We would never have expected to camp during our time in South Africa. Primarily seeing A) we have not camped often in the past few years and B) we had no idea what to expect from camp sites in South Africa. Saying that, camping on the Garden Route in South Africa is MOST definitely safe and a great way to see the coastal route.
Some people say South Africa is not affordable and below we are going to show that it is most definitely affordable and offers value for money!
We travelled to South Africa with South Africa Tourism ANZ and G Adventures so the list of camps sites below have been visited multiple times on tours with G Adventures and hence are well recognized sites. If camping in a tent isn’t your style of travelling, however you want to stick to a budget, a lot of the sites below have various bedding options from cabins to self contained units so check them out!
Camping on the Garden Route – Accomodation
Below we have listed each of the locations we stopped during our 10 day adventure from Durban to Cape Town. The tour is G Adventures ‘South African Discoverer‘.
1. Durban : Ansteys Beach Self Catering Backpackers
Durban is the third most populous city in South Africa and hence a convenient location to start the Garden Route. Whether an overnight stay or a multiple night stay, it is worth seeing the extensive beaches that front Durban.
We stayed at Ansteys Beach Self Catering Backpackers. Situated one street back from the main road, this family run accommodation offers self-catering apartments (some with kitchen facilities), private rooms and budget backpacker rooms (some with shared bathrooms).
A small licensed bar and restaurant, swimming pool, pool table and free wifi are available on site.
2. Chinsta : Buckaneers Lodge and Backpackers
Situated on the East Coast, Chinsta is a quaint area. From Durban the drive takes between 9 – 10 hours which we covered in one days drive.
We primarily stopped in this location for two nights to visit Inkwenkwezi Game Reserve which is only about 10 minutes drive from the accomodation at Buckaneers Lodge and Backpackers.
The options for accomodation are extensive. Guests can choose from the campsite (which is where we stayed). Features at the campsite include a cooking / dining area which is undercover with charging points available. There are also two shower cubicles and 2 bathrooms.
The Lodge section of the Camp includes Deluxe Sea View Ensuites, Treehouse Garden & Sea View Rooms as well as Budget Cabins and Dorms. Common facilities include a pool and multiple dining facilities.
3. Addo : Addo Homestead B&B
The area of Addo is well known for Addo National Park which is located close to Addo Homestead B&B. Situated in a lush property, the homestead offers camping, cavavan, self catering and bed and breakfast.
The site itself is beautiful with cows on the neighbouring site and trees surrounding the property. With us on the South Africa Tourism ANZ and G Adventures Tour we totalled 10 people so we took up an entire area of the camp site.
There are a number of bathroom / shower cubicles for camping but cooking facilities are not provided at all camping sites. While we loved the beauty of this campsite there were no point points undercover, however it is possible to use the ones inside the house.
4. Storms River : Tube & Axe Boutique Lodge Backpackers
For good reasons alone, Storms River is a bizarre but quaint town. As part our camping on the Garden Route, we stopped at Storms River which is the gateway to Tsitsikamma National Park. The town consists of only 3 streets and reminded us of a film set with an old American diner in the centre of the town!
We would highly recommend Tube & Axe as an accomodation option in Storms River. The Lodge had a great feel to it! Whether you are camping or staying in the Lodge, all guests have access to the kitchen / dining area which features a pool area. It felt great after a few days of camping to be able to spend some time in a cosy indoor space at night.
5. Knysna : Knysna Monks Campsite
Knysna is situated along the Garden Route and is the first town which felt more lively since leaving Durban. While in Knysna we recommend taking a sunset cruise on the Lagoon and exploring the many view points including Knysna Heads. Also visit Thesen Island where there are many great restaurants and cafes.
The location of Knysna Monks Campsite is well situated on the Lagoon with easy access by car to the main attractions of the area. While there is camping available, there is also permanent caravan accomodation which can be rented for however long you’d like.
We took this option. Each of the caracans came with a kitchen / dining area and a bathroom. Some rooms can bunk between 8 – 12 people if you are travelling with a larger group.
6. Grootvadersbosch National Park : Grootvadersbosch Camping
What a picturesque location! Grootvadersbosch National Park encompasses 250 hectares of Indigenous forest. If camping on the Garden Route, we would highly recommend a night here.
You will be in the middle of no where, surrounded by rolling hill sides however for a night it is beautiful to be able to take in the nature surrounding you. Grootvadersbosch Camping Site is basic however has everything you require including indoor area for cooking and dining and bathroom facilities. There are also cabins if you don’t wish to camp.. be warned not to leave food around as there may be Baboons.
7. Cape Town : Once in Cape Town
Positioned in the heart of Cape Town, Once in Cape Town is a lively place to stay. We arrived on a Friday so the bar downstairs was pumping! This also meant it was better for us to be out too rather than sitting in the rooms.
Once in Cape Town is definitely not camping. It is a Hostel/Hotel with modern rooms and ensuites. Exactly what we needed after multiple nights of camping! And it was the perfect location to end our Garden Route tour.
Review of Camping on the Garden Route
We hope the above information will be helpful when booking a camping trip through South Africa. As mentioned previously, all sites above have great facilities and offer multiple styles of accomodation. We found this style of travelling fantastic for the type of trip we were doing and it allowed us to adventure from Durban to Cape Town in 10 days.
To see what we got up to on our South Africa Tourism ANZ and G Adventures Tour have a look here.
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