On this page, we will provide you with all the relevant Practical Information For South Africa you may need before starting your South African Safaris.
Basic Information
- Official name: Republic of South Africa
- Area: 21,219,090 sq. km
- Population: 57,073,000
- Capital: Pretoria; Cape Town; Bloemfontein
- Government: Unitary constitutional parliamentary republic
Population
- Total: 57,73 million
- Male: 28,2 million (49%)
- Female: 29,5 million (51%)
Language
- Official language: Afrikaans, English, Ndebele, Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu
- Languages spoken: Fanagalo, Hindi, Sotho, Tsotsitaal, Venda
- Business Language: English and Afrikaans
Time Zone
- UTC (Coordinated Universal Time Greenwich) +2
Currency
- Currency: South African Rand
- ISO Code: ZAR
Credit cards: Yes
- Cards: Mastercard, Visa, American Express, Diners Club
- Traveler’s Cheques: Accepted
Tips: Mandatory
Currency Exchange
Exchange Rate: €1=R10,0643
- Airports
- Banks
- Hotels
- Shops
- Restaurants
- ATMs
Internet and Telephony
- Calling code: +27
- Internet availability: Medium
Emergency Numbers
| Police | 10111 |
| Fire Department | 10111 |
| Ambulance | 10177 |
Electricity
- V220
- Hz50
Climate
South Africa experiences mild winters, with occasional snowfall in the mountain ranges of the Cape and Natal and in lower-lying areas. The summer days are pleasant and sunny. From June to September the country sees heavy rains along the southern coast.
Dry Season: May to September
Wet Season: October to April
Transport
- The transport system is good in major cities of South Africa
- We recommend hiring a car to avoid encountering difficulties traveling in rural areas. T
- The public transport system is a bit unreliable and inefficient.
- Road signs are in English and Afrikaans.
- The metro system is extensive but not very comfortable.
- Taxis are readily available in all towns.
- We suggest you call for a taxi in advance rather than hail one in the street or use taxi companies.
Major International Airports Of South Africa
| IATA | NAME | CITY |
| JNB | OR Tambo International Airport | Johannesburg |
| CPT | Cape Town International Airport | Cape Town |
| DUR | King Shaka International Airport | Durban |
| GRJ | George Airport | George |
Vaccinations
We always advise that you contact a specialist GP or get in touch with an authorized vaccination clinic. Protection against Yellow Fever, Hepatitis, Typhoid, Tetanus, and is highly recommended.
Travel Insurance
Adequate travel insurance is mandatory for everyone. Gazelle Safaris Africa is an ATOL-protected agency giving you complete peace of mind. According to this, it is the guest’s responsibility to carry the correct comprehensive travel and medical insurance to cover themselves, and their dependents/traveling companions for the duration of their trip.
Visa
- Visa is required for most countries. You can easily issue one on arrival at the airport. Just check the details in the Embassy or consulate in your country.
- You must produce a valid passport for at least 6 months with two blank pages in your passport upon arrival.
For more information about South Africa Travel Guide and information regarding South African Safaris or any other necessary details, visit Gazelle Safaris Africa today.
South Africa Safari
Quick Facts About South Africa
1 / 7
People
South Africa people are divided into four “racial” categories—Black, white, Coloured (mixed race), and Asian—though these classifications were largely arbitrary, based on considerations such as family background and cultural acceptance as well as on appearance.
2 / 7
Money
South African Rand refers to the legal currency of the Republic of South Africa. It is also recognized as a legal currency in the Common Monetary Area that it shares with Lesotho, Namibia, and Eswatini, although each country in the monetary union also uses its own currency.
3 / 7
Geography
South Africa occupies the most southern tip of Africa with its long coastline stretching more than 3 000 km from the desert border with Namibia on the Atlantic coast southwards around the tip of Africa and then north to the border of subtropical Mozambique on the Indian Ocean.
4 / 7
Activities
South Africa is a destination which has something for everyone. South Africa offers a wide range of activities from deep sea diving and shark cage diving to mountain climbing and abseiling, elephant-back safaris, fishing, surfing, hang gliding, hot-air ballooning, whale watching... the list is endless.
5 / 7
Weather
South Africa's climatic conditions generally range from Mediterranean in the southwestern corner of South Africa to temperate in the interior plateau, and subtropical in the northeast. A small area in the northwest has a desert climate. Temperatures are influenced by variations in elevation, terrain, and ocean currents more than latitude.
6 / 7
Transport
South Africa contains no navigable rivers; coastal shipping provides the only water transport. The country’s network of roads and railways—the most extensive in Africa—handles most of the transportation demand, supplemented by air travel.
