Self-Launched Solo South Africa: Cape Town to Johannesburg

Fly into Cape Town International Airport — aim to land before 2pm to maximise your first day. Take the MyCiTi Airport Express bus to the city centre (around £3), far cheaper than a taxi. Check into a central hostel or guesthouse in the City Bowl or Gardens area. In the evening, head to the colourful Bo-Kaap neighbourhood and book a local Cape Malay cooking class — available independently via GetYourGuide for around £30–40pp. A great way to meet fellow travellers from the get-go.

🚌MyCiTi Airport Express bus from Cape Town International to city centre (~£3)

🛏Ashanti Lodge Gardens or Once in Cape Town Guesthouse (~£18–25/night)

• →Arrive at Cape Town International Airport — take the MyCiTi Airport Express bus to the city centre (~£3)
• →Check into hostel or guesthouse in the City Bowl or Gardens neighbourhood
• →Self-guided stroll through the colourful Bo-Kaap neighbourhood
• →Book a Cape Malay cooking class in Bo-Kaap via GetYourGuide (~£30–40pp)

Start the morning early to beat the crowds at Table Mountain. Buy your cable car ticket on the official Table Mountain Aerial Cableway website or at the lower station (~£20 return). Explore the hiking trails at the top and soak in sweeping views of Lion's Head, Signal Hill, Table Bay, and Devil's Peak before descending by cable car. In the afternoon, visit SEED, the Planeterra community garden project — contact them directly to arrange a visit, farm-to-table workshop, and locally sourced meal (~£15–20pp).

🚌Walk or take an Uber/Bolt to Table Mountain lower cable station (~£4 each way)

🛏Ashanti Lodge Gardens or Once in Cape Town Guesthouse (~£18–25/night)

• →Morning cable car ride to the top of Table Mountain (~£20 return — book online in advance)
• →Explore hiking trails at the summit with panoramic views of Lion's Head, Devil's Peak, and Table Bay
• →Afternoon visit to SEED Community Garden (Planeterra Project) — farm-to-table workshop and meal (~£15–20pp)
• →Evening wander through the V&A Waterfront for dinner

Join a full-day Cape Peninsula tour via GetYourGuide or Klook (~£35–50pp) — these shared group tours hit all the highlights in one go. Stop at the colourful beach huts at St James, browse the bohemian village of Kalk Bay, round the dramatic Cape Point, and visit Boulders Beach to see the famous African penguin colony (~£8 entry). The peninsula scenery is jaw-dropping — Chapman's Peak, Cape of Good Hope, and boulder-strewn coves. Return to Cape Town by early evening.

🚌Shared Cape Peninsula day tour via GetYourGuide (~£35–50pp, includes transport)

🛏Ashanti Lodge Gardens or Once in Cape Town Guesthouse (~£18–25/night)

• →Stop at St James Beach to photograph the iconic colourful beach huts
• →Explore Kalk Bay village — coffee, antiques, and ocean views
• →Visit Cape Point and the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve (~£12 entry)
• →Boulders Beach African penguin colony (~£8 entry)
• →Drive Chapman's Peak — one of the world's most scenic coastal roads

Take a day trip into the Cape Winelands — the Stellenbosch and Franschhoek wine route is world-class and easy to do independently. Catch a shared shuttle from Cape Town to Stellenbosch (~£8 each way with Intercape or a shared shuttle service). Hire a bicycle in Stellenbosch (~£10/day) to hop between wine estates, or join an organised wine tasting tour from Stellenbosch (~£30–45pp via GetYourGuide). The famous Franschhoek Wine Tram is a fun and affordable way to explore (~£20pp). Return to Cape Town by evening.

🚌Shared shuttle Cape Town–Stellenbosch (~£8 each way); bicycle hire or Wine Tram locally

🛏Ashanti Lodge Gardens or Once in Cape Town Guesthouse (~£18–25/night)

• →Shared shuttle from Cape Town to Stellenbosch (~£8 each way)
• →Explore Stellenbosch's oak-lined streets and Cape Dutch architecture
• →Wine tasting at 2–3 estates on the Stellenbosch wine route (~£8–15 per tasting)
• →Optional: Franschhoek Wine Tram for a scenic hop-on hop-off wine experience (~£20pp)
• →Return shuttle to Cape Town by evening

Fly from Cape Town to Hoedspruit (Eastgate Airport) or Phalaborwa Airport, which serve the Kruger National Park region. Book domestic flights with FlySafair or Airlink — prices vary but budget around £80–130 return if booked in advance. Alternatively, fly into Johannesburg (OR Tambo) and take a Baz Bus or shared transfer to the Kruger region (~4–5 hrs). Check into a budget safari lodge or backpackers near the Kruger gates — Hazyview and Hoedspruit have excellent affordable options.

🚌Domestic flight Cape Town to Hoedspruit/Phalaborwa (~£80–120); airport transfer to lodge (~£15–20)

🛏Kruger Gate Backpackers, Hazyview Cabanas, or Hippo Hollow Country Estate (budget rooms ~£25–40/night)

• →Morning flight from Cape Town to Hoedspruit or Phalaborwa (book with FlySafair or Airlink — ~£80–120 one way)
• →Transfer to budget lodge or backpackers near the Kruger gates
• →Afternoon at leisure — orientation and briefing with lodge staff on self-drive or guided safari options
• →Sunset drink and wildlife spotting from the lodge deck

Full day in Kruger — the ultimate Big Five safari experience. You have two great options: self-drive (hire a car from ~£35/day and pay park entry ~£18/person) or join a full-day guided safari from your lodge (~£60–90pp, highly recommended for first-timers as guides know animal locations). Self-drive gives you freedom; guided gets you expert eyes on the bush. Either way, spend dawn and dusk in the park — these are prime game-viewing hours. Look out for lion, leopard, elephant, rhino, and buffalo.

