South Africa

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    It’s not surprising that South Africa has become one of the world’s most exciting and popular touring destinations.


    The country offers vibrant and colourful cities, stunning and diverse landscapes, interesting heritage, an unparalleled collection of wildlife and a sunny climate. What’s more, with no jet-lag the holiday begins as soon as you land.

    Information South Africa

    Country guide
    Capital city Cape Town (Legislative) Pretoria (Administrative)
    Population

    42,700,000
    Area 471,000 sq miles
    Local time

    GMT/UTC +2
    Language

    Official: Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans, English, Tswana, Sotho, Southern, Swati, South Ndebele
    Currency South African Rand / ZAR / R
    Rand (ZAR; symbol R) = 100 cents
    Religion

    Most inhabitants profess Christianity and belong to Catholic, Anglican & other protestant denominations.

    Travel information
    Passports and Visas

    Full ten year passports are required for all visitors to South Africa and Zambia. Passports must be valid for at least six months beyond the return date. Additionally, it is essential your passport contains at least one clear page.  Visas are not required for British Passport holders.

    Payment options Credit/Debit Cards and ATMs
    MasterCard and Visa are preferred. American Express and Diners Club are accepted less widely. ATMs are available all over the towns and cities including shopping malls and petrol stations, and accept all international debit and credit cards. Almost all hotels, shops and restaurants, and even national parks and game reserves accept credit cards.

    Traveller's Cheques
    Widely accepted in banks, hotels and some tourist shops. Travellers are advised to take traveller’s cheques in Pounds Sterling or US Dollars.
    Climate
    Climate / season

    South Africa’s summer is from October - March and its winter from May - August. Most of the country benefits from a sunny climate, fine and settled weather, and pleasant temperatures throughout the year. Cape Town and The Garden Route have summer temperatures averaging around 27C, with slightly wetter winters around 17C. Durban is hot in the summer (although this is moderated by daily sea breezes) and mild to warm in the winter. Johannesburg has warm summers with occasional afternoon storms, and cooler / drier winters. Kruger National Park can be hot and humid in the summer (32C), and experiences dry and hot (28C) winter days and cooler nights.
    Technical Details
    Telephone dialling codes The country dialling code for South Africa is +27.
    Electricity

    Voltage 220V.  Large 3 pin 'round' plugs are in general use. The 'continental' type adaptors generally on sale in the UK are not compatible. Plugs/adaptors can be obtained locally.
    Culture
    Politics President Thabo Mbeki since 1999
    Customs

    Clothing

    Cool, casual clothing is recommended for this tour. During the day either lightweight trousers or better still shorts, together with short sleeve shirts. A cardigan or jacket may be advisable in case of the odd cool evening.  Whilst in the game reserve clothing in white or bright colours should be avoided. Binoculars, although not essential, could be very useful throughout the tour.

    South Africa 

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