7 / 7
Plan Your Trip
Want to book a vacation to South Africa? Plan your trip to South Africa with our online travel advice on visas, embassies, transport, healthcare, currency and what to read. Whether you're off for a family trip, or an all-inclusive holiday, South Africa Safari packages make planning your trip simple and affordable.
1 / 7
Money
South African Rand refers to the legal currency of the Republic of South Africa. It is also recognized as a legal currency in the Common Monetary Area that it shares with Lesotho, Namibia, and Eswatini, although each country in the monetary union also uses its own currency.
2 / 7
People
South Africa people are divided into four “racial” categories—Black, white, Coloured (mixed race), and Asian—though these classifications were largely arbitrary, based on considerations such as family background and cultural acceptance as well as on appearance.
3 / 7
Geography
South Africa occupies the most southern tip of Africa with its long coastline stretching more than 3 000 km from the desert border with Namibia on the Atlantic coast southwards around the tip of Africa and then north to the border of subtropical Mozambique on the Indian Ocean.
4 / 7
Activities
South Africa is a destination which has something for everyone. South Africa offers a wide range of activities from deep sea diving and shark cage diving to mountain climbing and abseiling, elephant-back safaris, fishing, surfing, hang gliding, hot-air ballooning, whale watching... the list is endless.
5 / 7
Weather
South Africa's climatic conditions generally range from Mediterranean in the southwestern corner of South Africa to temperate in the interior plateau, and subtropical in the northeast. A small area in the northwest has a desert climate. Temperatures are influenced by variations in elevation, terrain, and ocean currents more than latitude.
6 / 7
Transport
South Africa contains no navigable rivers; coastal shipping provides the only water transport. The country’s network of roads and railways—the most extensive in Africa—handles most of the transportation demand, supplemented by air travel.
7 / 7
Plan Your Trip
Want to book a vacation to South Africa? Plan your trip to South Africa with our online travel advice on visas, embassies, transport, healthcare, currency and what to read. Whether you're off for a family trip, or an all-inclusive holiday, South Africa Safari packages make planning your trip simple and affordable.
1 / 7
Geography
South Africa occupies the most southern tip of Africa with its long coastline stretching more than 3 000 km from the desert border with Namibia on the Atlantic coast southwards around the tip of Africa and then north to the border of subtropical Mozambique on the Indian Ocean.
2 / 7
People
South Africa people are divided into four “racial” categories—Black, white, Coloured (mixed race), and Asian—though these classifications were largely arbitrary, based on considerations such as family background and cultural acceptance as well as on appearance.
3 / 7
Money
South African Rand refers to the legal currency of the Republic of South Africa. It is also recognized as a legal currency in the Common Monetary Area that it shares with Lesotho, Namibia, and Eswatini, although each country in the monetary union also uses its own currency.
4 / 7
Activities
South Africa is a destination which has something for everyone. South Africa offers a wide range of activities from deep sea diving and shark cage diving to mountain climbing and abseiling, elephant-back safaris, fishing, surfing, hang gliding, hot-air ballooning, whale watching... the list is endless.
5 / 7
Weather
South Africa's climatic conditions generally range from Mediterranean in the southwestern corner of South Africa to temperate in the interior plateau, and subtropical in the northeast. A small area in the northwest has a desert climate. Temperatures are influenced by variations in elevation, terrain, and ocean currents more than latitude.
6 / 7
Transport
South Africa contains no navigable rivers; coastal shipping provides the only water transport. The country’s network of roads and railways—the most extensive in Africa—handles most of the transportation demand, supplemented by air travel.
7 / 7
Plan Your Trip
Want to book a vacation to South Africa? Plan your trip to South Africa with our online travel advice on visas, embassies, transport, healthcare, currency and what to read. Whether you're off for a family trip, or an all-inclusive holiday, South Africa Safari packages make planning your trip simple and affordable.
1 / 7
Activities
South Africa is a destination which has something for everyone. South Africa offers a wide range of activities from deep sea diving and shark cage diving to mountain climbing and abseiling, elephant-back safaris, fishing, surfing, hang gliding, hot-air ballooning, whale watching... the list is endless.
2 / 7
People
South Africa people are divided into four “racial” categories—Black, white, Coloured (mixed race), and Asian—though these classifications were largely arbitrary, based on considerations such as family background and cultural acceptance as well as on appearance.
3 / 7
Money
South African Rand refers to the legal currency of the Republic of South Africa. It is also recognized as a legal currency in the Common Monetary Area that it shares with Lesotho, Namibia, and Eswatini, although each country in the monetary union also uses its own currency.
