Why You Shouldn’t Overlook the American South

Posted: 2/18/2019 | February 18th, 2019

I love the South. Over the years, it has become one of my favorite parts of the United States. Before I went traveling, I always had this perception that the southern states were backward. They were filled with racists, yokels, and obese, gun-loving, Jesus freaks. It was a perception born out of a quarter-century of living in New England and consuming mass media and stereotypes about a people and place I really didn’t know anything about.

Then, at the start of my grand trip in 2006, I drove across the United States. As I made my way through the South, I fell in love with the region. I loved the food, the people, the scenery, the architecture. My perception of the South was wrong.

Yes, it has a lingering history of racism, poverty, and is more conservative than I personally am, but no place is perfect — and no place is like the stereotypes you see. Driving through the South was the first instance in which I really confronted the stereotypes about people and places I grew up with.

I repeated the road trip in 2015 and fell deeper in love with the region. And I oddly found Mississippi to be a complete hidden gem. As a Northerner, I did not expect that.

I realized that the Southern states — which encompass a massive section of the country — are not as culturally and politically monolithic as they once were. Every state is different, each offering the attentive traveler an eclectic mix of incredible food, foot-stomping music, and heart-warming hospitality.

Today, I want to introduce you to Caroline Eubanks. She’s a friend and fellow travel writer whose work primarily focuses on the American South. Caroline has called the South home for her entire life, and in her new guidebook, This Is My South, she shatters all the stereotypes about the Southern United States while sharing her expert tips and suggestions to help you make the most of your next visit.

In this interview, we discuss all things Southern, why this book needed to be written, and why you shouldn’t overlook this region of the country!

Nomadic Matt: Tell everyone a bit about yourself! How did you get into what it is you do?
Caroline Eubanks: I’m Caroline Eubanks, a native of Atlanta, Georgia. I went to college in Charleston, South Carolina and it was there I really fell in love with the American South, especially driving back and forth from my hometown past small towns on country roads. I started working for a newspaper when I lived there and started reading travel blogs (including Matt’s!) so I was inspired to create my own. I leveraged guest posts into paid work and one job led to another. I’ve since been published by BBC Travel, Lonely Planet, Thrillist, Roads & Kingdoms, and Fodor’s. I also started my own blog, Caroline in the City, in 2009, and later This Is My South in 2012. This is basically the only job I’ve ever had and the only one I wanted!

How did you start writing about the Southern USA?
I grew up taking road trips around the region with my family, whether that was to the Outer Banks or the Panhandle of Florida. After graduating from college, I went on a working holiday in Australia where I worked with a lot of people from all over the world. I would try to explain to them where I came from but most of the time they were only familiar with places like Miami and New York. And most travelers went to a few well-known destinations but nothing in between. So I started my website, This Is My South, to tell people about the lesser-known destinations that I love from my corner of the world. I also started focusing on the region in my freelance writing since the market wasn’t quite so saturated.

Why do you think the south gets such a bad wrap?
A lot of it comes from the news. Of course, bad things happen here, but it’s a large region so that’s bound to happen. It becomes polarizing with elections but there are lots of different opinions, not just the ones that are the loudest.

I also think people assume that the movies and television shows about it are accurate. Gone with the Wind and Deliverance are not accurate representations at all. These remain what people most associate the region with, but there are large cities like Atlanta, Charlotte, and Nashville as well as the small towns. You wouldn’t assume every Australian is like Crocodile Dundee or that every person from New Jersey was Tony Soprano, right?

What about the stereotypes about the South?
When I lived in Australia, I went to an expat July 4 party and I was talking to a guy from Ohio. When I said I was from Georgia, he joked that he was surprised to see I had all my teeth. When my parents were traveling in New York, someone asked about their crops. I realized how little people know about this part of the world. I started thinking about these perceptions of the South from both Americans and the world as a whole.

I wouldn’t say that some of the stereotypes aren’t true. There are obviously political divides, but I think there’s a lot more to the South than what you read in the news. The people are overall welcoming and friendly. The region is home to some of the nation’s top universities like Duke and Emory. There are young people creating murals in their small towns (like Kristin!) to drive tourism as well as immigrants from everywhere to Korea to India to Syria bringing their cuisines to meld with traditional regional dishes. And I think there’s something just about everyone can come together on, especially in the South, like food.

