10 things to know before traveling to South Africa

Sep 4, 2023 • 9 min read

south africa trips

Make the most of your visit to South Africa with these top planning and preparation tips © Caia Image / Getty Images

Let’s not beat about the bush:  South Africa has a bit of a scary reputation. Much is said about the country’s unenviable crime rate, but so much more can be said about all the things that make this diverse destination so magnificent. You shouldn't let anxiety about possible dangers put you off visiting this amazing African country. 

Huge and diverse, South Africa never stops doling out gifts to the traveler – world-class surf breaks , eclectic local cuisine , mountains to climb, cities to visit , tiny towns to hide away in, desert landscapes to photograph and, of course, plenty of wildlife to watch .

The country’s extraordinary variety is both its biggest draw and its biggest challenge, at least when it comes to planning a trip. Much research is needed to decide where to go, what to do and how long to stay. Visiting for less than two weeks is not ideal – three weeks or more would be a better bet if you can manage so much time away.

With tips to help you plan as well as information on health, safety and etiquette, here's what you need to know for a successful trip to South Africa.

A family walking on a beach in South Africa

1. Carry the relevant paperwork if you’re traveling with kids

If you’re entering or leaving South Africa with a child under the age of 18 , you’ll need to have a few extra bits of paper in your carry-on bag. In a bid to stamp out child trafficking, all minors need to have an "unabridged" birth certificate – that is, one that lists both parents’ names. If only one parent is traveling with the child, you’ll need an affidavit from the other parent confirming that they give consent for the child to travel. The rules keep changing and papers are not always checked, but it’s wise to have the documents at hand just in case.

2. Buy a South African SIM card and use local Wi-Fi

Public Wi-Fi is fairly easy to find in larger cities and more touristed towns, but if you’re planning on wandering far from the main population centers, it’s worth picking up a South African SIM card on arrival at the airport. The card costs just a few rand, but like pretty much everything in South Africa, it does come with a bit of paperwork. You’ll need to “RICA” your SIM card – a fairly simple registration process that requires a photo ID and confirmation of your address in South Africa (a simple booking confirmation will suffice).

3. Carry cash, just not too much

While credit and debit cards are widely accepted, there are still a few places that only take cash in South Africa. It’s best to keep a small stash of notes and coins for purchases at corner stores, buying things from market traders and for the various tips you’ll be expected to give throughout the day (more on tipping below).

Of course, it’s not wise to walk around with large wads of cash on your person, so keep the bulk of your money hidden away in the hotel safe, or withdraw modest amounts from ATMs while you are out and about. Be wary of using ATMs on the street; theft and card scams are common, so it’s best to stick to machines inside malls or banks.

Two women with their arms around each other lean on a car and gaze out at a city view

4. If you really want to see SA, you need to rent a car

There's no sugar-coating it – public transport in South Africa often falls short. Long-distance bus services exist but routes tend to bypass many smaller destinations, and fares can be expensive for shorter hops. Long-distance trains are unreliable, and hitchhiking is most definitely not recommended. If you really want to see the country, you’re going to have to rent a car. Fortunately, there are plenty of fantastic road trips to choose from, and all the big car hire companies are represented in South Africa – just be sure to book ahead, especially if you’re traveling in the November to March peak season .

5. Listen to the locals (but be ready for a little exaggeration)

Local advice is always important, particularly in countries that have a reputation for crime and social problems. In South Africa, the host at your accommodation is a good person to ask about the best bars or restaurants, how to get around and which areas to avoid. Just be aware that there are many awesome attractions found in areas that South African locals – particularly older locals – wouldn’t consider visiting.

Once, while staying in a guest house in suburban Durban, I asked the owner if there were any places to avoid and she replied “The CBD” (city center), which would have cut my sightseeing rather short. South Africans have a tendency to exaggerate the danger posed by crime – it’s almost a part of the national psyche, and a favorite topic of conversation. You might have to do a bit more research to sort out the worthwhile warnings from the sometimes-inevitable scaremongering.

6. Be more cautious when driving in cities

When I first moved to South Africa, there was so much talk of carjackers that I expected to find balaclava-clad people lurking at every intersection waiting to appropriate my vehicle. I remember panicking at the gas station because I had to lower the window to pay, then passing my cash through an inch-high gap before driving away, stressed and sweating.

