Highlights of South Africa — Self-Launched
18 days · South Africa
G Adventures charges £2,450
No-markup version: ~£1,150 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
An 18-day self-launched version of G Adventures' "Highlights of South Africa" (Johannesburg to Cape Town): Big Five safari drives in Greater Kruger and Kruger National Park, Chimp Eden, Addo Elephant National Park, the Garden Route (Tsitsikamma, Robberg, Knysna), then over the mountains to Franschhoek wine country and Table Mountain in Cape Town. Instead of a private coach and CEO you'll use Baz Bus/Intercape coaches, minibus shuttles and a cheap domestic flight, with safari drives booked direct through your lodge or GetYourGuide. Total excludes international flights; all figures are rough backpacker estimates in GBP.
Day-by-day
Arrive Johannesburg — Maboneng & Melville
Johannesburg
Land at O.R. Tambo and take the Gautrain (approx £8) or a metered taxi (~£15) into town. Check into a hostel in Maboneng or Melville, then spend the evening wandering Maboneng's street art, food stalls and rooftop bars. Buy a local SIM (Vodacom/MTN, ~£3) and pre-book your shuttle to the Kruger area for tomorrow.
🚌Gautrain + walk/Uber (~£8)
🛏Hostel dorm, Maboneng or Melville (£15)
- →Gautrain transfer into the city
- →Maboneng street art walk (self-guided)
- →Hostel bar / dinner in Melville 7th Street
Johannesburg to Greater Kruger Area
Hazyview
Long transfer day — roughly 5–6 hours. Book a shared shuttle/backpacker bus (Baz Bus or a Hazyview shuttle, ~£30-40) or take the Intercape/City to City coach to Nelspruit then a minibus taxi. Arrive in the Hazyview area and check into a backpackers lodge bordering the Kruger reserve — these lodges often run their own game drives at far lower prices than tour operators.
🚌Shared shuttle Johannesburg–Hazyview (~£35)
🛏Backpackers lodge, Hazyview (£18)
- →Shared shuttle to Hazyview
- →Sunset drinks at the lodge
Safari Drives in Kruger / Private Reserve
Hazyview / Kruger
Book a two-drive day directly with your lodge or a local operator: a morning open-vehicle drive in the private reserve and an afternoon drive in Kruger (~£45-60 combined). Alternatively pre-book on GetYourGuide. Lunch back at the lodge, then in the evening ask whether the lodge is doing a braai — or join a communal barbecue (~£10).
🚌Safari vehicles included with drives
🛏Backpackers lodge, Hazyview (£18)
- →Morning game drive
- →Afternoon Kruger game drive
- →Braai dinner
Full-Day Kruger National Park Safari
Kruger National Park
Full day in Kruger in search of the Big Five. The cheapest way to do this is a self-drive day-hire sedan (~£30 split between 3-4 people) plus the R535/~£22 conservation fee — total often under £30pp — or a shared full-day guided drive (~£55-70). Pack water, snacks and binoculars; gates open at sunrise and the best sightings are early.
🚌Car hire share or shared safari vehicle (~£30)
🛏Backpackers lodge, Hazyview (£18)
- →Self-drive or guided full-day Kruger safari
- →Picnic lunch at a rest camp
4x4 Safari in the Private Reserve
Kruger area
A second day in the bush with a 4x4 open-vehicle drive in the adjoining private reserves (Manyeleti/Sabi Sand fringes), which allow off-road tracking and are excellent for leopard (~£55). Afternoon free to nap by the pool, then dinner at the lodge.
🚌Safari vehicle included
🛏Backpackers lodge, Hazyview (£18)
- →4x4 open-vehicle game drive
- →Pool afternoon at the lodge
Panorama Route Day Trip
Blyde River Canyon
Free day — take the classic Panorama Route. Join a shared day tour from Hazyview (~£40-50) or, if you have a car, drive it yourself: Blyde River Canyon viewpoint, Bourke's Luck Potholes, God's Window and the Lisbon Falls. Stunning escarpment scenery and the best-value day out in the region.
🚌Shared Panorama Route tour (~£45)
🛏Backpackers lodge, Hazyview (£18)
- →Blyde River Canyon
- →Bourke's Luck Potholes
- →God's Window
- →Lisbon Falls
Chimp Eden & Back to Johannesburg
Johannesburg
Morning visit to Jane Goodall's Chimp Eden in the Umhloti Nature Reserve near Nelspruit — book the guided tour direct (~£12-15 entry + tour) and get a shared shuttle to drop you en route. Continue by shuttle/coach back to Johannesburg (~£35). Evening in Maboneng.
🚌Shuttle Hazyview–Joburg with Chimp Eden stop (~£40)
🛏Hostel dorm, Johannesburg (£15)
- →Chimp Eden guided tour
- →Shuttle back to Johannesburg
Fly to Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth)
Gqeberha
Cheap domestic flight on FlySafair or Lift from JNB/OR Tambo to Gqeberha (book 4-6 weeks ahead for ~£45-70 one way). Settle into a hostel near the beachfront or Richmond Hill, then walk the Donkin Reserve and the old town. Optional: Apartheid Museum in Joburg if you have a late flight (£9).
🚌Uber to airport + FlySafair flight (~£60)
🛏Hostel dorm, Gqeberha (£16)
- →Domestic flight to Gqeberha
- →Donkin Reserve & Route 67 walk
Addo Elephant National Park Safari
Addo
Day trip to Addo (~1hr from Gqeberha). Book a shared guided morning safari (~£45-55 incl. park fees and picnic breakfast) or self-drive: car hire ~£30 split + R426/~£18 conservation fee. Addo has one of the densest elephant populations on earth plus lion, buffalo, rhino and hyena. Back in town for a relaxed evening.
