offer that I spent two months there (and it wasn’t even my first time).
Take a cable car or hike up to the Table Mountain.
Visit the penguins at Boulders Beach in Simon’s Town.
Hike up to Lion’s Head to see the sunset.
Make a day trip to Cape Point.
Learn to surf in Muizenberg.
Walk along the St. James coastal walk and take a dip in these marine pools.
Get the most beautiful Table Mountain view in Sunset Beach.
Do a responsible township tour.
Eat delicious vegan food.
Visit places like The Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, colorful Bo-Kaap neighborhood, V&A Waterfront and Robben Island.
These are just some examples of the things you can do in Cape Town. The possibilities are endless!
Where to Stay:
Read More:
Uthando – A Different Way to Experience Townships
The Most Spectacular View in Cape Town
The Ultimate Vegan Guide to Cape Town
The Best Hostels in South Africa
Stellenbosch
This wine region is possibly the most beautiful in the world! Stellenbosch is not on the main Baz Bus route, but there’s a shuttle service, or you can just make a day trip there from Cape Town. A wine tour is a must if you’re here and for vegans, I recommend this tour to Franschhoek (just next to Stellenbosch).
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Mossel Bay
If you would like to try shark cage diving, I recommend you to stop at Mossel Bay. I had already dived with the great white sharks in Gansbaai, so I skipped Mossel Bay this time. You can make a day trip from Cape Town to Gansbaai but if the season is not right for sharks there, try Mossel Bay instead.
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Wilderness
Wilderness is a great place for outdoor activities, and there are some beautiful hiking trails and unspoiled beaches.
Kingfisher Trail is a nice and easy hike to a waterfall and if you want you can also go swimming there.
Also, check out the Map of Africa which is a fantastic viewpoint!
Knysna
The Knysna Heads
The Knysna Heads Lookout
The Leisure Island
The Waterfront
The highlight of visiting Knysna is seeing The Heads – a pair of sandstone cliffs that separate the Knysna Lagoon from the sea beyond. There are two different viewpoints – the upper and lower and both give you spectacular views. Stay at Jembjo’s Backpackers, rent a bicycle there and make a day trip to The Heads and Leisure Island where you can go swimming. If you’re thirsty, check out Mitchell’s Knysna Brewery for some beer tasting.
Where to Stay:
Jembjo’s Knysna Lodge & Backpackers
Plettenberg Bay
Robberg Nature Reserve
This place turned out to be my favorite on the garden route. Plettenberg Bay offers everything you need: a town with a variety of different shops and restaurants, the best beaches on the Garden Route, sunny weather, and beautiful hiking trails in the Robberg Nature Reserve.
Read More:
Plettenberg Bay – A Great Spot on the Garden Route
Where to Stay:
Bloukrans Bridge
Here you can jump the world’s highest bridge bungee jump – 216 meters. I’ve done three bungee jumps before, but I still had to do this jump. This is a Baz Bus stop, but I would not recommend you to stay here. Stay either in Plettenberg Bay or The Grags/Stormsriver and arrange transportation to the bungee place. Besides the bridge and the bungee place, there’s nothing else here, so it isn’t exactly a nice place to stay without a car.
The Grags or Stormsriver
Tsitsikamma National Park
Both of these stops offer you access to Tsitsikamma National Park which is a must visit on the Garden Route. The Grags has a cool hostel with a laid back hippy vibe, whereas Stormsriver is a town with more amenities and accommodation options but is a bit soulless town made just for tourists. Whichever you choose, Tsitsikamma National Park is just a short ride away, and there you can enjoy different activities like hiking or kayaking.
Jeffrey’s Bay
Jeffrey’s Bay is the hub of the surfing industry in South Africa, and it’s also famous for its surf brand (like Billabong, Quicksilver, Rip Curl) factory shops. If you’re into partying, stay at Island Vibe hostel. If you are like me and would like a more quiet and relaxed place to stay in, avoid this hostel at all cost and choose any other hostel.
Port Elizabeth
I wasn’t too excited to visit Port Elizabeth, but it’s a compulsory overnight stop, so I stayed there for two nights. You can enjoy the beach, see some old colonial architecture in the city center or if you’re willing to travel further, you can visit for example Addo Elephant Park. Tip: book your hostel well in advance if you don’t want to stay at the worst hostel (like I did) because this is a compulsory stop for everyone, so most of the hostels will be fully booked.
East London or Chintsa
Chintsa
If I had to choose between these two places, it would be Chintsa. East London has an excellent hostel by the beach but other than that the city is not very nice (this is just my opinion). Chintsa, on the other hand, is a sleepy town with a secluded beach. The hostel is surrounded by beautiful nature, and the sea view from the rooms is insane!
Where to Stay:
Buccaneers Backpackers in Chintsa
Read More:
The Best Hostels in South Africa
Hogsback
You need to arrange a shuttle to get there, just ask Away with the Fairies Hostel, and they will give you more information. It’s well worth the journey, though! This is one of the most beautiful places in South Africa, and the hiking possibilities are endless. The hostel also has the best view in Hogsback, and you can enjoy this while having a bath outside!
