Same prices, better value
I got the idea to write this blog when one of our guests from the UK sent me the receipt for payment of her Earthstompers tour. She paid £370 for a 6 day, 5 night tour with most meals and accommodation. That’s what I’d spend on two nights out for dinner & drinks with friends in London! I couldn’t believe what a bargain it was.
As of today, our tours cost $254 less than the exact same tour two years ago. Have we gotten really good at trimming expenses? Have I cut down on the amount of meat I braai for guests? Nope. Our tours cost the exact same amount in South African Rand, but the Rand is now weaker as compared to the American or Australian Dollar, the British Pound, or the Euro. In fact, the Rand is at a four-year low against other world currencies. Bad news for us as South Africans, but great news for tourists. Here’s a chart that shows the cost change for our tours (note that prices are approximate & based on the day’s exchange rate):
| Currency | Tour Price | |||
| 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | ||
| South African Rand | R 5600 | R 5600 | R 5600 | Backpacker dorm price – still the same in Rand…. |
| United States Dollar | $825 | $654 | $571 | Same tour, $254 less |
| Australian Dollar | $771 | $673 | $583 | Same tour, $188 less |
| Euro | €572 | €525 | €434 | Same tour, €138 less |
| British Pound | £504 | £424 | £370 | Same tour, £134 less |
Now, lets take this a little further. What else might a tourist spend money on….hmm…let me think… how about BEER?!
| City, Country | Beer Price in USD |
| Cape Town, South Africa | $1.55 |
| New York, United States | $5.51 |
| Sydney, Australia | $5.16 |
| London, England | $5.36 |
| Berlin, Germany | $3.53 |
In Cape Town you can buy on average of three times more beer than in the other cities around the world. Don’t mind if I do!
(Above stats thanks to an interesting and fun website called www.pintprice.com; image courtesy www.nuvo.net.)
We are thrilled to be able to offer our guests some amazing adventure experiences while on tour with us. Lets have a look at how those compare?
| Shark Cage Diving | Country | Price in USD |
| Port Lincoln | Australia | $380 – $495 |
| Farallon Island, San Francisco | United States | $775 – $875 |
| Gansbaai, Shark Alley | South Africa | $100 – $150 |
South Africa comes in at about 7x less than the USA and about 4x less than Australia. This is great value for money!
Not only does South Africa have the biggest Bungee Bridge in the world, but also the cheapest bungee in the world. I hate the word cheapest, it sounds so cheap! And who wants to talk about cheap when it comes to bungee jumping?! But Face Adrenaline, operating Bloukrans Bungee in Tsitsikamma has a 100% safety record since 1997 when they first opened, and offers an incredible experience for our adventure-seeking clients.
| Bungee | Country | Meters | Cost in USD |
| Victoria Falls | Zimbabwe/Zambia | 111 m | $130 |
| Nevis Bungee | New Zeeland | 134 m | $207 |
| Macau Tower | China | 233 m | $319 |
| Verzasca Dam, Ticino | Switzerland | 220 m | $203-266 |
| Niouc Bridge | Switzerland | 190 m | $215 |
| Perrine Bridge, Idaho | United States | 151.5 m | $175 |
| Bloukrans, Tsitsikamma | South Africa | 216 m | $75 |
(Please note these are estimate rates from the internet and all converted to USD by www.xe.com)
So where should you go for your next vacation? USA, UK, Europe, Australia, New Zealand? South Africa offers the experience of a lifetime for a fraction of the price. We provide the best value for money by far!
Garden Route Greetings
Hendrik Human
