South Africa Travel Expenses: Costs of a Round Trip (Prices, Rental Cars, National Parks, Activities
Several trips have taken me to South Africa in recent years. No matter if one, two or four weeks. As I receive more and more questions about how much a self-drive trip to South Africa costs, I have listed my expenses and costs of the trips.
Our travel expenses South Africa
Here are the answers to the following questions:
How much does a rental car cost?
What does an overnight stay in cities and national parks cost?
What can I do?
What do excursions cost?
On our first trip, we spent a total of almost 4 weeks on our own with a rental car. We spent several days at a time in Cape Town and the Cape Peninsulaand the West Coast National Park at the beginning of the trip. We first picked up the rental car at the airport in Johannesburg. From here we drove the Panorama Routeon to the Kruger National Park, Eswatini (Swaziland), St LuciaHluhluwe National Park to Durban. From Durban we flew to Port Elizabeth to rent another car for the return trip via the Garden Route to Cape Town. Garden Route from Port Elizabeth to Cape Town to Cape Town.
We were on the road from the beginning of December until Christmas Eve (return flight on the 24th). Therefore, we were already travelling in the high season, where prices are higher than in the low season (read here everything about the best time to travel in South Africa, with information about the high and low season.).
Here is a listing of all costs, which I update regularly as prices for national parks get more expensive.
Our way of travelling:
Rental car instead of bus, to be able to stop anywhere and drive around the Kruger National Park on our own.
Private flats and hotels instead of hostels and shared rooms (only once we stayed in a hostel, but in a double room with private bathroom).
Glamping, camping and sometimes exclusive game lodges for the ultimate safari experience. The only way to get closer is with Eco Training (my favourite).
Special activities like a helicopter flight is a MUST for us in Cape Town.
Direct flight instead of open jaw (environment!) - For South Africa a flight via Johannesburg for this described trip
I don't save money when I travel, but want to experience as much as possible. That's why I do a lot more than the average holidaymaker. At least that's what my friends say.
I will therefore show you my summary of average costs so that you can get a rough idea of how expensive a trip to South Africa is.
⚠️ This cost summary serves as a guideline. We spent a lot more than you probably will, especially when visiting a private game reserve. A trip through South Africa can always be cheaper, we love extraordinary experiences and don't want to cut corners.
Info about prices in South Africa
Entrance fees for national parks, safaris (game drives) and accommodation are cheaper than in Botswana and partly also Namibia.
The cost of the trip depends on what you want to see. What excursions are you planning. Do you book domestic flights or do you do everything by rental car?
Do you like to eat out in restaurants or do you like to cook yourself?
Is your trip only to Cape Town, Garden Route and the West Coast? Then the trip is cheaper than a detour into nature and to the animals I love so much!
In the Kruger National ParkHluhluwe National Park and the private game reserves around it, you can leave quite a bit of money behind if you want to. And that's exactly what I wanted. Because it is different and less than in the zoo. Away from the masses and into nature.
All information for regions and cities:
Garden Route
Cape Town Sightseeing | Tips before your Cape Town Holiday (Planning) | Excursions in Cape Town and Surroundings
Cape Peninsula and Cape of Good Hope
Panorama Route with Blyde River Canyon
Kruger National Park
Johannesburg
Northern Cape with Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, Augrabies Falls and Namaqualand
Western Cape Roundtrip from Cape Town (with Paternoster and Langebaan)
Swaziland
Addo Elephant National Park
Tsitsikamma National Park
Entry and Visa
With a German passport you do not need an expensive visa for South Africa. You can stay in the country for 90 days with a tourist visa.
Costs: None
Flights
We like to book a direct flight. These are available from Munich and Frankfurt to Johannesburg (South African Airways and Lufthansa) or Cape Town (Condor, in winter also Lufthansa).
Flights to Cape Town cost around 500 - 800 euros, depending on the time of year. Around Christmas at least double that. Lufthansa is almost always twice as expensive as Condor or Eurowings.
Flights to Johannesburg are usually cheaper. Flights with a change of planes (e.g. Air Namibia via Windhoek) lose you time, but save you money. I advise against this.
I always book and search for my flights via the Skyscanner flight search engine.
Costs for flights from the end of November to 24 December:
Flights Frankfurt - Johannesburg - Cape Town (outward flight, return flight from Johannesburg): 600 €.
Direct flight Frankfurt - Cape Town (Lufthansa): 748 €.
