On Wednesday, 7 February 2013, we visited this disabled creche in Dunoon!

This  has been a long term project of ours and it has been great to have participated in the improvements via contributions and see this crèche grow to where it is today.

It now has 3 classrooms to house over 70 children including many disabled kids with specific disabilities. Indy the principal showed us around each classroom explaining to us the different age groups and activities the teachers were doing with the kids.

There is also a good sized play area, kitchen, sleeping area, ablution facilities ablution facilities (which Baz Bus helped to build) and a combi bus (which Baz Bus made a contribution to the purchase). Indy is now in the process of purchasing the land from the city council which will be a great achievement for her.

The children were so excited to receive their goodie bags and we had another successful morning spent with these amazing children!

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 Babes Creche

Our visits to the crèches coincided with the beginning of the school year for both crèches.

At Babes Creche there were 80 children mostly toddlers and some babies which Harriet has taken on. It was delightful to see the happy children eagerly awaiting us. The property consists of 2 classrooms which houses the children according to age groups. One is a basic wooden structure and the other a proper concrete classroom extending to the road.

She desperately needs to erect a proper fence in front of the property as the existing one is just a makeshift fence made of wooden planks. This will allow the kids more freedom to play outside of the classroom. They are also in desperate need of ablution facilities as the children use buckets outside the classrooms. Harriet has done an amazing job of pushing forward with her dream to educate the children and get them ready for school and her commitment to improving the school is evident.

The Union of Jewish Women are working closely with Harriet to realise some of the challenges that she is facing by raising awareness and getting sponsorships and donations so that she can get proper ablution facilities and fence in play areas for the children. To this effect Baz Bus has contributed a substantial donation to these causes.

We made up gift bags for the children filled with delicious goodies and custom made gift bags with stickers to hand out to the children. The stickers were meant to be used as an interactive activity with the children and which they thoroughly enjoyed. What a well behaved bunch of toddlers and it was great to see that they are all well trained in not littering. Each child threw their wrappers in the bin after they had finished eating!!

Children have such pure joy no matter what circumstances in their lives so we always come away from these visits feeling the love.

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South Africa is famous for its wildlife and it’s a thrilling experience to spot the Big 5 on a wildlife safari! South Africa's bushveld is still home to large numbers of mammals.

The Kruger National Park is home to all of the Big Five, as are other major reserves in South Africa. Kruger is home to 147 mammal (including the Big 5), 114 reptile & 502 bird species. Kruger National Park is the same size as Israel, Wales or Netherlands and contains different vegetation types that attract different animals to different areas of the park.

The Chobe National Park in Botswana is also a great way to see a variety of wildlife such as elephants, antelopes and sometimes lion, hyena and wild dog. Therefore as much time is spent on game drives as possible, so that there is a better chance of seeing different animal and bird species

We have a number of Wildlife Safari and Adventure Packages to suit your adventurous spirit.

Enjoy BIG savings by buying a package!

Here are the famous five! Elephant, Lion, Rhino, Leopard and Buffalo

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Babes Educare is a pre school run by Harriet and her helpers. Harriet is a woman with a big heart. She has a small structure next to her home where she houses 75 kids. The age range is from 2 – 4 yrs of age. The kids are well looked after and get fed by her twice a day. The crèche times are from 6am to 6pm.

We have adopted this project and visited them in August and stocked them with educational boxes that the helpers can use to educate and teach the children. We also bought blankets for all the children. Each child received a food pack and a toy pack which they thoroughly enjoyed. Harriet also needed a pot which she can use to cater in bulk for the children and we also took a pot through to her after the visit!

The Union for Jewish Women, whom we have a partnership with, supplied knitted beanies for each child. Geoff from Coast to Coast joined us on the day and was touched and wanted to contribute in some way. As the children are always in need of warm clothing for the winter season and early spring he donated wool to the Union of Jewish Women. They will distribute the wool to knitting groups who will knit jerseys and scarves for the children.

Thanks Geoff!!!

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We have the following ticket options available:

1. Travel Passes

2. Hop-on Hop-off Tickets

 3. Day Tour

4. Wildlife Safari and Adventure Packages (see seperate blog post for more information)

5. Volunteer Packages (see seperate blog post for more information)

 Travel Passes

With this ticket you can travel on Baz Bus in any direction you want and as often as you like within 7 days. You decide where you want to stay along the route. There are over 180 hostels to choose from in over 40 cities, towns and villages along the route. Your Travel pass starts on the first day of your travel and is valid for 7 consecutive days. This is a great option for those travellers who do not have a lot of time!!! An additional R70 Fuel Levy will be added to all tickets prices over R650.

