BEST TIME TO VISIT AND THINGS TO DO

1. Birding

South Africa ranks as one of the top birding destinations in the world with approximately 850 recorded species. Birding facilities are well developed throughout the nation.

The central grasslands around the Wakkerstroom (where Mpumalanga, the Free State and KwaZulu Natal meet) are a key area for birders with specials including Rudd's and Botha's larks, yellow breasted and African rock pitpits, bush blackcap, blue and white-bellied korhaans, Stanley's bustard, the blue grey-crowned and wattled cranes, southern bald ibis and white-winged flufftail.

The tropical north-eastern part of KwaZulu Natal features the Woodward's (green) barbet, known only from the Ngoye forest, the palmnut vulture, the African broadbill, Neergard's sunbird, Rudd's apalis, Delegorgue's pigeon, the Knysna and Livingstone turacos and the southern banded snake eagle.

In the low-lying bush area running from Kruger National Park (east) to the Drakensberg escarpment (west) are large populations of birds typical of African game reserves including raptors (martial eagle, tawny eagle, brown snake eagle, African hawk eagle, Wahlberg's eagle, steppe eagle and the lesser spotted eagle), saddlebilled stork, southern ground hornbill, ostrich and kori bustard. Along the western edge of the lowveld lies the escarpment, which includes the taita falcon, the bat hawk and the cape parrot.

From Cape Town in the Western Cape, pelagic trips are taken to see albatrosses, shearwaters, petrels and storm petrels. Sightings are good all year but best in winter. Endemic in the province include fybnbos specials such as the orange-breasted sunbird, the Cape sugarbird, the Cape siskin, the protea seedeater and the hottentot buttonquail. The West Coast National Park, which includes the Langebaan Lagoon, attracts huge numbers of waders from their Artic breeding ground during the southern summer and is particularly important for the curlew sandpiper. Close to Cape Town, the Cape of Good Hope offers the hottentot buttonquail and a variety of seabirds, while the nearby Boulders Beach National Park at Simonstown has an accessible and thriving African penguin colony.

2. Cape Town and Winelands

The icon of South Africa, Table Mountain stands in the centre of Cape Town and offers a host of hiking trails. A cable car whisks visitors to the top where fantastic panoramic views can be enjoyed.

Dubbed the "African Riveria" the Cape Town beach culture is one of the country's main tourism draws. Popular sandy stretches include Camps Bay and Clifton Beach.

Called the "Cape of Good Hope" and the "Cape of Storms" Cape Point was first rounded by Portuguese explorer Bartholomeu Diaz in 1488. On his way to India, Vasco de Gama followed soon after, in 1497. Wild and windswept, today's Point is part of the Cape Peninsula National Park that features ostrich, antelope and a stunning array of indigenous flora.

Adventure sports are the lifeblood of the region's backpacking industry and there is no shortage of adrenaline-producing activity on offer. Most popular are shark cage diving, abseiling, kloofing, mountain biking, paragliding, microlighting, sea kayaking, surfing and rock climbing.

Cape Town's European feel extends to both nightlife and shopping and the V+A Waterfront features both, which might explain why it is the most highly trafficked tourist destination in Africa. Other popular nightlife destinations are Long Street in the centre of town and Camps Bay (in the summer) and de Waterkant in Green Point.

The Cape wine tradition dates back 350 years and today's labels are garnering increasing global attention and admiration. Vineyards and wineries throughout the region are open for tours and tastings and the most popular guided route takes visitors through the picturesque towns of Franschoek, Paarl, Somerset West and Stellenbosch

3. Game viewing

Game Viewing in South Africa is a booming business and there are ample opportunities across the country to enjoy the Big Five (elephant, lion, rhino, leopard and buffalo) and more than 200 other species. The country's most famous Big Five areas include the massive Kruger National Park and surrounding private reserves (Sabi Sands, Timbavati, Thornybush etc), the Hluhluwe Umfolozi Park in KwaZulu Natal and Pilanesberg in the North West province.

Big Five game parks in the Eastern Cape are in a malaria free zone.

The best time for game viewing is in September and October, before the summer rains

South African game lodges regularly win International awards for being the best and most romantic destinations in the world

4. Hiking

Single and multi-day trails exist throughout the country across a variety of landscapes. Popular treks include safari walks, mountain hikes and wilderness trails. A great source for exploring more than 100 of these is the Footprint Hiking Club (website www.footprint.co.za).

Late winter and early summer are the best times for hiking as at the height of summer it can be hot over most of the country. In the Drakensberg, summer thunderstorms are dangerous, while there is a good chance of snow in the winter. In the Cape, the winters are wet, so hiking can be a bit hardcore.

