Beginner's guide to caravanning in South Africa

The first time you hook up a caravan and pull out of someone's driveway, you will have no idea what you're doing. That's normal. Most people who now tow confidently looked exactly like you six months ago - pale, double-checking the hitch pin, and secretly terrified of the N1.

This guide covers the practical stuff: what to buy, how to tow, where to stay, and the things nobody tells you until you've already done them wrong.

What size caravan do you actually need?

Single axle, under 1 500 kg, twin beds, basic galley kitchen - that's where most beginners end up after they've sold the first one. You don't need a full slide-out with a separate bedroom until you know whether you actually like this. Renting a caravan for one trip before buying anything is the most money you'll ever save.

For a first buy, look for something 15 to 20 years old, a reputable South African brand (Sprite, Jurgens, and Safari are all common), and ask to see the roadworthy certificate before anything else. If there isn't one, walk away. You'll find caravan and trailer dealers listed in the directory if you're shopping new or through a dealer.

Towing basics

Your tow vehicle needs to handle the caravan's actual weight, not the "dry" figure in the brochure. Add water, food, clothes, and a full gas bottle and you're usually 200 to 400 kg over what the sticker says.

A rule of thumb: the caravan shouldn't exceed 85% of your tow vehicle's kerb weight. Go over that and the caravan can start steering you.

Get a weight distribution hitch if you're towing over 1 000 kg. Get electric brakes above 750 kg - it's the law and it's also just common sense.

Practice reversing somewhere quiet before you need to reverse in a crowded campsite with twelve people watching. The technique isn't hard but your brain fights you the first twenty times.

Roadworthy and licensing

A caravan needs a roadworthy certificate (RWC) from a licensed testing station. It also needs to be registered in its own right with its own licence disc. The disc goes on the caravan, not the vehicle.

If you're buying privately and there's no RWC, you need to get one done before you can legally tow it on public roads. This typically costs R800 to R1 500 at a testing station and is worth every rand because you'll find out about the faults before you're sitting in a ditch outside Colesberg. If the gas system has been altered, a gas Certificate of Compliance (CoC) is required - caravan repairs and service workshops can sort both.

Where to camp in South Africa

The country is well-served for caravan camping. SANParks has campsites at most national parks - Kruger, Augrabies, Karoo, Addo - and they're well-maintained with water and electrical points. Book early. Kruger especially fills up months in advance for school holidays.

Municipal resorts vary wildly. Some are excellent; some are not. Check recent reviews on Tripadvisor or Facebook groups before committing. Private farms and guest farms are often the pick of the bunch - clean ablutions, quiet nights, braai space, and an owner who actually cares. The Kampreneur campsite directory covers parks across all provinces.

Caravan parks along the Cape south coast (Arniston, Gansbaai, Struisbaai) fill up over Christmas. If you want coastal over December, book in September.

What to pack

The first trip you'll over-pack. The second trip you'll under-pack. By trip three you'll have it right.

The non-negotiables: 15 m hookup cable, 13/16 amp adaptor, a full gas bottle (LPG, not camping gas), a water hose and pressure reducer, wheel chocks, a levelling kit, and a basic tool roll. A braai grid. A decent awning or shade sail.

The things most beginners forget: a toilet roll holder that doesn't fall off the wall, a doormat (the inside of your caravan gets filthy otherwise), and coffee that doesn't require electricity to make.

On the road

Wide turns. Always. Caravan corners cut short and you will clip curbs, verges, and other vehicles' hearts.

Check tyre pressure on both the car and caravan before every trip. Not every month. Before every trip. Caravan tyres sit stationary for weeks and can develop flat spots.

Watch the forecast. Crosswinds above 60 km/h are genuinely dangerous with a caravan behind you. The Western Cape in winter, and the Free State always, deserve respect.

Stop every two hours. Walk around the caravan. Check the hitch. Check the jockey wheel is fully retracted. Check the tyres visually. This takes four minutes and has saved people's lives.

The part nobody tells you

Caravanning is slower than driving. It costs more than you think. The setup at each site takes longer than expected. Something will break at the worst possible time.

And yet. There's something about being parked on a farm in the Swartberg at dusk, braai going, kids fed, no signal, that is genuinely hard to replicate. That's why people keep doing it for forty years.