South Africa - Best in Travel 2023 - Shot October 2022

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South Africa

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Check out this year's Best in Travel winners

Black-maned lions framed against desert dunes, powdery beaches lapped by two oceans, star-studded night skies, jagged mountains – South Africa is the place to go wild.

Best Time to Visit

Best places to visit, leave the planning to a local expert.

Experience the real South Africa. Let a local expert handle the planning for you.

Attractions

Must-see attractions.

Flowers in the Kirstenbosch Botanic Gardens below Table Mountain.

Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden

Location and unique flora combine to make these 5.28-sq-km botanical gardens among the most beautiful in the world. Gate 1, the main entrance at the…

Constitutional Court on Constitution Hill.

Constitution Hill

Johannesburg

Do not leave Jo'burg without visiting Constitution Hill. One of South Africa's most important historical sites, the deeply moving and inspirational…

Cape of Good Hope

Cape of Good Hope

Simon's Town & Southern Peninsula

This 77.5-sq-km section of Table Mountain National Park includes awesome scenery, fantastic walks, great birdwatching and often-deserted beaches. The…

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Kruger National Park

In terms of wildlife alone, Kruger is one of the world's greatest national parks. The diversity, density and sheer numbers of animals is almost…

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Apartheid Museum

The Apartheid Museum illustrates the rise and fall of South Africa’s era of segregation and oppression, and is an absolute must-see. It uses a broad…

A river flowing through a forest with dramatic mountain in the background at the Blyde Nature reserve.

Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve

Blyde River Canyon

This stunning 260-sq-km reserve centres on the 30km-long Blyde River Canyon, where epic rock formations tower above the forested slopes and eagle-eye…

Table Mountain Aerial Cableway in Cape Town

Table Mountain

Around 600 million years old, and a canvas painted with the rich diversity of the Cape floral kingdom, Table Mountain is truly iconic. You can admire the…

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Three Rondavels Viewpoint

The area's highlight, with a staggering view of these enormous rounds of rock, their pointed, grassy tops resembling giant huts carved into the side of…

Top picks from our travel experts

15 of the best things to do in south africa.

uShaka Beach

uShaka Beach

The somewhat sheltered beach at uShaka Marine World marks the southern end of the Golden Mile.

Prison Barrack on Robben Island

Robben Island

Green Point & ­Waterfront

Used as a prison from the early days of the VOC (Dutch East India Company) right up until 1996, this Unesco World Heritage site is preserved as a memorial…

Pot Luck Club

Pot Luck Club

The sister restaurant to Test Kitchen is a more affordable Luke Dale-Roberts option. Sitting at the top of an old silo, it offers panoramic views of the…

Building of the SALT 11-meter telescope at the South African Astronomical Observatory near Sutherland.

South African Astronomical Observatory

Northern Cape

During the day you can take a guided tour of the huge research telescopes, including the Southern African Large Telescope, but it's the two-hour night…

Sterkfontein Caves in South Africa.

Sterkfontein Caves

One of the most significant archaeological sites in the world, Sterkfontein Caves include a permanent hominid exhibit and a walkway down into the…

Exterior of the Hector Pieterson Memorial Museum in Soweto.

Hector Pieterson Museum

This powerful museum, named after the 12-year-old boy shot dead during the student protests in Soweto on 16 June 1976, illuminates the role of Sowetan…

Bay of Plenty Beach

Bay of Plenty Beach

At the heart of the beachfront along Durban's Golden Mile. Popular with sunbathers and beach-sports enthusiasts.

Blue Lagoon Beach

Blue Lagoon Beach

This playful beach once had a reputation for being dangerous, but after an extensive revamp it's now a haven for families. There are playgrounds, food…

Test Kitchen

Test Kitchen

Luke Dale-Roberts creates inspired dishes with top-quality local ingredients at his flagship restaurant – generally agreed to be the best in Africa…

Shortmarket Club

Shortmarket Club

Star chef Luke Dale-Roberts' latest venture hides in plain sight on the street it is named after. It's a gorgeous attic space with a wall of paper…

Hluhluwe-Imfolozi National Park in South Africa.

Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park

The Elephant Coast

Hluhluwe-iMfolozi is one of South Africa’s best-known, most evocative parks. Covering 960 sq km, it is best visited in the dry winter months (May to…

Shakaland

KwaZulu-Natal

Created as a set for the telemovie Shaka Zulu, the slightly Disney-fied Shakaland beats up a touristy blend of perma-grin performance and informative…

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Boulders Penguin Colony

This picturesque area, with enormous boulders dividing small, sandy coves, is home to a colony of some 3000 delightful African penguins. A boardwalk runs…

Goegap Nature Reserve

Goegap Nature Reserve

This 150-sq-km semidesert reserve, 8km east of Springbok past the airstrip, supports some 600 indigenous plant species, 45 mammal species and 94 types of…

Family of elephants in Addo Elephant National Park.

Addo Elephant National Park

Sunshine Coast

Located 70km north of Port Elizabeth, South Africa's third-largest national park protects the remnants of the huge elephant herds that once roamed the…

Namaqua National Park

Namaqua National Park

Your experience at Namaqua National Park depends a lot on when you visit. From October to July it's an extremely quiet place to hike or spot birds against…

Mandela House Museum

Mandela House Museum

Nelson Mandela lived with his first wife, Evelyn, and later with his second wife, Winnie, in this four-room house, just off Vilakazi St. The museum…

Maropeng

Partly housed in a building that looks like a giant grassy mound on one side and shiny modern steel on the other, Maropeng is an all-in-one information…

Dwesa Nature Reserve

Dwesa Nature Reserve

The Wild Coast

One of South Africa's most remote and beautiful reserves, Dwesa Nature Reserve blends lush forests, winding rivers, open grassland and rugged coastline,…

Planning Tools

Expert guidance to help you plan your trip.

Best Things to Do

From safari to wine tasting, experience the best of South Africa with these top things to do.

Things to Know

Get excited but also be prepared for adventure. Here's what you need to know prior to your first South African safari.

Transportation

South Africa is twice the size of Texas, which can make getting around a little tricky. But don't worry – we've got everything you need to know.

Visa Requirements

Don't spoil your trip to sensational South Africa by not having your travel documents in order. Here's what you need to know about visas for South Africa.

Money and Costs

No matter what your budget, get the most from your money while traveling in South Africa with these helpful tips.

Traveling with Kids

South Africa has plenty to offer families, from safari experiences to resort stays. Here are the best kid-friendly experiences.

Best Road Trips

South Africa is home to some of the most stunning landscapes on the planet – it's the perfect road-trip country. Here's our pick of the best.

Plan with a local

Experience the real South Africa

Let a local expert craft your dream trip.

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South Africa and beyond

View of the beach and Twelve Apostles mountain in Camps Bay near Cape Town in South Africa.

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Maps and brochures

Access a huge range of brochures and maps to help you discover south australia..

You’ll find plenty of brochures and maps of South Australia below. They’re ready to download to help you plan your visit ahead of time.

You can also drop into the Adelaide Visitor Information Centre, 25 Pirie Street Adelaide and browse through the extensive range of brochures and collect all you need for your South Australian holiday. 

You can also connect to  free WiFi  at 60 locations across South Australia from the Adelaide Hills to Kangaroo Island. See the full list of hotspots  here .

VISITOR GUIDES AND BROCHURES

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For more information, brochures and maps, see the list of  Visitor Information Centres  in South Australia.

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Lake MacDonnell, Eyre Peninsula

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Elephant in Kruger National Park

What to do in South Africa: our highlights

  • Kruger National Park

By Audley South Africa specialist Rob

In one South African vacation you can stand in a desert, climb a mountain and relax on a sandy beach backed by tropical forest. Add to this the vast abundance of wildlife to view from land, sea and air, some of the best wine in the world, and a fascinating cultural heritage to discover and you have a country that is both varied and exceptional.

Things to do in South Africa, my selected highlights

Spend a few days in cape town.

Sunset over Cape Town

Cape Town boasts an enviable coastal position and holds a reputation for its exceptional food, beautiful scenery and luxurious accommodation. It is home to a number of interesting museums and galleries including District Six and Heart of Cape Town, and you can end the day at one of the high quality restaurants at the V&A Waterfront. Surrounding Cape Town are some of the most dramatic coastlines in Africa. The rugged Cape Point Peninsula, where the Indian and Atlantic Oceans meet, lies within the Table Mountain National Park. Although raw and windswept, it’s a pleasure to explore its little tucked away beaches and coves with their spectacular views.

Stand in Mandela’s cell on Robben Island

Robben Island with Table Mountain the background

At Nelson Mandela Gateway catamarans departs for Robben Island . It takes around half an hour and during the journey a video is shown giving an introduction to the history of the penitentiary. The prison museum includes tours, which are conducted by former inmates to give you an unrivaled insight into their harrowing personal experiences. It’s particularly fascinating to see the cell where Nelson Mandela spent much of his incarceration. He was held here between 1964 and 1982, when he was transferred to two further prisons before finally being released in 1990 after serving a total of 27 years behind bars.

View the city from the top of Table Mountain

It’s rare to find a mountain right in the middle of a city, especially one towering to 1,000 meters (over 3,500 feet) as Table Mountain does. In my opinion, no first trip to Cape Town is complete without a visit to the top — either on foot with a guide, or by hopping into the cable car that travels up and down its side. On a clear day, when the ‘table cloth’ (a bank of cloud that sometimes shrouds the summit) dissipates, the view extends across Cape Town and out past the Cape Peninsula.

View from the Table Mountain cable car, Cape Town

Tantalize your taste buds on a Cape Town ‘Eats’ walking tour

There’s plenty to keep most people occupied in and around Cape Town for four nights or more. One way to uncover the culture of the city is through its cuisine, and the Cape Town ‘Eats’ tour allows you to nibble your way through the backstreets of the city, discovering what fuels the rainbow nation.

If you prefer to be more active then you can explore by bicycle, stopping off at places of interest such as the Grand Parade where Nelson Mandela made so many impassioned speeches.

Sample the food and wines of the Winelands

Vineyards in the Winelands region

The Winelands is a beautifully scenic area around an hour’s drive from Cape Town, with gently rolling green vineyards blanketing the Franschhoek and Stellenbosch valleys. To experience the best of the Winelands, I would encourage you to stay for a few nights. Sitting on your room’s private terrace watching the sun go down over the silent vineyards with a cool glass of Cap Classique (a premium South African sparkling wine) before heading out for dinner, you will experience the tranquility of the area.

The restaurants here are world-class and a three-course meal can cost a fraction of the price of a similar dining experience in other countries. The here has a colonial French feel; it is fresh, contemporary cuisine which offers a stark contrast to the meat-heavy, traditional South African fare that you typically find in rural towns and on safari.

Once in the Winelands, if you’re planning on sampling the wines on offer, you can take the vintage wine tram that winds its way through the Franschhoek Valley. For a slightly different experience you could also join a horseback wine tasting trip , or, if you are a real wine connoisseur, take a private tour with an expert wine guide.

Safari in the Eastern Cape Game Reserves

Elephant in the Eastern Cape

The most famous national park in South Africa is the Kruger , but if you’re visiting Cape Town then I’d suggest the Eastern Cape Game Reserves as a great alternative. They’re easily accessible from Cape Town, have all of the Big Five animals, are non-malarial and also experience their best weather at the same time as Cape Town between October and March. During the height of summer in January and February, when Cape Town is at its warmest, we recommend avoiding the Kruger as it is rainy at this time.

Drive along the Garden Route

Deserted road along the Garden Route

The Garden Route stretches between Mossel Bay and Plettenberg Bay on South Africa’s southern coast and is an area of mountain passes, coastal roads, seaside towns, and lush green landscapes. Move just 15 miles inland though and you find the Klein Karoo , which in contrast has a semi-desert arid landscape.

High quality roads and little traffic make the Garden Route easy to explore by self-drive. The N2 is the main highway, which runs along the coast, but I prefer taking Route 62, a lovely back country route that travels parallel to the coastal road. It is an undulating, winding road that takes you through desert and mountain scenery and passes through classic Cape Dutch towns with their pretty whitewashed buildings with gabled roofs.

Along the Garden Route are two national parks, Wilderness and Tsitsikamma . They boast a combination of coastal landscapes, lush forests and beautiful beaches. This area is home to massive seal and penguin colonies and is great for hiking and boat trips.

Highlights include sea kayaking in the Knysna lagoon and a four-hour circular hike near Plettenberg Bay around the Robberg Peninsula. This is moderately strenuous, but you’re rewarded with the sight of a large seal colony at the end.

Whale watch from the clifftops in Hermanus

Southern right whale off the coast of Hermanus

Most whale watching  requires you to wrap up warm, don waterproofs and board a boat, but in the Cape it’s an entirely different story. At Hermanus the cliffs drop steeply into the ocean, allowing the whales to come within 30 meters of the shore.

The migrating southern right whales use the calm waters and steep shores of False Bay and Walker Bay as sheltered locations to calve and rest up before heading south toward Antarctica with their young. The whales can be seen between of June and October in this area, however September and October are the optimum months to visit, as Hermanus  tends to experience drier, warmer weather at this time.

Take a luxury train journey on the Rovos Rail or the Blue Train

Observation Car on the Rovos Rail train

Indulgent train journeys on the restored Edwardian Rovos Rail or the modern Blue Train are a great way of covering a long distance in luxury. You can jump on board for just one night or take two weeks to journey between South Africa and Tanzania.

The journey between Cape Town and Pretoria is a great introduction to both South Africa and rail travel, and can easily be combined with a safari either in the Kruger National Park or the Eastern Cape Game Reserves .

Spot the Big Five in Kruger National Park safari

Lion in Kruger National Park

The Kruger National Park has a well-deserved reputation for offering an outstanding South African safari. The park is simply huge, covering over 20,000 square kilometers and supporting 147 species of mammal (including the Big Five) and over 500 species of bird.

When deciding where to base yourself for your safari you can choose from a huge variety of accommodation options ranging from simple self-catering chalets to some of the most opulent and exclusive safari lodges in Africa.

I favor the unfenced lodges where the wildlife is free to roam between the chalets. Waking up in the middle of the night to an elephant scratching his back on the outside wall of my room was exhilarating, but there are also fenced off lodges to choose from if you prefer.

