South Africa FAQs

See below for some general Frequently Asked Questions about South Africa holidays.
If you have any questions about a specific South Africa holiday, South Africa tours, South Africa safaris or visiting South Africa in general, please call us on 0208 544 6511

General Information about South Africa

Where is South Africa located?
South Africa is right on the Southern tip of Africa between the Atlantic and Indian oceans. It shares borders with Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Botswana and Namibia; all to the North.

What are the different areas of South Africa?
South Africa is divided into 9 provinces: Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, North West, Mpumalanga, Northern Cape, Western Cape & Eastern Cape. Major cities include picturesque Cape Town on the South coast, the economic hub of Johannesburg and historic Pretoria or the relaxed, coastal,surfing city of Durban.

How big is South Africa?
South Africa is five times bigger than Great Britain. It is important to be aware of distances between locations if you are planning a touring holiday of South Africa – as places are often further away than they look on a map!

What is the weather like in South Africa?
The weather in South Africa is warm and sunny for most of the year; with extremely mild weather, even in Winter. Seasons are on the opposite dates to Europe. South Africa has one of the World’s highest average daily hours of Sunshine: 8.5 hours compared to just 3.8 hours in London!

Will people understand me if I speak English?
South Africa has a culturally diverse population of 43 million people with 11 officially recognised languages although English is widely used and you will be able to use it and be understood if you speak English in most places. English is used in cities, commerce and on road signs.

What is the time difference?
South Africa is 2 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time and doesn’t operate daylight saving.

How long are flights to South Africa?
Flights from London to Johannesburg are generally overnight and take approximately 12 hours. Flights from London to Cape Town are also generally over night and take around 12-13 hours.

Do I have to pay VAT on purchases?
VAT is added on most items. Tourists can have their 14% refunded on departure; provided you can provide receipts and the value of the purchases.

When is the best time to visit for my holiday to South Africa?
South Africa is a year round holiday destination; but there are better times to travel for specific activities. Game Watching: early spring (August – October) Whale watching (mid June – end of Oct Diving & Surfing (April – September) Beaches – best in the peak of Summer but are also very crowded

Is South Africa a safe country to visit??
More than 460000 Britons visit South Africa annually and most visits are trouble free. South Africa is just as safe as any other destination in the world. Crime tends to occur in isolated areas and townships away from tourist destinations. With most taking place between people who know each other. South Africa is actively addressing the issue of crime and there is a low risk to visitors travelling to the main destinations. The protection of tourists is a high priority for the South African authorities. Organised crime prevention programmes are run in most major cities with basic safety tip guidelines available at tourism offices and hotels.

What about malaria??
Malaria is a blood parasite transmitted by the female Anopheles mosquito. These mosquitos occur throughout the hot, low-lying tropical areas of Africa and in South Africa occur only in the Kruger National Park lowveld and extreme northern Zululand. The northern areas of Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe/ Zambia are also situated within the malaria risk area, as is Mozambique. The risk is low in the dry winter months (May to August), and prevelant in late summer (December to April).

We recommend taking prophylactics before your arrival if visiting the affected areas, and using mosquito repellant, wearing long-sleeve trousers and shirts after dark and using a mosquito net (often supplied by the hotels).

What are the "Big Five"??
The big five are lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhino, and originate from the hunting fraternity to describe the five most dangerous animals in Africa to hunt. They also just happen to be very sought after for tourists, so the tourism industry used the phrase to lure would-be visitors.

Many National Parks, provincial and private game reserves have the big five occuring, many parks have had them reintroduced due to local extinction through hunting.

Before you go to South Africa

What currency do I need for my South Africa holiday?
The currency is the Rand; one hundred cents make up 1 Rand (R). Major credit cards are widely accepted. The exchange rates with the pound are very favourable so your money will go a long way! Typical prices include: 1 x beer 7 Rand/75p 1 burger or pizza 25-40 Rand/£2.30 - £3.70 3 course meal with wine 110 Rand/£10.20 1 x cola 5 Rand/45p 1 x bottle of wine 20 Rand/£2 1 x sandwich 15 Rand/£1.50 1 littre petrol 5.4 Rand/50p All prices are approximate based on the exchange rates on 13/01/06 and are just to give you an idea.

Do I need a Passport & Visa?
You must have a valid passport with at least one unused page (and also a visa if travelling from some countries.) However, if you have a British passport and are travelling from the UK you do not need to apply for a visa; you will get a free entry permit sticker on arrival that tells you how long you can stay there- usually a maximum of 90 days.

Driving in South Africa

Which side of the road do you drive on in South Africa?
You drive on the left hand side, just like in the UK.

How easy is it to drive in South Africa?
Driving in South Africa is easy as it’s on the left side of the road and the infrastructure is superb; with many fairly new toll roads; which are in excellent condition and offer very direct routes. Wearing seatbelts is compulsory and the speed limit is 120kph on open road but 60-80km in towns and residential areas. If you are planning on hiring a car in South Africa you will need an international drivers permit.

General Information about Namibia

What will the weather be like??
April - September. Days are warm and the nights are cooler to cold.
November - March. Days are hot to very hot, although this time also carries the most risk of rain, especially in the North.
Namibia enjoys 300 days of sunshine a year with average temperatures of 25 degrees centigrade.

When should I go??
Namibia is a year round destination. Peak season is July to October.
For Photography April to June are recommended because of the clear skies. For Game viewing we recommend July to October as animals search for water and come to you as you relax at the waterholes.

Is the tap water safe to drink??
Safe to drink in the city, however bottled water is recommended in rural areas.

Is Namibia a safe destination to visit??
Yes, Namibia is one of the safest destinations and great for families and self-drives. No vaccinations are needed, whilst Malaria is only found on the Northern boarder region during the rains (Mid-November to March)

Namibia - Did you know.....?
Nambia is a favoured holiday destination with Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, with Angelina choosing to give birth to their daughter here in 2006.
Namibia is home to the oldest desert in the world - the Namib Desert.
The highest sand dunes in the world are in Namibia in the Namib Desert.
The world's second largest Canyon - The Fish River Canyon is in Namibia.
The world's largest free roaming Cheetah population can be found in Namibia.
The world's biggest population of free roaming Black Rhinoceros are to be found in Namibia.

Before you go to Namibia

Do I need a Passport & Visa??
A visa is not required by residents of the UK and Ireland, and indeed the majority of nationalities. Of in doubt you can check with the High Commission on 02076366244.

What currency do I need for my Namibia holiday?
The currency is the Namibia Dollar - this is pegged against the South Africa Rand.

Driving in Namibia

Driving in Namibia?
Driving is on the same side as the UK and roads are a mixture of tarred and gravel, and Namibia has one of the best road networks in Africa. The speed limit should be adhered to and it is recommended those looking to hire a 4x4 should have a lesson on arrival. A valid driving license and passport are required and drivers need to be at least 18 years of age. Driving on a British driving licence is fine.

We recommend that you visit the Foreign & Commonwealth office site for detailed travel advice about travelling to South Africa.