These days I often drive with the windows down, but I do approach "robots" (the local term for traffic lights) with caution, always leaving a car-length gap in front of me just in case I need to make a quick escape. Be cautious while driving, but not paranoid. Keep your doors locked and be extra vigilant when driving at night, keeping your windows up and your wits about you.

A wine waiter pours wine at a restaurant

7. Be prepared to tip

South Africa has a strong tipping culture. In many customer-facing industries, salaries are low and workers make much of their money from tips. Restaurant staff will expect a top of around 10%, but leaving 12–15% will generate bigger smiles. Drivers never pump their own gas in South Africa; you’ll be expected to pay at least R5 to the person filling your tank, or R10–20 if the attendant also checks your tires, oil or water.

Then there are South Africa’s informal parking attendants. While larger cities and towns have areas with pay-as-you-go street parking, in most places, you can park at the side of the road for free… well, sort of. Ubiquitous car guards will offer to keep an eye on your car while you’re away, and they come in a range of helpfulness levels.

Some will go the extra mile, stopping traffic to help you back out into a busy street. Others are opportunists who approach as you pull out your keys, claiming they were keeping a close eye on your car while you were shopping. Reward car guards according to the service they provide – a R5 coin is the standard thank you but R10 is more appropriate for someone who provided a more useful service.

8. South African English takes some getting used to 

While there are 11 official languages in South Africa, you’ll almost always find someone who speaks English, unless you’re in a remote rural area. There will still be a few local phrases that trip you up. One thing that often baffles foreigners is the (extremely liberal) use of the word “shame.” It’s a versatile word in South Africa. A cute child fell asleep in the car? Shame. A close family member passed away? Shame. Busy week at the office meaning you couldn’t make Friday drinks? Shame. The word is often preceded by the utterance "ag" and followed by the word "man." So the phrase "Ag, shame man" can mean anything from “awww” to “Oh no, that’s terrible!”

Also overused (often in baffling contexts) is the word “hectic.” While it can be used to discuss a particularly busy intersection, it could also be used to describe a ridiculously tall building, a very long line at the bank, an insanely windy day or a particularly large baby being born. In South Africa, hectic doesn’t really mean busy – it usually means "wow."

The lights of Johannesburg at night

9. Expect lots of talk about politics and power outages

Certain subjects are off-limits in every country, but in South Africa, politics is not one of them. Everyone has an opinion on the government’s latest endeavors, whether that’s discussing the abundance of potholes, the latest corruption scandal or – more often than not – the government's failure to provide (electrical) power to the people. You'll very quickly become familiar with the inconvenience of what locals call "load-shedding."

Basically, load-shedding is a never-ending series of planned power outages designed to take pressure off the ailing electricity grid. Cities and towns are split into zones, and depending on the severity of the load-shedding, you might end up without power for anything from two to 12 hours a day. There are eight "stages" of load-shedding, broken up into two-hour slots. Larger hotels won’t be affected thanks to backup generators, but if you’re staying in a guesthouse, hostel or private home, you are bound to encounter load-shedding at some point in your stay.

Many places come equipped with fail-safes such as emergency lights, backup power for fridges and Wi-Fi hubs, and sometimes generators big enough to power the whole property. Your host will likely give you daily updates on when the power will be off, or there’s a handy app – EskomSePush – that has all the details and comes with a handy warning notification.

10. Driving in the emergency lane is standard practice

While greetings, table manners and general day-to-day etiquette in South Africa should largely be familiar, the way South Africans drive can be a bit of a culture shock for visitors. One of the most idiosyncratic rules of the road is “yellow line driving” – many roads are single-lane highways, and enterprising drivers often use the emergency lane (hard shoulder) as a backup.

If you’re on a highway and a driver behind you indicates that they want to get by, you'll be expected to briefly move across the yellow line into the emergency lane to let them pass. If you don’t, you’re likely to find yourself privy to another favorite local driving habit: tailgating. Drivers will usually flash their hazard lights in thanks as they pass, but be aware that obliging drivers aren’t the only thing to be found on the hard shoulder. Always make sure there is good visibility before you pull over, for around the next corner you might find a troop of baboons, a stray cow or a bunch of school kids walking home.

This article was first published May 2023 and updated September 2023

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6 natural wonders you have to see in South Africa — and when to go

The varied landscapes of South Africa play host to an extraordinary variety of seasonal natural phenomena.