Before booking your safari to South Africa , it is important to think about the sort of experience that you would enjoy. Some lodges focus on romantic seclusion with private game drive vehicles and dining, whilst others are more sociable, allowing you to share a vehicle with other guests and dine with them in the evenings.

For groups of four to six people it is possible to hire a private safari house, which comes complete with your very own private pool, vehicle and expert guide.

Safari in Sabi Sands Private Game Reserve

Leopard in Sabi Sands Private Game Reserve

The concentration of game in this area of the Greater Kruger National Park is huge and it is here that you have the greatest likelihood of seeing leopard in South Africa. The lodges in the Sabi Sands are authentic, stylish and luxurious and the guides I have met here are exceptionally good at telling stories around the campfire as well as spotting the game.

Visit the Battlefields of KwaZulu-Natal

Blood River in KwaZulu-Natal

Traveling northwest of Durban you enter The Midlands and eventually the  Drakensberg Mountains in KwaZulu-Natal, where flat-topped mountains rise up to 3,482 meters (over 11,000 feet).

This is an area rich with British military history as the British Army barracked its troops here during the Anglo-Boer and Anglo-Zulu wars. Visitors to this area will discover the history that the impressive scenery has witnessed and enjoy the wide variety of walking routes with the mountains forming a spectacular backdrop.

South Africa has a long history of conflict between settlers and its original inhabitants. The best known battles were between the British and Zulus and the Battlefields area in northeastern KwaZulu-Natal saw a disproportionate number of clashes.

For anyone with more than a passing interest in history, I’d recommend spending two or three nights here. There are two main battlefield sites: the Anglo-Boer war sites at Spioenkop and the Anglo-Zulu battlefields at Rorke's Drift and Isandlwana. The ability of the guides to recount the stories of the battles really brings the sites to life.

Explore the remote Elephant Coast

Remote beach on the Elephant Coast

Stretching up the east coast of South Africa toward Mozambique is the remote and wild Elephant Coast . With its empty beaches, this coastline has more in common with Mozambique than the rest of South Africa.

Unlike the cooler waters and variety of towns and hotels you get on the Garden Route, the Elephant Coast is almost completely uncommercialized. The golden beaches are backed by lush coastal forest, dotted with hippo- and crocodile-filled lagoons and wild banana groves. Only a handful of lodges exist on the entire coast, making it a secluded and special hideaway.

The Elephant Coast has wonderful diving opportunities, and you can plan your visit to coincide with when the turtles make their annual migration to nest on the beaches (between December and February).

Start planning your trip to South Africa

Cape Town, South Africa

Discover South Africa

13 days from $5,100pp

The Victoria Falls, Zambia

Cape Town, Kruger & Victoria Falls

11 days from $9,200pp

Rhinos, Kruger, South Africa

Cape Town to Kruger: luxury South African rail journey

11 days from $14,995pp

Start thinking about your experience. These itineraries are simply suggestions for how you could enjoy some of the same experiences as our specialists. They’re just for inspiration, because your trip will be created around your particular tastes.

Further reading

  • South Africa safaris: our guide to the parks & reserves
  • Self-driving in South Africa
  • Family vacations & safaris in South Africa
  • Honeymoons in South Africa
  • Wine regions of South Africa
  • Train journeys in South Africa

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  • Weather in Johannesburg in May

Although South Africa is predominantly a dry, sunny country, bear in mind that the chart opposite shows average maximums. June and July temperatures can drop below zero in some places; be prepared for average minimums of 4°C in Johannesburg, 7°C in Cape Town and 11°C in Durban.

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Meet your South Africa local travel expert

Zorica V, Local Expert

7 days  / from 4800 USD

Cape Town and Garden Route - a luxury guided tour

Cape Town and the Garden Route have it all - a fascinating culture, safaris, chocolate and wine tasting, and much more. Discover the coastal city of Cape Town and the Peninsula before heading out to the Garden Route with Knysna and Mossel Bay, where you'll experience some game drives.

The Cape Peninsula and Safaris in Kruger and Pilanesberg

15 days  / from 4000 USD

The Cape Peninsula and Safaris in Kruger and Pilanesberg

Wildlife in South Africa is still truly wild, a fact that you'll be able to discover in this fascinating two weeks trip. Enjoy whale watching in Cape Town and first safaris in Aquila before heading up north: the famous Kruger and Pilanesberg national parks with all its wildlife await.

Explore the North of South Africa: Sun City and Madikwe game reserve

7 days  / from 3000 USD

Explore the North of South Africa: Sun City and Madikwe game reserve

For those short on time, staying close to Johannesburg may make sense. On this trip, you'll arrive and depart in Johannesburg and then transfer to the theme park Lost City before continuing to Madikwe for a few days of game drives to spot plenty of wildlife.

Secret gem in South Africa - Northern Cape Self Drive

17 days  / from 4500 USD

Secret gem in South Africa - Northern Cape Self Drive

Embark on an epic self-drive adventure from Cape Town to the Northern Cape. Witness the breathtaking floral displays of Namaqualand, marvel at the diverse wildlife in Karoo National Park, and be captivated by the awe-inspiring cascades of Augrabies Falls.

A family self drive in South Africa & Swaziland

7 days  / from 950 USD

A family self drive in South Africa & Swaziland

Take the family on an African adventure in your own rental car, it's the ideal companion to discover Kruger National Park at your own pace. Further on to Swaziland and then Hluhluwe, this trip focuses on wildlife and exploration, all at your leisure.

A Kruger adventure

3 days  / from 1000 USD

A Kruger adventure

Kruger National Park is one of the best known national parks in South Africa and always worth a visit. Starting and ending in Johannesburg is the most convenient one, the perfect stop to then take a domestic flight towards George or Cape Town for the rest of your trip.

Safaris, culture & wine - South Africa's must do's

17 days  / from 3650 USD

Safaris, culture & wine - South Africa's must do's

Explore cosmopolitan Johannesburg, go on safaris in Kruger NP, sip wine on the Cape Peninsula and explore the Eastern Cape - this fast-paced itinerary allows you to truly immerse yourself in the culture and lifestyle of South Africa, discovering the most fascinating parts of the country.

Cape Amazing: Cape Town Explored

8 days  / from 2970 USD

Cape Amazing: Cape Town Explored

Visit Cape Town, South Africa's most breathtaking city, as you follow the circular route around the stunning peninsula. Make the most of deserted sandy beaches, quaint towns and rich winelands before you fly to Kapama Private Game Reserve for an encounter with the Big Five.

Best of South Africa

17 days  / from 5000 USD

Best of South Africa

Discover the best South Africa has to offer - start with the marvelous city of Cape Town with its peninsula, further on to the wine lands with gorgeous views of the Garden Route and on to culture, heritage & wildlife in Plettenberg Bay. End your trip with an authentic Kruger experience.

Complete Cape Town: Wildlife, Wine and Whales

7 days  / from 1610 USD

Complete Cape Town: Wildlife, Wine and Whales

Discover the natural beauty all around Cape Town. Located on the southwestern tip of South Africa, the area is home to rugged coastlines, undulating vineyards, and expanses of grassland, home some of the largest, wildest and most majestic creatures on earth.

Cycling South Africa's Garden Route

10 days  / from 4300 USD

Cycling South Africa's Garden Route

An active, cycling adventure that is perfect for nature lovers. This exhilarating and unique tour takes you through leafy forests and up magnificent mountainsides to absorb break-taking views of the South African countryside.

City Life & Safari - South African Gems

17 days  / from 4250 USD

City Life & Safari - South African Gems

The perfect South Africa trip in just 17 days. Start in Cape Town with Mountain Table, Robben Island, the Peninsula and more. Head further to the wine lands for a relaxed stay before proceeding to Kruger National Park - 3 days of safari await before finishing your trip in Johannesburg.

The most expensive thing about visiting South Africa is getting there. Once you’ve arrived, you’re likely to find it a relatively inexpensive destination. How cheap will depend partly on exchange rates at the time of your visit – in the decade after becoming fully convertible (after the advent of democracy in South Africa) the rand has seen some massive fluctuations against sterling, the dollar and the euro.

When it comes to daily budgets, your biggest expense is likely to be accommodation . If you’re willing to stay in backpacker dorms and self-cater, you should be able to sleep and eat for under £22/$36/€25 per person a day. If you stay in B&Bs and guesthouses, eat out once a day, and have a snack or two, you should budget for at least double that. In luxury hotels expect to pay upwards of £150/$250/€175 a day, while luxury safari lodges in major game reserves will set you back from £200/$325/€230 a day to way beyond. Extras such as car rental, outdoor activities, horseriding and safaris will add to these figures substantially. While most museums and art galleries impose an entry fee , it’s usually quite low: only the most sophisticated attractions charge more than £1/$1.50/€1.

South Africa’s electricity supply runs at 220/230V, 50Hz AC. Sockets take unique round-pinned plugs; see w www.kropla.com for details. Most hotel rooms have sockets that will take 110V electric shavers, but for other appliances US visitors will need an adaptor .

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t 10177. Netcare 911 private hospital network t 082 911.

Nationals of the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Argentina and Brazil don’t require a visa to enter South Africa. Most EU nationals don’t need a visa, with the exception of passport holders from Bulgaria, Croatia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania and Slovenia, who will need to obtain one at a South African diplomatic mission in their home country. As long as you carry a passport that is valid for at least six months and with at least two empty pages you will be granted a temporary visitor’s permit , which allows you to stay in South Africa for up to ninety days for most nationals, and thirty days for EU passport holders from Cyprus, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia. All visitors should have a valid return ticket

Applications for visa extensions must be made at one of the main offices of the Department of Home Affairs, where you will be quizzed about your intentions and your funds. In Cape Town, go to 56 Barrack St ( t 021 468 4500); in Johannesburg, the office is at the corner of Plein and Harrison streets ( t 011 639 4000). The Department also has offices in a number of towns – check in the telephone directory or on its website ( w www.dha.gov.za/index.php/contact-us/22-provincial-offices ), and make sure that the office you’re intending to visit is able to grant extensions.

South African diplomatic missions abroad

Australia Corner of State Circle and Rhodes Place, Yarralumla, Canberra, ACT 2600 t 02/6272 7300, w sahc.org.au .

Canada 15 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K1M 1M8 t 613/744-0330, w southafrica-canada.ca .

Ireland 2nd Floor, Alexandra House, Earlsfort Centre, Earlsfort Terrace, Dublin t 01 661 5553.

New Zealand c/o the High Commission in Australia.

UK Consular Section, 15 Whitehall, London SW1A 2DD t 020/7925 8900, w southafricahouseuk.com .

US 4301 Connecticut Ave, NW, Van Ness Building Suite 220 Washington, DC 20008 t 202/232-4400, w www.southafrica-newyork.net/homeaffairs/index.htm . Consulates: 333 E 38th St, 9th floor, New York, NY 10016 t 212/213-4880; 6300 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 600, Los Angeles, CA 90048 t 323/651-0902.

South Africa has the world’s first gay- and lesbian-friendly constitution, and Africa’s most developed and diverse gay and lesbian scene. Not only is homosexuality legal for consenting adults of 18 or over, but the constitution outlaws any discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation. This means that, for once, you have the law on your side. Outside the big cities, however, South Africa is a pretty conservative place, where open displays of public affection by gays and lesbians are unlikely to go down well; many whites will find it un-Christian, while blacks will think it un-African.

South African Tourism, on the other hand, is well aware of the potential of pink spending power and actively woos gay travellers – an effort that is evidently paying off, with Cape Town ranking among the world’s top gay destinations. The city is South Africa’s – and indeed, the African continent’s – gay capital. Like many things in the city, Cape Town’s gay scene is white dominated, though there are a few gay-friendly clubs starting to emerge in the surrounding townships. The gay scene is a lot more multiracial in Johannesburg, especially in the clubs. The Pretoria gay and lesbian scene has grown enormously over the past few years. There are also gay scenes in Port Elizabeth and Durban and you’ll find a growing number of gay-run or gay-friendly establishments in small towns all over the country. There are gay pride festivals in Cape Town in February–March ( w capetownpride.org) and in Jo’burg in September ( w joburgpride.org), while the South African Gay and Lesbian Film Festival ( w oia.co.za ) takes place in Cape Town and Johannesburg in October/November.

It’s wise to take out an insurance policy to cover against theft, loss and illness or injury prior to visiting South Africa. A typical travel insurance policy usually provides cover for the loss of baggage, tickets and – up to a certain limit – cash or cheques, as well as cancellation or curtailment of your journey. Most of them exclude so-called dangerous sports unless an extra premium is paid: in South Africa this can mean scuba diving, whitewater rafting, windsurfing, horseriding, bungee jumping and paragliding. In addition to these, it’s well worth checking whether you are covered by your policy if you’re hiking, kayaking, pony trekking or game viewing on safari, all activities people commonly take part in when visiting South Africa. Many policies can be chopped and changed to exclude coverage you don’t need – for example, sickness and accident benefits can often be excluded or included at will. If you do take medical coverage, ascertain whether benefits will be paid as treatment proceeds or only after you return home, and if there is a 24-hour medical emergency number. When securing baggage cover, make sure that the per-article limit will cover your most valuable possession. If you need to make a claim , you should keep receipts for medicines and medical treatment, and in the event you have anything stolen, you must obtain an official statement from the police .

Finding somewhere to access the internet will seldom be a problem in South Africa: cybercafés are found even in relatively small towns, and most backpacker hostels and hotels have internet and email facilities. Expect to pay R25–40 an hour for online access. If you are carrying your own computer or palm-top device you’ll also be able to take advantage of the wireless hotspots at a small (but growing) number of cafés and accommodation.

For unlimited Wi-Fi on the go whilst travelling South Africa, buy a Skyroam Solis , which works in 130+ countries at one flat daily rate, paid for on a pay-as-you-go basis. You can connect up to five devices at once. Prices start from as little as €5 a day.

