Any country can be expensive on an extended visit – by the same standard, any country can also be surprisingly affordable with the right knowledge and some forethought.
Costs that can’t be avoided on an international trip boil down to transport fees – both getting into the country and traveling around once you’re there. Costs naturally add up from lodgings, eating, drinking, and keeping in touch with people – calling home from abroad for example. But, there are many ways to save costs whilst travelling and being able to keep in contact with people abroad, with the many services that offer cheap calls abroad there is a way to budget everything on your list. We bring to you a guide on how to travel South Africa on a budget.
Getting There
The most expensive part of making any trip will always come down to the cost of getting into the country in the first place. Getting to South Africa from most parts of the world is largely only viable by flight. With sites like Skyscanner it is possible to check for the cheapest flight available on flexible terms. Search by set dates, whole months, or a whole year to find out when the cheapest time to fly is and there are some very attractive savings to be made.
Where To Stay
By comparison South Africa is still a relatively cheap country to visit – depending on your tastes. Staying in hostels, self-catering places, and private houses, it is possible to get by on around £20 a day with lodgings costing as little as £10 per night. Hostelworld holds the monopoly on booking cheap accommodation without trawling though endless sites. On the other hand though, if you do take the time to look around and make contacts there are some very sweet local deals available. For this it might be worth picking up a SIM card which offers cheap international calls – it can be used while you’re still in your home country to call small lodgings, and then to call ahead when changing cities.
Eat Like a Local
The Rainbow Nation has a culinary patchwork as bright and varied as its own history. Local cuisine is ultimately, far from local with influences from across the globe. It’s easy to eat cheap in South Africa as a way of keeping costs down – traditional food include dried meats like biltong and spicy farmed sausage – they’re not to everyone’s taste but they are cheap and delicious. Check for lunch deals in local eateries – again, an phone plan which allows cheap international call could come in handy here for calling ahead to check a deal or book a table.
Into The Wild
Feel like it wouldn’t be a real trip to South Africa without a safari? You’re not alone. Going on a safari is famously expensive but there are options available which will give you an authentic experience without breaking the bank. First off, try going in the low season; for some it is ideal as its cooler and wetter but it also mean that there’ll be guaranteed big game around the watering holes. It’s not unusual for a game lodge to advertise at a much cheaper price than the competition in order to get bookings. Again, put your cheap international calls to use and make a call to the lodge or their operator to find out what the real deal is and maybe save yourself a good chunk of cask in the long run.
Staying In Touch
One of the best things about any trip? Telling your friends and family back home how great it all was but why wait until you get home when you can take advantage of cheap tariffs and affordable international calls and keep them updated while you’re on the road. With CreditTalk plans like from dialtosave you can top up your mobile either before you leave for South Africa or top it up while there, with services like this you get flexibility and are able to even track your balance online, which is a bonus. Now it may be time to book your next adventure!