The easiest way to choose your Garden Route hostel. Our unique 3D map lets you filter adrenaline and adventure bases by vibe, safety, and value.

Search Garden Route Backpacker Hostels

Filter backpackers hostels by digital nomad suitability, solo female traveller friendliness, safety, surfing, camping, value for money, party atmosphere, african culture experiences, adventure activities and nature experiences.

Interactive backpacker hostel map of the Garden Route showing hostels that can be filtered by travel style, safety, digital nomad suitability, surfing, camping and budget travel preferences.

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Welcome to our backpacking guide of the Garden Route!

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Garden Route Backpackers Hostels

Hostels listed on Booking.com and Hostelworld

Booking.com HOSTELWORLD

All Hostels

Full contact details are included in case you want to book direct, plus useful info such as Safety Ratings and Value For Money, Solo Female Friendliness, and Digital Nomad scorecards.

Every listing below is independently researched and unsponsored. We review them all the same way -
the hostels do not pay us for advertising.

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MOSSEL BAY

GEORGE

WILDERNESS

SEDGEFIELD

KNYSNA

PLETTENBERG BAY

THE CRAGS

STORMS RIVER

PARK HOUSE LODGE

AREA: MOSSEL BAY — Town Centre

STREET ADDRESS: 121 High Street, Mossel Bay Central, 6506

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PHONE: +27 44 691 1937

EMAIL: info@parkhouse.co.za

WEBSITE: parkhouse.co.za

SOCIAL: Facebook

ACCOMMODATION TYPE: Historic guesthouse and backpackers. Dormitories, family rooms, and en-suite doubles in a Victorian building in Mossel Bay's town centre.

PRICE RANGE: Budget. Dorm beds from ~R250; Private rooms from ~R650–R1,400.

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GOOGLE RATING: ~4.0 / 5

VALUE FOR MONEY RATING: 4 / 5. The Booking.com 9.0/10 is the highest platform score in Mossel Bay and among the highest on the Garden Route. At these prices, in a historic Victorian building in the town centre, with consistent praise for cleanliness and staff across multiple platforms, this is strong value. The gap between the 4.0 Google rating and the 9.0 Booking.com rating is worth noting: Google ratings aggregate all viewer opinions, including those who have never stayed. The Booking.com score reflects verified guests only and tells a more reliable story.

VIBE-METER: 40% Historic Guesthouse / 30% Garden Route Base Camp / 30% Baz Bus Transit Point. Mossel Bay is the western gateway to the Garden Route and Park House is the most established hostel address in town. The atmosphere is that of a pleasant, functioning transit and exploration base rather than a social destination in itself.

DECIBEL LEVEL: 2 / 5. High Street in Mossel Bay's town centre is moderately busy during the day; quiet enough at night. Not a party environment.

KEY AMENITIES: Central location for all Mossel Bay attractions, Baz Bus stop, self-catering kitchen, braai, parking, Wi-Fi. Mossel Bay's shark cage diving operations, St Blaize Lighthouse, Cape St Blaize Cave (Khoikhoi archaeological site), and the Bartolomeu Dias Museum Complex are all within walking distance.

NEARBY HIGHLIGHTS: Shark cage diving with White Shark Africa or Shark Explorers (a genuine alternative to Gansbaai, with smaller crowds), St Blaize Trail (13km cliff path along the Mossel Bay coast — one of the finest day hikes on the Garden Route, free), Bartolomeu Dias Museum Complex (where Dias landed in 1488 — the first European to round the Cape), Santos Beach (one of the warmest water beaches on the southern Cape coast).

SOLO FEMALE FRIENDLINESS: 3 / 5. Clean, well-reviewed property with attentive staff. Central town location. Standard security. Adequate for solo women without specific standout features.

DIGITAL NOMAD FRIENDLINESS: 2 / 5. Wi-Fi available. Central town location gives good mobile data connectivity. No dedicated work infrastructure.

SAFETY RATING: GREEN. Mossel Bay town centre is a manageable, low-risk urban environment by Garden Route standards. The hostel itself is in good condition and well-managed.

MANAGEMENT STYLE: Long-established independent, owner-managed guesthouse/hostel. The Booking.com 9.0/10 reflects consistent management quality over time.

THE BLURB: Park House is Mossel Bay's most reliable hostel option — a Victorian building in the town centre with a Booking.com score that significantly outperforms its Google rating (9.0/10 vs 4.0/5), which is usually a sign that people who actually stay here are having a much better time than the building's external reputation suggests. Mossel Bay itself is underrated as a Garden Route stop: the St Blaize Trail coastal hike, the Bartolomeu Dias Museum, and the shark cage diving operations here are genuinely worthwhile.

FINAL VERDICT: Consistently excellent Booking.com score. Good base for the St Blaize Trail, shark diving, and the western Garden Route.