The deceptively familiar feel of South African post offices can lull you into expecting an efficient British- or US-style service. In fact, post within the country is slow and unreliable, and money and valuables frequently disappear en route. Expect domestic delivery times from one city to another of about a week – longer if a rural town is involved at either end. International airmail deliveries are often quicker, especially if you’re sending or receiving at Johannesburg or Cape Town – the cities with direct flights to London. A letter or package sent by surface mail can take up to six weeks to get from South Africa to London.

Most towns of any size have a post office, generally open Monday to Friday 8.30am to 4.30pm and Saturday 8am to 11.30am (closing earlier in some places). The ubiquitous private PostNet outlets ( w www.postnet.co.za) offer many of the same postal services as the post office and more, including courier services. Courier companies like FedEx ( t 0800 033 339, w www.fedex.com/za) and DHL ( t 086 034 5000, w www.dhl.co.za) are more expensive and available only in the larger towns, but they are far more reliable than the mail.

Stamps are available at post offices and also from newsagents, such as the CNA chain, as well as supermarkets. Postage is relatively inexpensive – it costs about R5 to send a postcard or small letter by airmail to anywhere in the world. You’ll find poste restante facilities at the main post office in most larger centres, and in many backpackers’ hostels.

Many place names in South Africa were changed after the 1994 elections – and changes are still being made – so if you buy a map before leaving home, make sure that it’s up to date. Bartholomew produces an excellent map of South Africa, including Lesotho and Swaziland (1:2,000,000), as part of its World Travel Map series. The Rough Guide Map : South Africa, Lesotho & Swaziland covers the same turf with the advantage that it’s rip-proof and waterproof. Also worth investing in are MapStudio’s “Miniplan” maps of major cities such as Cape Town, Durban and Pretoria: these are a convenient size and have useful details, such as hotels, cinemas, post offices and hospitals. MapStudio also produces good regional maps, featuring scenic routes and street maps of major towns, and a fine Natal Drakensberg map which shows hiking trails, picnic spots, campsites and places of interest.

South Africa’s motoring organization, the Automobile Association , sells a wide selection of good regional maps (free to members) that you can pick up from its offices.

For travel around the Western Cape (including the Cape Peninsula) and the Eastern Cape’s Wild Coast, the most accurate, up-to-date and attractive touring and hiking maps – the best bar none – are those produced by local cartographers Slingsby Maps ( w slingsbymaps.com ), which you buy from bookshops.

South Africa’s currency is the rand (R), often called the “buck”, divided into 100 cents . Notes come in R10, R20, R50, R100 and R200 denominations and there are coins of 5, 10, 20 and 50 cents, as well as R1, R2 and R5. At the time of writing, the exchange rate was hovering at around R11 to the pound sterling, R7 to the US dollar, R10 to the euro and R7 to the Australian dollar.

All but the tiniest settlement will have a bank where you can change money swiftly and easily. Banking hours are Monday to Friday 9am to 3.30pm, and Saturday 9am to 11am; the banks in smaller towns usually close for lunch. In major cities, some banks operate bureaux de change that stay open until 7pm. Outside banking hours, some hotels will change money, although this entails a fairly hefty commission . You can also change money at branches of American Express and Rennies Travel.

Cards and travellers’ cheques

Credit and debit cards are the most convenient way to access your funds in South Africa. Most international cards can be used to withdraw money at ATMs . Plastic can come in very handy for hotel bookings and for paying for more mainstream and upmarket tourist facilities, and is essential for car rental. Visa and Mastercard are the cards most widely accepted in major cities.

Travellers’ cheques make a useful backup as they can be replaced if lost or stolen. American Express, Visa and Thomas Cook are all widely recognized brands; both US dollar and sterling cheques are accepted in South Africa.

Travellers’ cheques and plastic are useless if you’re heading into remote areas, where you’ll need to carry cash , preferably in a safe place, such as a leather pouch or waist-level money belt that you can keep under your clothes.

The working day starts and finishes early in South Africa: shops and businesses generally open on weekdays at 8.30am or 9am and close at 4.30pm or 5pm. In small towns, many places close for an hour over lunch . Many shops and businesses close around noon on Saturdays, and most shops are closed on Sundays. However, in every neighbourhood, you’ll find small shops and supermarkets where you can buy groceries and essentials after hours.

Some establishments have summer and winter opening times. In such situations, you can take winter to mean April to August or September, while summer constitutes the rest of the year.

School holidays in South Africa can disrupt your plans, especially if you want to camp, or stay in the national parks and the cheaper end of accommodation (self-catering, cheaper B&Bs, etc), all of which are likely to be booked solid during those periods. If you do travel to South Africa over the school holidays, book your accommodation well in advance, especially for the national parks.

The longest and busiest holiday period is Christmas (summer), which for schools stretches over most of December and January. Flights and train berths can be hard to get from December 16 to January 2, when many businesses and offices close for their annual break. You should book your flights – long-haul and domestic – as early as six months in advance for the Christmas period. The inland and coastal provinces stagger their school holidays, but as a general rule the remaining school holidays roughly cover the following periods: Easter, mid-March to mid-April; winter, mid-June to mid-July; and spring, late September to early October. Exact dates for each year are given on the government’s information website: w www.info.gov.za/aboutsa/schoolcal.htm.

South Africa’s telephone system, dominated by Telkom, generally works well. Public phone booths are found in every city and town, and are either coin- or card-operated. While international calls can be made from virtually any phone, it helps to have a phone card , as you’ll be lucky to stay on the line for more than a minute or two for R20. Phone cards come in R20, R50, R100 and R200 denominations, available at Telkom offices, post offices and newsagents.

Mobile phones (referred to locally as cell phones or simply cells) are extremely widely used in South Africa, with more mobile than landline handsets in use. The competing networks – Vodacom, MTN, Cell C and VirginMobile – cover all the main areas and the national roads connecting them.

You can use a GSM/tri-band phone from outside the country in South Africa, but you will need to arrange a roaming agreement with your provider at home; be warned that this is likely to be expensive. A far cheaper alternative is to buy a local SIM card that replaces your home SIM card while you’re in South Africa. (For this to work, you’ll need to check that your phone hasn’t been locked to your home network.) The local SIM card contains your South African phone number, and you pay for airtime. Very inexpensive starter packs (R100 or less) containing a SIM card and some airtime can be bought from the ubiquitous mobile phone shops and a number of other outlets, including supermarkets and the CNA chain of newsagents and supermarkets.

Another option is to rent just a South African SIM card or a phone and SIM card when you arrive. Cards start at R5 a day and phones at R7. Phone (and GPS) rental can also be arranged when you arrange car rental. Among the companies that offer this are Avis, Budget, Hertz and National (see Car rental) as does the Baz backpacker bus. There are rental outlets at the major airports: Johannesburg, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, Durban and George.

Value-added tax ( VAT ) of fourteen percent is levied on most goods and services, though it’s usually already included in any quoted price. Foreign visitors older than seven can claim back VAT on goods over R250. To do this, you must present an official tax receipt with your name on it for the goods, a non-South African passport and the purchased goods themselves, at the airport just before you fly out. You need to complete a VAT refund control sheet (VAT 255), which is obtainable at international airports. For further information contact the VAT Refund Administrator ( t 011 394 1117, w www.taxrefunds.co.za ).

There is only one time zone throughout the region, two hours ahead of GMT year-round. If you’re flying from anywhere in Europe, you shouldn’t experience any jet lag.

Ten to fifteen percent of the tab is the normal tip at restaurants and for taxis – but don’t feel obliged to tip if service has been shoddy. Keep in mind that many of the people who’ll be serving you rely on tips to supplement a meagre wage on which they support huge extended families. Porters at hotels normally get about R5 per bag. At South African garages and filling stations, someone will always be on hand to fill your vehicle and clean your windscreen, for which you should tip around R5. It is also usual at hotels to leave some money for the person who services your room. Many establishments, especially private game lodges, take (voluntary) communal tips when you check out – by far the fairest system, which ensures that all the low-profile staff behind the scenes get their share.

Given South Africa’s booming tourism industry, it’s not surprising that you’ll have no difficulty finding maps , books and brochures before you leave. South African Tourism, the official organization promoting the country, is reasonably efficient: if there’s an office near you, it’s worth visiting for its free maps and information on hotels and organized tours. Alternatively, you can check out its website

w www.southafrica.net, which includes content specific to users in South Africa, the UK, the US, Canada, Germany and France.

In South Africa itself, nearly every town, even down to the sleepiest dorp , has some sort of tourist office – sometimes connected to the museum, municipal offices or library – where you can pick up local maps, lists of B&Bs and travel advice. In larger cities such as Cape Town and Durban, you’ll find several branches offering everything from hotel bookings to organized safari trips. We’ve given precise opening hours of tourist offices in most cases; they generally adhere to a standard schedule of Monday to Friday 8.30am to 5pm, with many offices also open on Saturdays and Sundays. In smaller towns some close between 1pm and 2pm, while in the bigger centres some have extended hours.

In this fast-changing country the best way of finding out what’s happening is often by word of mouth, and for this, backpacker hostels are invaluable. If you’re seeing South Africa on a budget, the useful notice boards, constant traveller traffic and largely helpful and friendly staff in the hostels will greatly smooth your travels.

To find out what’s on, check out the entertainment pages of the daily newspapers or better still buy the Mail & Guardian , which comes out every Friday and lists the coming week’s offerings in a comprehensive pullout supplement.

Facilities for disabled travellers in South Africa are not as sophisticated as those found in the developed world, but they’re sufficient to ensure you have a satisfactory visit. By accident rather than design, you’ll find pretty good accessibility to many buildings, as South Africans tend to build low (single-storey bungalows are the norm), with the result that you’ll have to deal with fewer stairs than you may be accustomed to. As the car is king, you’ll frequently find that you can drive to, and park right outside, your destination. There are organized tours and holidays specifically for people with disabilities, and activity-based packages for disabled travellers to South Africa are increasingly available. These packages offer the possibility for wheelchair-bound visitors to take part in safaris, sport and a vast range of adventure activities , including whitewater rafting, horseriding, parasailing and zip-lining. Tours can either be taken as self-drive trips or as packages for large groups. The contacts mentioned in the directory will be able to put you in touch with South Africa travel specialists.

If you want to be more independent on your travels, it’s important to know where you can expect help and where you must be self-reliant, especially regarding transport and accommodation . It’s also vital to know your limitations, and to make sure others know them. If you do not use a wheelchair all the time but your walking capabilities are limited, remember that you are likely to need to cover greater distances while travelling (often over rougher terrain and in hotter temperatures) than you are used to. If you use a wheelchair , have it serviced before you go and take a repair kit with you.

Travelling with children is straightforward in South Africa, whether you want to explore a city, relax on the beach, or find peace in the mountains. You’ll find local people friendly, attentive and accepting of babies and young children. The following is aimed mainly at families with under-5s.

Although children up to 24 months only pay ten percent of the adult airfare , the illusion that this is a bargain rapidly evaporates when you discover that they get no seat or baggage allowance. Given this, you’d be well advised to secure bulkhead seats and reserve a basinet or sky cot, which can be attached to the bulkhead. Basinets are usually allocated to babies under six months, though some airlines use weight (under 10kg) as the criterion. When you reconfirm your flights, check that your seat and basinet are still available. A child who has a seat will usually be charged fifty percent of the adult fare and is entitled to a full baggage allowance.

For getting to and from the aircraft, and for use during your stay, take a lightweight collapsible buggy – not counted as part of your luggage allowance. A child-carrier backpack is another useful accessory.

Given the size of the country, you’re likely to be driving long distances. Aim to go slowly and plan a route that allows frequent stops – or perhaps take trains or flights between centres. The Garden Route, for example, is an ideal drive, with easy stops for picnics, particularly on the section between Mossel Bay and Storms River. The route between Johannesburg and Cape Town, conversely, is tedious.

Game viewing can be boring for young children, since it too involves a lot of driving – and disappointment, should the promised beasts fail to put in an appearance. Furthermore, of course, toddlers won’t particularly enjoy watching animals from afar and through a window. If they are old enough to enjoy the experience, make sure they have their own binoculars . To get in closer, some animal parks, such as Tshukudu near Kruger, have semi-tame animals, while snake and reptile parks are an old South African favourite.

Family accommodation is plentiful, and hotels, guesthouses, B&Bs and a growing number of backpacker lodges have rooms with extra beds or interconnecting rooms. Kids usually stay for half-price. Self-catering options are worth considering, as most such establishments have a good deal of space to play in, and there’ll often be a pool . A number of resorts are specifically aimed at families with older children, with suitable activities offered. The pick of the bunch is the Forever chain ( w www.foreversa.co.za), which has resorts in beautiful settings, including Keurboomstrand near Plettenberg Bay, and two close to the Blyde River Canyon in Mpumalanga. Another excellent option is full-board family hotels, of which there are a number along the Wild Coast, where not only are there playgrounds and canoes for paddling about lagoons, but also often nannies to look after the kids during meals or for the whole day. Note that many safari camps don’t allow children under 12, so you’ll have to self-cater or camp at the national parks and those in KwaZulu-Natal.

Eating out with a baby or toddler is easy, particularly if you go to an outdoor venue where they can get on unhindered with their exploration of the world. Some restaurants have highchairs and offer small portions. If in doubt, there are always the ubiquitous family-oriented chains such as Spur, Nando’s or Wimpy.

Breast - feeding is practised by the majority of African mothers wherever they are, though you won’t see many white women doing it in public. Be discreet, especially in more conservative areas – which is most of the country outside middle-class Cape Town, Johannesburg or Durban. There are relatively few baby rooms in public places for changing or feeding, although the situation is improving all the time and you shouldn’t have a problem at shopping malls in the cities. You can buy disposable nappies wherever you go (imported brands are best), as well as wipes, bottles, formula and dummies. High-street chemists and the Clicks chain are the best places to buy baby goods. If you run out of clothes , the Woolworths chain has good-quality stuff, while the ubiquitous Pep stores, which are present in even the smallest towns, are an excellent source of extremely cheap, functional clothes.

Malaria affects only a small part of the country, but think carefully about visiting such areas as the preventatives aren’t recommended for under-2s. Avoid most of the major game reserves , particularly the Kruger National Park and those in KwaZulu-Natal, North West and Limpopo provinces, and opt instead for malaria-free reserves – Addo Elephant National Park in the Eastern Cape is an excellent choice. Malarial zones carry a considerably reduced risk in winter, so if you are set on going, this is the best time. Tuberculosis (TB) is widespread in South Africa, mostly (but by no means exclusively) affecting the poor, so make sure your child has had a BCG jab . Sun protection is another important consideration.

