Back to destinations

South Africa

General Information

Capital City:
Pretoria (Administrative), Cape Town (Legislative)
Population:
50 million
Area:
471,008 square miles
Language:
Afrikaans, English, many African languages including Xhosa, Zulu
Electricity:
250V AC 50Hz (Pretoria); 220/230V AC 50Hz (elsewhere)
Direct Dial:
27
Driving:
Driving is on the left. International Driving Licence required
Currency:
Rand (ZAR 1 = 100 Cents)

Business Hours

Bank:
0830-1530 Mon-Fri, 0800-1130 Sat
Office:
0830-1630 Mon-Fri
Shops:
0830-1700 Mon-Fri, 0830-1230 Sat, 0900-1700 Sat (Shopping centres), some open on Sun on flexi-time basis
Public Holidays:
<b>2012</b> 01 Jan : New Year's Day 21 Mar : Human Rights Day 06 Apr : Good Friday 09 Apr : Family Day 27 Apr : Freedom Day 01 May : Workers' Day 16 Jun : Youth Day 09 Aug : National Women's Day 24 Sep : Heritage Day 16 Dec : Day of Reconciliation 25 Dec : Christmas Day 26 Dec : Day of Goodwill

Business and social hints

General:
Most business executives speak in English. There is a no smoking policy in all public buildings and on public transport. On social occasions, eg invitation to restaurants, be punctual and dress as for business meetings unless otherwise indicated. The minimum drinking age is 18 years
Tipping:
When a service charge is added to the bill, tips are not necessary. If a service charge is not added tips are around 10%
Clothing:
Lightweights for summer months with warmer clothing for the winter. Rainwear is required in the Northern Provinces during summer and in the winter months in the Cape Provinces
Emergency Services:
Varies according to area
Hotel Classification:
Hotels are voluntarily graded in categories from 1 star up to 5 star, the latter being de luxe category. They can also be awarded additional bronze or silver qualifications to their star grading to reflect superior levels of service, hospitality, style and quality of furnishings, etc. This latter refinement, however, is not shown under our "Category" heading but may be referred to in the description. Where a property is unclassified, our usual arbitrary categories of � up to ����� are given, based on rack rates, facilities and perceived quality which equate to the 1- to 5-star system. These categories serve only to compare relative standards within any given area.

Climate

Varies from temperate to sub-tropical. In Gauteng Province (Johannesburg area) summers are hot with showers and cold in winter. KwaZulu/Natal (Durban Area) has hot humid summers and moderate winters. Cape Town in the Western Cape Province has a Mediterranean climate, with most rainfall during winter. The rest of the country, including the rest of the Cape Provinces have most rainfall during the summer with the eastern and southern coastal regions tending to be wetter. The west coast and Karoo is a semi desert region

Johannesburg

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Maximum Temperature °C 26 25 24 22 19 17 17 20 23 25 25 26
Minimum Temperature °C 14 14 13 10 6 4 4 6 9 12 13 14
Average Humidity (mornings) % 75 78 79 74 70 70 69 64 59 64 67 70
Average Humidity (afternoons) % 50 53 50 44 36 33 32 29 30 37 45 47
Average Rainfall 114 109 89 38 25 8 8 8 23 56 107 125

Customs

Import Allowances:
Alcohol & tobacco for persons of 18 years of age or older: a) 200 cigarettes and 50 cigars and 250gr of tobacco b) 2 lit of wine and 1 lit of spirits c) 50ml of perfume and 250ml of toilet water
Contraband:
Meat, dairy products, narcotic drugs, knives, explosives

Health

None.