Many come to South Africa to experience the wonder of its Big Five wildlife on a traditional safari – but the country has many more natural phenomena to witness, from the clearest night skies over the Kalahari Desert to the spectacle of the annual sardine run up the east coast.  

1. The Sardine Run  

You don’t need wildebeest for a great migration. The annual movement of billions of sardines up the country’s east coast, South Africa’s sardine run is among the planet’s most impressive natural events. Swimming north towards the warmer waters off KwaZulu-Natal, the huge school of fish draws predators in numbers. Pods of dolphins twist hungrily among the sardines, grabbing what they can; squadrons of Cape gannets dive-bomb into the action from the skies; sharks and whales swim open-jawed through the shoals. The migration usually takes place between early June and late July, and numerous operators can take you out on the water for a chance to witness the spectacle first-hand.  

2. Turtles at Sodwana Bay

It’s a cycle that dates back to prehistory. Between November and January each year, female loggerhead and leatherback turtles emerge from the Indian Ocean to heave themselves up the beaches of Sodwana Bay and deposit their eggs in the sand. Around 60 days later, tiny hatchlings crawl out into the night air, flip-flapping their way down to the shore.

Sodwana Bay stretches along the northern part of the KwaZulu-Natal coast, backed by dunes and dense forest. It’s primarily renowned as a scuba-diving site, but the chance to see its nesting sea turtles is as good a reason to come calling. Tours to see them in the sand are on foot, usually beginning at sunset, and can last from two to four hours. kosi.co.za

3. Desert bloom in Namaqualand

Think of a desert, and what do you see? Probably not a saffron-coloured spread of flower-carpeted shrublands, but that’s exactly what appears each year in the arid surrounds of Namaqualand in the Northern Cape .  

The star of the show is a vibrant orange wildflower known as the Namaqualand daisy, which blankets the remote Namaqua National Park. Smaller blooms of purple, yellow, pink and blue wildflowers add to the floral extravaganza, which in turn draws butterflies, bees and other pollinators in droves. The key period for seeing the flowers is between early August and late September, during the Southern Hemisphere spring. Demand for local accommodation is generally high, so book well ahead.

Canyon

4. Night sky in the Kalahari

Since 2019, the !Ae!Hai Kalahari Heritage Park has been designated as an International Dark Sky Sanctuary, the only one of its kind in Africa. Sitting close to the borders of both Namibia and Botswana, and benefiting from precious little light pollution, it offers world-class stargazing. This is especially true in the dry season, between May and October, when the skies are at their clearest and the constellations at their brightest.    

The park covers some 193sq miles, which brings a wonderful sense of isolation, and the community-run ! Xaus Lodge makes for a memorable place to stay. If you time your visit to coincide with a new moon, when the star-specked dark skies are at their most vivid, then so much the better.  

5. Whales in   Hermanus

When it comes to land-based whale-watching, few places worldwide can rival Hermanus. The coastal town sits on a headland in the Western Cape, where its low cliffs grant prime views across Walker Bay and the Atlantic Ocean beyond. It’s scenic at any time, but in the latter half of each year, particularly between August and October, the area is frequented by huge, 50-ton southern right whales.  

The Hermanus Whale Festival takes place in late September, a sociable event with street parades and more. If whale sightings are the priority, though, coming at a quieter time can reap rewards, with fewer crowds. The town is close enough to Cape Town to work as a day trip, although wineries and walking trails give good reasons to linger.  

6. Waterfalls in full flow  

South Africa has some seriously impressive waterfalls. The towering 3,225ft Tugela Falls in the Drakensberg mountains are the highest, but there are beautiful cascades elsewhere. You’ll find a number of them in and around Blyde River Canyon, a deep, verdant gorge stretching for over 15 miles.  

At 300ft, the Lisbon Falls are a highlight. The canyon sits in the small, mountainous province of Mpumalanga , which draws most of its rainfall between November and January. Visit near the start of the year to see the falls in full flow. Following the 99-mile-long Panorama Route, a classic road trip that traverses the province from north to south, you’ll encounter them along the way.

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South African Tourism launches the 'Mega Lekker Escape'

S S panning the breadth of South Africa, 90 Australian and New Zealand travel agents, consumer and trade media, embarked on a series of nine simultaneous familiarisation trips (fam trips) across the country, each led by an ANZ Wholesaler, culminating in a two-day training event at the spectacular Sun City Resort for the South African Tourism’s inaugural Mega Lekker Escape – the name, borne from South African slang meaning very nice or enjoyable.