 We also offer a 14 day or 21 day pass.

 Hop-on Hop-off Tickets

With this ticket option, you can travel in one direction until you reach your final destination. There is no time limit on your ticket! All tickets can be purchased for a one way or return.

We have 3 popular ticket types and below is important ticket information:

Cape Town to Port Elizabeth :

Your ticket has UNLIMITED TIME so you can take as long as you want to get to your final destination. You decide where you want to stay along the route and how long you want to stay for. There are over 180 hostels to choose from in over 40 cities, towns and villages along the route. An additional R70 Fuel Levy will be added to all tickets prices over R650. Why not start in Cape Town and travel in one direction to Port Elizabeth or alternatively start from Port Elizabeth. The minimum recommended travel is 4 days but you can take as long as you want!!!

Cape Town to Port Elizabeth (return):

Why not start in Cape Town and travel in one direction to Port Elizabeth and RETURN back to Cape Town or alternatively start from Port Elizabeth. The minimum recommended travel is 8 days but you can take as long as you want!!!

Cape Town to Durban ticket :

Your ticket has UNLIMITED TIME so you can take as long as you want to get to your final destination. You decide where you want to stay along the route and how long you want to stay for. There are over 180 hostels to choose from in over 40 cities, towns and villages along the route. An additional R70 Fuel Levy will be added to all tickets prices over R650 .Why not start in Cape Town and travel in one direction to Durban or alternatively start from Durban. The minimum recommended travel is 9 days but you can take as long as you want!!!

Cape Town to Durban ticket (return)

 Why not start in Cape Town and travel in one direction to Durban and RETURN back to Cape Town or alternatively start from Durban. The minimum recommended travel is 16 days but you can take as long as you want!!!

Cape Town to Johannesburg / Pretoria:

Your ticket has UNLIMITED TIME so you can take as long as you want to get to your final destination. You decide where you want to stay along the route and how long you want to stay for. There are over 180 hostels to choose from in over 40 cities, towns and villages along the route. An additional R70 Fuel Levy will be added to all tickets prices over R650 Why not start in Cape Town and travel in 1 direction to Johannesburg / Pretoria or alternatively start from Johannesburg / Pretoria. The minimum recommended travel is 10 days but you can take as long as you want!!!

 Cape Town to Johannesburg / Pretoria (return)

Why not start in Cape Town and travel in one direction to Johannesburg / Pretoria and RETURN back to Cape Town or alternatively start from Johannesburg / Pretoria. The minimum recommended travel is 20 days but you can take as long as you want!!!

You can also choose smaller tickets which are also available – all you have to do is choose a starting and ending point.

Don’t forget the following important information for your trip:

Overnight Stops: Our buses only run during the day i.e. they leave Cape Town in the morning and arrive in Port Elizabeth in the evening. Port Elizabeth and Durban are compulsory overnight stopovers.

Shuttle Services: Some of the locations shown on the map are only accessible through the use of Shuttle Services which link to our route. Shuttle services run independently to Baz Bus and need to be pre-arranged by the traveller. Shuttle costs are payable to the hostel offering the service. Shuttle costs are not included in the Baz Bus ticket. View list of shuttle services.

 Accommodation: Baz Bus only collects and drops off passengers from backpacker hostels that are on the Hostel List. Accommodation costs vary from hostel to hostel. The ticket doesn’t include the cost of the accommodation.

Day Tour

This is a really fun way to see the Cape Peninsula! Vitalise your body and feed your mind with guided commentary, fabulous scenic cycling and easy hiking. After picking you up from your accommodation, we continue along the Atlantic Seaboard to Hout Bay harbour checking out the Twelve Apostles Mountains in the background.

Our enthusiastic guide will let you in on the "who's who" of the Cape Peninsula while you travel the scenic route to Cape Point. Once in Hout Bay, an optional boat cruise to visit the Cape Fur Seal colony on Duiker Island comes highly recommended (Approximately R60.00). Otherwise browse around the harbour and check out the local crafts. Enjoy some cookies and juice and take in the breathtaking views along Chapman's Peak drive (subject to road conditions). Put the flap back into your flippers with a visit to the endangered (and very entertaining) penguins at Boulders Beach in Simons Town. The locals protected them and the colony grew. Now the site is a state park. The locals sometimes wonder if it has been a blessing or not. Penguins rule the beach and tend to be late night party animals!!

