I had no idea what to expect in terms of where I was going to stay
I checked out the reviews online and asked my fellow travelers for recommendations. I also stayed at places that were stops on the BazBus, the backpacker bus I used to get around.
It was
I’ve included affiliate links within this post, but I paid for all of my stays and am writing about them honestly. I’ve left out the plane photos because I think it goes without saying that I did not sleep well.
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The Best Places to Stay in South Africa and Swaziland
Once in Joburg, Johannesburg
The only place I booked before arriving in South Africa was my hostel in Johannesburg since I was going to arrive at night. I didn’t do much research about the neighborhood around it, but I loved Once in Joburg’s amenities. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to experience most of them because of the power outages due to load shedding. But the staff was super nice about it, trying to make my stay more comfortable.
The hostel has a lounge and restaurant and offers free breakfast. Cook your own meals in their kitchen or check out one of the restaurants nearby. Once in Joburg also has free wifi, keycard entry to rooms, plugs at the beds, ensuite bathrooms, and lockers. My 8-bed female dorm was around 250 ZAR ($17 USD) per night.
Pumba’s Backpackers, Pretoria
After my stay in Johannesburg, I took the Gautrain to Pretoria, where my Kruger tour was leaving from. There aren’t a ton of hostel options here, so I went with Pumbas, which is a short walk from the train station. It’s popular with the Peace Corps crowd and is a BazBus pickup stop. I
t has both dorms, private rooms, and cottages next to the pool, which I wish I’d booked. The property has a kitchen, free breakfast, and free WiFi. Bathrooms are located outside on the side of the building.
I arrived at the gate and had to buzz to get in. The high security was a bit intimidating. I stayed in a female dorm right off the main building where the kitchen and reception desk
The 6-bed female dorm was 200 ZAR ($13) and was decorated with pictures of Marilyn Monroe and Hollywood stars. There
It also seemed that some people were long term guests so there was little space for my stuff. But I only stayed for one night. I didn’t feel like there was much of an atmosphere here, but maybe it was just the night I was there, even though it was a weekend.
Numbi Hotel and Caravan Park, Hazyview
I didn’t choose the places we stayed on my Kruger tour with Acacia Africa, which ran from Pretoria to Durban. Numbi Hotel and Caravan Park had a number of accommodation options, but most of my group stayed at the campsite. One guy on my tour opted for the lodge rooms, which he said were comfortable. The site was not too far from the entrance to Kruger National Park and a short drive from restaurants and shops.
The campground had a bathhouse, campsite kitchen facilities, a pool, and WiFi at reception, which I didn’t use. There was also a bar, but I didn’t go there either. The site is also attached to an airstrip where you can go on scenic microlight flights. Hotel rooms are around 1,640 ZAR ($113) per night while campsites are from 290 ZAR ($20) for 2 people.
Mlilwane Game Reserve, Swaziland
After our time in Kruger, our tour crossed into Swaziland, also known as eSwatini. Mlilwane Game Reserve is located on a massive plot of land with all sorts of animals roaming. This facility had private cottages, campsites, and bunk rooms.
We ended up paying a small fee to upgrade to the bunk rooms for some comfort after our previous days camping. We each had our own room, which came with plugs, linens, and storage. The bathhouse was a short walk away and so was the kitchen facilities.
The reserve had no shortage of activities, including a restaurant, pool, horseback riding, hiking, bike rentals, game drives, and WiFi available for purchase. I loved staying here because I got to wake up to zebras munching on grass outside my window and tried not to spook the warthog families when I walked to the bathhouse in the dark. Camping starts at 130 ZAR ($9) and the “beehive” cottages are 495 ($35).
Monzi Safaris, St. Lucia
The final stop on our tour was St. Lucia, a stunning waterfront town known for its hippo and crocodile sightings. We stayed at a place that had “glamping,” standard rooms, and hostel dorms. There were two pools, a self-catering kitchen, and bar with games. It was well located in town, a short walk from the grocery store and cafes.
Our permanent tents were set up on a platform at the top of one of the buildings. They came equipped with twin beds, plugs with lamps, bedding, and fans. Each tent came with a key so it could be locked up when you were away. There was also fast WiFi, a first for this part of the trip. They also run tours to the nearby national park. Dorms start at 220 ZAR ($15) while double rooms are 600 ($41).
Happy Hippo, Durban
The tour ended in Durban, where I decided to spend a few days before continuing on. I booked a dorm at Happy Hippo because that’s where my friends were staying before their next tour. I didn’t do much research on the place, but it had a reasonable rate. It was basically a massive adapted warehouse that had added dorm and private rooms as well as a kitchen. There was also a rooftop bar.
The rooms were nice enough, cooled down with a fan. My six bed female dorm was 200 ZAR ($15) per night. The WiFi was terrible, so I don’t recommend it if you have to work as I did. It basically limits you to a certain amount of megabytes and kicks you off after that. But it was difficult to get connected in the first place. It’s not close to many restaurants, apart from those at Ushaka Marine World, so Uber is necessary to see most of Durban.
Curiocity, Durban
Because of the WiFi restrictions at Happy Hippo, I spent my last night in Durban at
The main downside is the location. It’s not a safe area, as I learned from the security guard and buzzer entry, so Uber and Uber Eats became necessary. I only stayed one night, but otherwise this might have become a nuisance. It was a BazBus stop, which was convenient. My 8 bed female dorm room had a nice balcony, workspace, and plugs at every bed (although not the right kind for my converter). I paid 265 ZAR ($18) for the night.
