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How long
is the travel time to South Africa?
When is the best time to visit South Africa?
When are your peak seasons?
Can South Africa guarantee winter sun?
What are the most popular choices of activity or itinerary, and why?
How reliable is the infrastructure in your country?
Does South Africa have big cities with modern amenities?
How easy is it to meet and mix with South Africans from all
communities?
What about mobile phones and phoning home?
What about apartheid?
Are there modern banks?
How far will my money go?
And the animals?
Will I see the big five?
What is the difference between the National Parks and the Private
Reserves?
Where can I see game in a malaria-free area?
Can I visit a game park on my own?
Answers
How long is the travel time to South Africa?
Top
South Africa is served
by more than 70 international airlines and our national carrier,
South African Airways, flies to many destinations in Europe, North
and South America, Asia, Australia and New Zealand. So we are never
more than a flight away if you are on a major international air
route. The flights from Europe are generally overnight and just a
sleep away - an aperitif, dinner, sound sleep, and a good breakfast
and you're in South Africa! The direct flights between the USA and
Johannesburg or Cape Town are about 15 hours, and flights between
London and Johannesburg take about 12 hours. For more info, check
out www.flysaa.com.
When is the best time to visit South Africa?
Top
South Africa is a
fabulous all year-round destination so when you visit depends on
what you would like to do. The best time for game watching, for
instance, is early spring (August to October). The southern right
whales can be seen off our coasts from about mid-June to the end of
October, and the humpback whales from August to December.
The diving is generally best from April to September, and so is the
surfing, but these activities are by no means limited to these
periods. Flowers are at their best in August and September. River
rafting is better at the end of winter in the Cape; and in summer
(late November to February) in KwaZulu-Natal.
In Mpumalanga and Limpopo provinces, activities are not quite as
time-dependent but spring and autumn are best for hiking since
summer can be very hot. If you want to lounge on the beaches,
midsummer is the best time to do so, though bear in mind that
everyone else will be there too. The beaches of KwaZulu-Natal are
warm and sunny, even in midwinter.
When are your peak seasons?
Top
Many of the best areas
to visit can be quite busy in peak season. For example, the coast
tends to be a bit crowded around Christmas and New Year, when all
the schools are on holiday, the universities are out and many local
people take their annual leave. So, if you're looking for peace and
quiet - this is not the time to visit.
Another major peak is over Easter - when the schools are also on
holiday and, once again, many people take their leave so they can
spend holidays with their children. A major advantage of travelling
out of peak season, of course, is availability of special out of
season deals.
Can South Africa guarantee winter sun?
Top
Yes! South Africa
experiences one of the highest numbers of "sunshine hours" per year
of any country worldwide.
What are the most popular choices of activity or
itinerary, and why?
Top
First-time visitors
generally spend a short stay in Johannesburg and Pretoria, Gauteng,
where they can visit the world famous African township of Soweto and
experience a truly cosmopolitan culture, bustling with an urban
rhythm that can be found in the nightclubs, theatres, restaurants
and people. Then they will head for the bush regions, such as the
Kruger National Park, for a wildlife experience, and probably spend
some time in the Western Cape, more specifically Cape Town and the
fantastic Garden Route.
How
reliable is the infrastructure in your country?
Top
The infrastructure is
very reliable and of a world class standard - except in some very
remote rural areas, not frequented by tourists. The road network is
superb and well maintained. In recent years major toll roads have
opened, making driving long distance even easier. Accommodation
establishments in South Africa are world class, so whether your
client requires accommodation in a hotel, guesthouse or lodge, their
needs will be satisfied.
Does South Africa have big cities with modern
amenities?
Top
There's more to Africa
than lions. Johannesburg sprawls wider than London or New York. The
lights work, the water flows, there are multi-lane highways and -
unfortunately - traffic jams. You can book into a Hilton or a Hyatt
or a Holiday Inn and eat at cosmopolitan restaurants serving
anything from sushi to burgers to crocodile steaks. Or you can just
lie back on a couch and choose from five analogue and 53 digital TV
channels.