South Africa lacks a strong tradition of national newspapers and instead has many regional publications of varying quality. Television delivers a mix of imported programmes and home-grown soaps heavily modelled on US fare, as well as the odd home-grown reality TV show and one or two watchable documentary slots. Radio is where South Africa is finding it easiest to meet the needs of a diverse and scattered audience, and deregulation of the airwaves has brought to life scores of small new stations.

Of the roughly twenty daily newspapers, most of which are published in English or Afrikaans, the only two that qualify as nationals are Business Day ( www.businessday.co.za ), which is a good source of serious national and international news, and The New Age, which is aligned with the government.

Each of the larger cities has its own English-language broadsheet, most of them published by South Africa’s largest newspaper publisher, Independent News & Media, a subsidiary of the Irish company that owns London’s Independent newspaper and the Irish Independent. In Johannesburg, The Star ( www.thestar.co.za ), the group’s South African flagship, has a roughly equal number of black and white readers and offers somewhat uninspired Jo’burg coverage, padded out with international bits and pieces piped in from Dublin and London. Cape Town’s morning Cape Times ( www.capetimes.co.za ) and Cape Argus ( www.capeargus.co.za ), published in the afternoon, follow broadly the same tried (and tired) formula, as do the Pretoria News ( www.pretorianews.co.za ), the Herald ( www.theherald.co.za ) in Port Elizabeth and the Daily News ( www.dailynews.co.za ) in Durban.

The country’s biggest-selling paper is the Daily Sun, a Jo’burg-based tabloid that taps into the concerns of township dwellers, with a giddy cocktail of gruesome crime stories, tales of witchcraft and the supernatural, and coverage of the everyday problems of ordinary people. Another Jo’burg tabloid is the Sowetan ( www.sowetan.co.za ), which has been going since the 1980s, but is a far more serious publication than the Sun. In Cape Town, the studiedly sleazy Voice attempts to emulate the Sun in the coloured community, with a downbeat mixture of crime, the supernatural and sex advice.

Unquestionably the country’s intellectual heavyweight, the Mail & Guardian ( www.mg.co.za ), published every Friday, frequently delivers nonpartisan and fearless investigative journalism, but at times tends towards the turgid.

The Sunday Times ( www.sundaytimes.co.za ), on the other hand, can attribute its sales – roughly half a million copies – to its well-calculated mix of investigative reporting, gossipy stories and rewrites of salacious scandal lifted from foreign tabloids, while the Sunday Independent ( www.sundayindependent.co.za ), from the Independent stable, projects a more thoughtful image but is a bit thin.

The easiest places to buy newspapers are corner stores and newsagents, especially the CNA chain. These outlets also sell international publications such as Time, Newsweek, The Economist and the weekly overseas editions of the British Daily Mail, the Telegraph and the Express – you’ll also find copies of the daily and weekend international editions of the Financial Times.

The South Africa Broadcasting Corporation’s three TV channels churn out a mixed bag of domestic dramas, sport, game shows, soaps and documentaries, filled out with lashings of familiar imports. SABC 1, 2 and 3 share the unenviable task of trying to deliver an integrated service, while having to split their time between the eleven official languages. English turns out to be most widely used, with SABC 3 ( www.sabc3.co.za ) broadcasting almost exclusively in the language, with a high proportion of British and US comedies and dramas, while SABC 2 ( www.sabc2.co.za ) and SABC 1 ( www.sabc1.co.za ) spread themselves thinly across all the remaining ten languages with a fair amount of English creeping in too. SABC 1, with its high proportion of sports coverage, has the most viewers.

South Africa’s first and only free-to-air independent commercial channel e.tv ( www.etv.co.za ) won its franchise in 1998 on the promise of providing a showcase for local productions, a pledge it has signally failed to meet.

There is no cable TV in South Africa, but DSTV ( www.dstv.co.za ) offers a satellite television subscription service with a selection of sports, movies, news and specialist channels, some of which are piped into hotels.

Given South Africa’s low literacy rate and widespread poverty, it’s no surprise that radio is its most popular medium. The SABC operates a national radio station for each of the eleven official language groups. The English-language service, SAfm ( www.safm.co.za ), is increasingly degenerating into tedious wall-to-wall talk shows interspersed with news. The SABC also runs 5FM Stereo, a national pop station broadcasting Top 40 tracks, while its Radio Metro is targeted at black urban listeners.

To get a taste of what makes South Africans tick, tune into the privately owned Gauteng talk station 702 (in Jo’burg 92.7 FM and in Pretoria 106 FM; www.702.co.za ) or its Cape Town sister station CapeTalk (567 AM; www.capetalk.co.za ), both of which are a lot livelier than the state stations and broadcast news, weather, traffic and sports reports. Apart from these, there are scores of regional, commercial and community stations, broadcasting a range of music and other material, which makes surfing the airwaves an enjoyable experience, wherever you are in the country.

You can put aside most of the health fears that may be justified in some parts of Africa; run-down hospitals and bizarre tropical diseases aren’t typical of South Africa. All tourist areas boast generally high standards of hygiene and safe drinking water. The only hazard you’re likely to encounter, and the one the majority of visitors are most blasé about, is the sun. In some parts of the country there is a risk of malaria, and you will need to take precautions.

Public hospitals in South Africa are fairly well equipped, but they are facing huge pressures under which their attempts to maintain standards are unfortunately buckling. Expect long waits and frequently indifferent treatment. Private hospitals or clinics, which are well up to British or North American standards, are usually a better option for travellers. You’re likely to get more personal treatment and the costs are nowhere near as high as in the US – besides which, the expense shouldn’t pose a problem if you’re adequately insured. Private hospitals are listed in the town and city listings throughout the Guide.

Dental care in South Africa is well up to British and North American standards, and is less expensive. You’ll find dentists in all the cities and most smaller towns, listed after doctors at the beginning of each town in the telephone directory.

Inoculations

Although no specific inoculations are compulsory if you arrive from the West, it’s wise to ensure that your polio and tetanus vaccinations are up to date. A yellow fever vaccination certificate is necessary if you’ve come from a country where the disease is endemic, such as Kenya, Tanzania or tropical South America.

In addition to these, the Hospital for Tropical Diseases in London recommends, depending on which parts of the country you’re visiting, a course of shots against typhoid and an injection against hepatitis A, both of which can be caught from contaminated food or water. This is a worst-case scenario, and in any case, typhoid is eminently curable and few visitors to South Africa ever catch it.

Vaccination against hepatitis B is essential only for people involved in health work; the disease is spread by the transfer of blood products, usually dirty needles.

It’s best to start organizing to have jabs six weeks before departure. If you’re going to another African country first and need the yellow fever jab, note that a yellow fever certificate only becomes valid ten days after you’ve had the shot.

Stomach upsets

Stomach upsets from food are rare. Salad and ice – the danger items in many other developing countries – are both perfectly safe. As anywhere, though, don’t keep food for too long, and be sure to wash fruit and vegetables as thoroughly as possible.

If you do get a stomach bug the best cure is lots of water and rest. Papayas – the flesh as well as the pips – are a good tonic to offset the diarrhoea. Otherwise, most chemists should have name-brand anti-diarrhoea remedies, such as Lomotil.

Avoid jumping for antibiotics at the first sign of illness. Instead keep them as a last resort – they don’t work on viruses and annihilate your “gut flora” (most of which you want to keep), making you more susceptible next time round. Most tummy upsets will resolve themselves if you adopt a sensible fat-free diet for a couple of days, but if they do persist without improvement (or are accompanied by other unusual symptoms), then see a doctor as soon as possible.

The sun is likely to be the worst hazard you’ll encounter in Southern Africa, particularly if you’re fair-skinned.

Short-term effects of overexposure to the sun include burning, nausea and headaches. Make sure you wear adequate sunscreen and you don’t stay too long in the sun – especially when you first arrive.

Take particular care with children, who should ideally be kept well covered at the seaside, preferably with UV-protective sun suits. Don’t be lulled into complacency on cloudy days, when UV levels can still be high.

One ailment that you need to take seriously throughout sub-Saharan Africa is bilharzia (schistosomiasis), carried in most freshwater lakes and rivers in South Africa except in the mountains. Bilharzia is spread by tiny, parasitic worm-like flukes which leave their water-snail hosts and burrow into human skin to multiply in the bloodstream; they then work their way to the walls of the intestine or bladder, where they begin to lay eggs.

The chances are you’ll avoid bilharzia even if you swim in a suspect river, but it’s best to avoid swimming in dams and rivers where possible. If you go canoeing or can’t avoid the water, have a test for bilharzia when you return home.

Symptoms may be no more than a feeling of lassitude and ill health. Once the infection is established, abdominal pain and blood in the urine and stools are common. Fortunately, although no vaccine is available, bilharzia is easily and effectively treatable.

Most of South Africa is free of malaria, a potentially lethal disease that is widespread in tropical and subtropical Africa, where it’s a major killer. However, protection against malaria is essential if you’re planning to travel to any of these areas: northern and northeastern Mpumalanga, notably the Kruger National Park; northern KwaZulu-Natal; the border regions of North West and Limpopo provinces. The highest risk is during the hot, rainy months from November to April. The risk is reduced during the cooler, dry months from May to October, when some people decide not to take prophylactic medication.

Malaria is caused by a parasite carried in the saliva of the female anopheles mosquito. It has a variable incubation period of a few days to several weeks, so you can become ill long after being bitten. The first symptoms of malaria can be mistaken for flu, starting off relatively mildly with a variable combination that includes fever, aching limbs and shivering, which come in waves, usually beginning in the early evening. Deterioration can be rapid as the parasites in the bloodstream proliferate. Malaria is not infectious, but can be fatal if not treated quickly: get medical help without delay if you go down with flu-like symptoms within a week of entering or three months of leaving a malarial area.

Doctors can advise on which kind of anti-malarial tablets to take. It’s important to keep to the prescribed dose, which covers the period before and after your trip. Consult your doctor or clinic several weeks before you travel, as you should start taking medication a week or two before entering the affected region – depending on the particular drug you’re using.

Whatever you decide to take, be aware that no antimalarial drug is totally effective – your only sure-fire protection is to avoid getting bitten. Malaria-carrying mosquitoes are active between dusk and dawn, so try to avoid being out at this time, or at least cover yourself well. Sleep under a mosquito net when possible, making sure to tuck it under the mattress, and burn mosquito coils (which you can buy everywhere) for a peaceful, if noxious, night. Electric mosquito-destroyers which you fit with a pad every night are less pungent than mosquito coils, though note that you may not have access to a power supply at some safari lodges, or if you’re camping. Mosquito “buzzers” are useless. Whenever the mosquitoes are particularly bad – and that’s not often – cover your exposed parts with insect repellent; those containing diethyltoluamide (DEET) work well. Other locally produced repellents such as Peaceful Sleep are widely available.

Bites and stings

Bites, stings and rashes in South Africa are comparatively rare. Snakes are present, but hardly ever seen as they move out of the way quickly. The sluggish puff and berg adders are the most dangerous, because they often lie on paths and don’t move when humans approach. The best advice if you get bitten is to note what the snake looked like and get yourself to a clinic or hospital. Most bites are not fatal and the worst thing you can do is to panic: desperate measures with razor blades and tourniquets risk doing more harm than good.

Tick-bite fever is occasionally contracted from walking in the bush, particularly in long wet grass. The offending ticks can be minute and you may not spot them. Symptoms appear a week later – swollen glands and severe aching of the bones, backache and fever. The disease will run its course in three or four days. Ticks you may find on yourself are not dangerous, just repulsive at first. Make sure you pull out the head as well as the body (it’s not painful). A good way of removing small ones is to smear Vaseline or grease over them, making them release their hold.

Scorpion stings and spider bites are painful but almost never fatal, contrary to popular myth. Scorpions and spiders abound, but they’re hardly ever seen unless you turn over logs and stones. If you’re collecting wood for a campfire, knock or shake it before picking it up. Another simple precaution when camping is to shake out your shoes and clothes in the morning before you get dressed.

Rabies is present throughout Southern Africa, with dogs posing the greatest risk, although the disease can be carried by other domestic or wild animals. If you are bitten you should go immediately to a clinic or hospital. Rabies can be treated effectively with a course of injections.

Sexually transmitted diseases

HIV/AIDS and venereal diseases are widespread in Southern Africa among both men and women, and the danger of catching the virus through sexual contact is very real. Follow the usual precautions regarding safer sex. There’s no special risk from medical treatment in the country, but if you’re travelling overland and you want to play it safe, take your own needle and transfusion kit.

Tuberculosis

TB is a serious problem in South Africa, but most travellers are at low risk. At higher risk are healthcare workers, long-term travellers and anyone with an impaired immune system, such as people infected with HIV.

A BCG vaccination is recommended for children, most of whom should already have received one in infancy, but it’s not routinely given to adults since it can mask latent symptoms should you later become infected. Adults should take medical advice on the question of immunization if they feel they may be at risk.

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Introducing South Africa

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  • Travel to South Africa
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  • Johannesburg
  • Cape Town International Airport
  • Durban King Shaka International Airport
  • Johannesburg O.R. Tambo International Airport
  • Port Elizabeth Airport
  • Camps Bay beaches
  • Knysna beaches
  • Plettenberg Bay beaches

South Africa travel guide

With golden beaches, jagged mountains and national parks overflowing with wildlife, South Africa is the Africa you’ve always imagined. While memories of a troubled past remain, the republic is well on the way to regaining its throne as the holiday capital of Africa, visited by nearly 10 million people every year.

Topping a long list of attractions is the republic’s spectacular wildlife and natural scenery. National parks and nature reserves preserve an incredible variety of landscapes – rolling plains, towering mountains, arid deserts, coastal fynbos (shrubland) and pure blue oceans – home to an incredible variety of wildlife, from lions and elephants to great white sharks and playful penguins.