What are some of your favorite things about the south?
I always say the food, which is certainly one element. You’ll find both comfort food like fried chicken and collard greens and “healthy” food as well as the cuisines of dozens of cultures. For example, there’s a large Korean community near where I live in Atlanta so I can have authentic Korean barbecue before relaxing at a Korean spa. I love how food is a way that people show their affection.

I also love the general attitude and friendliness. People tend to know their neighbors and offer help when needed. And the music is unmatched by anywhere else in the country. Every genre can be found here. You don’t have to go to a stadium to see impressive artists since there’s usually someone playing at the local dive bar or coffee shop.

Why did you write this book?
I wanted to show people the South that I know and love. I had thought about the idea of writing a guidebook but it actually came to life when I was contacted by a publisher after six years of running my website. They saw my work and wanted to create a guidebook in a similar format. Ever since I started writing, I’ve wanted to write a guidebook, so it was definitely a dream come true.

It was important to me that I have the flexibility to include the places I had fallen in love with in my travels, not just the popular ones. I have a section on the must-eat dishes from every state, quirky roadside attractions, unique accommodations like historic hotels and treehouses, and tours. I tried to emphasize responsible travel and small businesses, so you won’t find those double decker bus tours or your big chain hotels.

I also wanted to include elements that I find lacking in other books, namely the history and odd pieces of trivia. For example, I have sections on the title of “Kentucky Colonel” and the legal loopholes that allow for casinos on and near the Mississippi River.

What do you hope travelers will walk away knowing from your book?
That it’s more than one story. I hope that travelers will be inspired to visit some of the places they’ve heard about as well as ones not previously on their radar. I hope they’ll challenge some of their preconceived notions about the region and give it a chance. I hope they’ll come back for more since there’s no way to see it all at once. And, of course, I hope that travelers will visit the places I write about and tell others about them!

What makes the south special?
So many things. There is unmatched biodiversity including the barrier islands on the North Carolina coast to the swamps of Louisiana to the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee. The Appalachian Trail runs through much of the region, starting in Georgia at Springer Mountain. It’s a region where connecting with nature is a part of everyday life.

Food is also affordable and you can find it in unique places. Similar to the bodega eats in New York, the South sells surprisingly good food at gas stations, including fried chicken, Cajun meats, and Delta hot tamales. Dining is a major part of visiting the region as it’s home to many different styles of cuisine that have influenced American food. You can find “Southern food” in both award-winning restaurants and mom-and-pop casual spots, so there’s something for everyone.

The region is also important when it comes to history. It’s where European travelers first arrived in America, specifically South Carolina and Virginia, and where they were met with Native American tribes. Much of the Civil Rights Movement took place here like the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, and the Woolworth’s counter in Greensboro. A number of notable politicians, including presidents Jimmy Carter and Woodrow Wilson, hailed from these states.

There’s also a lot to offer music lovers since nearly every type of American music has roots in the blues of Mississippi. Icons like Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash were influenced by these musicians and infused their styles into their own music. In addition to rock and blues, the mountains of the South were where bluegrass and “old time” music started, eventually becoming modern country music. And, of course, Atlanta is known for its music industry, especially when it comes to hip hop and R&B. Artists like TLC, Usher, Goodie Mob, and Outkast rose to fame there.

What are some budget travel tips for the area?
The South is generally a fairly cheap place to travel. The main expenditures are transportation and accommodation. Flights into major airports like Atlanta, Charlotte, Orlando, and New Orleans will be cheaper than smaller ones. The same goes for car rentals. Once in the South, it is possible to get around without a car by taking Amtrak and Megabus, but by car is certainly the preferred method of travel.

Certain cities will be more expensive for accommodations, especially Charleston. But you can look for alternative options like small bed and breakfasts, campgrounds with cabins, hostels, and Airbnb rentals. Keep in mind that rentals are limited in cities like New Orleans because of how it affects the local housing market. New Orleans is also great because you can stay at a trendy boutique hotel for under $100 per night.

Meals are cheap at most places unless you’re visiting a fine dining restaurant. If you’re looking for a meal on the go, visit a grocery store to save money. Most have deli counters and prepared foods. Lunch is a good time of day to try the more expensive restaurants, especially those award-winners that can be tough to get a reservation at.

