Australian Cricket Tour To South Africa 2026
Australian Cricket Tour To South Africa 2026
"Almost everything you need to know about the tour is below. Please, take the time to read & know what you are getting when booking our amazing tour. If there is something we've not covered, please ask. Thanks."
This Is Our First Australian Test Cricket Tour To South Africa In 8.5 Years. Book Now Or Wait Another Near Decade!
Hotel Tours: 8 Nights Per City
Where: Johannesburg | Centurion | Cape Town | Durban | Bloemfontein | East London | Potchefstroom | Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth) - ALL TBC
When: September - October 2026
Matches: 3 Tests | 3 ODI's
Per Test Twin PP: A$3000+ TBC
Per Test Single PP: A$4000+ TBC
Book: Without Obligation For A$1
On This Page:
- South Africa 2026 Tour Intro
- Our South Africa 2026 Tour
- When Is South Africa 2026
- Where Is The Cricket Played
- Getting To South Africa 2026
- South Africa 2026 Inclusions
- Hotels In South Africa 2026
- How Long Is South Africa 2026
- Spare Time In South Africa 2026
- Match Tickets Package
- South Africa Match Tickets
- Cape Town Sold Out
- Match Day Transfers
- Airport Transfers
- Budget To Tour South Africa
- Costs In South Africa 2026
- Safety In South Africa 2026
- Booking South Africa 2026
South Africa 2026 Tour Intro
With what will be more than 30 years of cricket travel experience to every test nation Australia has competed, and our 17th trip to South Africa, we know any Australian Cricket Tour to South Africa is one not to miss.
South Africa is traveller's paradise, a cornucopia of adventure with vast travel options that will get you affordably to all their amazing places.
Whether you're on an escorted tour or venturing solo, South Africans are expert at making you feel welcome as they showcase their lands' natural beauty, and introduce you to hidden gems.
From pristine beaches and majestic mountains to thrilling shark dives and scenic hikes, stunning whale-watching and luxurious safaris, from world-cup surfing to championship golf courses, ocean fishing, & renowned vineyards.
South Africa has it all.
When you add the thrill of cricket at relaxed venues where you can step onto the field during lunch, it becomes an experience like no other.
We have cherished every Australian Test Cricket Tour to South Africa to the 'Dark Continent' since 1997.
We've road-tripped, hitch-hiked, trained, planed, and bused to all corners of South Africa.
Venturing time and again into each city where cricket is played, we've forged lasting memories and collected countless experiences that we use to help create each tour, which is not only about match tickets and a nice hotel.
Our tours are about unique immersive social elements and making the best of your time in each place we visit. This includes the cricket grounds.
The atmosphere and laid-back focus on the game is what makes watching cricket in South Africa stupendous.
It is 'no frills' by definition.
From being asked to simply leave your gun at the gate, to picnicking on the grass, absorbing live music, and relaxing in the terraces, to BBQing your lunch is only part of what makes South Africa our 2nd favourite nation to tour.
Our comfortable knowledge of South Africa will enhance your Australian Cricket Tour To South Africa 2026; our first since infamous 2018.
Our South Africa 2026 Tour
In no matter which cities the Australian Cricket Tour To South Africa 2026 will be played, we will use our experience & personality to show the best of where we are.
Once you arrive in South Africa, you'll have 8 nights in 4+ star hotels at each test match, and the ODI's.
We include a dinner party with drinks the night before each test and another on the night the test match ends.
We have been hosting dinner & drinks parties for more than 20 years, and now all others do the same.
We love being copied.
At the pre-test party you get your match tickets, cool apparel, and detail on how we reach the game each day.
As always, we will celebrate 'apres-play' somewhere different each night.
Should the test end early we will suggest optional adventures to invest your spare time.
Perhaps you want to stay by the hotel pool, or flop on the beautiful beaches of Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth), Durban, East London, or Cape Town.
Speaking of Cape Town, along with other 'not-to-be-missed' sights, a trip to the wineries will be on the menu, should we play at famous Newlands.
If we have 7-days break after the 2nd Test, we may embark on another grand road-trip or visit one of South Africa's famous wildlife parks, if not the latter before the 1st test.
The choices are endless.
Whatever we do, we are there to have great time with you.
We love South Africa and we're sure you will too when choosing to tour with us.
