South Africa

From the shrublands of Kruger National Park, home to Africa’s Big Five and more, the forests and lagoons of the Garden Route, and the lush Winelands to the wild beaches and rugged cliffs at the Cape of Good Hope, the historic battlefields and dramatic Drakensberg Mountains of KwaZulu-Natal, the cosmopolitan city of Cape Town beneath Table Mountain and the sprawling city of Johannesburg, the Rainbow Nation is a veritable melting pot of diverse cultures and histories as rich and variable as the land itself. Blessed with a great climate year-round, and such diversity, South Africa is a treasure for travellers of all interests.

KEY FACTS BEFORE YOU GO:

• Capital: Cape Town (legislative), Pretoria (administrative), and Bloemfontein (judicial)


• Currency: South African rand


• Time Difference: South Africa Standard Time is 1 hour AHEAD of BST, and 2 hours AHEAD of GMT


• Flight time: Fly to Johannesburg from 11 hours, to Cape Town from 11.5 hours, or to Durban from 11 hours and 45 minutes


• Official language: South Africa has ten official languages, and at least 35 different spoken languages. Official languages include Zulu, Afrikaans, Xhosa, Venda, Tswana, Tsonga, SiSwati, Sotho, Northern Sotho, and Ndebele.


• Entry requirements: Visas are not required if visiting for less than 90 days. Passports are technically required to have at least 30 days' validity beyond the intended date of departure, but some immigration officials may request that a passport should have at least six months' validity on the date of entry, so it is advisable to ensure that your passport meets this requirement. Passports should have at least one blank page if a visa is not required (if it is, then passports should have at least two blank pages). Please read here for the specific entry requirements for traveling with children (under 18), as additional documentation may be required as per the Immigration Act 2015.


• Vaccinations and Health: You should always ensure that you travel with adequate travel health insurance. For up-to-date information, please check this website (as recommended by the Foreign Office): https://travelhealthpro.org.uk/country/201/south-africa#Vaccine_recommendations. If vaccinations are required, it is generally advisable to arrange an appointment with a health professional four to six weeks before departure.

General information on travel vaccinations can be found on the NHS website: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/travel-vaccinations/

To find out more, and for the most up-to-date advice: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/south-africa