What are some of your favorite off the beaten path destinations?
You don’t have to go far from the well-known destinations like Charleston, New Orleans, and Nashville to see places not in most of the guidebooks. One of the places I always say is a favorite of mine is the Mississippi Delta, which is a number of towns that follow the river south of Memphis. This part of the country is highly important when it comes to music. It was here that artists like BB King and Robert Johnson found their sound and where the blues was developed. There are some funky accommodations like the Shack Up Inn, a collection of sharecropper cabins transformed into guest suites.

I was also surprised by Northwest Arkansas. This region is known for mountain biking, with trails connecting the towns, but also has an incredible craft brewery scene. Crystal Bridges Museum of Art has one of the best collections in the nation, if not the world, focusing on American works like those by Andy Warhol and Frank Lloyd Wright. Eureka Springs is a funky mountain town that looks straight out of a postcard from the 1800s.

I’ve also found some off-the-beaten-path areas within well-known destinations. In my hometown of Atlanta, I always recommend that visitors check out Buford Highway, the city’s international dining corridor. When I lived in Charleston, I spent most of my time downtown, but on subsequent visits, I end up in the Park Circle area of North Charleston, an underrated part of the city. Just outside of Nashville is Franklin, a town with deep ties to the Civil War. It’s just off the Natchez Trace Parkway and hosts musicians nearly every night of the week at Puckett’s Grocery. They also host Pilgrimage, an annual music festival that has hosted the likes of Justin Timberlake and Jack White.

In every small town in between, there are quirky museums and landmarks you might miss if you limit your trip to the “big” destinations, like a museum devoted to ventriloquism in Kentucky and a memorial to the victims of the Trail of Tears in Alabama. You never know what you might find!

***

Caroline Eubanks is a travel writer and the author of This Is My South: The Essential Travel Guide to the Southern States. She writes about all things Southern at ThisisMySouth.com. You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Book Your Trip: Logistical Tips and Tricks

Book Your Flight
Find a cheap flight by using Skyscanner or Momondo. They are my two favorite search engines because they search websites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is left unturned.

Book Your Accommodation
You can book your hostel with Hostelworld as they have the largest inventory. If you want to stay somewhere other than a hotel, use Booking.com as they consistently return the cheapest rates for guesthouses and cheap hotels. I use them all the time.

Don’t Forget Travel Insurance
Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. I’ve been using World Nomads for ten years. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:

• World Nomads (for everyone below 70)
• Insure My Trip (for those over 70)

Looking for the best companies to save money with?
Check out my resource page for the best companies to use when you travel! I list all the ones I use to save money when I travel – and I think will help you too!

The Saturday City: Natchez, Mississippi

As the Southern cotton economy expanded on the back of slave labor in the early 1800s, towns designed to transport the cotton emerged on the Mississippi River: New Orleans, Memphis, Vicksburg, and Natchez.

Located high on the bluffs of the Mississippi River, Natchez, Mississippi, was established by French colonists in 1716. The defensible strategic location ensured that it would become a pivotal center for trade.

In the middle of the 19th century, the city attracted Southern planters, who built mansions to show off their vast wealth from the cotton and sugar cane trade. Natchez was where planters came to escape the heat and isolation of the plantations. It was the Hamptons of the South — the place where the rich relaxed and socialized.

I never heard of Natchez until a few weeks before I visited. While visiting Nashville, I met some local Southern boys at a bar. Fascinated by my road trip plans, they gave me all the information they could on their home state of Mississippi. I mentioned my desire to see old Southern antebellum homes.

“That’s Natchez. If you want antebellum homes, Natchez is the place to be,” the three guys said in unison.

They were right.

Natchez was highlight of my time in the American South. As a former history teacher who specialized in pre–Civil War America, I take a significant interest in this part of the country. I’m fascinated by the hypocrisy and duality of pre–Civil War Southern society.

On the one hand, it was genteel, polite, and formal. On the other, it was brutally racist. Southern egalitarian views of chivalry, equality, and honor extended only to a small segment of society, and they found no hypocrisy in owning slaves. (Note: Reams of thesis papers and books have delved into Southern culture. If you’re looking to learn more, check out Ken Burns’s The Civil War and The Fall of the House of Dixie: The Civil War and the Social Revolution That Transformed the South.)

