South Africa
South Africa has it all. Since moving here in December 2020, it’s been incredible to explore the country. We’ve barely begun to scratch the surface.
South Africa not only has stunning beaches and mountains but also excellent food, service, and adventure. It can cater to any kind of trip you’re interested in: off-the-beaten-path, camping & glamping, winery tours, cities, the Big Five… The country can handle your high-end or low budget.
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Visiting South Africa
When to visit South Africa
You can’t go wrong visiting South Africa at any time of the year.
If your main highlight is a safari, visit during the winter months: May to September. Why? This is the dry season in the northeastern part of the country where many of the big parks (including Kruger Park) are located. Dry season means animals are easier to spot because: (1) they congregate around waterholes/rivers and (2) there is less vegetation.
For the best summer weather, visit between November to February. If you want to visit Joburg, I highly recommend you visit in early November to see the city’s beautiful purple jacaranda bloom.
Spring and Fall months are less crowded. Your flight, accommodation, and safari trip will likely be cheaper.
A note for visiting during the Festive Season (December 16-January 16). Many shops and some restaurants are closed during this time, or for parts of it during Christmas and New Year, especially in Johannesburg when people head to the coasts and mountains. This shouldn’t affect your visit.
Getting to South Africa
- Many airlines run deals to fly into Johannesburg. From there, you can catch a domestic flight run by Comair or Fly Safari to Cape Town or another destination.
- Check if you need a visa for your nationality.
- Double-check that you have enough blank passport pages.
- Bring your yellow-fever vaccination card and your COVID vaccination card.
Getting around in South Africa
- South Africa is huge! You may end up doing a combo of car rentals for your own off-the-beaten-path adventure, pick-up service for a safari, and flights between large cities like Johannesburg and Cape Town.
- Uber is very common and safe to use in cities. Bolt is another app used in South Africa, but I don’t recommend it because every Blot driver I’ve ever taken has gotten lost.
- Road-tripping is very common in South Africa and for that you should rent a car! I also suggest renting a car in Cape Town as there is so much to do outside the city, you’ll spend too much on ubers. Use Discover Cars to find the best car rental deals.
- Check out my driving tips for South Africa.
Getting a SIM card
- Cell phone service is generally good even in more remote safari areas. There are a bunch of service providers. I’d recommend MTN or Vodacom. If you arrive in Cape Town or Joburg, there is a Vodacom and MTN desk to your right just as you exit baggage claim. The service is super fast here.
- Many restaurants and some public places have free WIFI but I would recommend getting a sim card.
- Adding data and voice bundles is cheap and easy to do online for MTN without an account. With Vodacom, you need to make a profile and have a local bank account so get enough data at the beginning (perhaps 5GB to last you a month if you’re online a lot). Or active your phone service’s roaming for emergencies.
Money Tips
- At a sit-down service, you should tip around 10% of your bill. You can add this to your bill when the server comes with the card machine.
- You’ll mostly pay by card in South Africa and some places prefer contactless payments. The “tap” payment is common as is using a 3rd party app to scan your bill and pay.
- Some lodges will not accept cards and prefer EFT (aka bank transfer). You’ll probably end up spending an extra USD $20 per international bank transfer if you need to do this.
- If you can’t pay via PayFast or another site because your card does not have 3D Authentication, check to see if the services you want to book are available on Viator or Trip Advisor. This is what I do to avoid 3D Authentication on my card because my US credit card doesn’t have that function.
Safety
- In some cities, you should be cautious just as you would in any big city. Be alert.
- Phone snatching is very common. If you’re seated outside on a street patio, you’ll be told by the host/waiters to put your phone away.
- Don’t walk around at night. Instead, opt for an Uber. Do not take a Bolt. I know it seems cheaper but the Bolt drivers have consistently gotten lost every single time I’ve used it.
- Don’t wear flashy valuables at malls and any crowded public places.
- If you’re at a cafe and want to wander around, ask the staff if they think the area is safe for you to walk around if you aren’t sure. Even locals get robbed.
- Downtown in Joburg and Cape Town you may be told you need to buy a “city pass” to walk around the downtown area. This is a scam. These people may even be wearing safety vests or hats that say “security” on them. I’ve been approached by both kinds of people in BOTH cities. I just say “no I’m not interested” and try to walk into a nearby shop or restaurant as they won’t follow me inside (from my experience). They are convincing but stay away!
Uncommon Travel Tips
- South Africa has a unique electrical plug (Type D). See what it looks like here on Amazon. It is not commonly found on universal adaptors. Purchase one (or a couple) off Amazon to make your charging life easier. Some hotels and Airbnbs will have a European outlet, but no American outlets.
COVID Travel Tips
Last updated: May 2022
- On June 22, 2022, the South African government repealed the remaining COVID-19 regulations. Travelers entering South Africa are no longer required to produce vaccination certificates or recent negative PCR tests. Masks are not required to wear indoors or outdoors. Some businesses and shopkeepers still wear masks but it’s not required.
- Check the latest requirements for entry.