MILE CRUNCHERS BACKPACKERS & HOSTELLING

AREA: MOSSEL BAY — CBD

STREET ADDRESS: 7 Church Street, CBD, Mossel Bay, 6500

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PHONE: +27 44 690 4462

EMAIL: milecrushers@gmail.com

WEBSITE: milecrunchers.co.za

SOCIAL: Facebook

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Booking.com

ACCOMMODATION TYPE: Budget city backpackers. Dormitories, private rooms, and a unique "indoor camping" area — tents pitched inside a weatherproofed structure.

PRICE RANGE: Budget. Dorm beds from ~R150; Private rooms from ~R450–R800.

SANTOS EXPRESS TRAIN LODGE

AREA: MOSSEL BAY — Santos Beach

STREET ADDRESS: Munro Road, Santos Beach, Mossel Bay, 6500

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PHONE: +27 44 691 1995

WHATSAPP: +27 83 943 0041

EMAIL: reservations@santosexpress.co.za

WEBSITE: santosexpress.co.za

SOCIAL: Facebook

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HOSTELWORLD

ACCOMMODATION TYPE: Unique train hostel — accommodation in a permanently moored vintage train on Santos Beach. Shared coach dorms, twin cabins, and wood-panelled Royal Suites. Directly on the beach.

PRICE RANGE: Budget to Mid-range. Dorm beds (shared coach) from ~R230; Twin cabins from ~R550; Royal Suites from ~R1,300.

SHARK SHACK BACKPACKERS

AREA: MOSSEL BAY — Town Centre

STREET ADDRESS: 15 Marsh Street, Mossel Bay Central, 6500

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PHONE: +27 44 690 3109 / +27 72 623 8275

WHATSAPP: +27 82 493 3251

EMAIL: sharkshack@gmail.com

WEBSITE: sharkshack.co.za

SOCIAL: Facebook

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Booking.com HOSTELWORLD

ACCOMMODATION TYPE: Budget adventure hostel. Mixed dorms, female-only dorm, and en-suite private rooms.

PRICE RANGE: Very Budget. Dorm beds from ~R250; Private rooms from ~R600.

GEORGE BACKPACKERS

AREA: GEORGE — Dormehls Drift suburb

STREET ADDRESS: 5 St John's Street, Dormehls Drift, George, 6529

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PHONE: +27 44 873 0061

EMAIL: info@georgebackpackers.co.za

WEBSITE: georgebackpackers.co.za

SOCIAL: Facebook

ACCOMMODATION TYPE: Budget transit hostel. Mixed dorms and private twin/double rooms.

PRICE RANGE: Budget. Dorm beds from ~R250; Private rooms from ~R550.

WILDERNESS BEACH HOUSE BACKPACKERS

AREA: WILDERNESS — Beachfront

STREET ADDRESS: 1 Western Road, Wilderness, 6560

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PHONE / WHATSAPP: +27 71 495 1814

EMAIL: info@wildernessbeachhouse.com

WEBSITE: wildernessbeachhouse.com

SOCIAL: Facebook

Booking.com HOSTELWORLD

ACCOMMODATION TYPE: Beachfront adventure hostel. Mixed/female dorms, en-suite private rooms, and family units. Ocean views from the property.

PRICE RANGE: Budget. Dorm beds from ~R280; Private rooms from ~R850.

FAIRY KNOWE BACKPACKERS

AREA: WILDERNESS — Touw River bank

STREET ADDRESS: 1 Dumbleton Road, Wilderness, 6560

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PHONE: +27 81 355 0137 / +27 44 877 1285

WHATSAPP: +27 83 443 8384

EMAIL: info@wildernessbackpackers.com

WEBSITE: wildernessbackpackers.com

SOCIAL: Facebook

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Booking.com HOSTELWORLD

ACCOMMODATION TYPE: Adventure and nature backpackers. Mixed dorms, double en-suites, tented units, and campsites. On the bank of the Touw River in Wilderness, next to Wilderness National Park. A 19th-century farmhouse at the heart of the property.

PRICE RANGE: Budget. Dorm beds from ~R250; Private en-suites from ~R750; Camping from ~R150.

THE WILD FARM BACKPACKERS

AREA: WILDERNESS — Hoekwil (above Wilderness)

STREET ADDRESS: 291 Whites Road, Hoekwil, Wilderness, 6560

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PHONE / WHATSAPP: +27 67 416 6773

EMAIL: info@wildfarm.co.za

WEBSITE: wildfarmbackpackers.com

SOCIAL: Facebook

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Booking.com HOSTELWORLD

ACCOMMODATION TYPE: Eco-friendly backpackers and campsite on a working farm above Wilderness. Dorms, log cabins, and private rooms. Views over the Outeniqua Mountains and the Garden Route coast.

