It is essential to pre-book
accommodation in South Africa well in advance for game parks, hotels, self-catering
villas & apartments and even campsites if you are planning to visit
during the school holiday season. Many places along the coast are booked
a year in advance for the December and January peak holiday season.
It is worth noting that on
public holidays banks are closed, shopping hours are often reduced and
shops close for Good Friday, Christmas day and New Year's day.
School holidays are slightly
variable for the coastal and inland provinces.
Public Holidays and School
Holidays 2009
1 January - New Year's Day
21 March - Human Rights
Day
10 April - Good Friday (Friday
before Easter Sunday)
13 April - Family Day (Monday
after Easter Sunday)
27 April - Freedom Day
1 May - Workers Day
15 June - School Holiday
16 June - Youth Day
9 August - National Women's
Day
10 August - Public Holiday
24 September - Heritage
Day
16 December - Day of Reconciliation
25 December - Christmas
Day
26 December - Day of Goodwill
School Holidays for the
Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Northern Cape, and Western Cape - 2009
6 December 2008 - 20 January
2009
4 April - 14 April
27 June - 19 July
24 September - 4 October
12 December 2009 - 12 January
2010
School Holidays for the
Free State, Gauteng, Mpumalanga, North West Province and Limpopo - 2009
6 December 2008 - 13 January
2009
28 March - 14 April
27 June - 19 July
24 September - 4 October
12 December - 12 January
2010
Public Holidays and School
Holidays 2010
1 January - New Year's Day
21 March - Human Rights
Day
22 March - Public Holiday
2 April - Good Friday (Friday
before Easter Sunday)
5 April - Family Day (Monday
after Easter Sunday)
26 April - School Holiday
27 April - Freedom Day
1 May - Workers Day
16 June - Youth Day
9 August - National Women's
Day
24 September - Heritage
Day
16 December - Day of Reconciliation
25 December - Christmas
Day
26 December - Day of Goodwill
27 December - Public Holiday
School Holidays for the
Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Northern Cape, and Western Cape - 2010
12 December 2009 - 12 January
2010
27 March - 11 April
10 June - 12 July
24 September - 3 October
11 December 2010 - January
2011
School Holidays for the
Free State, Gauteng, Mpumalanga, North West Province and Limpopo - 2010
12 December 2009 - 12 January
2010
27 March - 11 April
10 June - 12 July
24 September - 3 October
11 December 2010 - January
2011
No visas are required for visitors
who are nationals of the EU, USA, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Israel,
Brazil, Argentina, Singapore and Japan. A three month temporary visitor’s
permit is issued. However, it is advisable to check with your nearest South
African embassy or consulate. A valid passport with two empty pages is
essential. You may need to have a return fare or deposit money at customs
to cover a fare home (refundable once you leave the country). They may
also require you to show sufficient funds to support your visit.
South Africa has at least
consular representation in most countries. Link to South African Embassies
and Tourist Offices around the world.
South African Diplomatic
Missions Abroad
USA
South African Embassy Washington
3051 Massachusetts Avenue
NW Washington, DC 20008
Tel: (202) 2324400
Fax: (202) 2651607
Link to Website
Email: safrica@saembassy.org
South African Consulate
General New York
333 East 38th Street, 9th
Floor, New York, NY 10016
Tel: (212) 213-4880
Fax: (212) 213-0102
Email: sacg@southafrica-newyork.net
South African Consulate
General Los Angeles
6300 Wilshire Boulevard,
Suite 600, Los Angeles, CA 90048
Tel: (323) 651-0902
Fax: (323) 651-5969
Email: sacg@southafrica-newyork.net
South African Consulate
General Chicago
200 South Michigan Avenue,
6th Floor, Chicago, IL 60604
Tel: (312) 939-7929
Fax: (312) 939-2588
Email: sacongenchicago@worldnet.att.net
Canada
South African High Commission
Canada
15 Sussex Drive, Ottawa,
Ontario, K1M 1M8
Tel: (613) 744-0330
Fax: (613) 741-1639
Email: rsafrica@southafrica-canada.com
Pack sensibly and streamline
your luggage to the bare essentials for your own comfort. Aim to
keep your bags as light and compact as possible, especially if you are
planning to use small aircraft transfers.
Choose practical, casual,
comfortable wash and wear clothing. If you are planning to dine in upmarket
city hotel restaurants and golf clubs a jacket and tie may be required.
Hotels provide efficient same day laundry services, frequently within a
few hours.
South African Safari Holiday
Quick List
Cotton shirts
Casual, lightweight cotton
shorts and long pants (neutral coloured clothes are best for safari holidays)
A warm jacket and a fleece
for evening or early morning game drives (it can be chilly!)
Comfortable walking shoes
Swim wear
Personal toiletries
Sunscreen lotion
Binoculars, camera and accessories
Sunglasses (UVB resistant)
Wide brimmed hat
Copies of passport, traveller’s
cheques, credit cards
Essential items for your
safari in a malaria area:
Long sleeved shirts with
a high neck, long trousers and socks
Mosquito repellent – spray
and stick form (to spray on mosquito net and clothes)
Anti-malaria pills
Essential items for your
beach holiday
Windbreaker
Sarong or beach towel (if
not provided)
Tips for Packing Light
Most people come back from
holiday wishing their luggage had been a bit lighter. Aim to streamline
to the bare essentials and keep your suitcase sleek and slender.
1. Do some research. Contact
the hotel, lodge, B&B or self catering house where you've booked and
find out if they have a hairdryer, iron, beach towels, and bath towels
– leave the cumbersome stuff that is best left at home.
2. Find out about the climate
and only pack what will be suitable.
3. Choose a neutral colour
(like brown or black) as a basic and pack accessories and other items that
harmonise.
4. Obey the numbers rule
and pack for less than one week - one shirt per day, one layering fleece
and jacket, one pair of pants for every two days, two pairs of shoes and
underwear for every day. Utilize the laundry services of the hotel, the
local Laundromat or do it yourself if you're travelling for more than a
week.
5. Pack travel-size toiletries
- decant into small containers if necessary.
6. Scrutinize everything
on your bed before packing. Be ruthless and ditch whatever isn’t needed
– you’ll be glad you did!