🚌Self-drive hire car in Kruger (~£35/day + £18pp park entry) OR guided full-day safari from lodge (~£60–90pp)

🛏Kruger Gate Backpackers or similar budget lodge near park gates (~£25–40/night)

• →Early morning game drive in Kruger National Park — depart at sunrise for best sightings
• →Search for the Big Five: lion, leopard, elephant, rhino, and buffalo
• →Rest at a camp picnic site during midday heat
• →Afternoon/sunset game drive — prime time for predator activity
• →Optional: Night drive with a guide from your lodge (~£25–35pp)

Another full day to explore Kruger's vast wilderness — at nearly 2 million hectares, two days barely scratches the surface. Head to different sections of the park today: try the central regions around Satara for lion sightings, or the southern Skukuza area for leopard and cheetah. Book a bush walk with an armed ranger through your lodge (~£35–50pp) for a thrilling on-foot wildlife encounter. In the evening, enjoy a traditional braai (South African barbecue) back at the lodge.

🚌Self-drive in Kruger or lodge game drive vehicle (included in guided safari packages)

🛏Kruger Gate Backpackers or similar budget lodge near park gates (~£25–40/night)

• →Early morning game drive in a different zone of Kruger — central Satara area recommended for lion
• →Guided bush walk with an armed ranger (~£35–50pp) — incredible on-foot wildlife experience
• →Birdwatching — Kruger has over 500 bird species
• →Evening traditional braai (South African BBQ) at the lodge
• →Optional: leopard-spotting night drive (~£25–35pp)

On your way towards Johannesburg, take a scenic detour along the Mpumalanga Panorama Route — one of South Africa's most spectacular drives. Hire a car or join a shared day tour (~£40–55pp via GetYourGuide). Key stops include God's Window (breathtaking escarpment views), Bourke's Luck Potholes (dramatic rock formations), and the Three Rondavels overlook into the vast Blyde River Canyon — the third largest canyon in the world. Drive or transfer to a guesthouse in the Mpumalanga area for the night.

🚌Hire car or shared Panorama Route day tour from Kruger area (~£40–55pp via GetYourGuide)

🛏Graskop Hotel or Sabie Valley Backpackers (~£20–35/night)

• →God's Window viewpoint — sweeping views over the lowveld
• →Bourke's Luck Potholes — surreal cylindrical rock formations carved by the river
• →Three Rondavels overlook into the Blyde River Canyon (~£5 entry)
• →Optional: Lisbon Falls and Berlin Falls scenic stops
• →Overnight in Graskop or Sabie — charming Mpumalanga towns

Drive or take a shared shuttle from Mpumalanga to Johannesburg (~3.5 hrs, ~£15–20 by shared shuttle or ~£30 by car hire). Check into a hostel in the Maboneng Precinct or Rosebank — both are safe, vibrant, and well-connected. In the afternoon, join a Soweto township tour (~£25–35pp via GetYourGuide) — a deeply moving and essential South African experience. Visit Nelson Mandela's former home, the Hector Pieterson Memorial, and Orlando Towers. Round off the evening with dinner and craft beer in the Maboneng arts district.

🚌Shared shuttle Mpumalanga to Johannesburg (~£15–20) or hire car drop-off at JHB

🛏Curiocity Backpackers Maboneng or Rosebank Link Guesthouse (~£18–28/night)

• →Shared shuttle or drive from Mpumalanga to Johannesburg (~3.5 hrs, ~£15–20 by shuttle)
• →Check into Maboneng Precinct or Rosebank area hostel
• →Afternoon Soweto township tour (~£25–35pp via GetYourGuide) — Mandela House, Hector Pieterson Memorial, Orlando Towers
• →Dinner and evening drinks in the Maboneng arts and culture district
• →Optional: visit Constitution Hill and the Apartheid Museum (save for Day 10 if preferred)

Your final day in South Africa. Spend the morning at the Apartheid Museum — one of the world's most powerful and important museums, not to be missed (~£8 entry). Allow 2–3 hours to absorb the exhibits. Afterwards, grab lunch in Braamfontein or Newtown, explore the street art, or visit the vibrant Market on Main in Maboneng if it's a weekend. Head to OR Tambo International Airport by Gautrain (the city's metro rail, ~£4) or Uber (~£15). Check in for your onward flight with memories of an epic 10 days.

🚌Gautrain from Rosebank to OR Tambo Airport (~£4) or Uber (~£15)

🛏Check out — depart from Johannesburg OR Tambo International Airport

• →Morning visit to the Apartheid Museum — allow 2–3 hours (~£8 entry)
• →Lunch in Braamfontein or Newtown creative districts
• →Optional: Market on Main (weekends) in Maboneng
• →Transfer to OR Tambo International Airport via Gautrain (~£4) or Uber (~£15)
• →Depart Johannesburg