The exhilarating downhill cycle through the free roaming wildlife of the Cape Point Nature Reserve helps you to work up a healthy appetite. A healthy, energy boosting picnic lunch will be served at a lunch stop in the reserve. After a delicious picnic enjoy a leisurely stroll to the South-Western most point of Africa. The spectacular Cape Point Nature Reserve will put you on a natural high for the rest of the week!

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Baz Bus Packages for the Independent Traveller with a Spirit of Adventure!!!

Baz Bus has introduced fresh and exciting Wildlife Safari and Adventure Packages and excellent Volunteer Package options. Simply choose a package and enjoy BIG savings as prices are greatly reduced. There are 8 package options to suit your budget and interests.

Wildlife Safari and Adventure Packages:

These packages consist of a Hop-on hop-off ticket from Cape Town to Johannesburg or Pretoria (alternatively start from Johannesburg) plus an exciting Wildlife Safari and Adventure tour of you choice.

We offer these 4 options:

Hop- on Hop- off & 4 day Kruger National Park

 Hop- on Hop- off & 4 day Kruger National Park & 3 day tours

Hop- on Hop- off & 7 day Chobe National Park & Victoria Falls

Hop- on Hop- off & 11 day Kruger NP & Chobe NP & Victoria Falls

Volunteer Packages:

These packages consist of a Hop-on hop-off ticket from Cape Town to Johannesburg or Pretoria (alternatively start from Johannesburg) plus a ‘once-in-a-lifetime” volunteer project of your choice. Choose your project, how long you want to stay and when you want to travel.

We offer these 4 options:

Hop- on Hop- off & Wild Coast Schools Project

This project works with rural schools. Be part of the necessary teacher training and make a difference!!!

Hop- on Hop- off & Wildlife and Conservation Project

 This project offers you the chance to learn and promote outstanding conservation practices.

Hop- on Hop- off & African Angels Crèche Project

 This project offers you a chance to work with the “Angels” in a crèche and provide extraordinary opportunities for disadvantaged rural African children.

Hop- on Hop- off & Horse Trail and Horse Rehabilitation

This project offers you the opportunity for hands on voluntary work with the animals at a working horse farm and becoming part of the day to day life of a tourism trail business and a horse rehabilitation centre.

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Where we went and where we are going now!

South Africa is one of the top travel destinations in the world. A sophisticated, low-cost tourist infrastructure has developed over the last few years as a response to the huge influx of foreign backpackers and budget travellers.

We started with 2 Nissan buses and now we have a fleet of 22 seater VW crafters!

In the early days, the buses traveled from Cape Town via Port Elizabeth, Durban, Johannesburg and Kimberley and back to Cape Town.

 However due to customer demand the coastal route between Cape Town and Johannesburg was made bi-directional. More and smaller buses with trailers, as well as no time limit on tickets were introduced.

For a few years, Baz Bus extended as far as Zimbabwe's famous Victoria Falls in line with the increase in backpacking and budget travel as well as the growing numbers of tourists visiting Southem Africa.

February 1999 saw the introduction of a four times weekly Baz Bus services from Johannesburg and Pretoria to Zimbabwe. As with Baz Bus hop on/ hop off service passengers could disembark in Bulawayo and then join again to proceed to Victoria Falls.

Zimbabwe was not the only Southern African country outside of South Africa visited by Baz Bus. The service also extended across the Royal Kingdom of Swaziland as well.

Baz Bus's route then stretched from Cape Town along the East coast to Durban and Johannesburg, via the Drakensberg Mountains and Swaziland. Baz Bus negotiated a shuttle service from Swaziland Backpackers to Maputo, Mozambique.

Our buses now travel from Cape Town to Johannesburg via Drakensberg Mountains (in either direction). Read more on our routes.

It’s been an interesting ride!!!

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I have done the Cape Peninsula tour a couple of times but never viewed as much wildlife as I did on this trip so I would love to share the photos with you. 

As the weather had been inclement earlier in the week we were blessed with blue skies and lovely sunshine! 

The boat trip to Seal Island was awesome and thousands of seals were just soaking up the sun when our boat arrived near the island.

We then made our way to Boulders Beach, home to the Jack Ass Penguins. I found the furry baby penguins extremely adorable. When we arrived at the beach it was clear that it was lunch time, all the penguins were moving towards the water to get their lunch.

 Shortly after we left the reserve and drove towards Cape Point. On the way a very excited baboon jumped onto our bus window to check out the occupants and this was a perfect photo opportunity. He was definitely a show off and posed like a true super model. The guide explained to us not to take any food with us in our backpacks on our hike in the reserve after lunch as the baboons are not scared of humans and will attack if they think they can get a free lunch.