When Is South Africa 2026
After 8.5 years, we return to our second favourite nation to tour for 3 Tests & 3 ODI's from the last week of September to the end of October 2026.
- 1st Test could be played over Grand Final weekend of Sept 26 & 27
You can join us at one or all matches; you are very welcome for the long or short of it.
Once we know a schedule we will create options for all matches.
Where Will The Cricket Be Played
We won't know until 2025, perhaps during our 30 Years Anniversary Tour of the West Indies 2025 (coming?).
Only playing 3 Tests (we played 4 Tests in 2018) means we lose one week of great cricket travel and spectating at one of South Africa's iconic grounds.
Before you say, 'we'll definitely play at Newlands', there's no guarantee Cape Town will host a test. This isn't Lord's.
South Africa Test Cricket Grounds:
- Johannesburg | Wanderers
- Centurion | SuperSport Park
- Potchefstroom | Senwes Park
- Cape Town | Newlands
- Durban | Kingsmead
- Gqeberha | St George's Park
- Bloemfontein | Mangaung Oval
We will be ready to play at any ground. They are all good, especially as they let you on to the field at the lunch break.
Though not fans of white-ball, 3 ODI's played in one city would let us create another ripping week, instead of moving every 2 days.
We often don't get what we want.
Getting To South Africa 2026
- NO TRAVEL TO, THROUGH, OR FROM SOUTH AFRICA IS INCLUDED
Like all Australian Cricket Tours to South Africa, please make your own way to, through, and from South Africa, on your preferred airlines and domestic travel modes.
#JobDone
Depending on optional extra-curricular adventures before or after each test, we may include travel to the next test within that optional side-trip.
It will all be spelled out once we know a schedule and release our tours.
Please Read:
It's less than 3 years away, but search airfares, car hire, & hotels on Skyscanner below to help tantalise the senses and understand pricing.
Once the format of the Australian Cricket Tour To South Africa 2026 is known, we'll detail when and how we move between cities so you can book the same if you wish.
Research Flights, Hotels, & Cars for South Africa:
South Africa 2026 Tour Inclusions
We include (TBC) the following in our hotel tours:
- 8 Nights 4* Hotels Per Test
- Full Breakfast Daily
- Airport Transfers
- Pre-Test Dinner Party & Drinks
- Tickets To All 5 days Of Each Test
- Comfy Embankment Chairs
- Our Signature Stylish Apparel
- End-of-Test Dinner Party & Drinks
- Nightly After-Play Drinks
- 30 years Cricket Tour Expertise
- Optional Day Trips
- Optional Road Trip
- Optional Kruger Park Safari
We include (TBC) the following in our Match Ticket Package:
- Pre-Test Dinner Party & Drinks
- Tickets To All 5 days Of Each Test
- Tickets To Each ODI (if booked)
- Comfy Embankment Chair
- Our Signature Stylish Apparel
- Post-Test Dinner Party & Drinks
How Long Is South Africa 2026
Until we know where & when we are playing, and how much time we have between tests, please allow:
- Kruger Park: 5 Nights
- 1st Test: 8 Nights
- 2nd Test: 8 Nights
- Holiday (TBC): 5 Nights
- 3rd Test: 8 Nights
- 3 ODI's: 8 Nights
We may start in Kruger National Park or use the 'holiday' (TBC) after the 2nd Test to visit this grand park.
Each Test will include 2 nights before, and 1 night after the test.
There will be 2-3 nights per ODI, if all 3 ODI's are not in the one city.
Kruger aside, which is optional, we leave you to choose where you go before and after each Test, including the 'holiday'.
Spare Time In South Africa 2026
There is no shortage of directions to go in South Africa when the game is done and won to find adventure.
With 5-days spare after the 2nd test in Port Elizabeth (now named the near impossible to pronounce Gqeberha) in 2018, people went all over the shop!
Some shot to Madagascar, Zimbabwe, & Namibia, others to Sun City & Kruger National Park.
Some drove the 'Garden Route' from Port Elizabeth playing golf all the way to Cape Town, whilst some flew to Cape Town for 14 nights; very easy!
It's impossible to find one thrill to suit most, let alone all, and why we leave you to do your own thing.
It doesn't mean we won't include one thing to save you thinking, such as yet another ever-loved road trip.
All options for our Australian Cricket Tour To South Africa 2026 will be created once we know a schedule.
