Backpacking South Africa: Game Drives,shark Dives & Sunbathing Penguins

Back on the road again

It had only been 18 months since I’d returned from my first round‑the‑world trip, but the itchy feet were back.

Badly.

So off I headed again, this time for a two‑month adventure around Southern and Eastern Africa, starting with three weeks in South Africa with a mate.

Jo’burg to the Drakensberg: Two Sides of a Country

Leaving Johannesburg, the first thing that struck me was the security.

Home after home imprisoned behind high walls, thick gates and “24‑hour armed response” signs. A reminder of South Africa’s social problems.

But drive a little further and you hit the other extreme: mile after mile of township, where thousands live in squalid conditions under corrugated roofs, crime hanging in the air like a permanent cloud.

South Africa is a country of contrasts, and you see it within minutes.

The Drakensberg escarpment stretches 1,000km down the central east of the country, with peaks between 2,000 and 3,000 metres.

We stopped in Winterton, a stunning little town surrounded by jagged peaks. This is big hiking territory, and we spent two days getting sunburnt hiking up around 2,000 metres in scorching sun.

The Drakensberg Amphitheatre is the star of the show: a 1,200‑metre high cliff, 5km long, rising like a giant wall with a sheer drop to a plateau that stretches to the horizon. Spectacular doesn’t even cover it.

Cintsa: The Best Hostel in the World (Probably)

After a brief stop in Durban, we arrived in the tiny village of Cintsa, home to one of the best hostels I’ve stayed in anywhere: Buccaneers Backpackers.

Perched on a cliff overlooking a huge, deserted beach, the place had hammocks, a pool, decking everywhere and staff who remembered your name on arrival.

It was the kind of place you could lose days without noticing.

We stayed four nights, mixing chilling out with exploring the area. We had our first game drive in a private reserve, where a rhino charged our tiny jeep and stopped just inches short of the front door. That woke us up.

The Garden Route and a Date With a Great White

Beyond Cintsa we reached the world‑famous Garden Route, a coastal stretch of lush vegetation, lakes, beaches and dramatic scenery.

After a few days in Plettenberg Bay, we arrived in Hermanus for our shark‑diving date.

I’d been shark diving in New Zealand, but this was different. This was the King of Beasts: the Great White.

After bobbing around in the swell on a rickety boat, with a huge chunk of meat dangling over the side and blood and guts thrown into the sea, we suddenly saw a huge dark shadow in the clear water.

The fin cut through the surface like a scene from Jaws.

But it didn’t take the bait. Instead it circled the boat, curious.

Sadly, because of the rough swell, our guide didn’t allow us into the cage.

So we stood on deck watching what looked like a five‑metre oil slick glide around us. Impressive, but disappointing.

Cape Town: One of the World’s Great Cities

After several stops, cheap meals and fantastic wine, we arrived in Cape Town.

With the imposing flat‑topped Table Mountain as a constant backdrop, stunning beaches and fantastic nightlife, Cape Town is one of the world’s great cities.

The Victoria and Albert Waterfront is a masterpiece of shops, bars and restaurants by the harbour. We hung out there a lot, indulging in succulent ostrich washed down with the finest white wine, all at ridiculously cheap prices.

We frequented nightclubs until the early hours, cruised beaches and shopped for cheap handicrafts at local markets.

No trip to Cape Town is complete without heading up Table Mountain. We took the cable car just in time for sunset and for the “tablecloth” to roll in – the blanket of cloud that regularly covers the city below the summit. From above the clouds, the view is surreal.

Back at sea level, we headed to Boulders Beach, home to penguins who wander around like sunbathing beach vendors. I didn’t buy a watch.

Cape of Good Hope and Robben Island

On a day trip we visited the Cape of Good Hope – not the most southerly point of Africa, as many believe, but a major milestone for early sailors heading east. The scenery was stunning.

Our final trip was to Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was incarcerated for 18 of his 27 years behind bars. The tour is fascinating and highlights the brutality of apartheid.

Visiting the island makes you realise how what Mandella went through. Whatever your political stance, having seen the conditions he went through, it’s incredible he came out the other side.

Onwards to the Next Adventure

After a week living the life in this awesome city, my three weeks in South Africa were up.

Several Southern and East African countries awaited me as my backpack and I were off for another five weeks, heading north overland, all the way to Kenya.