Flights
Direct overnight connections from Europe and the Gulf to Johannesburg and Cape Town, about eleven hours from London or Frankfurt with no significant time difference — which means no jet lag, a real advantage for short visits. Domestic flights between Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban are frequent and inexpensive.
Getting around
A car is necessary for anything outside the city centres; driving is on the left and the road network is good. The Garden Route and the approaches to Kruger are straightforward self-drive. Avoid driving at night outside towns. Long-distance rail exists mainly as a luxury experience rather than transport.
When to come
Seasons are inverted. Cape Town and the west have a Mediterranean climate: dry summers from November to March, wet winters. Kruger and the east are the opposite — the dry winter, from May to September, is the best game-viewing season because the vegetation thins and animals gather at water. December and January are the domestic holiday peak: coastal prices double and book out.
Money
The rand has been weak for years, which makes South Africa inexpensive by European or North American standards — restaurants and wine especially. Cards work everywhere; carry some cash for parking attendants and tips. Tipping of ten to fifteen per cent is expected.
Orders of magnitude
| Return flight from Europe | €600 to €1,100 |
|---|---|
| Mid-range hotel or guesthouse | ZAR 1,200 to 2,500 |
| Restaurant meal | ZAR 180 to 400 |
| Car hire | ZAR 400 to 800 a day |
What holds everywhere
- Insurance covering medical costs and repatriation stops being optional as soon as local healthcare is limited. Check it actually covers the destination: many policies exclude areas under adverse travel advice.
- Carry cash. In much of the world cards work in the big cities and nowhere else. Check the ATM situation and your bank's charges before leaving.
- Leave margin on connections. A tight transfer on a thinly served route is expensive: the next flight may be tomorrow, or in three days.
- The real budget runs over two years, not one trip: repeated flights, paperwork, translations, legalisations, any support sent. It is always underestimated.