From the bushveld to the coast, South Africa is full of stories waiting to be told. Venelize de Lange from media update unpacks how travel writers can tell captivating stories that go beyond the postcard view.
For aspiring travel writers, South Africa offers both opportunity and challenges. The country's diversity, rich history and cultural depth make it a powerful setting for narrative exploration — yet this very complexity requires careful handling.
To succeed, writers must not just travel and write whatever they see, but learn to observe, interpret and represent responsibly.
For new travel writers dreaming of getting published in National Geographic or niche travel blogs, this guide will kick-start your journey and tell you where to begin.
1. Cultivate Your 'Traveller's Eye'
You have to be present and curious — never lose your sense of wonder when you travel. Try keeping a journal or voice notes while on the move so you can capture small moments that might later become the kernel of a story.
2. Structure Your Narrative
Good travel journalism isn't just a list of places and things to do. Use storytelling in every piece you write by leading with tension or character and weaving in local voices and detail. Remember: always consider what makes your story unique and avoid clichés.
3. Ground Your Words in Research and Sources
Even in an opinion piece, your work gains authority through facts, interviews and quotes. Try blending 'showing' with 'telling' and layering in informational context with sensory detail.
When writing in South Africa, quote the local guides, historians, or community members. These voices lend authenticity (and also guard against superficial, outsider narratives).
4. Be Mindful of Context and Representation
Travel writing in Africa has long been shaped by colonial tropes and outsider perspectives. In South Africa, with its history of apartheid, racial inequality and cultural complexity, you have to be especially attentive to how you depict people, place, history and power.
Resist reductive language ('untouched', 'exotic', 'wild frontier') and aim to write from within, not about.
5. Know the South African Travel Media Landscape
To be successful, you need to understand your local publishers. Magazines like Getaway and Weg! / Go! are major players in South Africa's travel scene — take time to read their style and pitches, and find small regional or niche journals where you can place stories while building your portfolio.
In the end, great travel journalism isn't about where you go, but how you see. If you approach each article with empathy, accuracy and curiosity, your words will take readers there.
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*Image courtesy of Canva
**Information sourced from Writer's Digest, The Writers College and Horizon