South Africa

With its amazing wildlife, cultural diversity, spectacular scenery and bustling cities, South Africa is truly a world in one country, offering travellers unique and awe-inspiring experiences. Game viewing can be enjoyed in the famous Kruger National Park, Limpopo Province or the malaria-free Madikwe Game Reserve. For vibrant cities, visit Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban or beautiful Cape Town with its Table Mountain backdrop and nearby winelands. Breathtaking vistas can be found along the magical Garden Route from Cape Town to Port Elizabeth. A bonus for Australians is that we have the same seasons and a similar climate to South Africa.

Itineraries & Scheduled Tours

Game Lodges

Day Tours

Hotels

General Information

How to get there

By Air - numerous international flights service Johannesburg and Cape Town, and an excellent network of domestic scheduled flights service all tourist centres within the country.
By Road - South Africa drives on the left hand side of the road and has an excellent network of roads, linking the largest metropolitan areas to the remotest villages. Speed limits: urban areas 60 km/h, rural areas 100 km/h, freeways 120 km/h. Excessive speeding can result in imprisonment. An International Driving Permit is recommended for all self-drive clients (valid driver’s licenses are accepted, provided they have a clear photograph and English print). Coach tours operate daily nationwide with regular city bus services available. It is advisable not to use minibus taxis. Local taxis don’t cruise. Call the taxi companies or find them at a centrally located at city centres and major airports.
By Rail - the Gautrain and Intercity train services are good.

Currency

1 South African Rand (R) = 100 cents.
Denominations: coins - 5c, 10c, 20c, 50c, R1, R2, R5
Notes - R10, R20, R50, R100, R200

Drinking water
Tap water is 100% purified and safe to drink in major cities, towns and game reserves.

Electricity
220/230 Volts AC

Health

Visitors arriving from a yellow fever zone require a valid international yellow fever inoculation certificate (infants
under the age of one are exempt). Malaria occurs in some parts of the east and northeast regions of South Africa. Antimalaria prophylactics are advisable year round.

Entry requirements

A valid passport is required. Passport holders of more than 80 countries, including the USA, Canada, Japan and the EU can visit without visas. Contact your nearest SA Tourism office or South African Consulate for an updated list. Medical Services South Africa has excellent medical facilities, with doctors listed under ‘Medical Practitioners’ in the local telephone directories. Insurance covering travel, accidents, illness and hospitalisation is advised for the duration of your stay and must be arranged at time of booking.

Climate

Seasons are opposite to those of the northern hemisphere. Warm temperate conditions are typical of South Africa, making it a popular destination for sunshine-seekers. South Africa is renowned for almost twelve months of sunshine. From May to August, temperatures drop. April and May are the most temperate months. In the hot, humid KwaZulu-Natal coast, Mpumalanga and the Limpopo Province, June and July are the ideal holiday months. The wide expanses of ocean on three sides of South Africa have a moderating influence on its climate. More apparent are the effects of the warm Agulhas and cold Benguela currents along the east and west coasts respectively. Durban (east coast) and Port Nolloth (west coast) lie more or less on the same latitude, yet there is a difference of at least 6 degrees centigrade in their mean annual temperatures.

Temperatures

Despite a latitudinal span of 13ºC, average annual temperatures are remarkably uniform throughout the country. Owing to the increase in the height of the plateau towards the northeast, there is hardly any increase in temperature from south to north, as might be expected. There is a striking contrast between temperatures on the east and west coasts. Temperatures above 32ºC are fairly common in summer, and frequently exceed 38ºC in the lower Orange River Valley and the Mpumalanga Lowveld. The average temperatures in degrees Celsius are:
 

South Africa has an average annual rainfall of 464 mm, compared with a world average of 860 mm. About 20% of the country has a total annual rainfall of less than 200 mm, 48% between 200 and 600 mm, while only about 30% records more than 600 mm. Only the Western Cape experiences winter rainfall whilst the rest of the country has summer rains.