Natchez remains a beautiful city. Secession sentiment never ran high here, and the city quickly surrendered to the Union Army in 1862. None of the destruction that took place in other cities occurred here, leaving the city intact.

Today, Natchez trades in tourism instead of cotton. Visitors to the historic homes and surrounding national park (Natchez Traces) and gambling on the riverboats sustain this tiny town.

But the old homes are the biggest draw.

By today’s standards, they are tiny suburban homes. You wouldn’t stop and think “Wow, that is a mansion!” But for the period, these homes were an ornate testament to the planters’ great wealth, with high ceilings, intricate wallpaper designs, and multiple stories, and they were filled with fine china, carpets, and furniture.

You can visit 10 of the larger unoccupied homes (one for $12 or three for $30). Of the five I saw, I was big fan of Longwood (the best grounds and most unique home), Rosalie (the most beautiful interior), and Stanton Hall (the prettiest grounds). During the Natchez Pilgrimage in the spring, 24 additional private historical homes open up to the public. The costumed guides — some descendants of the original owners — explain the history of the home, their family, and the region. It’s the city’s biggest annual event.

There are also a number of self-guided walking tours that wind through the city. Along the way, historic markers give you the history of the buildings, neighborhoods, and the residents who called them home.

There is King’s Tavern, built in 1769, the oldest bar in the city (and, according to legend, the most haunted). Walking toward the riverboat casino, you’ll come across what is left of Natchez Under the Hill. This one-time bustling dock area of the city was where dockworkers, prostitutes, and drunkards socialized. It was the city’s underbelly during the boom times. Now a sanitized street of restaurants and bars, it does still contain the oldest bar on the Mississippi River, Under the Hill Saloon.

Natchez is beautiful and elegant. I loved strolling around the streets, marveling at the beautiful homes, stopping at King’s Tavern for wine while avoiding ghosts, and sitting in the park as the sun set over the Mississippi.

The downside to Natchez is that it’s expensive. There are no hostels, and I couldn’t find any Couchsurfing hosts, only hotels and B&Bs. Though you can stay in one of the antebellum homes, they aren’t cheap, costing about $120-160 per night (including breakfast).

The upside? While accommodation is expensive, food and drinks are relatively cheap, with a number of sandwich and BBQ joints in the city offering meals for under $10.

Natchez can be seen in a weekend. It may not be a budget travel destination, but if you are looking to learn about American history, see beautiful homes, and visit a destination off the beaten path for most travelers (visitors here tend to be from the surrounding region), visit Natchez.

The Best Way to Travel Around Southern Africa

Welcome to another edition of our new Africa column with Natasha and Cameron from The World Pursuit. While I’ve been to the continent in the past, I’ve only seen a few countries and this website is really thin on Africa content. I’m super duper excited to have these two travelers share their knowledge about traveling the continent. They will share budget tips, detailed guides, itineraries, and stories to get you excited and prepared for your own trip! Their second post is on how to get around Southern Africa with different budget travel options.

Ten months ago we started thinking about our trip through southern Africa. We knew that the region was vast and that travel there was a difficult mystery. We weren’t even sure if it was possible to cross the continent on our own. All we knew was that we wanted to see the great African plains, watch lions attack impalas, and have a drink while listening to the sound of fish eagles.

Fast forward nine months, and we now own a South African–registered Land Cruiser and have been touring the massive continent by ourselves. How did we get to this point? Was it the cheapest option? Or did we make a massive blunder by throwing a bunch of cash into a major liability, what with bad roads, border officials, bribes, and mechanical costs? Perhaps an overland tour would have been the best option? Or might backpacking across the continent have achieved our goal?

What is the best option for budget travelers in southern Africa: an overland tour, backpacking, or self-driving? It all comes down to what you want to see and how you want to experience Africa. Here are the pros and cons of each option:

Overland Tours

Overland tours are one of the most popular options for young people wanting to travel southern Africa these days. All transportation and accommodation, most food, and many activities are covered. They require little to no planning and no driving, are safe, and offer a sure way to meet other travelers.

