Backpacking South Africa in December

Hi KS

You must realise that Dec is peak season and this spills over to Jan. Some Backpackers get fully booked over this period. If your plans are pretty flexiable, you would probably be able to get by with afew dissapointments. My advice would be to book your first couple of nights in advance. When you get to SA, get hold of a Coast 2 Coast or Alternative Backpacking Guide, they are free at all Backpackers. From there, plan your trip and phone ahead to see if there is accom available. You don't want to arrive in a town, with the only accom available in the high bracket & the next backpackers about 200 km away.

Dec/Jan can is high season, so the hostels will be quite busy... but it always depends on where you are going etc. It is probably better to book the hostels in advance (esp. if you want to have a single/double room, as there are more dorm beds available). Take a tent with you!

seb

I have been looking at backpackers now for my trip over Dec/Jan.... I don't know if some haven't posted their availability yet for that time, but some have been coming back on the websites as full :( especially around the garden route area.
I've started booking now because i wanted to try and get a room on my own.

Have a great trip!

T

i second seb
take a tent - also some backpackers (certainly in cape town) put their prices up in dec/jan.

Coast to Coast do have a website: www.coastingafrica.com; but try also www.backpacking.co.za. Many backpackers allow camping in their grounds, so if you carry a light tent you should usually be able to lay your head down wherever you go! ...and December is pretty warm in most places!
Ndlovu

The Alternative Route guide website mentioned by travlu is http://www.alternativeroute.net/. You can search for accommodations there or download their guidebook.