4 / 7
Geography
South Africa occupies the most southern tip of Africa with its long coastline stretching more than 3 000 km from the desert border with Namibia on the Atlantic coast southwards around the tip of Africa and then north to the border of subtropical Mozambique on the Indian Ocean.
5 / 7
Weather
South Africa's climatic conditions generally range from Mediterranean in the southwestern corner of South Africa to temperate in the interior plateau, and subtropical in the northeast. A small area in the northwest has a desert climate. Temperatures are influenced by variations in elevation, terrain, and ocean currents more than latitude.
6 / 7
Transport
South Africa contains no navigable rivers; coastal shipping provides the only water transport. The country’s network of roads and railways—the most extensive in Africa—handles most of the transportation demand, supplemented by air travel.
7 / 7
Plan Your Trip
Want to book a vacation to South Africa? Plan your trip to South Africa with our online travel advice on visas, embassies, transport, healthcare, currency and what to read. Whether you're off for a family trip, or an all-inclusive holiday, South Africa Safari packages make planning your trip simple and affordable.
1 / 7
Weather
South Africa's climatic conditions generally range from Mediterranean in the southwestern corner of South Africa to temperate in the interior plateau, and subtropical in the northeast. A small area in the northwest has a desert climate. Temperatures are influenced by variations in elevation, terrain, and ocean currents more than latitude.
2 / 7
People
South Africa people are divided into four “racial” categories—Black, white, Coloured (mixed race), and Asian—though these classifications were largely arbitrary, based on considerations such as family background and cultural acceptance as well as on appearance.
3 / 7
Money
South African Rand refers to the legal currency of the Republic of South Africa. It is also recognized as a legal currency in the Common Monetary Area that it shares with Lesotho, Namibia, and Eswatini, although each country in the monetary union also uses its own currency.
4 / 7
Activities
South Africa is a destination which has something for everyone. South Africa offers a wide range of activities from deep sea diving and shark cage diving to mountain climbing and abseiling, elephant-back safaris, fishing, surfing, hang gliding, hot-air ballooning, whale watching... the list is endless.
5 / 7
Transport
South Africa contains no navigable rivers; coastal shipping provides the only water transport. The country’s network of roads and railways—the most extensive in Africa—handles most of the transportation demand, supplemented by air travel.
6 / 7
Geography
South Africa occupies the most southern tip of Africa with its long coastline stretching more than 3 000 km from the desert border with Namibia on the Atlantic coast southwards around the tip of Africa and then north to the border of subtropical Mozambique on the Indian Ocean.
7 / 7
Plan Your Trip
Want to book a vacation to South Africa? Plan your trip to South Africa with our online travel advice on visas, embassies, transport, healthcare, currency and what to read. Whether you're off for a family trip, or an all-inclusive holiday, South Africa Safari packages make planning your trip simple and affordable.
1 / 7
Transport
South Africa contains no navigable rivers; coastal shipping provides the only water transport. The country’s network of roads and railways—the most extensive in Africa—handles most of the transportation demand, supplemented by air travel.
2 / 7
People
South Africa people are divided into four “racial” categories—Black, white, Coloured (mixed race), and Asian—though these classifications were largely arbitrary, based on considerations such as family background and cultural acceptance as well as on appearance.
3 / 7
Money
South African Rand refers to the legal currency of the Republic of South Africa. It is also recognized as a legal currency in the Common Monetary Area that it shares with Lesotho, Namibia, and Eswatini, although each country in the monetary union also uses its own currency.
4 / 7
Geography
South Africa occupies the most southern tip of Africa with its long coastline stretching more than 3 000 km from the desert border with Namibia on the Atlantic coast southwards around the tip of Africa and then north to the border of subtropical Mozambique on the Indian Ocean.
5 / 7
Activities
South Africa is a destination which has something for everyone. South Africa offers a wide range of activities from deep sea diving and shark cage diving to mountain climbing and abseiling, elephant-back safaris, fishing, surfing, hang gliding, hot-air ballooning, whale watching... the list is endless.
6 / 7
Weather
South Africa's climatic conditions generally range from Mediterranean in the southwestern corner of South Africa to temperate in the interior plateau, and subtropical in the northeast. A small area in the northwest has a desert climate. Temperatures are influenced by variations in elevation, terrain, and ocean currents more than latitude.
7 / 7
Plan Your Trip
Want to book a vacation to South Africa? Plan your trip to South Africa with our online travel advice on visas, embassies, transport, healthcare, currency and what to read. Whether you're off for a family trip, or an all-inclusive holiday, South Africa Safari packages make planning your trip simple and affordable.
