South Africa is a large country with so much to offer to its visitors. Whether you’re looking for an unforgettable Safari holiday or an adventurous road trip, South Africa will surely capture your attention as a travel destination. As a lover of wildlife and natural beauty, it’s perhaps not surprising that I’ve ended up travelling there twice. I’m sure you’ll love your trip, but as with all travels, it’s vital to be prepared. Below are my picks for the things you need to know before visiting South Africa.
Disclaimer: posts may contain affiliate links. If you purchase a product after clicking on these links, I make a commission at no extra cost to you. Visit my privacy policy for further information.
How to get around
Renting a car is the most common way tourists get around when visiting South Africa. It’s relatively cheaper than Europe or the US, and highways are in good condition. On top of those reasons, South Africa is perfect for road tripping. The Garden Route especially is a scenic stretch of road with plenty of stops to explore along the way. Renting a car would give you the most freedom to explore the country, both locally and long distance, at your own pace. I would recommend using DiscoverCars to find a rental car before visiting South Africa. In my experience, they have the best prices of any other platform and a wide range of providers.
If you’re thinking of renting a car on your next trip, check out this article for the best tips to save money and have a smooth rental experience.
The best alternative is to join an organised tour. There are many tour operators throughout South Africa and they offer a variety of options. You may choose day-trips that cover many locations in one day. Or if you prefer to take things slower and cover a larger area, multi-day tours would be a better option. While you would have less freedom compared to renting your own car, organised tours are still a great option to visit South Africa, particularly for first-timers. You would take advantage of the guides’ local knowledge and the increased safety of being in a group. My first time in South Africa was on an organised trip, and the local knowledge I learned has been invaluable to plan my next trip independently. If you are interested in an organised tour, Viator has a great selection for trips all over South Africa, with flexible and secure booking.
When it comes to public transport, local buses and trains are not usually recommended due to safety and reliability issues. Local taxis can be a good option to get around cities more safely, but beware of minibus taxis. These are not common in Europe and the US, so you may not be familiar with them. They are minibuses that leave from a bus station and head to a specific area or neighbourhood. They then ask passengers where they want to go and drop them off at their desired location. In essence, they’re a hybrid between buses and taxis, they are quite cheap and commonly used by locals. However, their safety can vary drastically between areas and if you want to use them, make sure to get local advice first on whether it’s be safe to do so.
If you’re looking at travelling between cities, there is the option of flying or taking long-distance trains. Unlike local public transport, South African long-distance trains are in good condition and safe to use. In addition, there are both budget options and more luxurious offerings, which are increasingly popular with visitors. If interested, check out the SA Rail website, which contains useful information on all the routes that luxury trains take.
Tips for driving in South Africa
I found it quite easy to drive in South Africa and I never experienced particularly dangerous situations on the road. However, the country still has a high accident rate, so it’s vital to take some precautions. The first is to avoid driving at night as much as possible. The main reason for this is the high incidence of drunk driving, which makes the risks of accidents much higher at night. Secondly, South African roads, including highways, often have pedestrians on them. This is especially a problem outside urban areas, where roads often have no lighting.
My second tip for driving in South Africa is to always carry some food and water in the car, and make sure to have enough fuel in the tank. Even locally, distances are often long and, with the low population density, petrol stations and stores can be scarce. You should check your route carefully for petrol stations and places to grab some food, and have enough provisions for the inevitable remote stretches.
When travelling long distances, you should also check the route to make sure that it sticks to main roads and highways. Main roads will be in good condition and have amenities along the way, whereas remote roads can often be unpaved and far from any services. I ended up driving on an unpaved road for about 20 miles (~30 km) once and, while it was in good condition, I had to drive carefully and slowly, which delayed our arrival time. On top of that, it was so isolated that we didn’t see a town or any services the whole time. So, if a breakdown had happened we could have been in trouble. Everything was fine in the end for us, but I still would recommend sticking to the safety of main roads.
Tips for Safaris
It’s important to know how you can join safaris before visiting South Africa. There are broadly two options: national parks and private game reserves. I have experienced both during my trips to the country, and I will say that both are amazing, but offer quite different experiences. It’s therefore important to know what to expect from both and choose the option that best suits your needs.
Let’s start from what they have in common. First, they both cover large areas of sprawling wilderness and you can see the big 5 and other animals in their natural habitat. Second, they both offer options to make your trip easier: they can organise everything for you, including picking you up from the airport on arrival, meals and accommodation. Third, there are usually options to suit every budget in both private and national reserves.