Acacia Africa, Nomad, Oasis, and Absolute Africa are four of the most popular “budget” overland safari companies. These tours venture in and around South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Malawi (as well as Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania). Some tours cut out a few countries, while the “mega” tours include all of them. Some of the tours spend only two days in a certain country; others may spend a week there.

Acacia and Nomad include almost all activities, food, and park fees in the cost. They save the additional expenses for specialty experiences, like bungee jumping off the Victoria Falls Bridge or a hot-air balloon ride over the Serengeti.

Oasis and Absolute, on the other hand, opt for a pick-and-choose model and include only a limited number of activities. Instead, they drive you from point A to point B and allow you to book experiences with local operators. Oasis and Absolute also include only 60% of your meals. (If you want all of the adventure activities included, the four providers are similar in price.)

Regardless of the overland company, expect to add roughly $5-10 USD a day for various expenses, like waters, beer, and tipping your guides.

Tour Company Average Daily Cost Acacia $101.80 USD Nomad $100.00 USD Oasis $55.82 USD Absolute $64.46 USD

Note: The prices differ according to where in Africa you are traveling, albeit not drastically. This is a crucial detail when determining to take an overland tour or go at it alone. Southern Africa is intrinsically cheaper and easier to do on your own than the rest of Africa. I like to call it “Africa Light.” Gas is cheaper, national parks are cheaper, food is cheaper, and the infrastructure is better suited for tourism. A tour in South Africa may average $86 USD a day with Acacia, while its East Africa tour will average $121 USD a day.

Pros of doing an overland tour in southern Africa:

• Organized tour that requires little to no planning on a challenging continent
• Great option for meeting people, especially as a solo traveler
• Knowledgeable guides and safe drivers on harsh road conditions
• Groups can be great fun

Cons of doing an overland tour in southern Africa:

• Lack of “adventure” on an organized tour
• No independence and hard to get away from the typical tourist activities
• Lack of genuine local interaction
• High cost
• Enjoyment is subject to the atmosphere of the group

Note: There are a few experiences offered by some overland tours that we do not agree with ethically. Any tour that puts you in contact with wild animals, such as lion walks, cheetah petting, and elephant riding, should raise immediate red flags. Ethics and tourism in Africa can be very murky; don’t always expect your tour operator to vet every activity and attraction.

Self-Driving

There are a plethora of variables that go into self-driving, but we’ll stick with the basics. Operating on the assumption that you will not choose to purchase a vehicle in Africa (you’d have to be crazy like us), your four main expenses will be transportation, food, accommodation, and activities.

Transportation
When we first arrived in South Africa, we got a small pickup rental truck for $650 USD a month ($21 USD a day), split between the two of us. We went with a 2×4 to travel through Mozambique, but if you route carefully and skip the dirt roads and sand, it’s very possible to get around most of southern Africa in a sedan (we’ve even met people doing it on motorcycles)!

Rental vehicles are the cheapest in South Africa and can be driven into neighboring countries with a letter from the rental company stating your intent to cross borders. A manual sedan in Johannesburg can be rented for as little as $120 USD a week.

You may want to drive to remote areas, which means a fully kitted 4×4 rental; those come in at $800 USD a week out of South Africa and Namibia on the low end for a round-trip car rental.

However, for that price, you can score a truck that can go anywhere and has comfortable roof tents that can accommodate four people — which is the best way to get one heck of a safari for an affordable price. (We self-drove into the Okavango Delta and got further than any backpacker or overland tour could ever go.)

It’s important to factor in road tolls and gas into your costs. Tolls in southern Africa are few and far between, but they do exist and you can expect to pay $10–20 USD a week in tolls if you’re driving around South Africa.

Keep in mind that distances are vast in Africa, so you’ll be covering some major ground getting from point to point. Southern Africa is bigger than all of Europe, so expect to budget about $100–200 USD a week for fuel, depending on how fast you move and the distances covered.

While these numbers may be difficult for a solo traveler, a group of friends together can make an African road trip very cheap. Obviously, the cost per person goes down with the more travel companions you add; $10 USD a day for gas and the rental is possible per person in southern Africa if split four ways. With two people in a smaller car, it’s entirely possible to drive around for $15 USD a day per person. If you don’t have travel partners, try joining groups on Facebook like “Backpacking Africa” or posting in Lonely Planet’s Thorn Tree forum.