South Africa's cities are no less varied. In the far south, lorded over by iconic Table Mountain, Cape Town is South Africa’s most accessible gateway, with gorgeous beaches, vibrant, multicultural neighbourhoods, famous vineyards, a lively nightlife and fine dining to rival any European capital. You’ll find a similarly cosmopolitan vibe in Johannesburg, the energetic capital, and in beachside Durban, where the hot sunshine is matched by the scorching curries cooked up by the South Asian community.

In between you can lose yourself for days on safari. The undisputed top spot for wildlife spotters is world-famous Kruger National Park, where the Big Five – lions, leopards, elephants, buffaloes and rhinos – are joined by hundreds of other African species.

If the landscape sounds diverse, wait until you meet the people. South Africa boasts 11 official languages and more than a dozen tribes, living alongside communities from Africa, Europe and the Indian subcontinent – little wonder this is known as the Rainbow Nation. This diversity is tangible everywhere, from the architecture and language to the nation’s spectacular cuisine.

Nevertheless, huge inequality remains, still sharply marked out along racial lines. To understand modern South Africa, everyone should visit Johannesburg’s moving Apartheid Museum, and Robben Island prison, where Nelson Mandela was held for 18 years. Or you could join a township tour in Soweto, which, like the rest of your trip, you’ll never forget.

1,219,912 sq km (471,011 sq miles).

56,717,156 (2017).

46 per sq km.

Cape Town (legislative); Pretoria (executive); Bloemfontein (judicial).

President Cyril Ramaphosa since 2018.

Travel Advice

The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office ( FCDO ) provides advice about risks of travel to help British nationals make informed decisions. Find out more about FCDO travel advice .

Before you travel

No travel can be guaranteed safe. Read all the advice in this guide as well as support for British nationals abroad which includes:

  • advice on preparing for travel abroad and reducing risks
  • information for women, LGBT and disabled travellers

Follow and contact FCDO travel on Twitter , Facebook and Instagram . You can also sign up to get email notifications when this advice is updated.

Travel insurance

If you choose to travel, research your destinations and get appropriate travel insurance . Insurance should cover your itinerary, planned activities and expenses in an emergency.

This advice reflects the UK government’s understanding of current rules for people travelling on a full ‘British citizen’ passport from the UK, for the most common types of travel.

The authorities in South Africa set and enforce entry rules. If you’re not sure how these requirements apply to you, contact South Africa’s High Commission in the UK .

COVID-19 rules

Countries may restrict travel or bring in rules at short notice. Check with your travel company or airline for changes.

If you test positive for COVID-19, you may need to stay where you are until you test negative. You may also need to seek treatment there.

Visit TravelHealthPro (from the UK’s National Travel Health Network and Centre) for general COVID-19 advice for travellers .

Passport validity requirements

To avoid problems at immigration, your passport should:

  • be valid for at least 30 days beyond your intended date of exit from South Africa
  • have 2 blank pages

You can read more about South Africa’s  Immigration Regulations on the Department of Home Affairs’ website .

Dual nationals

If you hold South African citizenship, you must use your South African passport to enter and exit the country. It is illegal for a South African citizen aged 18 or over to enter or leave the country on a foreign passport. For more information about South African passports, see the South Africa Department of Home Affairs .

Visa requirements

You do not need a visa to visit South Africa for tourism or business for up to 90 days.

Check the expiry date of your visa or entry stamp and ensure you do not overstay.

For more information on visas, contact the South African High Commission .

Travelling with children

There are special requirements for travelling to South Africa with children under 18, and for unaccompanied children entering South Africa. The South African Department of Home Affairs has more information .

Vaccination requirements (other than COVID-19)

At least 8 weeks before your trip, check the vaccinations and vaccination certificates you may need on TravelHealthPro.

Customs rules

Check UK customs requirements before buying products to take back to the UK.

Taking money into South Africa

There are limits on how much currency you can bring into South Africa:

  • cash in South African rand – up to 25,000 rand per person
  • combinations of cash in other currencies – up to 10,000 US dollars (or equivalent)

If you’re taking more than this, you need to declare it when you enter South Africa.

You should also read the FCDO ’s overall travel advice .

There is a high threat of terrorist attack globally affecting UK interests and British nationals, including from groups and individuals who view the UK and British nationals as targets. You should remain vigilant at all times.

UK Counter Terrorism Policing has information and advice on  staying safe abroad  and what to do in the event of a terrorist attack. Find out  how to reduce your risk from terrorism while abroad .

Terrorism in South Africa

Terrorists are very likely to try to carry out attacks in South Africa.

The main threat is from individuals who may have been inspired by terrorist groups, including Daesh, and who may carry out ‘lone actor’ attacks.

Attacks could be indiscriminate and could target public spaces and places visited by foreigners, such as:

  • tourist sites
  • shopping centres
  • high profile events
  • crowded places

Stay aware of your surroundings, keep up to date with local media reports and follow the advice of local authorities.

Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories conflict

The current conflict in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories has led to heightened tensions around the world. Terrorist groups, such as Al-Qaida and Daesh, have called on their supporters to carry out terrorist attacks in response to the conflict.  The conflict could also motivate individuals to carry out attacks. Terrorist attacks could target Jewish or Muslim communities, or the interests of Israel and its allies. Attacks could also be indiscriminate and occur without warning.

Terrorist kidnap is a risk in South Africa.

British government policy is not to make substantive concessions to hostage takers. Paying ransoms and releasing prisoners builds the capability of terrorist groups and finances their activities. This can increase the risk of hostage-taking. The Terrorism Act (2000) makes payments to terrorists illegal.

Political situation

There are regular protests and demonstrations that can turn violent. Violence could affect participants and bystanders. This can happen anywhere in South Africa at short notice.

Avoid areas where protests, demonstrations, or marches are taking place, especially in city centres and townships. Do not cross protester roadblocks. This could provoke a violent reaction. Monitor local and social media for updates, including local radio. Where possible stick to major routes and be aware that GPS services could divert you into less secure areas.

There have been recent incidents of attacks and violent crime on secondary roads travelling to and from Cape Town airport.

Violent crime

There is a high crime rate, including carjacking, ‘smash and grab’ attacks on vehicles house robbery, rape, sexual assault and murder. Violent crime can take place anywhere, including in tourist destinations and transport hubs.  Most violent crimes occur in townships on the outskirts of major cities or in isolated areas. The threat is higher in central business districts of major cities and increases after dark.

There have been violent incidents involving tourists in some popular tourist locations. There are usually additional security personnel in the main tourist areas who can assist tourists. However, policing and security can be limited, so always remain vigilant.

Some criminals use dating apps to engage with potential victims including for financial gain or crimes of a sexual nature. If using a dating app, exercise caution and consider meeting in well-lit, public areas as well as informing friends/family or your plans.

To protect your personal safety:

  • do not have valuables on show
  • do not leave valuables in your car
  • take safe and reliable transport see public transport
  • stay alert and be wary of people who approach you
  • do not walk around after dark
  • travel with friends and make sure someone knows your plans
  • if you visit a township, only go with a responsible and reliable tour guide.

For more information on crime statistics, see the Statistics South Africa website .

Fraud and scams

Be alert to the risk of scams, including through business or employment opportunities, visa facilitation or offers of romance and friendships, including on dating apps.

Card skimming and confidence scams are widespread. There has been an increase in cybercrime and internet scamming. Do not meet up with or send money to someone you do not know.

Crime around ATMs is common. You should:

  • hide your PIN when withdrawing money or paying by card
  • be aware of fraudsters, such as strangers offering to “help” when your card doesn’t work, or who try to lure you to an ATM
  • change large sums of money in banks or secure shopping malls, not in busy public areas

If you use a visa agent, be wary of fraud. Always follow the correct visa application process through the Department of Home Affairs .

Criminals often use the details of embassies to carry out their fraud. These scams come in many forms and can result in great financial loss for the victims. Be cautious and check the authenticity of details before responding.

Criminals may pose as officials for financial or personal gain. If in doubt, ask to see their ID and move into a safe, public and open space. All police officers must carry their Appointment Certificate on them. If you have any concerns, call:

  • police on 10111
  • emergency services on 112

Criminal kidnaps

The threat of kidnap throughout South Africa is increasing. Kidnaps are generally for financial gain or motivated by criminality. In recent years, several foreign nationals, including British nationals, have been kidnapped. There have been reports of young children being kidnapped from shops, shopping malls and beaches.

British nationals can be seen as wealthier than locals and may be at particular risk of kidnap for financial gain.

Airport safety

Crime can happen in and around the airport, including robbery and theft of baggage and valuables. People have been followed from OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg to their destinations and then robbed, often at gunpoint.

You should:

  • be careful in and around the airport
  • use main roads and highways when driving to and from airports
  • go through public areas quickly
  • avoid isolated areas
  • consider being met on arrival by your hotel or tour operator
  • go to your connecting flight quickly if in transit
  • consider vacuum-wrapping luggage if local regulations allow
  • keep valuables in your carry-on luggage

Travelling to and from Airports

You should be careful when following GPS navigation. You should avoid taking alternative routes away from main roads as this can often take you into less secure areas. Where you can, you should plan your trip in advance and verify your travel itinerary with a trusted local source.

In Cape Town people have been affected by attacks and violent crime on secondary roads near the airport. When travelling to and from Cape Town International Airport, you should:

  • stick to the M3 and N2 where possible
  • avoid taking routes that use the R300
  • stay on ‘airport approach road’ (exit 16 on the N2) when travelling to and from Cape Town International Airport, and avoid Borcherd’s Quarry Road leading to Nyanga.

Vehicle hijacking and robbery

Vehicle hijacking and robbery are common, particularly after dark and around traffic lights, junctions, petrol stations and driveways. It is common for thieves to break car windows and take valuable while cars are waiting at a junction.

Criminals sometimes force vehicles to stop so that they can carry out robberies. Tourist busses en-route to popular tourist sites have also been targeted. 

Common tactics include throwing spikes (sometimes hidden in plastic bags), stones or glass in front of the vehicle. If a vehicle you are driving is targeted and it is safe to do so, drive as far as possible, or to a place of safety, before you stop.

Criminals may pose as police and use ‘blue lights’ on plain (often white) vehicles to stop motorists and steal the vehicle. If you are suspicious, do not stop and continue to a police station, petrol station or other place of safety to call the police.

Don’t pick up strangers or stop to help apparently distressed motorists. Continue driving and report the incident to the police. If you are involved in a hijacking, stay calm and surrender your valuables and your vehicle if asked. Do not resist.

There have been reports of long queues leading to armed robberies and express kidnappings close to the Lebombo border crossing with Mozambique at Nelspruit, Mpumalanga. These often take place after dark. Consider whether you can use a different crossing or only approach the border during daylight hours.

To reduce your risk:

  • check your route for any hazards or disruptions before you set off
  • use a GPS, but take care it does not divert you into less secure areas (generally smaller roads)
  • keep to main roads and park in well-lit areas
  • always take care and consider your surroundings
  • avoid being stationary inside your vehicle for long periods
  • check your car is locked when you leave it
  • keep your windows closed, especially when stopped at junctions
  • keep valuables out of sight, ideally kept in the boot of the vehicle
  • ask your hire car company for a vehicle with ‘smash and grab’ film installed on the windows
  • ensure you can see the tarmac and the tyres of the car in front of you when you stop your vehicle, giving you space to escape if you need to

There are ongoing nationwide power shortages with rolling power cuts. Scheduled regular power outages (‘loadshedding’) have become longer and can occur daily. Power cuts affect:

  • private accommodation
  • banks and ATMs
  • public lighting
  • traffic lights
  • security systems
  • petrol stations
  • water and communication services

There may be higher risk of crime where security systems or public lighting do not work.

Planning for power cuts

To check how it might affect you, you can:

  • ask your accommodation provider how they mitigate loadshedding
  • check planned power outages on the Eskom website or ‘loadshedding’ apps
  • follow the advice of local authorities if water restrictions, including a ban on drinking tap water, are in place

Preparing for power cuts

Prepare for long power cuts by:

  • writing down emergency contact numbers and carry a notepad and pen
  • having an emergency plan so you can let relatives and friends know where you are
  • carrying a power bank with extra charging cables for electronic devices you need
  • carrying portable lighting, for example a torch
  • taking enough medicine and first aid supplies
  • finding safe areas close by in case you need help, such as hotels, hospitals and police stations that may have power
  • reading our advice for if you are affected by a crisis

Laws and cultural differences

Personal id.

Always carry a copy of your passport photo page and the page with your visitors permit or residence permit for South Africa. South African officials may request identification and proof of residence at any time. Keep your passport itself in a hotel safe or another secure location and do not carry it with you, unless needed for official identification.

Legal and illegal drugs

It is illegal to buy or sell cannabis or to use it in public. Using cannabis for consumption in private is legal. Public and private use of cannabidiol oils (CBD oils) is also legal. The use, sale and purchase of all other drugs is illegal.

LGBT travellers

Homosexuality is legal, and it is illegal to discriminate based on sexual orientation. See our advice for LGBT travellers .

Wildlife, animal products and souvenirs

It is illegal to buy, sell, kill or capture any protected wild animal or trade any of its parts without a permit. Trading ivory or rhino horn is banned. Anyone caught buying or trafficking banned goods will be prosecuted.

Outdoor activities and adventure tourism

There have been a number of recent violent attacks and muggings on hikers and foreign tourists in Table Mountain National Park, including on Lion’s Head and Signal Hill.

Do not take unnecessary risks when participating in outdoor activities and adventure tourism. Be mindful that health and safety standards vary globally and may not be the same as you can expect in the UK.

Where possible, insist on a receiving a safety briefing.

Table Mountain National Park, including Lion’s Head and Signal Hill 

There have been a number of recent violent attacks and muggings on hikers and foreign tourists in Table Mountain National Park, including on Lion’s Head and Signal Hill. Take care in quieter areas of the park, especially during early mornings and evenings. Stick to busy marked trails on popular days such as weekends, and do not hike alone.  

Some Cape Town residents use social media platforms e.g.  The Hikers Network ,  Meet up ,  Facebook  to coordinate hikes in larger groups. The Hikers Network offer a  free safety tracking service  to all mountain users. See the  South African Nationals Parks  website for more on hiking on Table Mountain.