 Once we arrived in the reserve we were given the option to do some biking. Our guide, Nizaam, spotted an eland which is one of eight species of antelope found in the park. The eland felt like a star as we were like the paparazzi, everyone was just snapping away. Nizaam mentioned that we were extremely lucky to spot the eland because they normally don’t come this close to the road.

After the biking we had a delicious lunch, followed by a hike from Cape Point to Cape of Good Hope. On our way we came across two ostriches. They seemed extremely territorial and we later realised the two eggs in the bush. Have a look closely on the left hand side of the photo.

This was so amazing. Further along we came across rock dassies, Nizaam mentioned that they are the closest relative to the Elephant. Yes, I said the elephant.

I was extremely fortunate to have been privileged to have spotted so much wildlife on the day and I was so excited to share my photos and experiences.

 Enjoy!!!

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Union of Jewish Women: Bridging the Gap Township Tour - 9 August 2012: Woman's Day

Shirley Stoltzman, Project coordinator and Registered Tourist Guide, did a wonderful job in selling tickets for this tour to raise funds for Ria’s Kitchen.

Every weekend Ria Boliwe feeds forty hungry children from her shack in Khayelitsha. She was fielding the scheme entirely from her salary as a domestic worker until Union of Jewish Women Simcha Group started providing the food. Ria now calls her home Ria's Kitchen.

The purpose of the tour:

• To raise funds for Ria's Kitchen.
• To honour the women of the townships.
• To Bridge the Gap between the two faces of Cape Town for locals who have never been before.

The tour included a visit to Khayelitsha and Langa. Ria's was the first stop for tea. Lunch was at the popular Lelapa Restaurant, Harlem Street, Langa.

 Baz Bus was very proud to have assisted in providing a bus and driver for the day and helping to make a difference!!!

letter_from_Union_of_Jewish_Women.doc Download this file

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Visit to Babes Crèche and Elundini Home for the Disabled Children in Du Noon

Babes Educare Centre – a preschool

 This is a pre school run by Harriet and her helpers. Harriet is a woman with a big heart. She has a small structure next to her home where she houses 75 kids. The age range is from 2 – 4 yrs of age. The kids are well looked after and get fed by her twice a day. The crèche times are from 6am to 6pm.

When we visited them earlier in the year they were in dire need of equipment in terms of educational learning aids and blankets for the winter. We have adopted this project and stocked them with educational boxes that the helpers can use to educate and teach the children. We also bought blankets for all the children and the Union for Jewish Women supplied beanies for each child. Each child received a food pack and a toy pack which they thoroughly enjoyed. Harriet also needed a pot which she can use to cater in bulk for the children and we also took a pot through to her after the visit!

Since our visit early in the year she has built 2 additional rooms. Her aim is to split the children into the relevant age groups and prepare the children for school. These rooms are still to be completed in terms of painting and flooring and they are also looking to close an outside section so that there is ground for the children to play and exercise in. They have no ablution facilities so all buckets and potty bowels are outside for them to use.

We are going to be assisting them with achieving some of these goals and we are working with the Union of Jewish Women who will also raise funds to complete these long term projects.

We had an amazing morning with the children who were very proud to sing for us and impress us.

 Elundini Home for the Disabled Children '

This is one of our ongoing projects which we been actively involved in over the years by sponsoring funds towards a bus, ablution facilities and educational equipment for the children.

We treated the children to food packs and toy packs and had a magician show to entertain themn for the morning.

 Indy and her volunteers offer their help to look after these disabled children without earning much for their selfless service to these children. The dedication required to look after a disabled child is enormous and very time consuming so these ladies do a great job.

We will be visiting these crèches again in November and they uplifted our day with their smiles and resilience to life!!!

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Enjoy Typical South African Food and dishes along the route!

Typical snacks on a road trip!!!

A popular traditional snack in South Africa has to be Biltong. You can buy a packet at all supermarkets. Biltong, a salty dried meat, is available in different flavours such as barbecue and chilli. Various meat types are used in making biltong and you can enjoy beef, ostrich, kudu or springbok biltong.

Another popular snack in South Africa used on road trips and also readily available at most petrol stops along the route is droe wors (dried sausage). Droë Wors, dates right back to the early nineteenth century.

If you like crisps/chips and want to taste crisps/chips that are only available in South Africa please buy yourself a packet of Niknaks which are “crunchily” addictive. And of course it always goes down well with a can of Stoney ginger beer started in South Africa in 1971. Or you can try a traditional Africa drink Amasi, sour milk.  

