Travel blog: South African bus tour, Durban to Cape Town

Richard Aylen is swapping the daily routine of an 8-5 London lifestyle for a 24-7 cross continent trip taking in Africa, south-east Asia and Australasia. From Cape Town to the Cook Islands via Chiang Mai and Christchurch, his trip will take him from the capital of the UK and deep into backpacker territory. This is his second blog:

Travelling through South Africa poses several problems for those attempting to see the country without a car. Finding affordable, reliable and safe travel in the company of other likeminded backpackers is no easy task.

Being a non-driver, I found myself in this scenario until the discovery of the Baz Bus. A mini-bus service running throughout the country, the Baz Bus is used mainly by non-South African backpackers making their way across this vast land mass. Taking several different routes throughout the country, the Baz Bus literally explores every corner of South Africa. It runs though Swaziland and Kwazulu Natal in the north of the country and also travels through the Eastern Cape and the Western Cape down to Cape Town, as well as offering links to Johannesburg and Pretoria making it convenient for anyone looking to explore much of South Africa’s diverse offerings.

My route took me from Durban, in Kwazulu Natal, down to Cape Town in the heart of the Western Cape on a two week costal journey. Costing R2,250 (£130) for a 14-day hop-on and hop-off pass, it was affordable and allowed me to keep my travel options open. The cheapest ticket can be as little as R1,200 (£70) while the most expensive tickets reach over R8,000 (£450). While hiring a car, particularly if travelling in a group, would have been cheaper, the Baz Bus offers a brilliant solution for non-drivers or those traveling solo or in pairs.

Coming with a travel-size book called 'Coast to Coast' the bus allows you to book hostels, as well as your seat. 'Coast to Coast' is a comprehensive listing of hostels along the whole of the Baz Bus route and while you are unlikely to find a bad word about any of them in the book, it is an extremely valuable bank of phone numbers, descriptions and information when stranded without access to the internet. Travellers simply phone the Baz Bus and state their ticket number, they can then ask to be picked up from their particular hostel and taken to their next destination, safe in the knowledge that they will have a room and a seat on the bus guaranteed.

The Baz Bus works in sections so a certain degree of planning is necessary to ensure no disappointments. Leaving Durban at 6:45 in the morning, the bus makes its way towards Port Elizabeth where it will stop overnight after arriving at about 22:30. This means that the time you are picked up increases the closer you get to Port Elizabeth. So Stopping in Chinsta on a Monday would see you arrive at about 16:00, if you were leaving the next day you would be picked up at the same time by Tuesday’s bus meaning you would get a whole day to spend in the area. So those looking to do tours may find they need extra days in certain stops to get everything done.

Travelling from Durban to Cape Town, I stopped as several places along the route including Coffee Bay (brilliant for partying and guided tours), Chinsta (picturesque and the perfect chill-out destination), Storm’s River (for any adrenaline junkies) and finally Cape Town. A stop off at Hermanus was only avoided because of the whale watching weekend that takes over the town in September.

Those with more time on their hands could also check out Jeffreys Bay, which is a surfer’s paradise complete with discount stores and world-class waves or Stellenbosch which is famous for its wine tasting tours.

As well as being a link to some of South Africa’s best destinations, the Baz Bus is also a safe way for travellers to explore the country. Picking you up on the doorstep of the hostel and delivering you in the welcoming atmosphere of your next stop, there is little chance of experiencing any trouble on the road.

In addition, it also provides the opportunity to meet other travellers making the same or similar routes down the coast. Stopping off at the hostels will also allow you to speak to people who have already been in your direction providing valuable word-of-mouth tip offs on what to avoid at all costs. On arriving in your hostel you may also find that the person, or people, you have spent the two hour bus ride chatting to are actually in your dorm - the perfect tonic for solo travellers looking for some company.

Ultimately, the Baz Bus may not be as flexible and cheap as hiring a car but it is certainly the best way to explore South Africa in a cheap, reliable and safe way for those with no other option to seek but public transport.

Richard Aylen