As we often receive e-mails asking about the costs of a trip to South Africa, I have compiled a list here. This will make it easier for you to find your way around and give you a feeling of how much you need to budget for your holiday.
Domestic flights
In South Africa, domestic flights are sometimes suitable, as distances are often underestimated. Popular routes include Cape Town - Johannesburg, Cape Town - Upington (north), Johannesburg - Hoedspruit (Kruger National Park) and Durban - Port Elizabeth or Cape Town.
Be aware that if you fly open jaw and drop off your rental car at different stations, you will often have to pay one-way rental.
Flight Cape Town to Johannesburg with Mango: 64 Euro
Flight Durban to Port Elizabeth with British Airways: 78 Euro
Flight Hoedspruit - Johannesburg with South African Airways: 150 Euro (here CemAir would be the cheap alternative. However, flights are often delayed or cancelled).
Flight Cape Town - Port Elizabeth with FlySafair: 80 € (peak season New Year, otherwise cheaper)
Transport
Generally, we never take taxis in South Africa, but use UBER. Not only do you save discussions about the price, you also travel cheaper.
Journeys within Cape Town, Durban and Johannesburg usually cost very little. In Maboneng (Johannesburg), we were even advised to take an UBER for short distances. For the very short distances, we always paid 1 - 5 euros. So it's almost nothing that puts a serious strain on your travel budget.
Rental cars, petrol and one-way rentals
The best way to explore South Africa is by rental car. Only then are you really flexible and can you get to places and destinations that you cannot easily reach by bus.
We always book a rental car in Germany before the trip. I always use price comparison sites like Sunny Cars, billiger-mietwagen or Check24 Mietwagen. We usually book with Sunny Cars, as this portal includes the additional driver for free.
When our tyre blew out in the Kalahari, we were glad to be able to speak to the support in German. The costs for the new tyre were quickly transferred to us by Sunny Cars. Therefore, I can highly recommend this provider.
Advantage of Sunny Cars:
Cheapest price-performance package
Additional driver included
Unlimited kilometres
Often also navigation or carplay in the car
Sometimes the one-way rental fee is waived
Important insurances included
If you want to go on safari like we did, I always recommend an SUV or at least a mid-size car. You sit higher and can see animals better. If you are facing an elephant (with your car) a bigger car is better than a small car anyway. It will be more likely to respect you and turn away.
Rental car Johannesburg - Durban, 12 days: 554 Euros (unfortunately I can't find the cost of the one-way rental anymore)
Rental car Johannesburg - Hoedspruit, 7 days: 374 Euro + one-way rental approx. 32 Euro
Rental car Port Elizabeth - Cape Town, 7 days: 312 Euro + one-way rental approx. 62 Euro
Rental car (SUV) Port - Elizabeth - Cape Town (new Tiguan), 10 days: 621 Euro + one-way rental 7 Euro
Accommodation
The costs of our booked accommodation could not be more different. Sometimes a simple rest camp (recommended in national parks), hotel, bed & breakfast, a cheap Airbnb apartment for five, a luxurious all-inclusive lodge in a private game reserve or in a tent. We have even booked hostels in South Africa. Generally, you can spend or save the most money on your accommodation.
Accommodation in Cape Town
In Cape Town, I have stayed in both hotels and Airbnb flats during several stays.
Tip: Apartment at Airbnb Plus (Green Point): €63 per night, great location.
Flat at Airbnb (Woodstock): 24 € for 5 people per night
Bayview Boutique Hotel: 72€/night for 2 persons (in winter, I think it's more expensive in summer)
Premier Hotel Cape Town (Sea Point), double room: 94 €/night
Balfour Place Guesthouse (Directly at the beach of Camps Bay), Deluxe double room 174 €/night
DoubleTree by Hilton Cape Town Upper Eastside (Woodstock), Double room: 91 €/night
CampsBay Resort (Camps Bay), Budget double room: 72 €/night
Accommodation in the Winelands
Little Salts (Stellenbosch): Double room: 82€/night
Accommodation along the Garden Route
Tsitsikamma National Park - Storms River Mouth Rest Camp: Oceanette for 2 persons (self-catering) 68€/night
Andolemi Forest Lodge, Storms River Village: Double room: 63 €/night
Tip: Plettenberg Bay: Long Story Guest House: Double room: 108 €/night
Knysna: The Rex Hotel - double room: 86 €/night
Mossel Bay: Lavandula Manor: Double room with breakfast: 79 €/night
Mossel Bay: Mosselbay Backpackers: Private double room: 45 €/night
Tip: Swellendam: A Riverbed Guesthouse: Double room with breakfast: 75 €/night
Swellendam - The Companjie: Double room with breakfast: 97 €/night
Tip: Hermanus: The Whale on Main B & B: Dommel room with breakfast 91 €/night
Hermanus: Windsor Hotel: Double room with breakfast
Addo Elephant Park: Airbnb in Colchester → offer unfortunately no longer exists
Accommodation in the Western Cape
Duinepos, Self-Catering Chalets: Chalet with 2-person occupancy: 80 €/night
Accommodation in Johannesburg / Soweto
In Johannesburg I stayed in a hotel. in Soweto in a backpacker in the middle of the inhabitants.