Hiking and walking

To stay safe whilst hiking,  South African National Parks advise  that you:

  • save  emergency numbers  before you hike
  • don’t hike alone
  • hike in groups of 4 or more
  • stick to busy marked trails on popular days (such as weekends)
  • plan your route and allow enough time
  • carry water, food and bring a fully charged phone
  • dress appropriately and be prepared for changes in weather
  • tell someone your route and when you expect to return

Avoid isolated beaches and picnic spots. Do not walk alone in remote areas or on beaches when deserted, especially after dark.

Kruger National Park

After a violent attack that killed a tourist, South Africa National Parks (SANParks) advise against using the Numbi gate entrance to Kruger National Park. There have been protests and violent incidents on the R538 road leading to the gate.

Follow SANParks advice on using alternative entrances. If you stay outside the park, contact your lodge in advance to find out if any disruptions will affect your trip. Get up-to-date SANParks news on the park website.

Beach safety

Beach conditions and local safety measures vary. Every year, many people drown due to strong sea currents. You should ask for a life-jacket if you decide to participate in water sports.

On beaches where there is no equipment or warning signs, speak to local people who know the conditions. If in doubt, do not enter the water.

On busier tourist beaches, only swim between the red and yellow flags, read the warning signs and follow instructions from lifeguards. Learn more about rip currents on the  National Sea Rescue Institute’s (NSRI) website .

In an emergency, call:

  • 112 - emergency services
  • +27 87 094 9774 - NSRI emergency line

Transport risks

Road travel, e-hailing services (like uber) and taxis.

E-hailing service scams do occur in major cities. Make sure you use a reliable service, book the service in the app and check the vehicle registration and identity before entering the vehicle. Do not wait in the street and keep your phone or valuables out of sight. When inside the vehicle, ask the driver to close rear windows and lock doors if you cannot do so yourself. At airports, be wary of unregulated drivers posing as Uber or other e-hailing service drivers. If you order an e-hailing service, go to the designated area to wait.

Tension between e-hailing service drivers and metered taxi drivers can lead to armed violence, particularly around Gautrain stations and airports. Strikes and protests by e-hailing service drivers are also known to take place with some attacks against drivers not seen to be participating. Passengers have been harassed or caught up in violence. High-risk areas are generally flagged in the relevant app, but exercise caution when using e-hailing services. During times of strike action find alternative reliable private transportation.

Driving standards and road conditions

Driving standards vary in South Africa. Fatal road accidents are common, particularly around weekends and major public holidays.

On highways, overtaking or undertaking can occur in any lane including the hard shoulder. On single-lane roads, the hard shoulder is also sometimes used by trucks and slower vehicles to allow faster vehicles to overtake. At most intersections, including 4-way stops and where traffic lights are out of service due to power outages, the first vehicle to arrive generally has priority. On larger roundabouts, you should give way to the right, although this rule is often ignored. Small roundabouts (called circles) are treated the same as a 4-way stop.

Road conditions are mostly very good. Some roads in remote areas are less well maintained and may have potholes. If you are travelling to a lodge in a remote area, check road conditions with the lodge management as a car with good ground clearance may be required. Drive cautiously, obey speed limits and avoid unfamiliar areas at night. To avoid running out of fuel, keep fuel levels above half a tank. Learn more about road safety awareness on the Arrive Alive website .

If you rent a car, save the emergency roadside assistance numbers. Download an offline map if you do not have access to a GPS.

Advice for travelling to and from airports can be found in the Crime section under ‘Travelling to and from airports’.

Driving licences in South Africa

You can drive in South Africa with a valid UK photocard driving licence for up to 12 months. If you have a paper licence, you should also get an international driving permit (IDP) before you travel.

If you become a permanent resident, exchange your UK licence for a local licence within 12 months of getting your residency. See our Living in South Africa guide for more information.

Public transport

These transport options are generally safe and reliable:

  • ‘Gautrain’ train between Johannesburg, Pretoria and OR Tambo International Airport. Do not walk to or from Gautrain stations after dark
  • MyCiTi bus in Cape Town (central business district and Atlantic Seaboard). Do not travel into townships by MyCiTi bus. There have been violent attacks reported in Khayelitsha
  • airport shuttle buses through internationally recognised hotels.
  • internationally recognised e-hailing apps where bookings are confirmed through the app

Some transport services can be unreliable and passengers have been subject to theft and violence. These include:

  • minibus taxis
  • Metrorail train services
  • long-distance public train and coach services

Land border crossings

South Africa shares a border with Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Eswatini, Lesotho, Namibia and Botswana. Be careful when crossing land borders and avoid crossing at night. Border queues can be a target for crime. Protests can happen at some border crossings, particularly with Mozambique .

Extreme weather and natural disasters

Heavy rainfall often leads to widespread flooding. Flooding can take place anywhere and at any time of year. Always check local weather reports and local news for any hazards before you start your journey. The South African Weather Service provides up to date information on weather alerts and conditions.

Wildfires can occur in both rural and urban areas during periods of hot and dry weather. If you encounter a wildfire, move to a safe location away from vegetation and smoke. If you are inside a building or a car, close all vents and windows, if it is safe to remain in place.

There is no healthcare agreement between the United Kingdom and South Africa.

Before you travel check that:

  • you have appropriate travel insurance for local treatment or unexpected medical evacuation
  • your destination can provide the healthcare you may need

This is particularly important if you have a health condition or are pregnant.

Emergency medical number

Dial 112 (from a mobile) or 10177 and ask for an ambulance.

Contact your insurance or medical assistance company promptly if you’re referred to a medical facility for treatment.

Vaccinations and health risks

At least 8 weeks before your trip check:

  • the latest information on health risks and find out what vaccinations you need for South Africa on TravelHealthPro
  • where to get vaccines and whether you have to pay on the NHS travel vaccinations page

Altitude sickness is a risk in parts of South Africa, including Johannesburg. More information about altitude sickness is available from TravelHealthPro (from the UK’s National Travel Health Network and Centre).

HIV is a risk in South Africa. Take normal precautions to avoid exposure to HIV/AIDS. There is more information on sexually transmitted infection risk and prevention for travellers on TravelHealthPro .

Cholera outbreak

Sporadic outbreaks of cholera can take place. See  information on cholera  from TravelHealthPro.

The legal status and regulation of some medicines prescribed or bought in the UK can be different in other countries.

If you take regular medication, make sure you can get repeat prescriptions if needed. Most prescription medicines in the UK need a prescription (‘script’) from a local doctor in South Africa. The doctor may ask you to get an electronic prescription from your medical practitioner in the UK. Pharmacies are readily accessible across the country. Some have medical practitioners on site who can write prescriptions.

TravelHealthPro explains best practice when travelling with medicines .

The NHS has information on whether you can take your medicine abroad .

Healthcare facilities in South Africa

Public medical care varies across South Africa. Standards of treatment and hygiene may not be the same as in the UK.

South Africa has a very high standard of private medical care. Private healthcare can be expensive, so make sure you have the right travel health insurance and funds to cover the cost of medical treatment abroad and repatriation if needed.

Most medical practitioners speak English, particularly in major cities and tourist areas. See our list of medical providers in South Africa .

Rehabilitation centres for drug or alcohol addiction

Private rehabilitation centres are widely accessible to foreigners. The British High Commission does not usually contact or visit people who have travelled specifically for medical treatment. If you do choose to attend a rehabilitation centre, you should:

  • do extensive research in advance and choose a reputable facility that is registered with the South African Department of Social Development or the Western Cape’s Substance Use Disorder Service
  • make sure you get the right visa for your stay
  • get the right travel insurance, including medical cover suitable for a rehabilitation stay and your particular circumstances

More information on medical tourism is available from TravelHealthPro .

Organise a contingency plan in case:

  • you relapse abroad
  • treatment is unsuccessful
  • you need unplanned repatriation to the UK (this may need to include access to extra funds)

More information on the impact of travel and substance use is available from the International Association for Medical Assistance to Travellers .

FCDO has a list of medical providers in South Africa .

Travel and mental health

Read FCDO guidance on travel and mental health . There is also guidance on TravelHealthPro (from the National Travel Health Network and Centre).

The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) cannot provide tailored advice for individual trips. Read this travel advice and carry out your own research before deciding whether to travel.

Emergency services in South Africa

All emergencies from mobiles: 112

Ambulance and fire: 10177

Police: 10111

National Sea and Rescue Institute: 112 or +27 87 094 9774

Search and Rescue: 10177 or 10111

Contact your travel provider and insurer

Contact your travel provider and your insurer if you are involved in a serious incident or emergency abroad. They will tell you if they can help and what you need to do.

Refunds and changes to travel

For refunds or changes to travel, contact your travel provider. You may also be able to make a claim through insurance. However, insurers usually require you to talk to your travel provider first.

Find out more about changing or cancelling travel plans , including:

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If you are abroad and you need emergency help from the UK government, contact the nearest British embassy, consulate or high commission .

You can also contact FCDO online .

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You can call FCDO in London if you need urgent help because something has happened to a friend or relative abroad.

Telephone: 020 7008 5000 (24 hours)

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South Africa is home to diverse people, landscapes and wildlife. Across the country, visitors can experience stretches of some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. For the mountain lovers, there is no shortage, from the famous KwaZulu-Natal Drakensberg Mountains to the iconic Table Mountain in Cape Town.  Although spoilt for choice in game reserves, the Madikwe Game Reserve and Addo Elephant National Park are two popular choices to see wildlife up close. The world renown Kruger National Park is one of the largest game reserves in Africa and is home to the Big Five. It is a firm favourite for locals and visitors alike.

The Garden Route is a beautiful coastal route from Cape Town to Ggeberha, known for its stunning scenery, wildlife, and outdoor activities.

South Africa is a year-round destination with its variety of city exploring, wildlife and adventure opportunities. All of South Africa’s cities are vibrant with culture, music, food and people. Whale watchers in the Cape will have better luck between July and November. Game reserves are typically more popular between May and September, when the climate is conducive to big game.

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Garden Route

Discover this charming scenic stretch of South Africa’s coastline that offers a diverse array of breath-taking landscapes. The Garden Route promises sandy beaches, vast indigenous forests, beautiful lakes and peaceful lagoons and is a must-experience haven for all nature lovers. Along the way, guests can explore delightful seaside towns, world-class golf courses, and no shortage of adventure activities – bungee jumping, whale watching, surfing, and hiking trails to name a few.  

Kruger National Park

Wildlife lovers will love the wild beauty of the Kruger National Park. This majestic park is one of Africa’s largest and most renowned game reserves. Home to a diverse range of captivating wildlife, including the Big Five, guests can expect unforgettable safaris, guided bush walks, and comfortable lodging options that cater to every budget. This bucket-list-worthy African safari adventure is nothing short of extraordinary.  

KwaZulu-Natal

Visitors of South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal can expect a melting pot of culture, history, and natural beauty. Home to the magnificent Drakensberg Mountains as well as a coastline of South Africa’s most beautiful beaches with warm water, KwaZulu-Natal has something for everyone. History lovers can delve into South African history while city explorers can enjoy the province’s bustling urban life in Durban.  

Madikwe Game Reserve

Set off on an unforgettable journey through this hidden gem nestled in South Africa’s North West Province. Madikwe Game Reserve is one of the country’s finest game reserves, home to a myriad of wildlife including the Big Five. Along with plenty of safaris and exploring, guests can enjoy luxurious accommodations from lavish lodges to comfortable camps. Perfect for families, conferences or a romantic getaway, Madikwe Game Reserve has something for everyone.  

Addo Elephant National Park

Within South Africa’s Eastern Cape is a sanctuary dedicated to conserving Africa’s endangered elephants. The Addo Elephant National Park boasts a dense population of these majestic creatures along with lions, buffalo, leopards, and numerous bird species. The park’s beautiful landscapes can be explored via game drives or horse riding trails, as well as guided hikes that showcase the region’s exquisite flora and fauna.  

Cape Town is a world-renowned coastal city situated at a southern tip of Africa. Her natural beauty is unparalleled from the iconic Table Mountain hikes and panoramic views to the forests and beaches around the city. Lush vineyards with some of the world’s finest wines are in abundance as is the nightlife in the center of the city. The vibrant V&A Waterfront provides exquisite dining experiences with views of this beautiful city.

The City of Durban on South Africa’s warm coast, provides warm subtropical temperatures and popular beaches stretching along the Indian Ocean. This city is a haven for surfers and sun-seekers alike, offering amazing water sports opportunities and a lively beachfront. A combination of much of South African, and even the world’s culture, visitors can expect a rich cultural experience, whether in Durban’s flea markets or feasting on the many styles and flavours of Durban’s cuisine. Visitors will not be disappointed.  

Johannesburg

Johannesburg (or as locals say: Joburg, Jozi or eGoli) is South Africa’s largest city. She is the economic heart of South Africa and is bursting with culture, history, and creativity. Visitors exploring this bustling urban jungle can expect a variety of experiences from colourful street art, historical museums like the Apartheid Museum, and fashionable shopping districts such as Sandton. A heritage site worth visiting is the vibrant and historic neighbourhood of Soweto, which played a pivotal role in the struggle against apartheid. Visitors can take a guided tour of the township, which includes stops at a variety of museums.

Pretoria is a South African city also known as the Jacaranda City for its tree-lined streets robed with purple blossoms in springtime. Another historically significant city, Pretoria boasts striking architecture and numerous historical sites. Noteworthy attractions include the Union Buildings, Voortrekker Monument, and sprawling botanical gardens that make it an ideal destination for history enthusiasts. The beautiful gardens and tree-lined streets make it a serene city to visit for those who enjoy nature and city life.  

Previously known as Port Elizabeth, the city of Gqeberha stretches along the stunning coastline of Algoa Bay. This vibrant city stand out for its captivating architecture and cultural heritage. Unleash your inner explorer with a myriad of outdoor adventures, from mesmerizing whale-watching voyages to exhilarating safaris in the nearby game reserves. If sun-soaked relaxation or heart-pumping excitement is what you crave, this enchanting South African city has it all.  

