SOUTH AFRICA

No matter if your trip is organized for the capital of South Africa, for safaris or for the waves of the ocean. South Africa will give you that emotion you were looking for!

RAINBOW NATION

Location

South Africa is located in the south of Africa and is bordered overland by the following countries: Zimbabwe, Namibia, Botswana, Mozambique, Lesotho, and Swaziland. If you want to visit the capital of South Africa, you should know that there are three of them (see below).

Capital

Pretoria (executive), Cape Town (legislative), Bloemfontein (judicial)

Weather

The climate in the cities in South Africa is varied. In the east, the weather is subtropical with humidity. In the desert areas, it is pretty hot and dry. The climate is close to the Mediterranean in the West, with high humidity in winter and warm, dry summer. In the central part of the country, winters are fantastic, and summers are hot with occasional rains. In general, South Africa has very many sunny days a year. But be aware that temperatures can drop quite a bit at night.

  • Winter (June 21 to September 22): +15, +22.
  • Spring (from September 22 to December 21): +22, +27.
  • Summer (December 21 – March 20): +28, +30.
  • Autumn (March 20 to June 21): +24, +27.

*Mean daily temperature in degrees Celsius.

Currency

South African Rand (ZAR)

Time zone

UTC+2 (SAST)

How to get

There are several ways to get to South Africa:

  • By plane from many countries (the easiest and most comfortable way).
  • By land from neighboring countries (by car or bus).

Important: No special vaccinations are required to visit South Africa. But if you also plan to visit neighboring countries, consult your doctor before traveling. Often vaccinations against yellow fever, hepatitis A, and typhoid are given before the trip. Also, be alert for malarial mosquitoes in regions bordering Mozambique.

Culture and art

South African culture reflects primarily African culture. We can also see a slight influence of European culture in some aspects.

It is in a South African cave that the oldest art has been found. Not for nothing, South Africa is considered one of the cradles of humanity.

The country has well-developed literature (Nadine Gordimer), painting (Gerard Sekoto), national music, and choral church singing.

As for architecture, it has different styles; you can see here neo-gothic, neoclassicism, Cape Dutch, and modern architecture.

The countercultural movement Zef was in South Africa in the 20th century.

Cuisine

In addition to local recipes, South African cuisine includes Indian and European dishes. Grilled meat (braai) is trendy. The menu comprises meat, groats, beans, vegetables and fruits, fish and seafood, and poultry.

The wine-making industry is very well-developed in South Africa. There are wine farms in different regions, e.g., Constance, Parlia, Stellenbosch, and Franschhoek. They also make a creamy liqueur from the fruit of the marula tree, Amarula.

It is customary in South Africa to leave a tip in the restaurant (about 10% of the check) and to cab drivers, guides, maids, and other employees in the service industry.

Popular dishes:

South Africa gives me a perspective of what’s real and what’s not real. So I go back to South Africa to both lose myself and gain awareness of myself. Every time I go back, it doesn’t take long for me to get caught into a very different thing. A very different sense of myself.

The tourist season

Some of the most visited months in South Africa are the months from November to December. But remember that some regions vary significantly in their climate: somewhere the climate is wetter, it is drier. So before visiting the capital of South Africa city and the many local nature parks, you should check the weather and temperature for the entire trip.

Beach holiday

From November to March.

You can go to Cape Town on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean or to Durban on the shores of the Indian Ocean, where the famous Golden Mile Beach is located.

City holidays

All year round.

From November to March, in many regions of South Africa is very hot, but some cities in South Africa (such as Cape Town) are pretty comfortable. The high season in Cape Town lasts from August to March.

Natural holiday

From April to June, you can visit the Karru and Kalahari deserts. July to August is an excellent time to visit Kruger Park and Limpopo, Mpumalanga, and Gauteng. From September to November, you can visit KwaZulu-Natal and the Namaqualand Plateau.

Ski holidays​

From June to August. Go to Tiffindell for that.  

Diving

The comfortable months are November to March. At Aliwal Shoals, you can see tiger sharks from December to June and reggae sharks from June to November. On Protea Bank, you can watch hammerhead sharks from October through May. Sardine runs off the southeastern coast of Africa from late April through July.

Whale season

July through November. For that, go to Hermanus (June through December, the best time is September or November), False Bay (August through October), and Gansbaai. You can book a boat tour or watch whales from viewing platforms in these places.

Safari season

May to November, depending on the region. There are places where safari is possible all year round.

Festivals

There are lots of different cultural events, like the Cape Town Minstrel Carnival (January), Johannesburg International Mozart Festival (January, February), Cape Town International Jazz Festival (March), Taste of Sare Town (March), South African Cheese Festival (April), Splashy Fen Music Festival (April), Big Five Marathon (June), Wacky Wine Weekend (June), Innibos (June), Youth Day (June), National Arts Festival (June, July), Whale Festival (September), MACUFE (October), Cape Town International Kite Festival (October).

Holidays with children

South Africa is child-friendly. It would be best if you came here first to get to know African animals. It should be noted that many children and adults are delighted with such a trip!

Most South African hotels have unique family rooms. With children, you can go to almost all the national parks and reserves of the country (for example, in Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary).

Some companies offer to get acquainted with the local flora and fauna on special safari tours for children In this country. Usually, they are chosen so that children are excited and not dull.

Some families rent a car and visit the various attractions on their own. If you want your family vacation to be more carefree, pay attention to organized package tours with shuttle service and sightseeing programs.

It is also possible to book a safari tour for the whole family and watch African animals. These tours can be fully guided, including the services of a guide, a car with a driver, transfers between the national parks, transfers from the capital of South Africa, and accommodation in lodges. There are also safari tours, including only accommodation and a safari tour in a particular place.

Keep in mind that some campsites and lodges that organize safari tours restrict the age of children, and some do not allow accommodation with children.

Also, there are safari tours, where the requirement of individual transport for families with children.

Also, in South Africa, you can watch penguins at Boulders Beach. It is undoubtedly a sight to behold!

Holidays Adventures

As for active recreation, it should be noted that the cities in South Africa are located in different regions where the climate and landscapes vary greatly, and in other places, you can find other activities. For example, you can do water sports on the ocean’s shores, including surfing or diving with sharks, on local rivers – practice canoeing or professional rafting. Also, you can visit a safari tour in South Africa, home to large and dangerous African animals. You can go trekking for a more relaxed vacation (such as at iSimangaliso Wetland Park, eMshophi Campsite, Malolotja National Park, Tsitsikamma National Park, Golden Gate Highlands National Park) or take a bike ride. If you like the sky, you can go paragliding, helicopter tours, and skydiving from the platform at the top of Table Mountain. To summarize, there are many fun and active things to do here!

PLEASURE & SAFETY

The major routes

Emergency phone numbers

112 – emergency numbers (including cell phone calls)

10111 – police

10177 – ambulance service

10177 – fire department

OUR TRAVEL PICTURES

01

Blyde River Canyon

Mpumalanga

02

Cape Town

Western Cape

03

Drakensbergh

KwaZulu-Natal

04

Garden Route

Western Cape - Eastern Cape

05

Hermanus

Western Cape

06

Knysna

Western Cape

07

Krugher Park

Limpopo - Mpumalanga

08

St. Lucia Park

KwaZulu-Natal

09

Tsitsikamma National Park

Western Cape - Eastern Cape

FOLLOW OUR ADVENTURES

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