Travel to South Africa

South Africa at a glance

Why visit South Africa

A rainbow nation with a lot of country in it

If you want to travel to South Africa for its variety, you are in the right place: desert in the northwest, subtropical coast in the east and a Mediterranean climate around Cape Town, all in one country.

Places to see

Cape Town, Johannesburg, Durban, Kruger and the Garden Route

Distances are long. A good first trip links Cape Town with the Garden Route, then flies to Kruger.

Cape Town and the Winelands

Cape Town is the legislative capital, set between the sea and Table Mountain, whose cableway opened on 4 October 1929. The Platteklip Gorge trail takes about 2.5 hours and is very hot in summer with almost no shade. Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned, lies offshore, and the Winelands around Stellenbosch are close by.

Johannesburg and Durban

Johannesburg is the economic hub and the most common entry point to Southern Africa, and visits to townships such as Soweto are increasingly popular. Durban, the largest city in KwaZulu-Natal and the third largest in South Africa, is a coastal holiday destination with a large Indian community.

Kruger National Park

Kruger, in Mpumalanga, was established in 1926 and covers almost 20,000 km². It is a top destination for seeing the Big Five. The rainy season runs from September to May, and September and October are the driest months.

Garden Route, Gqeberha and the Drakensberg

The Garden Route runs from Mossel Bay to Gqeberha, passing Knysna and Tsitsikamma, and Oudtshoorn is a roughly 50 km detour. Gqeberha is known for beaches, Addo Elephant National Park and nearby Jeffreys Bay, a surfing destination. The Drakensberg offers hiking, rock art and peaks above 3,000 m, with Tugela Falls listed as the world's second-highest waterfall.

Getting around

Left-hand driving, domestic flights and the Baz Bus

Traffic drives on the left. Major roads are generally in good condition, but accident rates are high, speed limits are not always followed and animals on roads are common. Multiple daily flights link major centres, and low-cost carriers can be cheaper than the national airline.

Long-distance buses connect major cities, and the Baz Bus offers hop-on, hop-off travel, including Cape Town to Gqeberha via the Garden Route. Minibus taxis are cheap but poorly maintained, long-distance rail is very limited, and Bolt and Uber are available in cities.

Before you go

Where it rains, and when

Region	Climate	Rain
Cape Town and Western Cape	Mediterranean, hot dry summers and mild wet winters	Winter
Eastern Cape	Rain spread through the year	All year
Kruger and the northeast	Subtropical to tropical	September to May, driest in September and October
Northwest	Desert	Very little

Winters can be near zero in places, and summers can exceed 35 °C. School holidays, including mid-December to mid-January, make accommodation harder to find.

Many nationalities enter visa-free for 30 or 90 days, while others need an e-visa or visa; your passport should have two blank facing pages and be valid for at least 30 days after departure. Check the current rules and read your government's official travel advice before you book. Baggage theft is common at O.R. Tambo, so secure your luggage, and avoid being outside at night in areas considered unsafe.

Money and costs

Rand, cheap minibus taxis and resort prices

The currency is the rand. Minibus taxis cost about 25 cents per kilometre per person on main routes, while food and drinks bought inside tourist resorts can cost more than at outside supermarkets. Ride-hailing apps are handy in cities, and you can authenticate copies of your documents free at any police station.

Flying to South Africa

South African airports covered by SniperAir

SniperAir destinations

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FAQ

Frequently asked questions about South Africa