The 43 km Otter trail along the Tsitsikamma coast in the Eastern Cape is the most popular hike in the country. Taking five days to complete, the route leads hikers through lush forests, rugged shorelines, the mountain streams and waterfalls. It is strenuous with lots of ups and downs, but the distances aren't too great. Those wanting a more relaxing trek might prefer the Dolphin Trail which covers similar terrain to the Otter Trail, even joining up with it in places, but instead of hiking huts visitors stay in fully catered guest houses and have their packs transported to the next overnight spot by vehicle. Both trails require advance booking with SA National Parks.

The Amatola Trail in the Eastern Cape takes hikers on a tour through breathtaking mountain scenery, indigenous forests, waterfalls and moutain pools. It starts close to King Williamstown and ends at Hogsback and takes five days to complete. Advance booking is required (Department of Water Affairs and Forestry +27 (0) 43 642 2571).

The 44 kms guided St. Lucia Wilderness trail covers a range of habitats including dune forests, seascapes, lakes and pans. Watch out for the hippo and crocodile. Booking should be made through Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife (Tel: +27 (0) 33 845 1000, www.kznwildlife.com).

For an even wilder experience, visitors can hike for days in the Cedarberg, near Cape Town, or in the Drakensberg in KwaZulu-Natal, without seeing a hut or a route marker. These are designated wilderness areas and all that is needed is a map and a permit. Nights are spent sleeping under the stars or in convenient caves.

5. Culture

South Africa has an active history spanning more than one hundred thousand years. Highlights include prehistoric rock art and fossil sites, evidence of great civilizations, colonial architecture, battlefields, cultural strongholds and civil right proving grounds.

The earliest named inhabitants of the regions were the hunter-gatherer "San" and the pastoral "Khoekhoe" . Together the two groups are known as "Khoisan" and evidence of their long tenure can be found at rock art sites around the country, particularly in the Cedarberg and Drakensberg mountain ranges.

The colonial area began in 1652 when the Dutch East India Company dispatched Jan van Riebeeck and 90 men to present day Cape Town. Their mission was to develop and manage a vegetable garden to supply ships traveling between Europe and the East. Much evidence of these early settlers, including the Company garden, still exists today.

Having hosted a significant number of bloody conflicts including the Zulu, Voortrekker-Zulu, Anglo-Zulu and Anglo-Boer wars, KwaZulu Natal is a must for battlefield enthusiasts. Towns of particular interst are Charlestown, Dundee, Glencoe, Ladysmith, Newcastle, Rorke's Drift, Utrecht, Volksrust and Vryheid.

Apartheid and the countering struggle for democracy shaped modern day South Africa and excellent windows in the troubled times include the Apartheid Museum in Johannesburg, Robben Island in Cape Town, the Nelson Mandela National Museum in Umtata (Mthatha Eastern Cape) and a host of smaller museums and exhibits across the country

6. World Heritage Sites

South Africa is home to seven of the world's official heritage sites, as determined by UNESCO's World Heritage committee.

Robben Island in the Western Cape is most famous as the place where Nelson Mandela, the first democratically elected president of South Africa, was imprisoned for 18 of his 27 years in jail. The island has become the symbol of the triumph of democracy and freedom over oppression.

The Greater St Lucia Wetland Park in KwaZulu-Natal has one of the largest estuary systems in Africa and the continent's southern most coral reefs. In granting it World Heritage status in 1999 the World Heritage Committee noted the park's "exceptional biodiversity including some 521 bird species."

The Cradle of Humankind in Gauteng and the North West has one of the world's richest concentration of hominid fossils, evidence of human evolution over the last 3,5 million years. In granting the Cradle World Heritage status for its cultural significance, the World Heritage Committee note that the sites "throw light on the earliest ancestors of humankind. They constitute a vast reserve of scientific information, the potential of which is enormous."

The uKhlhlamba Drakensberg park in KwaZulu-Natal has outstanding natural beauty, Africa's highest mountain range south of Kilimanjaro, and the largest and most concentrated series of rock art paintings in Africa, making it a World Heritage site of both natural and cultural significance.

Mapungubwe in Limpopo was South Africa's first kingdom, and developed into the subcontinent's largest realm, lasting 400 years before it was abandoned in the 14th century. Its highly sophisticated people traded gold and ivory with China, India and Egypt.

The Cape Floral region is a stretch of land and sea spanning 90,0000 square kilometers in the Eastern and Western Cape. The area takes up 0.04% of the world's land area yet contains an astonishing 3% of its plant species. This makes it one of the richest areas for plants in the world and one of the globe's 18 biodiversity hot spots. The rich diversity of the Cape Floral Region contributes to South Africa having the third-highest level of biodiversity in the world.

In the Free State and North West Provinces, the Vredefort Dome is an enormous meteorite impact crater dating back two billion years. The world has about 130 crater structures of possible impact origin. The Vredfort Dome is among the top three and is the oldest and largest clearly visible meteorite impact site in the world.