Other traditional local take-away foods to enjoy!!!

A Gatsby, popular in Cape Town, which comes in the form of a long roll with fillings of anything ranging from polony to chicken or steak and hot chips.

The Bunny Chow, found in Durban, is a curry stuffed into a hollowed-out loaf of bread. A bunny chow is called Kota by the locals.

Vetkoek (fat cake, magwenya) are deep-fried dough balls, typically stuffed with meat, chicken or served with jam. The English have Yorkshire Pudding and the South Africans have Vetkoek!

Samoosas are a savoury stuffed Indian pastry that is deep fried and is available in meat, chicken or vegetarian. These can be found in supermarkets or a local corner shop.

Pastei  is a pie and is traditional Afrikaans fare found at petrol stations and local shops.

Traditional foods you can enjoy at hostels on our route!

Braai

Many hostels offer braai nights (barbecue). A braai usually consists of boerewors or sosaties kebab, (grilled marinated meat on a skewer) or any meats.

The following breads usually accompany a braai:

Mealie-bread, a sweet bread baked with sweetcorn.

Potbrood (pot bread or boerbrood), savoury bread baked over coals in cast-iron pots.

Potjiekos

Some hostels also offer Potjiekos which is a traditional Afrikaans stew made with meat and vegetables and cooked over coals in cast-iron pots.

If you have a sweet tooth the following desserts will hit the spot!

Koeksisters come in two forms and are a sweet delicacy. Afrikaans koeksisters are twisted pastries, deep fried and heavily sweetened. Koeksisters found on the Cape Flats are sweet and spicy, shaped like large eggs, and deep-fried.

Melktert (milk tart), a milk-based tart or dessert.

Rusks, a rectangular, hard, dry biscuit eaten after being dunked in tea or coffee; they are either home-baked or shop-bought (with the most popular brand being Ouma Rusks).

Malva Pudding, a sweet spongy Apricot pudding of Dutch origin.

Pampoenkoekies (pumpkin fritters), flour has been supplemented with or replaced by pumpkin or sweet potato

If you have an  adventurous palate why not try the following dishes:

• Trotters and Beans, from the Cape, made from boiled pig's or sheep's trotters and onions and beans.

• Umleqwa, a dish made with free-range chicken.

• Umngqusho, a dish made from white maize and sugar beans, a staple food for the Xhosa people.

• Umphokoqo, an African salad made of maize meal.

• Umqombothi, a type of beer made from fermented maize and sorghum.

• Umvubo, sour milk mixed with dry pap, commonly eaten by the Xhosa.

• Walkie Talkies, Grilled or deep-fried chicken heads and feet, most popular in townships and sold by street vendors, sometimes in industrial areas with high concentrations of workers.

As James Mitchener said " If you reject the food, ignore the customs, fear the religion and avoid the people, you might better stay at home!

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Baz Bus was given a very exciting opportunity to participate in Habitat for Humanity’s blitz build as part of our Mandela Day celebrations!

This International Mandela week build took place from the 16-21 July 2012. Baz Bus was invited to take part on day 5.The house was situated in Mfuleni township. The main tasks to finish the house was building a stoep, filling the gap between the house and the roof, putting up the doors and windows, varnishing the doors, the clean up and the most exciting part handing the keys over to the new home owners.

We were briefed by the team from Habitat for Humanity early Friday morning with the main task being to finish off the new home. Monica our group leader taught us our motivational chant for the day. It went like this “Daga, Daga, Daga”,we replied “Gooi, Gooi,Gooi” then Monica went on “Spyker, Spyker, Spyker” we repeated “Hammer, Hammer, Hammer”. Habitat- Hoo haa.

I think we woke up the whole community, we shouted this chant at the top of our voices. In English it means throw the daga (cement mixed with sand), take the nails and hammer it down. It was lots of fun. We were pressed for time with dark clouds creeping over our heads, we had to get as much done before the rain came down.

It did rain eventually and we were given the township raincoats AKA a black bag. I can’t believe how much work goes into building a house. After tea time the rain went away, this was perfect timing to get the house cleaned up and ready for the new home owners.

The most special part of the day was handing the keys to the new home owners. We presented the family with a bible as a blessing for their new home. Every company was given the chance to say a few words of encouragement. What a wonderful way to spend our 67minutes. A quote to say thank you from Habitat: “With your help we take families out of poverty housing and into the reality of owning their very first home. Thank you for bringing HOPE to these families”

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How to book your ticket?