1 / 7
Plan Your Trip
Want to book a vacation to South Africa? Plan your trip to South Africa with our online travel advice on visas, embassies, transport, healthcare, currency and what to read. Whether you're off for a family trip, or an all-inclusive holiday, South Africa Safari packages make planning your trip simple and affordable.
2 / 7
People
South Africa people are divided into four “racial” categories—Black, white, Coloured (mixed race), and Asian—though these classifications were largely arbitrary, based on considerations such as family background and cultural acceptance as well as on appearance.
3 / 7
Money
South African Rand refers to the legal currency of the Republic of South Africa. It is also recognized as a legal currency in the Common Monetary Area that it shares with Lesotho, Namibia, and Eswatini, although each country in the monetary union also uses its own currency.
4 / 7
Geography
South Africa occupies the most southern tip of Africa with its long coastline stretching more than 3 000 km from the desert border with Namibia on the Atlantic coast southwards around the tip of Africa and then north to the border of subtropical Mozambique on the Indian Ocean.
5 / 7
Activities
South Africa is a destination which has something for everyone. South Africa offers a wide range of activities from deep sea diving and shark cage diving to mountain climbing and abseiling, elephant-back safaris, fishing, surfing, hang gliding, hot-air ballooning, whale watching... the list is endless.
6 / 7
Weather
South Africa's climatic conditions generally range from Mediterranean in the southwestern corner of South Africa to temperate in the interior plateau, and subtropical in the northeast. A small area in the northwest has a desert climate. Temperatures are influenced by variations in elevation, terrain, and ocean currents more than latitude.
7 / 7
Transport
South Africa contains no navigable rivers; coastal shipping provides the only water transport. The country’s network of roads and railways—the most extensive in Africa—handles most of the transportation demand, supplemented by air travel.
Let’s Start Designing Your Holiday
All our holidays are uniquely designed for each of our clients. That’s because we can take you anywhere in Africa and create any experience you’d like. We’re not limited by fixed destinations, itineraries or hotels and we won’t restrict you by date or budget. Instead, you can dream big or small, and think far and wide or closer to home. Call us to start planning your personally tailored Safari holiday today.
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South Africa Safari
South Africa Travel Guide
South Africa Safari
Frequently Asked Questions
South Africa is known for its numerous safari destinations, but the most famous, and perhaps most impressive for the big five the Kruger National Park and its surrounding territory.
The best time to visit South Africa Safari is during the dry months of May to September. This is the best period for wildlife viewing as all the animals congregate around waterholes and rivers.
When in South Africa, going on safari is a must. All the traditional African safari experiences are just a couple of hours' drive from the city center.
A valid passport of a minimum of six months with two consecutive blank pages is mandatory for traveling to South Africa. Visa may be required depending upon your nationality. Just check the entry visa requirement at your nearest embassy.
South Africa is the hub of the most luxurious lodges in Africa along with boutique hotels and intimate guesthouses. These are beautiful traditional safari lodges in the middle of the bush. Also, some ledges offer rooms with their own plunge pool and deck.
You are required to declare all foreign currency in any form upon your entry or exit from South Africa. So, the wise thing is to change your money when required. There are lots of facilities for currency exchange in hotels and lodges.
Yes, South Africa is an excellent destination for families. The game reserves are malaria-free. See the Africa "Big 5" and go on exciting activities in Cape Town.
South Africa has 11 official languages. But the major languages are English and Afrikaans. English is spoken widely throughout South Africa.
South Africa Safari
South Africa Safari Itineraries
11 Days The Gem Of Africa Safari
Nairobi | Masai Mara Game Reserve | Lake Naivasha | Aberdares National Park | Lake Nakuru |
Kenya Wildlife Safari
11 Days From $ 3277
4 Days Livingstone Adventure Experience
Victoria Falls | Livingstone | Chobe National Park
Zambia Tour
4 Days On Request
4 Days Rwanda Gorillas & Golden Monkeys Safari
Kigali | Franco-Rwanda cultural Centre | Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge
Rwanda Gorilla Safaris
4 Days From $ 2,470
6 Days Livingstone And Lower Zambezi Tour
Victoria Falls | Mosi-oa-Tunya | Sausage Tree Camp | Lower Zambezi National Park
Zambia Tour
6 Days On Request
7 Days 6 Nights Cape Town & Johannesburg
Table Mountain Cable Way | Ameera Yacht | Cape Point | Funicular Train Ride | Seal Island
South Africa Luxury Safari
7 Days From $ 1037
7 Days Botswana And Victoria Falls Adventure Tour
Okavango Delta | Chobe National Park | Victoria Falls
Zambia Tour
7 Days On Request
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