Hallmark House, Maboneng (Johannesburg): double room with breakfast, 52 €/night
Lebo's Soweto Backpackers (Soweto): Double room with breakfast, €33/night
Overnight stays in Private Game Reserve, Kruger National Park (expensive to very expensive)
Angela's Safari Camp (Klaserie Private Nature Reserve): 695 €/night (The camp is privately rented which means no other guests here. Ideal for groups of 4 x 2). Game drives, food and drinks are included.
RockFig Safari Lodge (Timbavati Private Nature Reserve): 774 €/night for the complete lodge (8 persons, self catering).
Earth Lodge (Sabi Sands): Package for 4 nights per person: 3069 €. Included are flights to and from Skukuza Airport from Johannesburg or Cape Town. Also included are morning and evening game drives with private ranger, walking safari, all meals and alcoholic beverages.
Plains Camp (Rhino Walking Safaris): €386 for 2 nights.
Included is the transfer to the camping camp in the middle of the bush. Plus 1 night glamping (luxury tents) and 1 night in a tree house, with game drive, walking safaris and meals.
Accommodation Panorama Route
Valley View Backpackers (Graskop): 1 night for 2 persons: 25 € (I do not recommend this accommodation)
Blyde River A Forever Resort (directly at the Blyde River Canyon): Chalet for 2 persons: 75 €/night
Accommodation in Hluhluwe National Park
Hilltop Camp, Chalet for 4 persons (self-catering): 210 €/night for 4 persons
Accommodation in St. Lucia
AmaZulu Lodge: double room with breakfast: 101 €/night
Accommodation in Durban
The Concierge Boutique Bungalows: Double room with breakfast: €99/night
HOTEL WANTED
For the search for a good hotel we recommend the platform booking.com. We always book our accommodation on this platform or directly with American Express, as we get additional discounts with the American Express Platinum credit card (see details here, only worthwhile for frequent travellers).
SIM card & Internet
If you want to be always online while on holiday, I recommend buying a SIM card for South Africa. WIFI in accommodation or public hot spots is really slow.
The best provider is Vodafone. A SIM card costs 55 Rand (approx. 3.70 Euro), plus we bought 5 GB for 399 Rand (approx. 27 Euro) and a few minutes for phone calls for 105 Rand (approx. 7 Euro).
Cost of SIM card: 37.70 euros (price has risen minimally in the last 5 years).
For visiting remote regions (Northern Cape, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park and Kruger National Park), MTN has better reception.
Excursions, Entrances, Tours and Activities in South Africa
I can recommend all of these excursions. We like to experience extraordinary things and do not skimp at this point. List for prices and entrance fees at viewpoints, national parks and hiking tours. In Cape Town we have treated ourselves to an expensive helicopter sightseeing flight several times.
Cape Town:
Table Mountain Cable Car (Return): 277 Rand (winter, approx. €16) and €18 in summer(buy ticket).
Abseil Africa (abseil from Table Mountain): 60 euros
Helicopter flight (have done 3) - from €65 - €260 per person with NAC Helicopters (depending on how many you are). With Airbnb Experiences even possible without doors. Tour to Cape Point: 300 € p.p., which is very cheap.
Robben Island - Township Tour Combo Ticket: €80.50
Bicycle tour through Cape Town(book here): 55 €
Bicycle tourthrough Kayelitsha Township: €35
Kirstenbosch Gardens: approx. 4,10 €
Cape Point National Park/Cape of Good Hope: 147 Rand p. P.; approx. 8,60 € (free with Wild Card )
One-way trip on the Flying Dutchman cogwheel railway: 45 Rand, approx. 2,60 €.