Compulsary Vaccinations
Yellow fever certificate required if aged over 1 year and entering this country from an infected area. <b>Note:<b/> In addition, travellers transiting or arriving from Democratic Republic of Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Sao Tome & Principe, Somalia and Tanzania require a certificate.
Recommended Immunisations
Diphtheria, Tetanus, Hepatitis A. <b>In addition:</b> Tuberculosis, Hepatitis B, Rabies, Cholera & Typhoid are also recommended to those travelling to South Africa frequently or intending to spend extended time here.
Risks
- <b>Malaria</b> - Risk is high in low altitude areas of Mpumalanga and Limpopo Provinces which border Zimbabwe and Mozambique. This also includes Kruger National Park. There is risk also in north-eastern KwaZulu-Natal as far south as Jozini. There is low to no risk in all other parts of the country including the tourist centre of Sun City and the Greater St Lucia Wetland Park. <b>GENERAL INFO FOR ALL TRAVELLERS:</b> Details listed can occasionally change at very short notice and it's recommended that all travellers seek advice from their Practice Nurse, GP or Travel Clinic when planning a visit to South Africa. It should be noted that some vaccinations and treatments required may require one or more visits and should be planned well in advance of travel. Primary courses and boosters should always be up to date as recommended for life in the UK. This should include vaccines given to special groups due to complications or risk exposure such as Hepatitis B for health care workers, influenza and pneumococcal vaccines for the elderly etc.

Immigration and Passport

Passports and passport replacing documents must be valid for at least 30 days months beyond the period of intended stay. Exempt: a) Nationals of South Africa may enter with passports valid on arrival. b) Those residing in South Africa may enter with travel documents valid on arrival.

The following DO NOT require a visa: 1) Nationals of South Africa. 2) Alien residents holding a valid immigration permit. 3) For stays up to 90 days by: a) Nationals of Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Botswana* Brazil, Canada, Chile, Czech Rep, Denmark, Ecuador, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland (Rep of), Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Paraguay, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Spain, St. Vincent & Grenadines, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, Uruguay, USA, Venezuela & Zimbabwe* *Commercial drivers are subject to a shorter stay of 15 days (Botswana) & 30 days (Zimbabwe) along with confirmation of employment with a foreign company. b) Holders of British passports endorsed "British Citizen" c) Holders of British passports endorsed "British Overseas Territories Citizen" with annotation "Citizen of Virgin Isles". 4) For stays up to 30 days by: a) Nationals of Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Cape Verde, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Gabon, Guyana, Hong Kong (SAR China passports) Hungary, Jordan, Korea (South), Lesotho*, Macao (SAR China passports), Malawi*, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia*, Peru, Poland, Seychelles, Slovakia, Swaziland*, Thailand, Turkey & Zambia*. *Commercial drivers are subject to a shorter stay of 15 days with comfirmation of employment with a foreign company. b) Holders of British passports endorsed "British National (Overseas)".

Entry requirements may change from time to time and should be checked with the High Commission of South Africa

Useful Contacts

Embassy

High Commission of South Africa South Africa House, Trafalgar Square London, WC2N 5DP tel: +44 20 7451 7299 fax: +44 20 7451 7284 e-mail: london.general@foreign.gov.za website: www.southafricahouse.com hours: 0845-1245 (Mon-Fri) Consulate of South Africa 15 Whitehall London, SW1A 2DD tel: +44 20 7925 8910, 7925 8901 fax: +44 20 7925 8930

Airports

  • Cape Town International
  • Durban International
  • Johannesburg International

Start Your Search

Now click one of these
options to view your results

Back to categories

You selected:

Question Mark

Tooltip text

Question Mark

Tour pace:

For each itinerary we have created this simple guide to clearly illustrate the nature of your tour from a gentle, leisurely pace to a more lively experience.

Question Mark

Tour experience:

For each itinerary we have created this simple guide to clearly illustrate your touring experience, from the scenic delights of the world's natural wonders to city chic with included excursions and entrances, or a comfortable blend of both.

Trafalgar Tours

Trafalgar Tours:

Trafalgar Tours offer a range of first-class escorted tours including top-class hotels, comprehensive itineraries, luxury transportation, delicious meal plans and knowledgeable tour directors, often joined by experienced local guides.

Insight Vacations

Insight Vacations:

Insight Vacations provides premium-class escorted tours, enabling you to stay in the very best hotels where available, enjoying enhanced meal plans and touring on luxury coaches with fewer seats resulting in extra legroom.