CAPITAL: The legislative capital is Cape Town and the administrative capital is Pretoria

CLIMATE:
South Afria has two seasons, summer and winter.
Summer runs November to April and is generally hot and sunny. With the exception of the Western Cape, the country receives the majority of its annual rainfall during this season and it's usually in the form of strong afternoon thundershowers . On the interior (around Johannesburg) the altitude keeps the average summer temperatures below 30° C. Other areas of the country, particularly the Karoo and around Kruger, experience notably higher temperature of 40°.

Winter runs May to October and, with the exception of the Western Cape, is generally crisp and sunny during the day and cold at night. The Western Cape gets most of its rain during this season and the high mountain of the Cape and the Drakensburg (in KwaZulu Natal) usually get snow.

COMMUNICATIONS:
The international country code for South Africa is +27. The major cellular carriers are Vodacom (www.vodacom.co.za) which operate on GSM900 and WCDMA 2100; MTN (which operates on GSM 900 ad WCDMA 2100; and CellC (www.cellc.co.za) which operates on GSM 1800. Vodacom and MTN support Blackberry

Cellular phones are available for hire at most major airports.

Internet cafes are available in all major cities and many smaller towns.
Internet services provider include MWeb (www.mweb.co.za). In Cape Town and Johannesburg there are occasional wireless hotspots.

ELECTRICITY:

220V. Plug types are the round three pin and round two pin.

LANGUAGE:
South Africa has 11 official languages but English predominates and is spoken in almost every corner of the country.

OFFICIAL HOLIDAYS:

• New Year's Day - 1st January
• Human Rights Day - 21st March
• Good Friday ·
• Family Day - Monday after Good Friday
• Freedom Day - 27th April
• Worker's Day - 1st May
• Youth Day - 16th June
• Women's Day - 9th August
• Heritage Day - 24th September
• Day of Reconcilliation - 16th December
• Christmas Day - 25th December
• Day of Goodwill Day - after Christmas Day
  

TIME:

2 hours ahead of GMT. South Africa does not observe daylight savings time changes.

ENTERING AND GETTING AROUND:

Arrival by Air:
South Africa's primary port of entire for most international travelers is Oliver Tambo International Airport in Gauteng. +27(0)11-921-6262. It is serviced by

• South African Airways
• British Airways
• Air France
• Cathay Pacific
• Egypt Air
• KLM
• Lufthansa
• Air Mauritius
• Emirates
• Iberia
• El Al
• Singapore Airlines
• Virgin Atlantic and many others

The main airport for Cape Town is Cape Town International +27(0) 21-921-6262
It is serviced by

• South African Airways
• British Airways
• Air Namibia
• KLM
• Lufthansa
• Singapore Airlines
• Virgin Atlantic

The main airport for Durban is Durban International +27(0)31-451-6758

CUSTOMS
South African customs passenger allowances entitle visitors to bring new or used goods fo up to ZAR 3000 in valvue into the country without paying any duty. For additional goods, new or used, of up to ZAR12,000 in value visitors are charged a flat rate of 20% duty. Therafter normal customs duties apply.

Duty Free allowance of
200 cigarettes or 20 cigars or 250 gms tobacco.
two liters of wine and one litre of spirit.
50 ml of perfume and 250 ml of eau de toilette.

Alcohol and tobacco allowances only apply to people over 18. All currency must be declared on entering the country.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

A valid passport is required to enter South Africa. The date of expiry should be at least six months after the visitor intends to end his/her stay in the country

Passports must have at least two blank visa pages for the purpose of endorsement. The blank pages needed for endorsement purposes excludes pages in a passport reserved for observations and amendments. There have been several high profile cases of visitors being deported for not observing this requirement.

INTERNAL TRAVEL

South Africa has 728 airports, 146 of which have paved runways. The national carrier South African Airways offers scheduled flights between Johannesburg, Cape Town

HEALTH

African Tick Bite Fever :
Tick bites are commong in South Africa and travellers are advised to wear protective clothing

Cholera / Dysentery
Endemic to several provinces and especially prevalent during the rainy season. Drinking water should be filtered and boiled or bought in brand bottles with unbroken seals. Food purchased from local street vendors may not meet adequate hygiene standards.

HIV/AIDS
Infection rate amongst the adult population is estimated at 21.5%.

Immunization
Immunization is recommended against hepatitis A, polio, tetanus and typhoid. Yellow fever, small pox and cholera inoculations are only necessary if visiting or passing through an infected area.

Insurance
Insurance is very strongly recommended as ability to pay must usually be demonstrated before treatment is given. Travellers should confirm that their existing policy meets their needs (including medical evacuation) prior to departure.