While 2018 was great with all matches geographically aligned, we expect the usual twists in South Africa 2026.
Hotels In South Africa 2026
The choice of pillows in South Africa is vast. Just about every global brand is represented across the country, along with South Africa's own Tsogo Sun and Sun International.
Aside flash hotels are apartments, villas, guesthouses, luxury bush camps & lodges, B&B's, and backpackers.
In 2002, in our infancy, we only had backpacker accommodation; our goal to create a 'budget' cricket tour. We succeeded, but have since grown!
24 years on, we stay at 4+ star hotels. We may however choose more convenient 3 star hotels if 4+ star hotels are too isolated for our liking.
We believe it fair that you know where you are staying before you book so on each city page we list the hotel that we are looking to stay at.
You can view the hotel to decide if this suits, or even book that hotel yourself, and then our Match Ticket Package.
South Africa 2026 Match Tickets Package
Many people know many people living in South Africa, and which happens to be one of the easiest nations to travel domestically, no matter what the mode.
If you've people to stay with, or you're renting a car and dropping in for a test and buzzing off, or simply prefer to book your own bed, you can still enjoy the cricket with us, with our basic Match Tickets Package.
This affordable package includes:
- Tickets To All 5-Days Of Each Test
- Pre-Test Dinner Party & Drinks
- Stylish Apparel
- Embankment Chair (if req.)
- Post-Test Dinner Party & Drinks
That's it.
Come for dinner, have your fill, grab your match tickets & suave styles, and we will see you at the game.
This convenient option guarantees you won't miss Cape Town as many did in 2014 & 2018 when the first 3 days SOLD OUT to the public, on the day of release.
Please: If you're not booking any tour do not ask us where to buy tickets or if we can buy them for you. If you want match tickets, book them here.
South Africa 2026 Match Tickets
When people think of 'sitting on the grass' they may hark back to heinous days of 'the hill' in Sydney, believing every grassy cricket knoll is the same.
South Africa is furthest from that, and where embankment lounging is outstanding!
South Africa does cricket spectating better than anyone and why, at every opportunity, we include embankment tickets and camp chair.
Saying this, New Zealand 2024 taught us (and we learn every tour) that when grandstand seats are available, many people buy them.
We prefer 'lounging', but looking to South Africa 2026 we will offer grass & grandstand tickets, if a 'seat' is the difference between enjoying South Africa 2026 with us or not.
We may include hospitality.
Many people however often come to us 'on the hill' to remark how awesome it is, asking 'where did you get the chairs?', or 'how did you get these tickets?'
Anyone that has been been squashed in an 'allocated seat' at any venue would know the pain in the arse it is when people want to get in or out, all day.
On the knoll, place your chair with lots of room to get up, walk around, see others, or just kick back with your shoes off.
You are never imprisoned in your seat, which, at the end of the day, we leave at the ground for the next day.
Except Joburg whose grassy knoll is 'no-alcohol family area', all cricket grounds in South Africa have grassy spanses, inviting you to lay a blanket or set up chairs to picnic through the day.
Picnicking made better with not only the ability to bring in eskies filled with lunch, but 'in-venue' BBQ's to cook said lunch for a true 'picnic in the park'.
Please: If you're not booking any tour do not ask us where to buy tickets or if we can buy them for you. If you want match tickets, book them here.
Cape Town Sold Out
Even if 'test is cricket dying', there are venues and series that still brings every cricket lover to the surface.
Ashes in England. Australia in New Zealand. Newlands in Cape Town!
The Australian Cricket Tour To South Africa 2014 & 2018, saw Days 1, 2, & 3 at Newlands SOLD OUT on the day of release, leaving many planning to buy a ticket on the day, without a ticket.
This brought a flood of calls from many (including those that asked about our Match Ticket Package but didn't book) asking if we had spare tickets.
We never have 'spares'.
Cricket in Cape Town in Oct. may not have the same 'pique', but we'll still have 'your' match tickets before others.
#DontRiskIt
We won't know when ticket sales for Newlands 2026 will be, that's for you to learn if you choose not to book our convenient match tickets package.
Please: If you're not booking any tour do not ask us where to buy tickets or if we can buy them for you. If you want match tickets, book them here.
South Africa 2026 Match Day Transfers
We have never included transfers for the simple reason, we never live far enough from the ground to warrant the added cost to your tour.