Food
Food in Africa can be very affordable (of course there are some exceptions to this if you are eating out or have a special diet). You can find almost everything you want at large Western supermarkets in South Africa; however, as you work your way north, Western-style grocery stores become a rarity. Outside of big cities, most food will come from roadside stands or tiny convenience stores — all of which offer affordable local prices. If you’re cooking your own meals, you can get by on less than $70 USD a week for food. That includes eating three meals a day and items that may be considered luxuries to backpackers, such as steak, real coffee with milk, and a decent sandwich lunch.

Accommodation
Campsites can range from $5–15 USD per person a campsite; this does not include a tent or sleeping bag. Camping in southern African national parks is closer to $20–30 USD per person plus daily park fees. The campsites, except in Botswana, are usually fenced in to provide protection from wildlife and have facilities such as an ablution block. In major cities, you will be able to find hostels, budget hotels, and Airbnb rooms, and it’s possible to get a bed for the same price as camping. Dorm beds run $10–20 a night and a double room $25–50 USD a night. But this isn’t Europe, so don’t be picky, and prepare for some less-than-desirable rooms. If you’re feeling truly adventurous, rooms in local roadside establishments cost around $3–8 USD a night but don’t plan on sleeping much because they’re often noisy and a little dirty.

Activities

You can’t get around Africa without some activity expenses. However, if you have plans on seeing any wildlife, you will have to pay—national parks, private game reserves, and safaris all cost money. The good news is that park costs in South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, and Zimbabwe are all reasonable, considering that these are some of the best game parks in all of Africa. Although you won’t have the comfort of being in a big game viewer and will have to spend money on fuel driving around the park all day, you will still able to see wildlife driving your own vehicle on your own time.These are some average national park fees in southern Africa:

Namibia $9 USD Botswana $12 USD South Africa $15 USD Zambia $25 USD Zimbabwe $30 USD

Note: These fees are based on international passports and do not include vehicle fees. Note that almost every park in Africa charges a vehicle fee for self-drivers. The fee can range anywhere between $5 USD and $50 USD a day, depending on the country and the car’s type and registrationIn summary, it is next to impossible to estimate a budget for driving yourself. Here are some average self-driving costs per day per person:

Rental car and fuel (two persons)* $15 USD (sedan) to $57 USD (4×4) Accommodation $10 USD (camping) to $25 USD (dorm or shared private room) Food $10–15 USD Activities $10 USD Total $45–105 USD

* Prices are based on weekly car rentals starting in South Africa, where rentals are cheapest.

Pros of self-driving southern Africa:

• Sense of adventure tackling southern Africa on your own
• Freedom to drive wherever you want
• National parks are cheaper than hopping on an organized safari
• You can take as much or as little time in a place
• You can delve deeper into local and rural African life with your own set of wheels

Cons of self-driving southern Africa:

• The paperwork and bureaucratic headache of crossing borders with a car
• Constant planning and routing and always being “on” can become exhausting
• Maintaining and fixing the car if anything goes wrong
• Little to no help if problems arise
• Poor road maintenance can lead to potholes and road corrugation

Public Transport or “Backpacking”

It is incredibly hard to estimate the cost of backpacking around southern Africa because it can vary so widely depending on one’s style. It’s also dependent on if you want to completely go off the grid or if you want to do touristy things. Some may be okay with walking into a village, paying a few dollars to the local chief, and pitching a tent in the dirt, while others wouldn’t dream of this and would rather take public transport from campsite to campsite. Living like a local in southern Africa is very hard if you’re traveling. Poverty is rampant in Africa, and many Africans can’t even afford to adequately feed themselves, let alone travel to the next town while living on a dollar a day. Due to the lack of demand and infrastructure for long-distance travel, the transport options are much more difficult compared to the West and Asia.

Transportation
Local buses around town can cost anywhere from $0.25 USD to a $1.50 USD. They also only serve local towns and villages. For the larger intercity buses, you can expect to pay $8–25 USD for a 4–12-hour bus ride (sometimes longer). Tourist spots, parks, hostels, and campsites are often not near any major towns or villages, so you’ll need some budget for local taxis or plan on hitchhiking. The price of a taxi can range from $3–15 USD, depending on distance and remoteness.