Malaria
According to the World Health Organisation "Malaria risk is primarily due to P.falciparum and exists thoughout the year in the low altitude area of the Mpumalanga Province (including Kruger National Park), Northern Province and north-eastern KwaZulu Natal as far south as the Tugela River. Risk is highest from October to May. Resistance to chloroquinine and sufladoxine-pyrimethamine is reported"

Schistomsomiasis/Bilharzia
Endemic in the north and east. Travellers are advised to avoid shallow, stagnant water. For more information on Schistomsomiasis visit the WHO website (www. who.int/wormcontrol/en or the CDC at www.cdc.gov/ncidad/dpd/parasites/schistosomiasis/der/ault.htm.).

Hospitals and Clinics
South Africa has and excellent health care infrastructure and in many disciplines it is ranked amongst the best in the world. Private medical facilities in cities and larger towns are world-class, but clinics and hospitals in rural area offer far more basic service. In very remote areas evacuation may be required.

MONEY

ATM's
Available in all towns at shopping malls, airports and most large filling stations

Credit Cards
Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Diners Club cards are widely accepted by most vendors. However some smaller vendors might only accept Visa and Mastercard, so visitors are advised not to rely exclusively on American Express and Diners. Travellers intending to pay major expenses (i.e accommodation, car hire etc) should confirm with their choses supplier in advance. Cash advances on credit cards are available at banks. Note credit cards can NOT be used to purchase fuel at filling stations.

Currency
The official currency is the Rand (ZAR) which has smaller units (coins) called cents. (R1.00=100 cents). Banknotes are available in denominations of R10, R20, R50, R100, R200. Coins are available in denominations of R1, R2, and R5 and cents at 50c, 20c, 10c and 5c

Currency Controls
There are no restrictions on the importation of foreign currency into South Africa, but any currency should be declared on arrival. Foreigners may import up to a maximum of R5,000 of South African rands into South Africa.. The export of currency is limited to R160,000 South African Rands

Foreign Exchange
Money can be changed at banks and government-authorised bureaux de change. Bureaux de change can be found in the cities and larger towns, at large shopping malls and at international airports.

Travellers Cheques
Travellers cheques can be changed at banks and bureaux de change and are often accepted by accommodation establishments and tourism vendors. That being said, visitors who intend settling major expenses using traveller's cheques are advised to check with their supplier in advance.

SAFETY

According to the UK Foreign and Commonswealth Office (www.fco.gov.uk)

"South Africa is actively addressing the issue of crime. It does have a high level of crime but in most cases occur in the townships and isolated areas away from the normal tourist destinations. Consult a reliable rour guide if you are visitng a township. The risk to visitors traveling to the main destinations is low. If you are mugged or your car is hijacked you should remain calm, offer no resistance and hand over possessions without question.

The South African authorities give high priority to protecting tourists. Tourism police are deployed in several of the large towns

South Africa actively promotes and HIV/AIDS awareness campaign, but given the level of HIV/AIDS in he country, you should seek immediate medical advise if you are sexually assaulted or otherwise injured.

As elsewhere, thieves like to operate at international airports, bus and railways stations. Passport theft is common. You should carry photocopies of your passport with you. Keep you baggage with you at all times. Keep large amounts of money, expensive jewellery, cameras and cell phones out of sight. Do not change large sums of money in busy public areas.

For your convenience and safety, you may wish to carry a mobile cellular phone with you at all times. Most UK cell phones, with international roaming facility, work in South Africa. You should check with your UK network operator before traveling. Alternatively, cell phones can be hired on arrival at the main international airports. Do not give personal or financial account information details to unknown parties. There are international fraud rings operation in South Africa, as there are in othere parts of the world, who may target visitors, foreign businessmen and charities.

Johannesburg, like other major international cities, has specific risk areas. You should avoid Berea and Hillbrow. There is a high level of muggings around the Rotunda bus terminus in the Central Business District.

In all areas of South Africa, you should be cautious when out after dark. Streets, even in urban areas, are not brightly lit at night. Be vigilant at all times in Durban's city centre and beachfront area. Keep to the main roads and avoid driving at night when visitng Northern KwaZulu Natal and Zululand, as there have been incidents of hi-jacking and robbery, particularly on lonely secondary roads.

You should park in well-lit areas. Do not pick up strangers. Do not stop to assist (apparently) distressed motorists, as this is a technique sometimes used by hi-jackers. It is better to report the incident to the police.

Be vigilant on the approach roads to and from Kruger park where there have been cases of car hijacking. The local authorities have increased police patrols in this area. Avoid isolated beaches and picnic spots across South Africa. Walking alone anywhere, especially in remote areas, is not advised. Call the police (on 10111) (112 from cell phones)) at the first sign of a threat.

There have been attackers on hikers and tourists on Table Mountain. You should be cautious when in the quieter areas of the Park, especially in the early morning or just before the Park closes. Park authorities who are trying to address this problem recommend that visitors should walk in groups and take all the appropriate precautions.