South Africa Vacation Guide

The South African rand (R) has undergone something of a roller-coaster ride against other international currencies since the 1994 election. At one point, the exchange rate dropped as low as R13 to the U.S. dollar, but it is now R6-8. Major credit cards and traveler's checks are widely accepted. In cities and large towns, ATMs are plentiful sources for obtaining local currency using any major international credit or debit card. Smaller towns and villages will often have at least one ATM, but don't count on it being in working order. For security reasons, we recommend that you only use ATMs that are inside a bank or other institution.

Generally Monday-Friday 8:30 am-3:30 pm, Saturday 8 am-11:30 pm.

South Africa has a value-added tax (VAT) that is included in prices marked on goods. Nonresidents can obtain a refund of the VAT on certain purchased goods. The total value of the items should exceed R250. To claim your refund at the airport, have the unused items with you in your carry-on luggage to present to the refund officer. You'll also need the original receipt, a VAT refund form and your passport.

Tip taxi drivers about 10% and give a small tip to hotel porters. In restaurants, tip at least 10% if a service charge has not been added to the bill.

The climate is mild throughout South Africa. There's really not a bad time to visit, but October is our favorite month—it's spring then, an ideal season for touring. Snow is a possibility June-August in the mountain areas. It generally rains in the afternoon during the summer (November-February) everywhere in the country except in the Cape Province, where it rains during the winter.

Durban has a moderate climate, with swimming possible year-round. November-February is best for Cape Town. During the rest of the year, it's usually quite cool, often rainy, windy and foggy and too cold to lie on the beach. Johannesburg, at 5,700 ft/1,735 m above sea level, can be quite cool in the winter.

Those who go to South Africa specifically for animal viewing may want to go during winter (especially August-early September): Grass is short, and the animals tend to gather around watering holes.

Climates vary considerably by season and region, so be prepared for a wide range of conditions. In most parts of South Africa, daytime temperatures are suitable to light clothing such as shorts and a T-shirt. At night, temperatures often drop drastically, sometimes to below freezing, particularly at higher altitudes between June and August, so a couple of sweaters and a waterproof jacket are recommended. Along the eastern coastal belt, long sleeves, socks and pants help protect against mosquito bites. A hat and sunscreen help avoid sun exposure.

Internet cafes can be found in most shopping malls, and a browsing facility is generally offered at all hotels and backpacker hostels, but one should not rely on ready Internet access in game reserves and small towns. Wireless reception is very limited.

The South African postal service is reasonably reliable, but international post in and out of the country can be very slow—typically one-two weeks to or from Europe and two-three weeks to or from North America. Items of value or that need to arrive quickly are best shipped with courier companies such as FedEx or DHL, which are widely represented locally.

The most highly regarded newspaper in South Africa is probably the weekly Mail & Guardian, which also contains useful arts and entertainment listings for Johannesburg, Durban or Cape Town (depending on where you buy it). Good daily papers include The Star (Johannesburg), The Argus (Cape Town), The Mercury (Durban), The Witness (Pietermaritzburg) and the Pretoria News. National Sunday papers include the rather frivolous Sunday Times and somewhat more earnest Sunday Independent. International papers are available at some newsagents and city hotels, but generally they are a few days old.

Local and international calls can be made from hotels and public telephones countrywide. Some telephones take coins, some take local phone cards and some take both. Phone reception is excellent in most towns but cannot be taken for granted in rural areas and game reserves. For directory inquiries, dial 1023.

Most international flights arrive at Johannesburg's O.R. Tambo International Airport (JNB), which is 14 mi/22 km east of Johannesburg and a 45-minute drive from Pretoria. Cape Town (CPT) and Durban (DUR) also have international airports. For details of all international airports, see http://www.airports.co.za.

Service within the country is provided by South African Airways (http://www.flysaa.com), or check smaller online operators such as http://www.kulula.com or http://www.1time.co.za for bargain tickets between major centers. Domestic flights are expensive, so if you're planning to fly among multiple destinations, look into obtaining an African Explorer pass. Charters, such as those provided by National Airways Corporation, are available to airports not served by scheduled flights.

Taxis are available at all airports.

Several companies, including Greyhound, Intercity and TransLux, provide excellent coach service between major cities and to Namibia and Zimbabwe. Also highly recommended is the Baz Bus, a hop-on, hop-off service aimed specifically at independent international travelers. It's important to remember that you must book rides one day in advance.

The road network in South Africa is good, which makes getting around by car fairly easy. Rental cars and cars with drivers are available in the major cities. If you use an international rental agency, you'll get better rates by making reservations before you leave home. Even then, lower rates are usually available through local companies.

Long-distance trips are possible using taxis (which are really minibuses). Because of the country's crime problems, however, we don't recommend this mode of travel.