Food
There shouldn’t be any difference here compared to self-driving. The only exception is that self-drivers have the advantage of buying items in bulk and carrying cooking gear with them. If you are traveling by local transport and backpacking, your food options may be cheaper as you eat more and more of the local food and have less access to supermarkets. On the other hand, your costs could rise since you may not have the proper gear to cook all your own meals and may, therefore, frequent restaurants more.

Accommodation
Campsites, hostels, and guesthouses will not differ in pricing compared to those for self-drivers. However, as an overland traveler without a car and just a backpack, you can sometimes instead pay a small fee ($3–5 USD) to a local village chief and pitch a tent in the community.

Activities
While you’ll be able to save on most things when backpacking southern Africa, you will lose out when it comes to seeing wildlife. Whereas overland tours and self-drivers have their own vehicle, backpackers will have to pay for each and every safari experience they want to have. Hopping on a day game drives into game parks costs $40 USD on the cheap end and $200 USD on the high end. The price difference is large, but most backpackers may visit fewer parks, so the cost difference isn’t out of this world. These are some average backpacking costs per day:

Transportation $9 USD Accommodation $10 USD Food $10 USD Activities $15 USD Total $44 USD

It is possible to backpack Africa for cheaper; we’ve even met people walking, backpacking, or cycling around the continent. However, someone who travels slowly, camps in villages, and skips national parks will have a much different trip than overland tours and self-drivers in southern Africa.

Pros of backpacking southern Africa:

• Complete integration into local life
• Cheaper than a tour or self-driving
• Breaks boundaries with locals as they do not view you as having many means
• Operate on your own schedule

Cons of backpacking southern Africa:

• Uncomfortable, exhausting, long, and even dangerous bus and train rides across the continent
• Greater chance of getting in an accident or having items stolen
• You should get used to being dirty
• No one to help you should something go wrong
• Constant routing and planning can get tiring

Final Verdict

So what’s the best option for seeing southern Africa? It’s a difficult decision because overland tours are certainly the easiest, but also the most expensive and least adventurous. Backpacking can be difficult and uncomfortable and may hinder your experiences in Africa as most of the natural sights and national parks are far removed from populated cities where public transport operates. However, if you’re looking to meet some of the friendliest people on earth Africans are quick to befriend a backpacker. Self-driving falls somewhere in the middle, as it can be incredibly adventurous but will offer the most flexibility with a more mid-range price tag.

In my opinion, southern Africa is best done on your own because of its infrastructure and lower cost. Travel through each country varies a lot. In the end, it comes down to what you are looking for in terms of adventure, interactions, costs, comfort, and ease.

Natasha and Cameron run the blog The World Pursuit, focusing on adventure and cultural travel. The two of them met in the film industry before they decided to abandon the American lifestyle and travel the world together. They’ve been traveling together for three years across 55 countries and six continents.  They recently bought a 4×4 at the tip of Africa and are traversing the continent while documenting their story on Instagram and Facebook. 

7 Things I Learned While Driving Through the American South

The American South has a mixed reputation in U.S. popular culture: it’s home to sweet tea, greasy but delicious food, country music and the blues, friendly and helpful people, and beautiful and diverse landscapes. However, it’s also supposedly filled with guns, racists, bigots, and rednecks, and it’s the subject of other negative stereotypes.

The first time I visited the South was in 2006 on a road trip across the United States. As a liberal Yankee, I wanted the negative stereotypes to be true and my beliefs to be validated. Instead, I found an incredible region of helpful people, a countryside dotted with rolling hills, farms, and forests, and hearty food rich in flavor. From Charleston to New Orleans and everything in between, the South was extraordinary.

Now, nine years later, on another road trip through the South, I wondered if it would provoke the same warm feelings. America is a more politically divided country. The South has drifted to the right politically, and I wondered about heated debates about “that president,” gay rights, and more. Would I feel like a stranger in a strange land?

After spending months exploring the region, I realized that the Southern states, encompassing a large area of the United States, are not as culturally and politically monolithic as they once were. There is prodigious variety here, and the region left me with many impressions:

The food will make you happy

Food plays a central role in Southern life and is rich in both flavor and diversity. Each region has its own specialties — barbecue in Missouri, Memphis, and North Carolina; Creole food and oysters in New Orleans; Cajun food on the Bayou; fried chicken in Nashville; the growing organic food scene in Atlanta; and upscale dining in Oxford, Mississippi. I pictured Southern food as greasy, fried, and heavy fare. While much of it is hearty, the richness in flavor and variety was outstanding. There is something for everyone, and if you go hungry while visiting, it’s your own fault.