The main difference, in my opinion, is that private game reserves often cover much smaller areas, and rangers can find animals much more easily. I got to see much more wildlife in a private reserve than in the Kruger park. However, this can vary between parks and even different areas of national parks, so it’s not an absolute rule.
The other big difference is that you can visit national parks independently and drive your own vehicle. You would have to pay a daily conservation fee on entry, but you would be free to explore once inside. Just remember to keep your windows all the way up! While private reserves often cater to day-trippers, it’s usually not possible to drive around in your own car. Instead, you would have to reach the main area of the reserves and pay for a game drive with a ranger.
While I would recommend staying overnight in either kind of reserve, it’s also possible to stay outside and only visit for the day. In private reserves you would usually have to drive there or arrange pick-up and drop-off directly with them. In national parks you would have more options: aside from driving yourself, many independent tour operators would be able to pick you up for game drives. I highly recommend checking out Viator to find the best day-trips available at any national park and book with confidence.
Take personal safety seriously in South Africa
The country has a very high crime rate, but most visits are trouble-free. This is mainly due to the heavy policing of tourist areas. In my visits to South Africa, I never had any bad experiences but I was also constantly given advice on how to stay safe and what areas to avoid. I found this principle to be the best to abide by: always follow local advice.
While it is perfectly possible to have a trouble-free and pleasant holiday in South Africa, it’s vital to be prepared and avoid potentially dangerous situations. I have a separate post on how to stay safe in South Africa, where I explore this topic in more detail. I would highly recommend giving it a read when planning your trip. It’s vital to learn more about safety considerations before visiting South Africa.
Seasons in South Africa
Most Western travellers will visit in the summer, which will be winter in South Africa. This is actually a very good time to visit the country, as the local winter is very mild compared to most European countries and most areas of North America. Temperatures are not too low and there are plenty of glorious sunny days, so it’s still possible to enjoy outdoor activities and time at the beach. However, the weather can be unpredictable and temperatures can fluctuate, so it’s vital to bring warm clothing. This is especially a problem when going on game drives, where you’ll be in open-air vehicles. Many operators will provide warm and windproof clothing for the drives, but I would still recommend bringing fleeces and windproof jackets.
Another reason to bring warm clothing is that most South African hotels and houses do not have heating. If they do, they will likely have plugged-in electric heating rather than central heating. Temperatures indoors can therefore get quite cold, so it’s vital to have warm clothes to stay comfortable.
The South African summer months are popular with visitors taking advantage of Christmas holidays. They have longer days, hotter temperatures and sunnier weather. However, there are some disadvantages in visiting during the local summer. First, the northern regions can get very hot and dry, so it’s important to always carry enough water. Second, most of South Africa experiences little rainfall during the summer, which can lead to water shortages and increased risks of wildfires. Third, some areas are at risk of malaria in the summer period, including the Kruger National Park. Therefore, I would recommend taking malaria tablets if visiting in the affected period. Check out this link for information on how to access malaria tablets in the UK. If you’re in the US, more information is available here.
Both seasons are great for visiting South Africa, but bear all this in mind when deciding when to go.
Be careful when swimming in the ocean
South Africa is filled with breathtaking beaches, but swimming in the ocean can present various challenges. It’s therefore important to learn about safety in the ocean before visiting beaches in South Africa.
First, sharks are common throughout the coast. Shark attacks are still statistically extremely rare and where lifeguards are present, there will usually be shark spotters who will warn swimmers and surfers to leave the water. I would recommend sticking to swimming in beaches with active lifeguards and spotting services and avoid isolated beaches.
Another reason to be careful when swimming is the water temperature. The water is very cold throughout the year, especially in the Atlantic Ocean, and many incidents of hypothermia occur. Therefore, consider wearing a wet suit and not staying in the water for a very long time.
In addition, always be careful of rip currents. They are a common menace in ocean beaches throughout the world and it can be dangerous if you are caught in one. Most life-guarded beaches will have signs warning visitors of the presence of rip currents. Read this article to learn how to behave safely if caught in a rip current.
Power outages may occur
Occasional power cuts for load-shedding have taken place for years in South Africa. However, they have gotten worse recently as the country grapples with an energy crisis. The situation is constantly changing and it’s hard to predict what will happen during your visit. I would recommend staying up to date on the news in the lead-up to your trip and seeking advice from locals. Your hosts will be more than happy to help.
Grab a South African power adapter
South Africa uses its own power sockets and it’s important to buy an adapter. South African travel adapters are not commonly found in shops, but are easily available on Amazon. Alternatively, they are sold at airports in South Africa and you can buy one on arrival. Buying them on Amazon will probably be the cheapest and easiest option. You will have an adapter before travelling to the country and avoid having to hastily look for one at the airport.