Spoornet, the country's passenger-rail service, offers extensive, inexpensive, reliable transport to all major and many smaller cities. In addition, Rovos Rail offers a number of luxurious "Orient Express"-style rail tours on refurbished passenger cars and steam engines. These unique train safaris travel through some of the most spectacular scenery in Africa. Trips include a 48-hour ride from Pretoria to Victoria Falls (on the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe) and a 55-hour excursion between Pretoria and Durban that includes game drives in Kruger National Park, Mkhaya Game Reserve in Swaziland and Hluhluwe Game Reserve in KwaZulu-Natal. Some passengers report that the experience exceeds that of the more well-known Blue Train, which still offers its luxurious version of the glory days of rail, with year-round trips between Pretoria and Victoria Falls, Cape Town and Hoedspruit (on the edge of Kruger National Park). The Blue Train also has service between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth, along the famed Garden Route. Several narrow-gauge steam trains can also be found around the country.

Tourist Offices

South Africa: South Africa Tourism Board, Private Bag X10012, Sandton, 2146. Phone 011-778-3000. Fax 011-895-3001. http://www.southafrica.net. There's also an office in Johannesburg International Airport.

Australia: South Africa Tourism Board, Suite 301, Level 3, 117 York St., Sydney, NSW 2000. Phone 02-9261-5000. Fax 02-9261-2000. http://www.southafrica.net.

U.K.: South African Tourism Board, 5 and 6 Alt Grove, Wimbledon, London SW19 4DZ. Phone 20-8971-9350. Fax 20-8944-6705. http://www.southafrica.net.

U.S.: South African Tourism Board, 500 Fifth Ave., Suite 2040, New York, NY 10110. Phone 212-730-2929. Fax 212-764-1980. Los Angeles office, phone 310-407-8642. http://www.southafrica.net.

South Africa does not maintain a tourist office in Canada.

South African Embassies

Australia: South African High Commission, Corner State Circle and Rhodes Place, Yarralumla, ACT 2600. Phone 02-6272-7300. Fax 02-6272-7364. http://www.sahc.org.au.

Canada: South African High Commission, 15 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, ON K1M 1M8. Phone 613-744-0330. Fax 613-741-1639. http://www.southafrica-canada.ca.

U.K.: South African High Commission, South Africa House, Trafalgar Square, London WC2N 5DP. Phone 20-7451-7299. Fax 20-7451-7283. The consular office is at 15 Whitehall, London SW1A 2DD. Phone 20-7925-8900. Fax 20-7925-8930. http://www.southafricahouse.com.

U.S.: Embassy of South Africa, 3051 Massachusetts Ave. N.W., Washington, DC 20016. Phone 202-232-4400. Fax 202-265-1607. http://www.saembassy.org.

Foreign Embassies in South Africa

Australian High Commission, 292 Orient St., Arcadia 0083, Pretoria. Phone 012-423-6000. Fax 012-342-8442. http://www.australia.co.za.

Canadian High Commission, 1103 Arcadia St., Hatfield 0083, Pretoria. Phone 012-422-3000. Fax 012-422-3052. http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/southafrica.

British High Commission, 255 Hill St., Arcadia 0083, Pretoria. Phone 012-421-7500. Fax 012-421-7555. The consular office is at Liberty Life Place, 256 Glyn St., Hatfield 0083, Pretoria. Phone 012-421-7801. Fax 012-421-7877. There is a consulate in Cape Town on the 15th Floor, Southern Life Center, 8 Riebeck St. Phone 021-405-2400. Fax 021-405-2448. http://www.britishhighcommission.gov.uk/southafrica.

U.S. Embassy, 877 Pretorius St., Arcadia 0083, Pretoria. Phone 012-431-4000. Fax 012-342-2299. http://southafrica.usembassy.gov.com.

Beyond the Miracle: Inside the New South Africa by Allister Sparks (Jonathan Ball Publishers). Opinionated and often controversial, Sparks assesses life in South Africa since the transition from apartheid to democracy. His other titles, The Mind of South Africa and Tomorrow Is Another Country are also worth a look.

Cry, the Beloved Country by Alan Paton (Scribner). A classic—written with simplicity and compassion that reflects the deep conflicts that existed in South Africa during the apartheid years and still linger today.

Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela (Little Brown and Co.). This autobiography covers the great statesman's life from childhood, through the antiapartheid struggle, prison, freedom and finally as the leader of a racially united country.

Story of an African Farm by Olive Schreiner (Dover Publications) is an oldie but goodie. First published in 1883 under the male pseudonym Ralph Iron, this provocative novel advocates views considered radical even by today's standards.

The Afrikaners: A Biography of a People by Hermann Giliomee (Tafelberg Publishers). This book gives a detailed history of the Afrikaner people and their political development.

A History of South Africa by Leonard Thompson (Yale University Press). This is probably the most balanced and insightful one-volume history on the market.

Country of My Skull by Antjie Krog (Three River Press). Fascinating but harrowing account of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission headed up by Bishop Desmond Tutu following the collapse of apartheid.

Kaffir Boy: An Autobiography by Mark Mathabane (Free Press). This is a candid and riveting account of growing up in 1970s South Africa, at the height of apartheid.

Any of the novels or short-story collections by South Africa's Nobel Prize-winning authors Nadine Gordimer and J.M. Coetzee, who won the Booker Prize for Disgrace and The Life and Times of Michael K.

Another recommended novelist is Andre Brink, whose books An Instant in the Wind and Rumors of Rain were both shortlisted for the Booker Prize, and whose The Other Side of Silence won the Commonwealth Writers Prize for the Africa Region.