Buccaneers, Chintsa
I’d heard great things about this place in Chintsa (or Cintsa), so after a full day of travel, I booked three nights there. Buccaneers
It cost 200 ZAR per night ($13). The beds were comfortable, but it gets hot in the room so the door to the balcony is kept open. There aren’t many plugs, but it’s easy to disconnect. And the bathroom is just down the stairs. Expect to wake up to the sounds of monkeys in the trees!
It’s a very social place, offering nightly group dinners and countless activities. There’s also a restaurant for breakfast and lunch as well as a kitchen. Since I was traveling on a budget, I walked across the beach to the town of Chintsa to visit the small grocery store for essentials. The items I bought weren’t great, so if you’re coming from a larger city, I recommend bringing your own. And a lighter is like gold here!
WiFi is limited, so plan on spending your time exploring or relaxing. There’s a pool, surf lessons, canoeing, and events like a volleyball tournament. You can also borrow a bike to volunteer in the village, which I wished I’d had time to do. I did take advantage of the laundry facilities and even got a massage.
Island Vibe, Port Elizabeth
Port Elizabeth wasn’t on my original itinerary, but I had a required stop there for BazBus. I didn’t want to get right back on the bus the next morning, so I added an extra day. A friend had recommended Island Vibe, which is located in a historic harbor master’s house overlooking the water.
My friend and I arrived before midnight and were shown to our empty six bed dorm room, which didn’t have a key. I didn’t think much of it, but someone came in during the night looking for a place to sleep. They didn’t stay. But the next night, people came in and had sex in the room before I alerted reception.
It turns out that only one person was a guest. I felt weird about the security, especially since there was a massive gate to get in. It felt like they were still getting settled into this location.
The rooms themselves were nice enough, just down the hall from the bathrooms and showers. There was a small kitchen, which was essentially a kettle and hot plate. The WiFi was fast and the location was close to restaurants. My room was 200 ZAR ($13) per night.
Dijembe Backpackers, Storms River
After our experiences in Port Elizabeth, my friend and I arrived in Storms River looking for some peace and quiet. We got off the bus and stopped by a few places to get the best price. We ended up at Dijembe Backpackers, the cheapest place in town and from my entire trip. The hippie looking house has goats and horses running around so we had no idea what to expect. He looked at me suspiciously, but I had a good feeling.
We stayed in a ten-bed mixed dorm, including two triple bunks. Past guests had written messages on every surface of the place, including walls and ceilings. The WiFi here was surprisingly good and there were a few places to charge my electronics. The hostel runs tours and has group dinners every night. They also have free pancakes for breakfast daily and cheap coffee.
It’s a short walk from the restaurants and shops of Storms River and not too far from the entrance to the national park. They also run tours to the nearby Bloukrans Bridge bungy jump, the highest in the world. It’s the perfect place to unwind, petting the dogs and cats or relaxing in one of the hammocks. They run on a tab system for drinks, so you just pay when you leave. I paid 160 ZAR ($11) per night with a discount as a BazBus passenger.
Ikhaya Backpackers, Stellenbosch
As with in Pretoria, there aren’t a ton of hostels in Stellenbosch, despite it being a university town. In hindsight, I should have used this as an opportunity to splurge on a nice hotel or Airbnb. But I arrived around dinnertime in an Uber from the BazBus stop and, confused about where the entrance was, stumbled into a bar that turned out to be the reception desk.
I had to push through drunk people to collect the three sets of keys required to get into my room. I was confused about which gate to go through but eventually found my place.
iKhaya is essentially a bar with apartments and has no sort of community atmosphere. I ended up having a dorm to myself, which had a small kitchenette and a bathroom. Thankfully this gave me the chance to charge all of my electronics.
The limited WiFi they have barely reaches upstairs and it was a pain to get the login information. I had to check out at 10 am before my 7 pm bus, but they wouldn’t give me a late
91 Loop, Cape Town
I finally arrived in Cape Town after almost a month of travel, so I booked at 91 Loop, a boutique hostel in the heart of a downtown dining area. I stayed in a pod room like those found in Japan for 288 ZAR ($20) per night. It was a bit steep for what ended up being a 16 or so
The location is great, surrounded by nightlife and dining as well as the restaurant and bar at the hostel. There are also activities happening constantly, from a Lion’s Head hike to a beer pong tournament to a weekly free walking tour and the nearby art walk. They have an attached travel agency that can help you plan your trip.
Atlantic Point, Cape Town
I had to leave 91 Loop after a few days because they were fully booked for the Cape Town Cycle Tour. Thankfully I was able to snag the last dorm bed at Atlantic Point Backpackers after a number of calls around town. Located in Green Point near the waterfront, I’d heard good things about this place from Kate. The secure facility had code entry and another code to get to your room. They’re super water conscious, reminding you to take short showers.
There’s also a nice community atmosphere with group meals and a bar. Atlantic Point offers a fantastic free breakfast of muffins, eggs, and fruit and also has a full kitchen. They’re a short walk from laundry facilities and plenty of restaurants. My comfy 8-bed female dorm had plenty of light, a nice fan, and large lockers plus an ensuite bathroom for 272 ZAR ($18).
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