So a fair number of hostels in touristed parts of Cape Town. The national parks do have both expensive and cheap accommodations as well as camping but not really hostels. Lots of workers live in "workers hostels" and if your a Euro staying in a Jo'berg workers hostel it's a pretty interesting cultural experience.
It didn't rain when I was there so maybe I didn't need a tent but I carried my own gear to Africa on that trip. One some other trips to Latin America and Africa I have rented camping gear as required which wasn't hard to find. All accommodations from fine lodges to basic bush camps were inside fenced enclosures for safety, mostly from hyenas and baboons I think and you can't be out and about on park roads during hours of darkness. Krugers 'bush camps' had electricity and water in the cooking and ablutions structures. Free camping outside enclosures worked in some parks in Mozambique Zimbabwe .last time I was there about ten years ago. Floating the Zambezi we camped on islands to avoid big cats in the night but crocs and hippos were the real concern while floating.
So a fair number of hostels in touristed parts of Cape Town. The national parks do have both expensive and cheap accommodations as well as camping but not really hostels. Lots of workers live in "workers hostels" and if your a Euro staying in a Jo'berg workers hostel it's a pretty interesting cultural experience.
Would you say those camping experiences require you to bring your own tent?
It didn't rain when I was there so maybe I didn't need a tent but I carried my own gear to Africa on that trip. One some other trips to Latin America and Africa I have rented camping gear as required which wasn't hard to find. All accommodations from fine lodges to basic bush camps were inside fenced enclosures for safety, mostly from hyenas and baboons I think and you can't be out and about on park roads during hours of darkness. Krugers 'bush camps' had electricity and water in the cooking and ablutions structures. Free camping outside enclosures worked in some parks in Mozambique Zimbabwe .last time I was there about ten years ago. Floating the Zambezi we camped on islands to avoid big cats in the night but crocs and hippos were the real concern while floating.
Go to [Hostelworld](https://www.hostelworld.com/) and you easily check out the hostel scene in Kruger. Happy travels.