- You can purchase a ticket online by visiting our website and clicking on the Buy Ticket icon on our homepage and choosing a ticket of your choice.

- Why not email Baz Bus directly on info@bazbus.com and our dedicated internet consultant will gladly assist you with your travel plans.

- Call the Baz Bus Head Office in Cape Town and chat to one of our travel consultants who will be more than happy to book your ticket over the phone and also help you with any questions you have.

Once your ticket is issued, you can book your individual stretches by:

- Calling the Baz Bus hotline on 0861 BAZ BUS (0861 229 287) and quoting your ticket number. A seat confirmation number will then be issued to you.

- You can also send us an SMS to: 076 427 3003. You will need to quote your name, ticket number, date of departure, pick up backpacker lodge and drop off point. SMS’s can only be considered confirmed once you receive an SMS reply with your seat confirmation number/s.

- Skype “Bazbus Reservations”

- You can also fax or e-mail us but the booking must not be assumed to be definite merely because you have sent it off and is subject to confirmation by us.

Once we have all this information, we will confirm the booking obviously depending on whether there is a seat available for the day and journey requested. You will then be issued with a confirmation number for each stretch which guarantees your seat on the bus. You can choose to book all your stretches at once or book one stretch at a time as you travel along the route. We recommend that you book your stretches at least 72 hours prior to your intended date of departure.

How to book a Wildlife Safari & Adventure Package:

- Calling the Baz Bus hotline on 0861 BAZ BUS (0861 229 287).You will be issued a Wildlife Safari & Adventure Package reference number. This can then be used to book your Baz Bus journey AND the various tours. 

Due to the flexibility of the Hop-on Hop-off & Wildlife Safari & Adventure Packages, you do not need to book all the tours at once.We do recommend that you book the 3 day tours and the first stretch of your Baz Bus journey at least 7 days in advance and 1 month in advance for the Kruger National Park Wildlife Safari tour, 7 day Chobe National Park & Victoria Falls tour and 11 day Kruger & Chobe National Park & Victoria Falls tour.

You will receive a booking confirmation once the tour has been booked. Please keep this as proof of booking.Any date change to the Kruger National Park Wildlife Safari tour should be done 30 days in advance.

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Choose where to stay along the route!!!

The Arrival and Departure List is the hostel list. It lists all the hostels in the cities along our route. The door-to-policy is the hostel pick- up and drop- off points. We pick you up from the door of the current hostel you are staying at and will drop you off at the door of the next hostel you choose. We give you the option to choose where you want to stay and how long you want to stay for. We only pick up and drop off from hostels along our route.

South African hostels boast some of the highest standards in the world. Baz Bus will drop you at over 180 of them. Most hostels offer camping, singles, doubles or dormitories with standard features such as in-house bars, tour desk and of course some amazing locations. Accommodation costs vary from hostel to hostel. Get your free Alternative Route or Coast to Coast guidebook at most hostels. Your Baz Bus ticket does not include accommodation.

Here is a rough guide on accommodation pricing. Accommodation prices vary from place to place however prices are roughly as follows:

Camping: from R60 Dorms: from R100 Double: from R220

Alternatively you can contact the backpacker lodge directly to confirm their prices. Most people prefer to play it by ear and book hostels as they go along. During the busy summer season some places do get full and we do recommend booking a few days in advance, especially for double rooms.

Baz Bus and its staff are not responsible for booking or reserving accommodation and activities for its passengers along the Baz Bus route excluding the Wildlife Safari & Adventure Packages whereby only the tours included in the package will be booked by us). The Timetable and Arrival & Departure list are subject to change without prior notification and must be confirmed at the time of making the booking.

 Do you have a favourite hostel let us know!!!

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Choose where you want to go to and how long you want to stay!

A passion for backpacking and a dedicated hard working team helped to create this unique transport network in South Africa. Today, Baz Bus is a leading force in the backpacking Industry. We now have 180 hostels along our route and we carry over 10 000 independent travellers on our buses each year!

Our well established transport network provides travellers with a safe and reliable way to travel the country. Baz Bus runs in each direction between Cape Town and Johannesburg/ Pretoria with stops along the coast. Simply buy one ticket to your final destination and can get on and off as many times as you want, wherever you want, with no time limit.

Our map is easy to understand and I will highlight the important points to remember.

 Please refer to the key block on the map:

Our Route

This is the solid white line which outlines the route we travel.