🚌Shared safari transfer (~£50)
🛏Hostel dorm, Gqeberha (£16)
- →Addo Elephant National Park morning safari
- →Picnic breakfast in the bush
Gqeberha to Tsitsikamma — Mouth Trail & Big Tree
Tsitsikamma
Take the Baz Bus or an Intercape coach down the Garden Route to Storms River (~£18-22, 2.5hrs). Drop bags at a Storms River backpackers, then hike the Mouth Trail boardwalk to the Storms River mouth suspension bridges, and do the short Big Tree walk to an 800-year-old yellowwood (~£5 park fee each).
🚌Baz Bus / Intercape to Storms River (~£20)
🛏Backpackers dorm, Storms River (£17)
- →Storms River Mouth Trail
- →Big Tree yellowwood walk
Tsitsikamma Adventure Day
Tsitsikamma
Free day — pick your adrenaline: the Tsitsikamma canopy zipline tour (~£35), blackwater tubing in the Storms River gorge (~£30), kayak & lilo (~£25), or seasonal whale watching from the viewpoint. Cheaper option: hike the full Otter Trail day-section (permit required) or the Waterfall Trail for a park fee only.
🚌Walk / local transfer (~£5)
🛏Backpackers dorm, Storms River (£17)
- →Canopy zipline or tubing
- →Waterfall Trail hike
- →Beach and lagoon time
Robberg Nature Reserve & Knysna
Knysna
Take a minibus taxi or Baz Bus hop to Plettenberg Bay (~£8), then hike the Gap Circuit on the Robberg Peninsula — dramatic coastal cliffs and 120-million-year-old Gondwanaland rock formations (~£5 park fee, 2-3hrs). Continue to Knysna (~£8) and check into a backpackers near the waterfront; sunset at the Knysna Heads viewpoint.
🚌Baz Bus / minibus taxi hops (~£16)
🛏Backpackers dorm, Knysna (£17)
- →Robberg Gap Circuit hike
- →Knysna Heads sunset
Knysna Forest & Thesen Island
Knysna
Free morning: walk the Knysna Forest trails (Diepwalle yellowwood giants) or take a lagoon ferry. Afternoon exploring Thesen Island's cafes and craft markets, and an orientation stroll through the town centre. Optional oyster tasting at the Knysna Oyster Company (~£10).
🚌Local walk / shared taxi (~£6)
🛏Backpackers dorm, Knysna (£17)
- →Knysna Forest walk
- →Thesen Island
- →Oyster tasting
Knysna to Franschhoek — via Mossel Bay & Barrydale
Franschhoek
The long scenic transfer west. Cheapest practical option is a Baz Bus/Intercape overnight-style run to Cape Town then onward, but to keep the scenic stops, take a shared shuttle via the Tradouw Pass into the Klein Karoo (Knysna→Cape Town shuttles ~£30-40). Stop for lunch at a Barrydale vineyard (~£12). Arrive Franschhoek in the evening.
🚌Shared shuttle Knysna–Franschhoek (~£35)
🛏Guesthouse dorm/backpackers, Franschhoek (£22)
- →Scenic drive over the Tradouw Pass
- →Wine lunch stop in Barrydale
Franschhoek Wineries by Bike
Franschhoek
Rent a bike in the village (~£12/day) or use the Franschhoek Wine Tram hop-on-hop-off (~£18). Ride between estates on the valley floor doing tastings at 3-4 wineries (~£4-7 each) — the G Adventures bike tour optional, done independently for a fraction. Evening stroll on the main street.
🚌Bike hire / Wine Tram (~£15)
🛏Guesthouse dorm/backpackers, Franschhoek (£22)
- →Franschhoek Wine Tram or bike hire
- →Wine tastings at 3-4 estates
- →Village walk
Franschhoek to Cape Town — Signal Hill & Bo-Kaap
Cape Town
Minibus taxi or shared shuttle over the pass to Cape Town (~£10). Check into a hostel in the City Bowl or Sea Point. Walk up Signal Hill for the sunset noonday gun view, then wander Bo-Kaap's colourful streets and grab a Cape Malay curry (~£8).
🚌Shared shuttle / minibus taxi (~£10)
🛏Hostel dorm, Cape Town (£17)
- →Signal Hill sunset walk
- →Bo-Kaap self-guided walk
- →Cape Malay dinner
Table Mountain Cable Car & V&A Waterfront
Cape Town
Book the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway ticket online ahead (~£22 return) — go first thing to beat the crowds and wind. Alternatively hike up Platteklip Gorge for free and ride down. Afternoon at the V&A Waterfront, or add a Cape Point Explorer day tour (~£45) if you have the energy. Sunset drinks in Camps Bay.
🚌Uber / MyCiTi bus (~£8)
🛏Hostel dorm, Cape Town (£17)
- →Table Mountain cable car
- →V&A Waterfront
- →Camps Bay sunset
Cape Town — Departure
Cape Town
Final morning: coffee on Bree Street, a last walk along Sea Point promenade, or a quick Kirstenbosch visit. Take the MyCiTi bus or an Uber to Cape Town International for your flight home (~£10).
🚌Uber/MyCiTi to airport (~£10)
🛏—
- →Sea Point promenade walk
- →Bree Street brunch
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,150 | £2,450 |
| Duration | 18 days | 18 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £1,300 per person (53%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,150
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Highlights of South Africa — Self-Launched cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,150 per person for 18 days in South Africa. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with G Adventures?+
Yes — G Adventures charges around £2,450 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,150 — a saving of roughly £1,300 (53%) per person.
How long is the South Africa trip?+
This itinerary runs 18 days, covering 18 day-by-day stops through South Africa.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a adventure, wildlife, hiking trip through South Africa, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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