©
David Debrincat
South Africa Travel Guide
©
David Debrincat
At the southern tip of the African continent you'll find an immense country - South Africa. The country is 1,500km wide from east to west. Travelling distances are huge, so you'll need to think about the best way to get around during your tour.
Some travellers don't want to lose time and try to see as much as possible, others prefer to take things slowly, admiring the countryside and meeting people along the way. Transport options are varied and to help you choose, here's a summary of what's available in South Africa.
It's easy to find taxis in towns. Negotiate the price in advance or ask the driver to put the meter on.
You can also book a Rikki's Taxi, which is slower but cheaper and more enjoyable. It's a door to door service, that originally used Suzuki trucks, but now has a varied fleet. Prices are fixed so you don't need to negotiate.
If you feel at ease using public transport in a town, then you'll find the bus services are cheap and safe.
Cheaper still (but you'll need to know where you're going) are the minibuses that whizz around - they don't seem to have fixed stops and travel to out of the way places - one for more adventurous tourists in South Africa. There's even a 'Highway Code' for using this service. Raise your index (NOT middle) finger to say you want to go to the skycrapered town centre and point your index down to ask that you be dropped off a bit further along a route.
Finally you can get around towns for free - on foot! If so, make sure you have you bearings. Without realising it, you can cross from a safe neighbourhood into a dangerous one just by turning a corner.
If you're on a tight schedule during your trip to South Africa, then it's best to fly across long distances. South Africa has lots of low-cost airlines that link the country's main towns. Flying with Kulula, Flymango or 1st Time can sometimes be cheaper than taking a bus!
If you have time on your hands, want to admire the scenery and meet locals then taking a bus is for you. Roads and highways are well maintained and long distances buses are comfortable. Greyhound, Intercape andTranslux offer a great service. But you need to book in advance.
The Baz Bus is a great hop-on hop-off backpacker service. It costs more than the normal bus, but the advantage is you get dropped off at your hotel/hostel.
The rail network is also well developed, but journeys can take a long time. Taking a bus is better!
Finally, hiring a vehicle will give you all the freedom you need. The road system is very well maintained. They drive on the left here, so you'll feel right at home! You must have a drivers license to hire a vehicle. Although your DVLA license will be fine, it's better to get an International Drivers Permit. You can get one from your local Post Office for around £5.50.