Shuttle Services 

The dotted lines on the map refer to shuttle services. To reach out of the way places or remote areas such as the Wild Coast etc, shuttle services are operated by the hostels in these remote areas. There are extra charges for these. Please contact the hostel of your choice for further details and to book your shuttle in these areas. The shuttle service will meet Baz Bus at an agreed point and then do a handover of passengers so essentially it is still a hop on hop off service.

Compulsory stop over (Denoted: purple dot with star)

The buses depart according to a set schedule as shown here. Our buses only run during the day i.e. they leave Cape Town in the morning and arrive at Port Elizabeth in the evening. As our buses do not travel throughout the night we have compulsory stop overs which are Port Elizabeth and Durban

Backpacker hostels ( Denoted: purple dot)

These are the cities and backpacker hostels we stop at along our route.

Areas of interest along our route:

GARDEN ROUTE (Cape Town - Port Elizabeth) - Renowned for its diverse range of adventure activities and the highest Bungy jump in the world!!

WILD TRANSKEI COAST (Eastern Cape) - Untouched African beauty along a rugged African Coastline

KWAZULU NATAL (Durban) - Soak up the subtropical splendour. Hot curries and cool waves!

DRAKENSBERG MOUNTAINS -The highest peaks in Southern Africa and gateway to Lesotho. Pony trek the remote mountain villages and meet the mountain people

 KRUGER PARK AND SURROUNDING AREAS - The biggest Game Park in Southern Africa! Spot the big 5! (Elephant, Leopard, Buffalo, Rhino & Li Backpacker hostels

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Every once in a while we need a break…from work!!!

After many suggestions we finally decided on Ratanga Junction Theme Park.

 Here we could release our inner adrenalin and enjoy the many rides.

 Lady luck was on our side and we had a glorious sunny day!

We travelled together on the bus as a team and felt like backpackers although it was only for a short ride to the park we had so many laughs as Rene took over as the informal “Tour Guide”.

Melanie was the tour leader at the park and she went according to a schedule so that everyone could enjoy going on the rides more than once.

We realised how many adrenalin junkies there are in our offices and some not so keen on adrenalin. The overall favourite rides were definitely the Cobra, Monkey Falls and Congo Queen.

The scariest ride was the Cobra and the expressions of people coming out of the tunnel were priceless!!!

Others took it easier and took a lovely boat ride around the park and enjoyed the amazing sunshine.

We then had lunch and ended the day with a delicious gelato.

 We have to thank Barry, our Director, for treating us to the fantastic day which we all thoroughly enjoyed.

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Thinking of “Buzzing” around South Africa…

Choose Baz Bus because we offer a unique hop-on hop-off door-to-door bus service.

Baz Bus is for all the young at heart. We strive to be an enjoyable and friendly bus company, where you can meet great people on the buses and still have the independence to do whatever activities you wish on route. If you feel young, the Baz Bus experience can help you become a better beach bum, adrenaline junkie, culture vulture, wildlife fundi, party animal or a bit of all. With Baz Bus you are never really alone, just smile at your neighbour on the bus and soon you’ll be rattling on about exciting travel experiences. All the hostels and adventure centres offer fun activities and tours so you’ll never have a dull moment!

We all like to travel in some form of comfort and we all have a favourite nook we like to nestle in at home such as a favourite couch or chair. So, I am sure you are wondering what your “travel nook” is going to look like if you travel with Baz Bus.

You will travel in 22 - seater semi-luxury VW crafter buses with trailers capable of carrying surfboards and bicycles.

We also have the following available on the bus:

 Awesome Drivers

 On-board TV & videos

On-board information files

Activity boxes - Enjoy a game with fellow travellers. 

You can also bring your surfboard, guitar and chessboard on your fabulous Baz Bus adventure through South Africa as our buses are all equipped with trailers capable of carrying all your bits and pieces.

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Here are some approximate distances in kilometers between cities on the route:

Cape Town - Port Elizabeth 756

 Cape Town - George 436

Port Elizabeth – Durban 927

 Durban – Umtata 436

Durban - Jo'burg 565

 Jo'burg – Pretoria 52

Don’t forget to “enjoy the journey and not just the destination” and we at Baz Bus certainly try to ensure you have a magical journey. We are proud to say that we carry over 10 000 independent travellers on our buses each year!

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I often get asked “How does it work, please explain?”

These are 3 main points to take note of on the timetable:

1. Days of Departure:

These are the scheduled departure days for each city along the route. For example, if you are in any city between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth and you want to travel with Baz Bus to another city, the bus departs Cape Town on these days: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

 Let us go on a virtual trip so you can get an idea of how to read the timetable. For example; you spent a few days exploring Cape Town and now plan to leave Cape Town and spend 2 nights in Swellendam. You have to check the timetable for the following information:

 - Days of departure

 - Departure times

 - Shuttle notes (if applicable).