This marries with the inconvenience of waiting for others for what is never more than 10 mins drive (except Cape Town).
No matter how short the walk (300m in Durban!), you can share an App-based taxi for A$1-2 each if you haven't the capacity or inclination to walk.
Commuting In Cape Town
Although Newlands is 11km from our preferred Cape Town hotel, we've never driven you to the game.
Ever since our first visit to Cape Town in 1997, Metrorail to & from Newlands Cricket Stadium is, by far, easier.
It's a 3-mins walk to Cape Town Railway Station for a safe, 7 stop journey.
If we play at Newlands in 2026, we'll decide on transfers once we know where we are living.
South Africa 2026 Airport Transfers
We'll decide closer the time whether to include airport transfers, which may be an unnecessary added cost.
In 2018, app-based taxis were far more convenient, affordable, practical, and available in all cities.
In 2026 there should be more choice, more convenience, and even more people using apps on their phone.
In Sept 2023 the Uber cost from each airport to our 2018 & 2014 hotels was:
- Johannesburg: A$30
- Cape Town: A$20
- Durban: A$30
- Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth): A$8
- Centurion: A$45
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Cost To Tour South Africa 2026
Being Spring and South Africa ablaze with wildflower, another beauty of a Sept tour is that it's the low season.
Fewer people, cooler weather, lower rates.
We can't share more accurate pricing until we reach the latter stages of 2025.
On Sept 2023 research, we suggest you save for each week that you tour:
- Twin / Double: A$3000+pp
- Single Room: A$4000+pp
These are very 'healthy' prices, but we'd rather go high and then ask for less, not yet knowing 2026 exchange rates, hotel prices and availability.
- Costs excludes any travel
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Costs In South Africa 2026
- South Africa cash is Rands (ZAR)
Many may think India, Pakistan or the like are the most budget-friendly cricket destinations, once on the ground.
The quality of South Africa's lifestyle, restaurants, wines, pubs, bars, & cafes, however, that puts her way on top.
You may spend more dollars in South Africa than you might in India. Not much more, but and pleasurably more.
If you've never been you won't believe the quality for your Aussie dollar.
At Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, Cape Town, you pay in a restaurant or pub:
- Bottle Of Wine: A$12+
- Pint Of Beer is A$2+
- 3 Courses: A$30+
- Burger: A$8+
- Pasta: A$10+
- Pizza: A$8+
- Coffee: A$2+
What you spend on the convenience of a tour, you make back in daily living.
The above is using 2023 exchange rates for 2023 online menu prices.
- Sept 22, 2023: A$1 = ZAR12.15
- Feb 2006: AUD$1 = ZAR3.96
Hopefully the current value lasts until 2026 to help 'drive your dollar further'.
- Check the rates with XE.com
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Safety In South Africa 2026
We were emailed by someone keen to tour South Africa, who wrote, "It's too dangerous to travel on your own."
That's fair enough, and part why we do what we do. We want you to feel, and be safe when you tour. Our experience and feel of a place is for your benefit.
Still, we've found it nigh on impossible to change people's distant perspectives of a place when they have already made up their mind.
In 2022 we happily travelled to Pakistan and Sri Lanka, and then safely home.
In the months since, when chatting about 'good & gooderer' places to tour, one asked, "You didn't go to Pakistan, though?" as if it was criminal to do so.
We have never felt as safe anywhere as we did in Pakistan.
#ItWasBrilliant
Yet, visiting twice AFTER Pakistan, amidst the national unrest, to show that Sri Lanka was safe was still not enough to prevent many from cancelling.
We don't travel flippantly, by the same token we don't stay home through 'fear of random'. You can't control random.
There are many dangerous elements to South Africa thus always say 'travel together', but don't judge the place via the news feeds in your lounge room.
South Africa 2026 will be our 17th visit.
Booking South Africa 2026
As we WILL have done for 30 years, no matter where we play, our goal is to bring awesome people together to enjoy the cricket together. Safely.
Whether you book all 3, 2, or just 1 Test, whether you do our road trip or your own thing, whether you book our hotel tour or match tickets package, everyone is welcome on our Australian Cricket Tour To South Africa 2026.
We're here to create lasting memories in an amazing country while watching amazing cricket in amazing venues, so if you need more information before booking, don't hesitate to reach out.
Otherwise, add your name to our list below and make this one for the books!