PRICE RANGE: Budget. Dorms from ~R250; Private rooms from ~R600–R1,350.

SEDGEFIELD BACKPACKER

AREA: SEDGEFIELD

STREET ADDRESS: Main Service Road, Sedgefield, 6573

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PHONE / WHATSAPP: +27 72 086 8174

EMAIL: sedgefieldbackpacker@gmail.com

WEBSITE: sedgefieldbackpacker.co.za

HOSTELWORLD

ACCOMMODATION TYPE: Heritage cottage hostel. Dorms, private double rooms, and themed tents in a characterful old cottage setting in Sedgefield village.

PRICE RANGE: Budget. Dorms from ~R250; Private rooms and themed tents from ~R500.

PILIPILI BEACH CABANAS

AREA: SEDGEFIELD — Myoli Beach

STREET ADDRESS: 2 Claude Urban Drive, Myoli Beach, Sedgefield, 6573

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PHONE: +27 44 343 3087

WHATSAPP: +27 72 287 2475

EMAIL: reservations@pilipili.co.za

WEBSITE: pilipili.co.za

SOCIAL: Facebook

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Booking.com

ACCOMMODATION TYPE: Beachfront adventure hub and cabanas. Mixed dorms, en-suite family rooms, and honeymoon suites. On Myoli Beach, Sedgefield.

PRICE RANGE: Budget to Mid-range. Dorm beds from ~R465; Private cabanas from ~R1,080.

THE RIVERDECK LODGE AND BACKPACKERS

AREA: KNYSNA — N2 approach (Knysna Estuary area)

STREET ADDRESS: N2 National Road, Knysna, 6570

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PHONE: +27 78 134 5873 / +27 44 333 0221

WHATSAPP: +27 78 134 5873

EMAIL: info@riverdeckrestaurant.co.za

WEBSITE: riverdeckrestaurant.co.za

SOCIAL: Facebook

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Booking.com

ACCOMMODATION TYPE: Riverside adventure lodge. Wooden cabins, mixed dorms, and private en-suites. On the N2 on the approach to Knysna, on the Knysna Estuary edge.

PRICE RANGE: Budget to Mid-range. Dorm beds from ~R250; Private cabins from ~R850.

ISLAND VIBE BACKPACKERS KNYSNA

AREA: KNYSNA — Central (Main Road)

STREET ADDRESS: 67 Main Road, Knysna Central, 6571

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PHONE: +27 44 382 1728

WHATSAPP: +27 76 612 5057

EMAIL: knysna@islandvibe.co.za

WEBSITE: islandvibe.co.za

SOCIAL: Facebook

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Booking.com HOSTELWORLD

ACCOMMODATION TYPE: Central adventure hostel. Dorms, private en-suites, and "flashpacker" double rooms. The Knysna branch of the Island Vibe group (also operates in Jeffreys Bay).

PRICE RANGE: Budget. Dorms from ~R250; Private rooms from ~R690.

KNYSNA BACKPACKERS

AREA: KNYSNA — Central (Queen Street)

STREET ADDRESS: 42 Queen Street, Knysna Central, 6571

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PHONE / WHATSAPP: +27 82 583 7510

EMAIL: info@knysnabackpackers.com

WEBSITE: knysnabackpackers.com

SOCIAL: Facebook

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HOSTELWORLD

ACCOMMODATION TYPE: Dormitories, private double/twin rooms, and family en-suite rooms in Knysna Central.

PRICE RANGE: Budget. Dorms from ~R250; Private rooms from ~R495; Family en-suite from ~R795.

KEEDOLS INN & BACKPACKERS

AREA: KNYSNA — Central (Queen Street)

STREET ADDRESS: 4 Queen Street, Knysna Central, 6571

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PHONE: +27 82 923 9223 / +27 44 382 2658

WHATSAPP: +27 82 923 9223

EMAIL: keedols@live.co.za

WEBSITE: keedols.co.za

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Booking.com

ACCOMMODATION TYPE: Personal boutique lodge and backpackers. Mixed dorms, en-suite double/twin rooms, and an 18-sleeper group unit. On Queen Street, Knysna.

PRICE RANGE: Budget to Mid-range. Dorm beds from ~R250; Private en-suites from ~R800; Large group unit from ~R6,000 (sleeps 18).

AMAKAYA BACKPACKERS & APARTMENTS

AREA: PLETTENBERG BAY — Park Lane

STREET ADDRESS: 15 Park Lane, Plettenberg Bay, 6600

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PHONE: +27 44 533 4010

WHATSAPP: +27 79 691 5756

EMAIL: bookings@amakaya.co.za

WEBSITE: amakaya.co.za

SOCIAL: Facebook

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Booking.com HOSTELWORLD

ACCOMMODATION TYPE: Central flashpacker and apartments. Mixed dorms, twin/double en-suites, and self-catering apartments. Central Plettenberg Bay location.