Days of departure:

 Refer to the heading: Cape Town <-> Port Elizabeth section

 Then refer to the sub heading on the left hand side of the timetable which lists the days of departure: Cape Town to Port Elizabeth

 Departs Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri & Sat

 2.Scheduled Departure Times

Now you have to check what time the bus will pick you up from your hostel in Cape Town and drop you off at the hostel in Swellendam.

Refer to the heading: Cape Town <-> Port Elizabeth section

 You will see listed the pick up time for Cape Town is 07:15 –> 8:30am.

This means that Baz Bus will pick up passengers (including you) from all hostels in Cape Town between these times. There is also a specific hostel pick up time so please confirm the time with your hostel or the Baz Bus office. Now you want to know what time we will arrive in Swellendam.

Refer to the heading: Cape Town <-> Port Elizabeth section

You will see listed the drop off time for Swellendam is 11:45 –> 12.00pm.

All pick up and drop off times are the same for each city along the route. So you were dropped off in Swellendam at 11:45 –> 12.00pm so when Baz Bus picks you up again it will be the same time 11:45 –> 12.00pm.

Also, remember that you must be ready to leave at least 15 minutes prior to all scheduled departure times.

 As our buses do not travel throughout the night we have 2 compulsory overnight stopovers which are Port Elizabeth and Durban.

3.Shuttle Services

To reach out of the way places or remote areas such as the Wild Coast etc, shuttle services are operated by the hostels in these remote areas. There are extra charges for these. Please contact the hostel of your choice for further details and to book your shuttle in these areas. For example if you choose to go to Coffee Bay please refer to the section: Shuttle Services  and then refer to the applicable shuttle note i.e.: Mthatha (Coffee Bay/ Mpande/ Port St Johns) #5 for details.

Enjoy your trip!!!

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Boulders Beach is included in our Cape Peninsula Day Tour.

 We are so proud that TripAdvisor has named Boulders Beach as one of its "top 10 truly unique beaches in the world". The world's largest travel site,  TripAdvisor offers honest advice from real travellers and offers information and guidance on travelling in foreign countries.

Boulders Beach is situated near Simon’s Town in False Bay and is a popular beach as it is secluded and a great spot for swimming and just perfect for spotting Africa penguins. Forming part of the Table Mountain National Park, Boulders Beach charges an entrance fee that is used to continue conserving the approximately 3 000 endangered African penguins of the colony. We are even more excited that our Cape Peninsula Day Tour includes a stop at this magnificent beach and included in the tour price is the entrance fee so you can gladly feel pride that a portion of your tour price will be used in the conservation of the endangered African penguins of the colony.

Check out our Cape Peninsula tour albums on Facebook taking by our guides!!! 

 Our Cape Peninsula Day Tour is registered on TripAdvisor and you can read unbiased reviews of passengers who have experienced our Cape Peninsula Day tour and have rated us on Trip Advisor.

If you have been to Boulders Beach and friended a penguin please leave a comment!

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Howzit…local is lekker!

I was asked the other day why should South Africans use Baz Bus and it got me thinking…

Eish…why not try backpacking in your own country.

 Here is our video and why not get the real deal comments from some of our passengers!

Enjoy a lock up and go holiday. Lock your car, the house”. Yebo, that already sounds liberating.

 Lekker reasons to hop on and hop off with Baz Bus...

 Instead of driving, take time to relax and enjoy the scenery or catch a video.

Enjoy reading a book or doze away whilst someone else does the driving.

Visit off the beaten track destinations on our route such as the Wild Coast, mystical Hogsback and much much more!

There is no need to navigate on your own and getting lost at night, Baz Bus drops you off at the door of your chosen hostel.

You don’t have to argue with the GPS device or any backseat drivers.

 You can pack light!

Enjoy volunteering for 1 or two weeks and make a difference!!!

Bus travel has the lowest emissions, so you'll be reducing your carbon footprint.

 Save a fortune on fuel costs.

Don't worry about drinking and driving babbalaas, so you can party the nights (and days) away.

 Meet the global village as there are many international travellers “buzzing” with Baz Bus.

Katharine Butler Hathaway encourages taking on new experiences in this beautiful quote!

“A person needs at intervals to separate from family and companions and go to new places. One must go without familiars in order to be open to influences, to change.”

Have a lekker time with Baz Bus and make lots of chommies!!!

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