Thompson's Africa

Thompson's Africa:

Thompson's Africa offers excellent first-class escorted tours but with smaller groups ranging from only 2 passengers to 18 per group and touring in air-conditioned micro-buses for a more intimate approach.

AAT Kings

AAT Kings:

AAT Kings, one of Australia's most respected travel companies, provides a range of first-class escorted tours in Australia and New Zealand which include top-class hotels, comprehensive itineraries, luxury transportation, delicious meal plans and knowledgeable tour directors, often joined by experienced local guides.

Brendan Vacations

Brendan Vacations:

When you travel to South America with Brendan, you can expect first class hotels in convenient locations that provide the highest standard of service and the most up-to-date luxurious coaches available

Milestones Tours

Milestones

City and Resort Breaks that allow for a more independent holiday while still matched with Milestones' unrivalled levels of service.

Uniworld River Cruises

Uniworld River Cruises

On board a Uniworld Boutique River Cruise ship, guests can enjoy an intimate, luxurious experience with five-star inclusions. With an average capacity of just over 130 guests and one crew member for every three guests, Uniworld's Premium Class award-winning services are recognised as the world's best.

Question Mark

First Class:

For over 60 years, our award-winning First Class tours have been providing incredible value escorted tours, not only showing you the major sites and attractions that you would expect to see but also surprising you with exclusive Hidden Gems along the way, that only a true expert would know. Enjoy the comfort of first-class hotels, travelling by air-conditioned coach with reclining seats and restroom, included meal plans and the services of our professional Tour Directors.
From exclusive Be My Guest dining experiences to in-depth insights provided by expert local guides, our First Class tours offer an enriching travel experience where you come away with a wealth of local knowledge and a photo album packed with memories.

Question Mark

Premium Class:

On a Premium Class escorted tour you'll be travelling with a smaller, more personal group of like-minded travellers (maximum 40 guests on board) on coaches featuring business-class-like legroom and spacious comfort.
And you'll be staying in superior quality hotels in the heart of every destination. We select only premium brands of major hotel groups. Your expert Tour Director will act as your 'personal concierge' throughout and will be assisted by local guides, passionate on the life and history of their own city. We include many special dining evenings such as authentic local lunches, Highlight Dinners and our unique Dine-Around experiences featuring smallgroup dining at a choice of restaurants.

Question Mark

At Leisure:

At Leisure is an inspiring new style of travel offering the best expertly planned escorted tours combined with more opportunity for in-depth, authentic experiences and more freedom to go your own way than ever before. With average hotel stays of two or three nights, spend minimal time unpacking andmore time soaking up the ambience of each amazing place. You'll also enjoy a leisurely start each day with departures never earlier than 9am on travel days. At Leisure provides free time to explore each destination on your own, including complimentary hop-on/hop-off city sightseeing passes where available. Plus you'll enjoy sightseeing in major cities with a local guide assigned to more intimate groups.

Question Mark

Premium Gold:

Premium Gold is an exclusive collection of deluxe tours, each celebrating the fine art of luxury travel. All of the luxury hotels exude elegance and style, with many being members of the Leading Hotels of the World or other internationally recognised upmarket hotel associations. Premium Gold itineraries are leisurely-paced with relaxed stays in the most sought-after locations and with ample free time for personal exploration.
You will delight in sumptuous, authentic dining with four-course hotel dining and superb a la carte menus in some of the best gourmet restaurants. Premium Gold features smaller group sizes on tour and includes Premium Highlight sightseeing often including private tours with VIP entrances.

Question Mark

Cost Saver:

We have introduced a new collection of touring holidays known as 'Cost Saver', a new and exciting programme of tours offering you fantastic European experiences at an unbeatable price.
The new selection of tours cover destinations such as Italy, Spain, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic. The perfectly balanced itineraries combine plenty of free time to explore along with First Class touches including unique Hidden Treasures.