Canberra is the oddest place I have been to in my life! I only really went to see some rugby and felt like I had walked onto a film set, everything is so new it looks fake. And when I got up on satuday morning to have a stroll around the town there was a distinct lack of people. Only go if you want to see some decent rugby or you want to feel like you're on the Truman Show.
Hostels in Australian Capital Territory 
Looking for the best hostels in Australian Capital Territory? You are in the right place!
On this page, we have listed every city in Australian Capital Territory with backpacker hostels and budget-friendly stays. Hostelz.com makes it easy to find your ideal Australian Capital Territory hostel by comparing prices across major booking platforms. Save money while backpacking Australian Capital Territory and sleep comfortably on a budget.
All Backpacker Hostels in Australian Capital Territory
We have got you covered with a complete list of every hostel in Australian Capital Territory, across 1 cities! Not all cities have hostels, but many offer alternative budget options like guesthouses and affordable hotels. Use our filters to quickly find cities with hostels or other budget accommodations to simplify your trip planning.
All Australian Capital Territory hostels on a map
Alright, you are more the visual type? Planning your trip with a map is always handy.
Therefore, this map shows you all cities with hostels in Australian Capital Territory. It will help you to plan your trip. Just zoom in the map and click your destination for more details. Just so you know: If we do not have a hostel in a city, it is likely that there is no hostel in that city.
Our handwritten guide on Backpacking Australian Capital Territory
The Australian Capital Territory (commonly referred to as ACT) is the smallest entity in Australia. It is often mistakenly thought to be part of the state of New South Wales as it's situated in the centre of the state. The ACT is home to the country’s capital city, Canberra (which is also the only city in ACT). There aren't many ACT hostels since travellers don’t visit the area as often as the rest of Australia. However for those that do, there are plenty of activities to keep entertained.
The ACT contains several national parks and reserves, including some mountain ranges, hills, and bushland. These provide great hiking, camping, and wildlife spotting opportunities. Canberra has a great nightlife, good restaurants, loads of museums, and of course, Parliament house and the government buildings. Canberra is a purpose built city, built around man-made lakes with the intention of becoming the country's capital city. Some of the ACT’s attractions include the Namadgi National Park (which makes up most of the territory), the National Museum of Australia, the National Gallery of Australia, Parliament House, and Lake Burley Griffin (the man-made lake). There are great cycling, bushwalking, hiking, bird watching, and wildlife spotting opportunities in the ACT, as well as plenty of festivals, markets, shows, and events throughout the year.
ACT is great to visit all year round, with the summer months (December to February) being the best months to visit. The temperature can be quite mild year round (for Australian standards) with temperatures very rarely getting over 35 degrees Celsius.
ACT can be reached by train, plane, bus, or car. As the territory is surrounded by New South Wales, the easiest connections are from Sydney. Once in Canberra, it's very easy to get around by bicycle, as the city has very good cycle paths. Otherwise, the public train is also great and very reliable.
There are a few hostel options in the ACT, the majority of hostels are found in Canberra. Hostels are one of the cheapest and social options. Hostels in ACT tend to be located near the university and in areas that have good nightlife.
Handwritten by local expert for Australian Capital Territory hostels Kelly Sheldrick
Travel Tips for Australian Capital Territory - from the Community
Hey fam! Here are a few more tips from the community, from them to you, and you to them. This space is dedicated for travellers to share their best tips on backpacking Australian Capital Territory. Have a closer look - the Hostelz community share real hidden gems, insider knowledge and overall impressions of Australian Capital Territory. Everyone is welcome to add something useful, funny, unexpected and the "absolutely necessary to know before you go" - share, share and then share a little more!
FAQ on Hostels in Australian Capital Territory
There is a lot of travel planning to do. So let us help you once again by putting together the frequently asked questions:
Finding Hostels and Prices
What hostel booking sites are best to use?
There is several hostel booking sites, such as Hostelworld.com, Hostelsclub.com and Booking.com. While every platform has its pros and cons, there is a universal truth you as a traveler should be aware of: Not a single booking site can always offer the best prices.
This is where Hostelz.com comes in. You can compare all major booking portals with one click.
For you as a traveler, Hostelz.com is the best booking site to actually save money.
How much are hostels in Australian Capital Territory?
Prices always vary, depending on various factors. Weekends tend to be more expensive, same goes for special holidays. Please also take into account local vaction time.
You can search for exacty hostel prices in Australian Capital Territory here on Hostelz.com. Pick your destination and pick a date. The system will track down the prices to give an idea of what budget and prices you can expect.
When to book hostels?
If you want to stay at the best hostels, it is a good idea to have your hostel booked around 1 month before you travel. For the regular hostels, booking one week before should be okay. Yet again, this always depends.
We dedicated a full article to the topic of when to book hostels.
Safety and Packing
Are hostels in Australian Capital Territory safe?
Generally speaking, hostels are as safe as you make them. We highly recommend always to bring your own padlock, using the lockers and taking care of your belongings. Make sure you pick a safe hostel, offering lockers and a safe location. Please always pay attention to the reviews; they can give you a great insight on what to expect and safety tips.
What to pack when staying in hostels?
There is a few basics you should always pack when staying in hostels.
There is more actually. We wrote a complete guide with more details. Read our full hostel packing list.