South Africa FAQ

South Africa’s climate is as diverse as the country itself. Western Cape Province, which boasts Cape Town, the Garden Route, and Cape winelands of Paarl, Stellenbosch, and Franschhoek among its attractions, has very different seasons to the rest of the country.

In the Western Cape, the rains arrive between May and August, peaking in July and August. The best time to visit Cape Town is therefore December through March – South Africa’s summer months. The climate is generally Mediterranean in scope, with temperatures ranging from 63°F (17°C) in July to 79°F (26°C) in January and February.

The Christmas and New Year periods are particularly popular times to visit the province. The whale watching season, based out of Hermanus, runs from early June until the beginning of December.

In the rest of the country, the weather is largely flipped. Between May and August visitors will experience sunny weather and temperatures of 75-81°F (24-27°C) on safari in Kruger National Park. This makes it peak season in South Africa’s impressive array of national parks. Cities such as Johannesburg, and the beaches of Durban, experience similar weather conditions.

September through April is hotter (peaking at 91°F / 33°C) and wetter, with around four inches (100 mm) of rain falling each month.

The best places to visit in South Africa are Cape Town, Johannesburg, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, Kruger National Park, KwaZulu-Natal, Madikwe Game Reserve, Sabi Sand Game Reserve, and The Garden Route.

A national park is an area set aside and run by a national government whereas a game reserve (aka game park or wildlife park) is a large area of land where wild animals live safely or are hunted in a controlled way for sport. If hunting is prohibited, then a game reserve may be classified as a nature reserve.

U.S. citizens require a passport valid for at least 30 days (we recommend six months), with at least two blank pages. A visa is not required for travelers who are visiting for 90 days or less. Citizens of other countries are advised to contact the South African embassy in their country before traveling.

The time zone in South Africa is UTC+2. The country observes South Africa Standard Time (SAST) all year. There are no daylight savings time clock changes.

The best way to plan a trip to South Africa is to tell us what trip you want, when you want to travel, the number of passengers, and where you want to depart from. For an existing trip, you can either call us or complete the “Get Pricing Now” form on the itinerary page. If you want a personalized tour, you can either call us, email us, or complete the “Contact Us” form on our website.

Yes. Our clients choose their own departure dates, unless there is a cruise or a group tour with a fixed departure date.

All meals are listed on each itinerary as (B,L,D) or Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner. Typically, breakfast is included daily. The other meals are either included or not, depending upon the itinerary.

We do do not include international airfare in the cost of our tours. We will, however, quote it for you and you can purchase it through us if you like. The cost of our international airfare is usually the same or lower than what you can purchase yourself. Domestic airfare may be included in the cost, depending upon the tour.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website provides recommended and/or required vaccinations for each country. For South Africa, it recommends that you should be up-to-date with routine vaccines such as Chickenpox (Varicella), Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis, Flu (Influenza), Measles-Mumps-Rubella (MMR), Polio, and Shingles. It also recommends that you get vaccinated for COVID-19, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, and Typhoid, and that you speak to your doctor about prescription medicine to prevent Malaria. Vaccination for Cholera may be considered for children and adults who are traveling to areas of active transmission (excluding Cape Town, Durban, Kruger National Park, and Port Elizabeth). Consider Rabies vaccination if you will be around dogs or wildlife. Yellow fever vaccination is required for travelers arriving from countries with risk for yellow fever virus transmission. Otherwise, it is generally not recommended for travelers to South Africa.

Yes, we recommend travel insurance and strongly believe that you should be protected in the event that something unforeseen happens either before or during your trip. We work with Allianz Travel Insurance, AIG (Travel Guard Travel Insurance), and Travelex Insurance Services.

You will need to check with your cell phone carrier prior to traveling, since every carrier is different.

Voltage: 230 V; Frequency: 50 HZ; Plugs: Type M (South African with three, thick round prongs).

There are twelve official languages of South Africa, including Zulu, Afrikaans, and English, which is the primary language used in government.