Car
Renting a car is the most flexible way to see South Africa, and the country has the best road network on the continent. Roads between major cities are generally excellent. Drive on the left. A valid international driving licence is accepted. Budget around R500–R700 per day for a basic hire; rates from Avis, Budget, Hertz, and local operator Tempest are competitive.
Be cautious driving at night outside cities — animals on the road, broken-down vehicles without lights, and crime are genuine hazards. In rural KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape especially, plan to reach your destination before dark.
Bus
Three established intercity coach companies — Greyhound, Intercape, and Translux — connect most towns and cities with reasonable reliability. Fares are affordable and the coaches are air-conditioned. The hop-on, hop-off Baz Bus has for years been popular with backpackers, running a door-to-door service between hostels along the Cape Town–Johannesburg–Durban circuit via the Garden Route.
Minibus taxis are ubiquitous and cheap, but routes and stops can be confusing for newcomers. They are how most South Africans get around.
Train
Trains are slow but scenic. Shosholoza Meyl runs the main intercity routes — Johannesburg to Cape Town, Johannesburg to Durban — in tourist-class sleeper compartments. The journey from Johannesburg to Cape Town takes around 27 hours, but the Karoo landscape makes it worthwhile.
For a luxury experience, Rovos Rail runs between Pretoria and Cape Town over three days, with fine dining and brass fittings; the Blue Train covers the same route in about 27 hours in sumptuous style.
Domestic Flights
South African Airways, FlySafair, Airlink, and CemAir connect the main cities quickly. A Johannesburg–Cape Town flight takes about two hours and is often competitively priced if booked ahead. Domestic flights are the practical choice if you are combining Kruger with Cape Town.
Hiking
South Africa has an excellent network of marked multi-day trails. The Otter Trail along the Garden Route coast — five days from Storms River to Nature's Valley — is the country's most celebrated hike and books out a year in advance. The Drakensberg offers routes ranging from day walks to serious multi-day mountain traverses.