Music makes the region go ’round

Music is a way of life here. The sound of live music filled the air everywhere. Nashville, Memphis, and New Orleans are famous music haunts, but even the tiniest towns have robust live music scenes. From jazz to country to blues to bluegrass, there’s a music soul to this region. I danced, jammed, and sang, and it was wonderful.

The people really are friendly — There’s a common belief that the South is home to the friendliest people in the country. I’m not sure I believe that, but I would agree that Southerners are certainly friendly. They are cheerful, talkative, and incredibly helpful. Strangers waved hello, inquired about my day, were quick with invites for drinks, and generally made an effort to make me feel welcome. The folks here have hospitality down to an art. Plus, they seem to have an endless supply of sweet tea and I can’t get enough of that stuff!

The landscape is stunning

The Southern landscape is beautiful and diverse. The Smoky Mountains are a vast, dense forest filled with inviting rivers, lakes, and trails. The Louisiana bayou is haunting with moss-covered trees and eerie calm. The hills of Appalachia stretch for wooded miles, and the whole Mississippi Delta, with its swamps, marshes, and biodiversity, is gorgeous. And the beaches of Florida are so white they sparkle. I could spend months hiking and exploring all the parks and rivers in the region. (Mental note to future self: Do that.)

To understand it, you have to understand its past

As a former high school history teacher (I taught right out of college), I was excited to explore the area’s colonial cities and Civil War sites. Cities like Natchez, New Orleans, Vicksburg, Savannah, Memphis, Richmond, and Charleston helped shape the country, and their history and influence are important to the story of America. It was in these cities that many American cultural and political leaders were born, the Civil War began, battles were won and lost, the rise and fall of slavery was sown, and many of the biggest names in American cultural history were born. These cities and their history help explain a lot about Southern pride, culture, and current feelings.

It’s politically conservative — Though the Ashvilles, Nashvilles, Atlantas, Austins, and other big cities of the region have become more liberal (thanks in part to open-minded college students, Northern transplants, and hipsters), the rest of the region has moved more to the right recently. Besides country music, radio options seem to consist only of Christian lectures and music or right-wing talk radio warning of immigrants bringing in polio, evil Muslims, and Obama the antichrist. I overheard many conversations about “that guy” (the President) and “queers.” The big cities may be liberal, but in the rest of the South, it’s as conservative as conservative can be.

It’s racist (but it’s not 1950s violent racist) — I found the racism in the modern South to be more an “off-the-cuff racism” than a deep-seated hatred. It was based on stereotypes that lingered because they simply became habit. From the B&B owner who made an offhand comment about Jews to the guys in Nashville who talked about blacks being workers because “that’s the way it is,” to the folks in Atlanta making fun of gays, to college kids in Mississippi telling me racist jokes (or singing racist songs on buses), most came across simply as unthinking. If asked if their remarks were prejudiced, they would probably say “No, it was just a joke.” But it’s still very offensive. No one seems to question these ideas, which is why these attitudes seem to linger. Does this mean I think everyone is a deep-seated racist? No, not at all. I think the South has made incredible strides towards equality and racism is an issue in many places. While better than it used to be, it’s still very prevalent, and with the move toward the political right, I don’t see it going away anytime soon. I had hoped this stereotype would turn out to be outdated but sadly, it was not.

Despite its flaws, I grow to love the area more with each visit. It’s one of the most culturally rich areas in the country. There’s a reason why its cities are booming.

Go visit the region, get out of the cities, travel through the mountains, and find your way into the small towns. You’ll discover friendly people, heavenly food, amazing music, and an appreciation for a slow pace of life.

Travel breaks down barriers and misconceptions about people and places. The more you travel, the more you understand people (even when you don’t agree with them). The South and I may not agree on a lot of issues, but it’s not the region the negative stereotypes make it out to be. It’s a vibrant, lively, interesting, and friendly part of the United States.

And one more people should get to know.