Each of the nine groups were designated a team name, emblazoned on T-shirts, and equipped with a mission – to capture their South Africa journey in the most creative way and share with the other groups at the training event as a way to supplement each participants’ first-hand experience with broader product knowledge. And most importantly, for their chance to win some amazing prizes.

Each of the groups focused on a different region of South Africa to drive geographic spread, and included not only the main tourist attractions, but also the country’s hidden gems - the small, medium and micro business enterprises (SMMEs) and community and conservation experiences – such as turtle tracking at Thonga Beach Lodge or street art walking tours through Johannesburg - with the objective of uplifting communities and extending the opportunities of tourism.

The lucky winners of this mission were the Rhinos, led by Adventure Destinations, whose video focused on the opportunity to give back through tourism. Their highlights were taking part in rhino notching, a conservation initiative to protect the species, and a tuk tuk tour through Soweto where they discovered their driver himself participated in the Soweto student uprising of 1976. Their winning video was presented, along with all the other very worthy entrants, at the training event’s presentation evening hosted by the undisputed Queen of Zulu Comedy, Celeste Ntuli.

The two-day training event, comprising 130 delegates with the addition of South African property operators, also included a trivia night, hosted by stand-up comedian Bongani Dube, and set in a Boma – a traditional African outdoor gathering place – which was lit up with lanterns and laughter.

Delegates also embarked on safari game drives in the Big 5 Pilanesberg Game Reserve, competed in an Amazing Race throughout Sun City, and enjoyed prizes of pampering spas in The Palace of the Lost City’s Royal Spa, while wholesalers and South African operators participated in one-to-one meetings with the objective of expanding wholesalers’ product offerings and enhancing operators’ market access.

Of this initiative, South African Tourism Chief Executive Officer, Nombulelo Guliwe, said “In the past we’ve run mega fam trips in South Africa and training roadshows across Australia and New Zealand separately, however there were so many changes to the travel industry in the wake of Covid, with as many as 30% of travel agents new to the industry, we understood it would take a mega undertaking such as this to address knowledge gaps.”

“In fact, only two of the travel agents taking part in the Mega Lekker Escape had been to South Africa before, and we know the best way for anyone to truly appreciate how exceptional South Africa is, is to experience it. Through this initiative, we sought to equip travel agents with the first-hand experience of the destination that is so critical to building the confidence to sell it, while also hosting media to drive consumer demand for the products the trade had experienced” concluded Guliwe.

Moreover, this initiative could not have been delivered without, and is thanks to, the participation of South African Tourism’s Australian and New Zealand trade wholesaler partners - Above and Beyond Holidays, Adventure Destinations, Adventure World AU and NZ, MW Tours, The Africa Safari Co., This is Africa, Viva Expeditions and World Journeys. They were responsible for arranging and hosting the itineraries in South Africa, thus making sure the participants fell in love with the destination.

To further drive conversion, wholesalers also offered all participating travel agents a cash incentive for booking any trip to South Africa over AUD$10,000 in the first three months following their return.

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Fathers ensure a safe environment in which everyone can enjoy our country's diversity and play a pivotal role in cr… https://t.co/T8vvGTCu7i

Continuation... Today, we want to celebrate and honour the remarkable dads who play a vital role in shaping the wor… https://t.co/qS9WYfXyE0

@sontondlovu, the ACEO/COO of SA Tourism, joins in celebrating Father's Day by sending warm wishes to all the fathe… https://t.co/7ZbeNsUYoy

In commemoration of Youth Day, let’s shine a spotlight on the Basic Quality Verification programme by @TGCSA_, that… https://t.co/TZ2FDTadcJ

We look forward to showcasing South Africa’s abundant tourism offerings to a global audience while reminding them a… https://t.co/8df5w5kyGL

A dynamic collaboration between SA Tourism and the iconic BMW Group is set to supercharge the country’s efforts tow… https://t.co/tB5xLgYjnq

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  5. South African Tourism launches the 'Mega Lekker Escape'

    Spanning the breadth of South Africa, 90 Australian and New Zealand travel agents, consumer and trade media, embarked on a series of nine simultaneous familiarisation trips (fam trips) across the country, each led by an ANZ Wholesaler, culminating in a two-day training event at the spectacular Sun City Resort for the South African Tourism’s inaugural Mega Lekker Escape – the name, borne ...