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Your Trip to South Africa: The Complete Guide

South Africa Guide: Planning Your Trip

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South Africa is a country of extremes, where poverty-stricken shanties exist alongside first-world art galleries, entertainment venues, sports arenas, and restaurants . Its magnificent landscapes include snow-dusted mountains and areas of arid semi-desert; whilst its twin coasts support incredible marine biodiversity. With countless ethnic groups and no fewer than 11 official languages , its human culture is just as diverse. Whether you're looking for a beach vacation , a city break, or an escape into the game-filled bush, South Africa has the ability to be all things to all people. 

From deciding when to travel to choosing where to stay, this article takes a look at everything you need to consider when planning your next trip there.

Planning Your Trip

  • Best Time to Visit: Although South Africa is a year-round destination, summer (December to February) is the hottest, wettest time of the year and the best time for a beach holiday. Winter (June to August) is the coolest, driest time of year and the best time to go on safari.
  • Languages: Afrikaans, English, Ndebele, Northern Sotho, Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, and Zulu.  
  • Currency: The rand.
  • Getting Around: Public transport is unreliable and unsafe in South Africa. In the larger cities you can use Uber to get around, while privately owned long-distance buses operate in between the country's major destinations. If you're not planning on joining a chauffeured itinerary, the best way to travel is to fly or hire a car .
  • Travel Tip: Malaria is a risk in parts of Limpopo, Mpumalanga, and Kwa-Zulu Natal provinces   . Before you travel, ask your doctor whether you should take prophylactics.

For many visitors, South Africa's awe-inspiring wilderness areas and safari parks are the main reason to visit. Outdoor activities abound, from whitewater rafting to scuba diving, mountain biking, and even skiing. However, the country's rich culture and history should also be explored, perhaps with a township tour or a visit to Cape Town and Johannesburg's apartheid-era landmarks.

  • Go on safari: Experience South Africa's unspoiled natural beauty while looking for iconic animals on safari. Explore one of the major national parks (like Kruger or Addo ), experience five-star luxury in a private reserve like Sabi Sands or Phinda, or step off the beaten track with a visit to the remote Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park.
  • Discover natural wonders: South Africa is also home to some jaw-dropping geological features. These include the Blyde River Canyon (the third-largest in the world   ), the dizzying peaks and valleys of the Drakensberg Mountains , and the mighty Kalahari Desert. On the coast, expect coral-filled reefs and world-class surf breaks.
  • Learn about local culture: South Africa is defined by the traditions of its many different ethnic groups. Visit an Ndebele or AmamPondo tribal village, or sign up for a Cape Malay cooking class in Cape Town's Bo-Kaap neighborhood.

Explore more things to do in South Africa with our full-length articles on the best swimming beaches , the best small towns , and the country's UNESCO World Heritage Sites .

What to Eat and Drink

South Africa is a foodie's paradise, with fertile lands and productive seas offering a smorgasbord of locally sourced fruits, vegetables, meat, and seafood. Traditional African staples include pap (a kind of porridge made from mealie meal) and umngqusho , a hearty stew made from samp and beans. Immigrant laborers from India founded Durban's legendary curry culture; while Cape Malay cooking is inspired by the native recipes of Indonesian and Malaysian workers brought over by Dutch colonists. The greatest South African culinary tradition of all is the braai , or barbecue. More than a way of cooking, it's a way of life that transcends all cultural barriers.

South African beverages are just as diverse. Tourists come from all over the world to visit the vineyards of the Cape Winelands , where wines of all varieties are produced but Pinotage is the national signature. Local beers range from mass-produced giants like Castle and Black Label, to small-batch microbrews with their own distinct flavor. For a uniquely South African drinking experience, try umqombothi (a Xhosa beer brewed using fermented maize and sorghum malt) or mampoer (the Afrikaans take on moonshine). Non-alcoholic drinks that every tourist should try at least once include amasi (a fermented milk popular with indigenous cultures) and rooibos, a healthy, fragrant tea made from the leaves of the red bush plant.

Explore our full-length articles on the best curry restaurants in Durban , the best South African beverages , and biltong , South Africa's improvement on beef jerky.

Where to Stay

Deciding which part of South Africa to visit and stay in will be one of the biggest decisions you'll have to make when planning your trip. There are nine provinces in South Africa: Western Cape, Eastern Cape, Northern Cape, North West, Free State, Gauteng, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, and KwaZulu-Natal. From the lush coastline of southern KwaZulu-Natal to the semi-desert interior of the Northern Cape, each one is so different that the ideal option is to rent a car and see as much of the country as possible. If you don't have unlimited time or funds, however, you may have to explore one area of the country at a time.

Choose the Western Cape for winery tours, breathtaking ocean and mountain scenery, and fine dining in Cape Town . As the birthplace of Nelson Mandela, the Eastern Cape is steeped in tribal tradition – especially in the Transkei , a previous Xhosa homeland. The arid Northern Cape is a rewarding destination for adventure seekers wanting to discover remote national parks or to see the annual super-bloom of desert flowers. Head to Gauteng to explore the historic landmarks of Johannesburg and Pretoria; or to Limpopo and Mpumalanga for unrivalled game-viewing. KwaZulu-Natal is all about the Drakensberg mountains, historic battlefields, and world-class scuba diving.

Read our full-length articles on the best hotels in Johannesburg, the best private game reserves in South Africa , and the best luxury lodges in the Kruger .

Getting There

Most overseas visitors will enter the country through O.R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg. From there, you can catch regular connecting flights to major hubs all over the country, including Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, and Durban. If you're planning an overland trip through Southern Africa, you can cross into South Africa from border posts in Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Lesotho, or Eswatini.

Most nationalities can enter the country without a visa for up to 90 days   , but it's important to check the South African Department of Home Affairs website for up-to-date information. Please be aware that there are specific requirements for those traveling to South Africa with children under the age of 18. 

Culture and Customs

South Africa is one of the world's most beautiful destinations; however, many travelers are put off by concerns about safety . While it's true that South Africa does have a higher crime rate than many first world countries   , most visits are without incident. You can increase your chances of a hassle-free experience by following a few simple rules. These include keeping your windows and doors locked when driving through big cities, and never leaving valuables visible in your car when parked. Don't walk alone in remote areas or in urban areas at night, especially if you are a woman. Leave your expensive jewelry at home. Book accommodation in a reputable part of town, and if you want to experience life in a township, join a guided tour rather than exploring by yourself.

Discussing local history and culture with people that you meet along the way is an important part of traveling. However, remember that race and politics continue to be sensitive subjects in a country still trying to recover from the apartheid era, and foreign input is not always welcome. Judge the situation carefully before giving your opinions.

Tipping is expected for good service in South African restaurants. The amount is up to you, but 10 to 15 percent is standard. Don't forget to tip fuel attendants and car guards, too. A few rand is normal in this case.

Read these articles for in-depth advice about staying safe in South Africa and tipping in Africa .

Money-Saving Tips

  • Although it has more than its fair share of five-star lodges and private reserves, South Africa is also one of the best destinations on the continent for an affordable safari. You can self-drive through all of the country's national parks , which have reasonable daily conservation fees. Most also offer budget-friendly campsites and/or self-catering chalets.
  • Accommodation and food are generally affordable by American standards, even if you decide to splurge on a special meal or spend a night in an upmarket hotel. However, if you're on a tight budget, choose a self-catering guesthouse or Airbnb property and shop for ingredients at your nearest Spar, Checkers, or Pick n Pay supermarket.
  • South Africa is a vast country and you can easily spend a lot on fuel and/or domestic flights if you add too many stops to your itinerary. Instead, keep costs down by choosing one or two destinations and taking the time to explore them properly.
  • For the cheapest prices in terms of accommodation, flights, and tours, plan to travel outside peak season. December coincides with Christmas and the South African summer holidays and is typically the most expensive time to travel.
  • Save money on expensive malaria prophylactics by choosing to visit areas of the country that are free from the mosquito-borne disease. If you do decide to visit a malaria area (of which Kruger is one), ask your doctor about cost-effective generic medication instead.
  • Make sure that your travel insurance is up to date. South Africa's public hospitals often leave a lot to be desired in terms of patient care and facilities, and private hospitals are expensive.

For more money-saving tips, read our detailed articles on how to plan an affordable African safari , and the best things to do in Cape Town for under $10 .

South African Tourism . "What You Need to Know."

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . "South Africa Traveler View."

South African Tourism . "Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve - what a wonderful world!"

Department of Home Affairs . "Countries Exempt From South African Visas."

Overseas Security Advisory Council . "South Africa 2020 Crime & Safety Report." March 3, 2020.

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Travelling to a faraway destination can sometimes seem daunting while the prospect of gathering information from several different websites can get tricky. That’s why Goway has compiled all the information you could ever want and more into one, easy-to-navigate Travel Guide dedicated to South Africa .

Uncover local histories and unique cultures , learn about must-try delicacies and know just what to put in your suitcase with detailed sections on weather and “ what to pack ”. Read about the nature and wildlife that awaits you making it easier to spot when you arrive. The only way you could possibly learn more is by embarking on your journey and discovering South Africa for yourself.

South Africa Travel Information

At Goway we believe that a well-informed traveller is a safer traveller. With this in mind, we have compiled an easy-to-navigate travel information section dedicated to South Africa.

Learn about the history and culture of South Africa, the must-try food and drink, and what to pack in your suitcase. Read about South Africa's  nature and wildlife , weather and geography, along with 'Country Quickfacts' compiled by our travel experts. Our  globetrotting tips , as well as our visa and health information, will help ensure you're properly prepared for a safe and enjoyable trip. The only way you could possibly learn more is by embarking on your journey and discovering South Africa for yourself. Start exploring… book one of our South Africa tours today!

Extend Your Stay

After your South Africa vacation, why not consider one of Goway's Europe tours  or Egypt tours en route from South Africa or perhaps a stopover in Dubai on one of our United Arab Emirates tours?

Book your South Africa vacation with Goway!  

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"With gorgeous beaches, superb vineyards, starry deserts, soaring mountains, lively cities and national parks filled with wildlife, South Africa makes it hard to leave."

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Go on a private safari in Kruger National Park

Experience the wonders of Kruger on a private safari with Trafalgar. We’ll take you through one of the largest national parks in Africa, home to 135 mammal species including the iconic Big Five. See elephants chewing on mopane trees, wildebeest running through open savanna, and big cats lurking in the grass.

Take in the cosmopolitan spirit of Cape Town

From the slopes of Table Mountain to the rocky Atlantic shoreline, a tour of Cape Town is one of the best things to do in South Africa. Our Local Specialists will show you the sprawling City Bowl, the golden vineyards of the Cape Winelands, and the spectacular Cape Peninsula.

Enjoy the views of the Drakensberg Mountains

The Drakensberg Mountains are the highest peaks in South Africa, towering up to 1,422 feet. We’ll explore this UNESCO-listed Site, with magnificent views and rock art dating back several thousand years. You’ll also have the chance to join a 4x4 Sani Pass drive, for lunch at Africa's highest pub in Lesotho.

Connect with Swazi culture in a local Chief's village

We’ll travel to beautiful eSwatini, where your South Africa guide will show you around a Swazi Chief's village. You’ll see their traditional crimson dress, sample some local cuisine such as pap (cornmeal porridge) and meat and vegetable stew, and gain a deeper understanding of the community's way of life.

Go up the Table Mountain by Cable Car

Soaring 3,558 feet to form a flat-topped peak, Table Mountain is one of the most iconic South Africa attractions. We’ll take you to the top in a cableway, where you’ll discover bright Cape fynbos, the curious rock hyrax, and panoramic views of the City Bowl and Atlantic Seaboard.

Our top 5 things to do in South Africa

We’ll show you what to do in South Africa, from searching for the Big Five in Kruger National Park, to ascending Table Mountain for breathtaking views over Cape Town.

Iziko South African Museum, Cape Town

Founded in 1825 in the historic Company’s Gardens, the South African Museum houses extensive collections of natural history, zoology and archaeology. There are more than 1.5 million specimens in the museum, ranging from 700-million year old fossils, to stone tools made 120,000 years ago.

Apartheid Museum, Johannesburg

The Apartheid Museum commemorates the era of racial segregation in South America, providing a chilling insight into the apartheid system and sharing moving stories of the fight for democracy. You can easily spend a few hours here, taking in the wealth of information on this dark period.

Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Art Museum, Port Elizabeth

Originally opened in 1956, this museum was renamed in 2002 in honor of Nelson Mandela. It houses a fantastic collection of South African art, along with international pieces. You can see artworks from the Eastern Cape, British art, Chinese textiles, Indian miniatures and international printmaking.

Best museums in South Africa

Our South Africa travel experiences take you to the country’s superb museums, from the moving Apartheid Museum in Johannesburg, to the vast historic collections of the Iziko South African Museum.

As South Africa’s favorite snack, you’ll find biltong throughout the country, from markets to restaurants. Biltong is made from cured meat, usually beef and game, and is served in dried slices, spiced with herbs. In South Africa, game refers to the animals of the bush like ostrich, kudu, impala and wildebeest.

South African biryani is a traditional dish originating from the Cape Malay culture. It’s made with lentils, meat like goat or chicken, vegetables like tomatoes and potatoes, and seasonings like garam masala, turmeric and chilli powder. It’s served with parboiled rice for a hearty meal.

Amasi is a popular dairy snack in South Africa, made from unpasteurised cow's milk stored in a calabash container to allow it to ferment. The thick liquid that remains tastes like plain yoghurt and is traditionally served in a clay pot, or poured over pap porridge.

Best Food in South Africa

South Africa food is wonderfully diverse and our Local Specialists will show you all the best places to taste the classics, from dried biltong to warm biryani.

What to pack for South Africa

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Adaptor plug

In South Africa, the standard voltage is 230 V and the power plugs and sockets are of type D, M and N. The standard frequency is 50 Hz.

Bring your binoculars for wildlife spotting when we take you on a private safari through Kruger National Park, one of the best destinations for wildlife viewing in all of Africa.

Sunscreen & sunglasses

You’ll be much closer to the equator when you travel to South Africa, so you’ll need to protect your skin and eyes with strong sunscreen and UV protected sunglasses.

South Africa is known for its spectacular beaches, so pack a swimsuit if you’d like to take a dip in the Indian or Atlantic Oceans that border the country.