How easy is it to meet and mix with South Africans
from all communities?
Top
Very easy indeed. Most
South Africans speak English, so it is easy to converse with people
wherever you go. South Africans are generally open, friendly people
who enjoy welcoming visitors.
What about mobile phones and phoning home?
Top
South Africa's mobile
phone operators utilise the GSM system so if your phone is GSM
compatible, set up international roaming with your service provider
before you leave home. Alternatively, you can rent a phone at the
airport on arrival, and use a "pay-as-you-go" (which means exactly
what it says) card during your stay.
Fixed line telephones are reliable and dial abroad. The country's
telecommunications operator Telkom, is the 28th largest in the
world, and accounts for 39% of the phone lines on the African
continent.
What about apartheid?
Top
Over a dozen years ago,
South Africa was known for "apartheid" or white-minority rule. But
the country's remarkable ability to put centuries of racial hatred
behind it in favour of reconciliation was widely considered a social
"miracle" and inspired similar peace attempts elsewhere, such as
Northern Ireland and Rwanda. These days, post-apartheid South Africa
has a government comprising all races, and is better known as the
"rainbow nation", a phrase coined by Nobel Peace Prize winner,
Archbishop Desmond Tutu.
Are there modern banks?
Top
You can use Visa and
Mastercard almost everywhere, and bank by ATM or online. There's a
sophisticated financial sector, abreast of all the latest
technological trends. There are 13 commercial and merchant banks,
and the Johannesburg Stock Exchange is the world's 15th largest in
terms of market capitalisation.
How far will my money go?
Top
A long, long way. With
the exchange rate in your favour, you'll find South Africa a very
inexpensive destination.
And the animals?
Top
The animals alone are
reason to visit. One of the world's first wildlife conservation
areas was South Africa's Kruger Park, more than a century old. Today
it is just one part of a single broad conservation area that spans
private and public game parks, and even stretches across national
borders into neighbouring Mozambique and Zimbabwe. An hour's drive
from such urban jungles as Pretoria and Johannesburg, you can see
lions, elephants, buffalo and hundreds more species in their natural
environments. South Africa is also a bird watcher's - paradise.
Will I see the big five?
Top
Maybe. Many reserves
have all the big five - lion, leopard, elephant, rhino and buffalo -
but it's not that easy to see them all, particularly leopard.
Leopards are nocturnal, secretive and well camouflaged, but there
are some reserves where they are easily spotted. However, just being
in the bush, seeing tiny animals like ants and frogs and learning
the relationship between them, can be even more exciting than a
procession of lions and elephants. So, even if you miss out on one
or two of the big guys, you'll still have a great time.
What is the difference between the National Parks
and the Private Reserves?
Top
The national parks are
administered by South African National Parks which ensures a
standardised level of accommodation and facilities.
Park fees are kept to a minimum to enable as many people as possible
to enjoy our wonderful natural heritage. The game watching in the
private parks is quite often of an equal standard to that of the
national parks, but the accommodation is usually far more luxurious,
and the service very attentive. Of course, this level of luxury
comes at a price, but the private lodges are a good choice if you
would like to be pampered.
Where can I see game in a malaria-free area?
Top
The Eastern Cape, the
Western Cape, the Northern Cape, parts of the Northwest Province and
the Waterberg area of Limpopo province are free of malaria. Of
these, the best game viewing is Addo in the Eastern Cape, the
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park in the Northern Cape, Madikwe and
Pilanesberg in the Northwest, and Limpopo's Waterberg.
Can I visit a game park on my own?
Top
Yes, absolutely. South
African National Parks have designed all their parks to cater for
the independent traveller, so you can drive in, set up home in your
rented chalet, and drive yourself around. However, you may get more
out of your stay if you opt to do one or two escorted drives.
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