Chapman's Peak Drive: 2,80 € (each way)
Penguins Boulder's Beach: parking 50 Rand (3,20 €), entrance 75 Rand (4,80 €). Free for holders of the Wild Card (by the way, it didn't cost anything to park in the car park in winter - August - now)
Johannesburg
2-hour Graffiti Tour with Past Experiences (170 Rand)
4-hour Soweto Bike Tour (as guest at Soweto Backpackers: 540 Rand)
Entrance to Apartheid Museum (all about the history of segregation and Nelson Mandela)
Visit to traditional healer: 100 Rand per person + 50 Rand to "call" ancestors
Soweto Towers with lift to the top: 80 Rand
See all Johannesburg tips & places to visit here
Panorama Route
Entrances to some viewpoints cost money if you don't stay there (Three Rondavels, we stayed at the lodge. Very basic accommodation, but good for self-cooking). Entrance or parking tickets to the views cost a total of 15 euros. See all tips for Blyde River Canyon and Panorama Route heren.
National Park Entrance Fees (without Wild Card)
iSimangaliso Wetland Park: adult R28 (€1.50) + car R29 (€2)
Kruger National Park: R440 per person/day (5 days): R1.320 (73 €)
Hluhluwe National Park: R210 per person/day (3 days): R630 (35 €)
Food & Drink Costs in South Africa
Many accommodations in national parks have kitchens and a BBQ. Therefore, we liked to have a braai as BBQs are called in South Africa.
When eating out, there is everything from very cheap to very expensive. It depends on the budget you want to spend.
A special experience in Cape Town is the Gold Restaurant. Here you can experience the diversity of food from the whole continent in one evening. The multi-course menu including dancing, singing and a drumming workshop (99 Rand) at the beginning is a highlight. Of course, this costs more than a normal meal (380 Rand), but measured against the experience, it is absolutely worth it. I have even been here twice.
When shopping in supermarkets, the prices for food and alcohol are about the same as in Germany. In national parks it is correspondingly more expensive and often not everything is available.
The further away you are from big cities, the more expensive food becomes.
Other costs
Tips
Generally, you should tip at least 10%. It doesn't matter whether it's a restaurant or a café.
Toll
Some national roads in South Africa are subject to tolls. Around Johannesburg we often had to pay tolls, but towards the south and west the toll stations became less frequent. The amount of the toll depends on the length and the route. We paid between 8 and 71 rand. In total about 10 euros.
2023 the best credit cards are the GenialCard from the Hanseatic Bankthe VISA Card the DKB Bank (as active customer) and the awa 7 credit card (???? "Green" product of the Hanseatic Bank). With these cards, you can withdraw money free of charge from ATMs and pay locally without paying foreign fees abroad in foreign currencies! With both credit cards you can make contactless payments and use Apple Pay and Google Pay. Here you will find all tips on the best travel credit card 2023 with comparison.
Total travel expenses
For my first 4-week trip to South Africa I needed about 4,200 Euros (about 150 Euros/day). In Sabi Sabi we also found a very expensive accommodation near the Kruger National Park with us.
On my next trip, I have booked a one-week trip around Cape Town I needed about 1,000 euros without a flight from Germany. For the 10 days Johannesburg - Panorama Route - Private Game Reserve Timbavati and Klaserie, I spent about €1,500 per person (without flights from Germany). However, we had relatively expensive accommodation in the private game reserves. There are also cheaper options.
On average, you have to reckon with 100 - 150 euros per person per day in South Africa. If you only stay in hostels and travel by bus, it is of course much cheaper, but this is not my way of travelling.
Conclusion
South Africa is a very large and diverse country that you can - and should - easily explore on your own. I love the often unique nature, especially the wildlife and the savannahs as well as the beaches on the coast.
You shouldn't put too much on your to-do list on your first trip. Return again, as we did, just as I have already been to the southern country eight times.
Year after year, the South African currency (rand) loses value, but local prices go up. Nevertheless, South Africa is really cheap - compared to other countries like Namibia, Botswana, Uganda or Rwanda.
Especially during the peak travel season in the South African summer (during their summer holidays), it is good to book accommodation in advance. Especially in national parks, popular rest camps are often fully booked and you are left with the unpopular rest camp if you want to be spontaneous. If you want to be flexible, you can also rent a car with a roof tent, because campsites for camping are also available in the Kruger and all other national parks.