Versatile clothing

From the dusty savannah and sunny vineyards, to the chilly mountains and windy coastline, you’ll need a range of versatile clothing when you visit South Africa.

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What’s It Like to Travel to South Africa Right Now?

A dispatch from an american who recently spent three weeks in the country..

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What’s It Like to Travel to South Africa Right Now?

While the Sabi Sands is known for leopard sightings, you also have prime elephant viewing.

Photo by Kayla Douglas

Editor’s note: In her role as Marketing and Social Media manager at SmartFlyer, NYC-based Kayla Douglas looks after the agency’s website and social feeds. She’s passionate about empowering the ever-growing community of SmartFlyer agents to approach social media marketing with authenticity.

When South Africa opened its borders to Americans last fall, I decided to plan a bucket-list trip combining its safari regions with Cape Town and the nearby Winelands. As the news developed around the “South African variant,” I knew I was going to have a difficult decision to make. Could I still go? Should I still go? Thankfully, I didn’t have to rely on doom scrolling alone—one of my dear friends and colleagues is travel advisor Tiffany Figueredo , who splits her time between Cape Town and Fort Worth.

She gave me real-time guidance on the situation on the ground, and this intel ultimately empowered me to make an informed decision. I spent three weeks there [in February 2021], managing marketing and social media projects for SmartFlyer and enjoying some personal leisure travel.

Lesson 1: Buy all the insurance

After deciding that I was going to take the leap, I armored up with extra insurance coverage on top of my annual Arch RoamRight’s Multi-Trip insurance policy and annual MedjetHorizon membership. For this trip, I invested in COVAC Global, the only travel membership that will bring you home if you contract COVID-19 while traveling; their motto is “if you get sick, you get home,” plain and simple.

Naturally, these precautions were on top of my negative PCR test required no more than 72 hours before departure for South Africa. In terms of PPE, I had extra peace of mind thanks to Kaze Origins N95 masks and lots of TripWipes used in-flight. All of this was worth it—once I got there, I felt reassured that I’d made the right decision both for my mental health and in support of our recovering industry.

Lesson 2: Advisors are a big help when it comes to planning a safari

Let the safari begin: Boarding a Federal Airlines PC12 flight

Let the safari begin: Boarding a Federal Airlines PC12 flight

Courtesy of Kayla Douglas

Flying to—and through—South Africa

I flew from Newark on United Polaris into Frankfurt, then connected on Lufthansa to Johannesburg. To acclimate [from the jet lag], I stayed one night at the Four Seasons Hotel the Westcliff , though I’m excited to see that the Saxon Hotel is reopening on May 1 to give travelers another luxury option in the city.

The bush planes out to Sabi Sands and Kruger National Park are most easily accessible via Johannesburg. These flight logistics are nearly impossible to Google, which is just another reason to book with a savvy travel advisor. Mine booked me on Federal Air, a carrier that services the safari regions on its beautifully outfitted PC12s. Pro tip: You can store larger, hard-sided luggage at the Federal Air Lounge in Johannesburg since you can only bring a small, soft-sided duffel on safari. My advice would be to pack accordingly and remember that [most] lodges do complimentary laundry service, so less is more.

Lesson no. 3: Know the differences between Sabi Sands and Kruger

On safari in the Sabi Sands

On safari in the Sabi Sands

Lesson 4: Want to see leopards? Sabi Sands is the place

The ways in which these two regions are governed makes for highly distinct experiences. Sabi Sands is privately owned by six of the original families who took over this previously agricultural land. They work together to maintain the landscape to this day, which has long been a gathering place for leopards. While the lodges across Sabi Sands communicate with one another, you won’t see guests from another lodge out on a game drive because it’s all privatized.

Kruger is owned and controlled by the government—there are strict rules that prohibit vehicles from leaving the demarcated roads. Many locals flock to Kruger to do self-drive safaris. For those staying in luxury properties, a handful of lodges have exclusive use of particular plots of land that aren’t subject to the limitations of the national park. This affords them the option to do spot-lit night drives, guided nature walks, and off-road driving for close-up encounters. Ultimately, you can see the Big 5 in both Sabi Sands and Kruger, so it will most likely come down to which lodge(s) you’re most compelled to experience—another place where your travel advisor can help.

Starting Singita-style in Sabi Sands

We began our safari portion in the Sabi Sands—a vast game reserve about an hour’s bush plane ride from Johannesburg—at Singita Ebony Lodge . This was the very first Singita [it opened in 1993], and it sits on the Sand River, with just a dozen suites, each with its own private plunge pool. It feels like a fresh interpretation of a classic safari lodge. For those seeking more contemporary design, sister property Singita Boulders Lodge is just next door. The underground wine cellar at Boulders offers an extensive collection, including premium South African wines and rare auction wines. Finally, for those looking for a buyout, there’s Singita Castleton , also close by.

You don’t even always have to leave the lodge to see animals. On the very first afternoon we were at the lodge, a leopard decided to enjoy our personal suite deck just moments after we’d come inside. Our neighbor captured the entire situation on video, which we reviewed together in absolute awe during afternoon tea before the same leopard casually strolled through camp. It was an unbelievable start to our stay.

A morning coffee at Londolozi with Tiffany Figueiredo

A morning coffee at Londolozi with Tiffany Figueiredo

While safarigoers typically wouldn’t do a split stay in this way, we opted to check out nearby Londolozi to maximize our knowledge as travel professionals. Their collection of five lodges is relaxed and familial—it grew out of a family camp established in the 1920s. The Varty family has always had a total commitment to conservation—they first acquired the land where Londolozi now stands in 1926 when there was absolutely nothing but bushveld stretching to the horizon.

Nearly 100 years later, they still live there and have contributed so much to the richness of the Sabi Sands. In Zulu, Londolozi means “Protector of All Things,” and this was the basis under which the camp was developed and how it is maintained. They pioneered the concept of a photo safari during a time when wildlife tourism presented the opportunity to salvage land divided by both literal fences and racial tension, especially during apartheid. Nelson Mandela once visited the property and said, “Londolozi represents a model of the dream I cherish for the future of nature preservation in our country.” Like all stays, it was the people who left the most sincere impact on me.

One night, as we were watching a pride of lions, I asked our game ranger, Krist, how she landed in her career. She said she had previously been a primary school teacher, and one of her students asked her what she had wanted to be at her age. She replied that she’d always wanted to be a game ranger. A week later, she resigned from the school and enrolled in Londolozi’s intensive ranger school —an intensive training program that culminates in the rangers-in-training being out in the bush by themselves for days! It was awe-inspiring to see a woman succeed in such a male-dominated field.

Many of the lodge guests right now are locals. With international tourism numbers still recovering due to COVID, South African properties have seized the unique opportunity to cater to domestic travelers with more rates more favorable to local currency.

Next up: Kruger National Park

We stayed at Singita Lebombo Lodge , easily one of the highlights of my time in South Africa. I flew with Federal Air from Sabi Sands to Kruger. It’s a relatively short trip, but feels like a completely new landscape now that you’re even farther east. You can see the ridge to Mozambique with the sounds of the N’wanesti River and all the birds as your backdrop. The sleek, contemporary suites have been built into the cliff to resemble eagle’s nests and completely blend in as if you’re floating between the earth and sky. If you can manage to leave your room (did I mention the outdoor bed?), there is an on-property cooking school that nurtures local talent.

Singita Sweni Lodge is right next door and has more rich pops of color than neutrals. Like in Sabi, these sister properties share a spa and shop. I chose a 90-minute crystal healing massage and I felt in a trance by the time I left. I’m not big on souvenir buying, but Singita’s chic boutique has homewares and furnishings that help you recreate the safari dream at home. For those eager to peruse, they actually just launched an online version !

Lesson no. 5: Bake in some down time between safari and Cape Town sightseeing

Hiking on Cape Town’s Lion’s Head Mountain

Hiking on Cape Town’s Lion’s Head Mountain

After safari, I routed back to Cape Town . When working on your South Africa itinerary, I’d keep in mind that safari is more tiring than you may imagine. It’s a lot of early mornings on top of your jet lag. If you’re going straight to Cape Town, be sure to create some breathing room in your itinerary. I was working during the days while in the city and would highly recommend this for anyone whose job allows them similar flexibility.

I was fortunate enough to base myself at Ellerman House for part of the time, and during the stay, met a fellow guest who is a University of London professor and has been teaching all of his classes via Zoom right from the property’s library for months. I mean, why not? You’ve got the sun, beach, art, a gym, exquisite food, and of course, Wi-Fi. We are ushering in a new way of working and the chance to WFHotel is probably one of the biggest upsides.

Ellerman House is a privately owned, 11-room [plus two villas] hotel overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, and with its incredible art collection, an assortment of mid-19th-century to modern-day South African art, it could easily be a museum. But it feels cozy and not at all stuffy. One of the best parts about a stay here—well, aside from the gin cart!—is that you can go on a private art tour with their in-house curator, and learn about the complex history of South Africa through the art.

If you stay at the Silo, it has the dual benefit of owner and avid art enthusiast Liz Biden’s curated collection and it sits above Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (MOCAA). Both spaces have a focus on Africa’s emerging contemporary artists. I was really impressed by MOCAA’s integration of the pandemic into its collections. What a surreal moment to see art made in 2020 hanging on a wall addressing a pandemic that we are very much still living in. It was a reminder that we are literally making history every single day. For both your time taking in the art at the Silo and MOCAA, I’d recommend partnering with Royal Portfolio’s Resident Art Concierge for more in-depth storytelling and historical context.

A stop near Hermanus en route to the Winelands

Since we had a fair amount of room in our itinerary, we built in a stop before routing to the Winelands a bit further south at Grootbos Private Nature Reserve , an ecofocused property about two-and-a-half hours from Cape Town. Visiting in July would be ideal, when you can do a floral safari and see the country’s famous fynbos at their pink peak. Here, you can also ride horses, go shark diving, whale watch, and so much more. I loved how the Grootbos team is incorporating sustainability and community enhancement through the Grootbos Foundation , a nonprofit that has an on-site ecotourism and hospitality training school—you can even visit during your stay.

In the Winelands, we stayed at two family-owned properties, La Residence , a Royal Portfolio property, and Babylonstoren , a working farm. It is a dream to be at the La Residence pool in one of their photogenic white and yellow cabanas overlooking the Franschhoek Valley after a winetasting.

For those who crave less of a chandelier vibe and lean more to clean lines, Babylonstoren is another top contender for the Winelands, a place I equate to a Disneyland for adults. There is every imaginable amenity under the sun: a wine cellar, fruit and vegetable garden, multiple restaurants, an essential oil shop, a bakery, a butcherie, the spa and pool, and more. I adored our stay in one of the stand-alone Fynbos Cottages outfitted with a kitchen, fireplace, and private patio. You’re given a golf cart and bikes at check-in so you really have free rein to explore the vast property as you see fit.

At the end of a leisurely walk through the grounds with the head gardener en route to breakfast, there was a moment when I heard one of the farmers whistling as he worked, assembling a fresh fruit basket for a guest’s room. It reminded me that despite the doom and gloom we hear every day, there is real goodness—whistling while you work goodness—if you’re willing and able to leave your bubble. The world awaits.

Lesson no. 6: Have cash on hand, even at the airport

My departure back to New York was a reminder of how flexible we need to remain with travel these days. While my SmartFlyer travel agent had already handled the cancellation of my flight from Cape Town and rerouted me through Johannesburg, the constantly evolving testing requirements caught up to me on this leg. It was seamless to get a PCR test in the Winelands to meet the U.S. requirement for a negative result no more than 72 hours before departure but, despite having this completely valid PCR taken just 24 hours prior, I hit a block.

There was a third party scanning passports and test results before you even got the Lufthansa check-in who insisted mine didn’t meet the requirements of my transit destination, Frankfurt. They refused to take the results for basically anyone on our flight, and negotiating with them wasn’t working.

Conveniently, there was a tent set up in the airport providing rapid tests with an immediate result. My advice here is to just have local cash on you just in case something like this happens to you, too. It was only 500 rand [around $33 now], but they did not accept international credit cards. That said, build in more time than you think you’ll need at the airport. Expect that travel right now simply has more red tape and you’ll have to show your COVID test multiple times. And above all, remember that leaving your bubble is a privilege—travel responsibly.

When’s the best time to go to South Africa?

The summer time in Cape Town (December to March) doesn’t exactly match up with the dry season in the bush. So, there are pros and cons to any time of year. But for South Africa’s high season for safari running from June to August, this cooler, dryer time of year comes with less availability and higher rates. Conversely, low safari season, which runs from November to April, comes with more accessible rates, some rain showers, and more lush landscapes that make for gorgeous photos but can make spotting game a bit more challenging. Talk to your travel advisor about what would be the best fit for your schedule and personal preferences.

As told to Annie Fitzsimmons.

>>Next: 11 Overwater Bungalows Around the World to Book for 2021

Malibu Creek State Park

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Africa’s golden savannas, unearthly deserts and steamy rainforests set the stage for some of the greatest wildlife spectacles on earth.

From huge wildebeest herds to remarkable desert-adapted elephants and rare mountain gorillas, this continent is home to the biggest stars of National Geographic. It is also the domain of fascinating tribal peoples pursuing age-old traditions.

Africa’s wonders can seep under the skin and safaris can be profoundly life-changing. For travellers these days, there are a huge array of different experiences to choose from. You can discover Botswana’s beautiful Okavango Delta for instance, by 4WD or by dugout canoe and on foot like explorers of old, accompanied by a professional guide, chef and camp crew. You can also soar over the plains of Kenya’s Masai Mara or Namibia’s surreal sand dunes by hot air balloon.

The safari industry has come a long way over the last few decades and throughout eastern and southern Africa,  you’ll find a wide range of incredibly sophisticated camps whose operators put great emphasis on sustainability as well as a high level of client service. That’s not all – on the coast you’ll also discover beautiful beach resorts in idyllic island destinations such as Mauritius and the Seychelles.

Our team have travelled all over Africa, and know our destinations, operators and properties intimately. They can advise you on the best time to visit, where to stay depending on what you want to see and organise all the logistics so your journey is seamless.

For over 37 years, we have created unforgettable safaris for our clients and we look forward to sharing the magic of Africa with you.

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