Where to Stay:
Read More:
Away with the Fairies in Hogsback
The Best Hostels in South Africa
Coffee Bay
The Hole in the Wall
Traditional rondavels
You also need to take a shuttle here, but again, well worth the effort! Hike to the Hole in the Wall, learn more about the Xhosa culture, stay at a traditional rondavel hut, surf, enjoy beach life, etc. There are lots of things to do in Coffee Bay!
Where to Stay:
For laid back atmosphere: Sugarloaf Backpackers
For more action: Coffee Shack
Read More:
10 Pictures That Will Make You Want to Travel to Coffee Bay
Southern Drakensberg
Again, you need a shuttle, but this place is not to be missed! The most spectacular landscape in South Africa can be found here, and there are many hiking trails to choose from which all start right from the doorstep of the hostel.
Lesotho
Southern Drakensberg is also a gateway to Sani Pass and Lesotho and you can either make a day trip there or stay longer.
Where to Stay:
Read More:
The Best Hostels in South Africa
Umtentweni/Umzumbe/Warner Beach
These are all beach destinations in the outskirts of Durban. I chose to stay at Warner Beach just because it was the closest stop to Umkomaas which is a great place for diving.
Shark Diving in Umkomaas
Besides regular dives, they also offer shark diving WITHOUT a cage! After shark cage diving in Gansbaai, I had become slightly obsessed with sharks, so of course, I had to go diving with the sharks. If you’re a diver, definitely do this. It was one of the coolest experiences I’ve ever had!
Durban
The beach in Durban
Earthmother Organics Cafe
Another compulsory overnight stop. Enjoy the beach life, visit the Botanical Gardens and have delicious vegan lunch at Earthmother Organic cafe. Stay at Curiocity hostel and enjoy their fast wifi. After struggling to find any kind of wifi at all before coming to Durban, this hostel really surprised me with their wifi connection!
Where to Stay:
Read More:
The Best Hostels in South Africa
Northern Drakensberg
The hike to the Tugela Falls
Tugela Falls
The view from Amphitheatre Backpackers
Just like in Southern Drakensberg, the landscape is breathtakingly beautiful, and there are some great hiking trails. Unlike in Southern Drakensberg though, the hiking trails start quite far away from the hostel so you should either take part in a tour or find someone with a car. The hostel organizes tours to Lesotho and hiking tours to Cathedral Cove and Tugela Falls. I hiked to see the Tugela Falls which are the world’s second highest falls!
Where to Stay:
Read More:
The Best Hostels in South Africa
Johannesburg
The Apartheid Museum
Freefood Vegan Restaurant
The final stop is Johannesburg – the city which doesn’t have the best reputation when it comes to safety, but I did enjoy my time there anyway. One of the highlights is visiting the Apartheid Museum to learn more about the dark history of South Africa. Also, check out Nelson Mandela Square in Sandton and have delicious vegan food at Freefood restaurant. The best way to get around is definitely an Uber which is a safe and easy option!
Where to Stay:
There were a few stops I missed, but hopefully, this will give you some ideas on where to go if you travel by Baz Bus. As you can see, South Africa offers a lot, and there are endless beautiful places to explore. Baz Bus is an easy way to get from place to place, and you also meet so many other travelers on the way. For solo travelers, Baz Bus is definitely the best way to get around in South Africa!
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4 comments
Hey Gabriela! Thank you so much for this informative post!
I have some questions left, I am planning on travelling through Southafrica as a solo female traveler. I myself think especially with the BazBus this is super safe but I hear sooooo many concerns from family and friends!! How do you feel about that? Was meeting other people easy?
In additon to that am I vegan myself and was so relieved to find your blog! Generally did you have any problems with being vegan ? I heard southafrica is a very meat-loving country so I had quite some concerns. What do you think?
Kind regards, and keep up the good work!
Sophia
Hi Sophia! I felt like Baz Bus was the safest option and it’s especially great for solo travelers. Meeting people is super easy when you’re using Baz Bus and staying at hostels 🙂 I didn’t have any problems traveling there as a vegan. When you travel to more rural places though where they don’t have any big supermarkets or vegan-friendly restaurants nearby (Chintsa, Coffee Bay, Southern & Northern Drakensberg), buy some food before taking a bus there. Veganism is a growing trend in South Africa, and especially in Cape Town, you can find so many vegan options. Check out the restaurants mentioned in this post and also read my Cape Town vegan guide: https://www.gabrielahereandthere.com/ultimate-vegan-guide-cape-town/
Cool thanks! 🙂
How did it go in the hostels with being vegan? Did they make you vegan food or did you usually eat out and cooked yourself?
I will definitely check out that post and try as many of those restaurants when I am there!:)
And how long did you stay in SA and how much money did you spent?
kind regards,
Sophia 🙂
Yes, some hostels offered an option to buy dinner, and usually, it wasn’t a problem to get a vegan meal if I just let them know in advance. But I also cooked a lot because all the hostels usually have a kitchen. BazBus is a door-to-door service so it didn’t matter to carry a bag just full of food ? It was my second time in South Africa and I spent there three months. I can’t say how much money I spent, but it’s a lot cheaper than in Europe anyway.