PRICE RANGE: Budget to Mid-range. Dorms from ~R300; Private en-suites from ~R600–R1,200.

PLETT BEACHFRONT ACCOMMODATION

AREA: PLETTENBERG BAY

STREET ADDRESS: 22 Hopwood Street, Plettenberg Bay, 6600

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PHONE: +27 44 533 4688

WHATSAPP: +27 82 458 5344

EMAIL: info@plettbeachfrontaccommodation.co.za

WEBSITE: plettbeachfrontaccommodation.co.za

SOCIAL: Facebook

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Booking.com

ACCOMMODATION TYPE: Beachfront adventure hostel. Mixed/female dorms and private en-suite rooms on Hopwood Street, Plettenberg Bay.

PRICE RANGE: Budget. Dorm beds from ~R320; Private en-suites from ~R850.

PLETT BACKPACKERS

AREA: PLETTENBERG BAY — Main Street

STREET ADDRESS: 21 Main Street, Plettenberg Bay, 6600

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PHONE / WHATSAPP: +27 82 339 9531

EMAIL: plettbackpackers@dyasons.co.za

WEBSITE: N/A

ACCOMMODATION TYPE: Central penthouse hostel. En-suite dorms and private penthouse suites in Plett's main street.

PRICE RANGE: Budget. Dorms from ~R250; Private penthouse rooms from ~R650.

NOTHANDO BACKPACKERS ★

AREA: PLETTENBERG BAY — Wilder Street

STREET ADDRESS: 5 Wilder Street, Plettenberg Bay, 6600

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PHONE: +27 44 533 0220 / +27 82 825 9811

WHATSAPP: +27 82 825 9811

EMAIL: info@nothando.co.za

WEBSITE: nothando.co.za

SOCIAL: Facebook

Booking.com HOSTELWORLD

ACCOMMODATION TYPE: Award-winning upscale flashpacker lodge. Dorms and private en-suite rooms. TGCSA 5-star graded. 5 minutes' walk from Plettenberg Bay Central Beach. Under new ownership (Vinthi Neufeld) since 2023.

PRICE RANGE: Budget to Mid-range. Dorms from ~R280; Private en-suites from ~R800.

WILD SPIRIT BACKPACKERS LODGE

AREA: THE CRAGS

STREET ADDRESS: Khoinania Farm, R102 Nature's Valley Road, The Crags, 6602

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PHONE / WHATSAPP: +27 82 828 8008

EMAIL: book.wildspirit@gmail.com

WEBSITE: wildspiritlodge.co.za

SOCIAL: Facebook

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HOSTELWORLD

ACCOMMODATION TYPE: Eco-farm backpackers lodge. Bunk-free dorms (mattresses and futons on raised platforms rather than metal bunk beds), safari tents, and forest camping. On Khoinania Farm at the edge of the Tsitsikamma National Park, 8km from Nature's Valley beach.

PRICE RANGE: Budget. Dorms from ~R210; Camping from ~R120.

TUBE 'N AXE BUDGET ACCOMMODATION

AREA: STORMS RIVER

STREET ADDRESS: 85 Darnell Street (corner Saffron Street), Storms River, 6308

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PHONE: +27 42 281 1757

WHATSAPP: +27 76 153 0151

EMAIL: info@tubenaxe.co.za

WEBSITE: tubenaxe.co.za

SOCIAL: Facebook

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Booking.com HOSTELWORLD

ACCOMMODATION TYPE: Hybrid adventure lodge. Dorms, tented units, and boutique private rooms. 70-guest capacity. The only licensed shuttle service in the Tsitsikamma area. On-site Blackwater Tubing (the original Tsitsikamma tubing adventure, started here in the late 1990s). Restaurant, bar, fire pit, hot tubs, outdoor pool.

PRICE RANGE: Budget to Mid-range. Dorms from ~R260; Safari tents from ~R450; Boutique private rooms from ~R1,100.

DIJEMBE BACKPACKERS

AREA: STORMS RIVER

STREET ADDRESS: 59 Formosa Street, Storms River, 6308

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PHONE / WHATSAPP: +27 79 342 2036

EMAIL: dijembe@gmail.com

WEBSITE: dijembebackpackers.com

SOCIAL: Facebook

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Booking.com

ACCOMMODATION TYPE: Rustic adventure hostel. Mixed/female dorms, private log cabins, and safari tents. On Formosa Street, Storms River Village — the quieter alternative to Tube 'n Axe.

PRICE RANGE: Budget. Dorm beds from ~R240; Private log cabins from ~R750.

SEDGEFIELD | Photo: Geoff L