SOUTH AFRICA TRAVEL INFORMATION GUIDE
South Africa has the world’s richest floral kingdom, which produces brief but bright and colourful flowering season. You can enjoy the flowering season in the spring months of August and September, when specialist flower viewing trips are run and almost every small town has a flower show.
As well as a vast variety of endemic and migratory birds, South Africa is also home to one-sixth of the world’s marine species along its 2954 km of coast.
Most visitors to South Africa go in hope of seeing the infamous Big 5 – which consists of Lion, Buffalo, Leopard, Elephant and Rhino – in their natural habitat, you can consider yourself very lucky if you see 3 or 4 of these and it is very rare to see all 5 in a single visit to one of the many game reserves in area, but it is possible at the nearby Addo Elephant National Park.
A Few Facts About South Africa
- The world’s largest land mammal – the African elephant
- The world’s smallest mammal – a shrew the size of a human fingertip
- The world’s tallest mammal – the giraffe
- The world’s fastest mammal – the cheetah
- The world’s heaviest reptile – the leatherback turtle
- The world’s largest antelope – the eland
- The world’s largest bird – the ostrich
- The world’s heaviest flying bird – the Kori Bustard
- 900 species of birds -10% of the world’s variety on 1% of its land area
- 6000 different spiders
- 175 varieties of scorpion
- 100 different snakes
Important Phone Numbers
Ambulance & Fire Emergency – 10177
National Sea Rescue Institute – +27 21 434 4011
AIDS Helpline – 0800 012 322
Emergency Contraception Hotline – 0800 246 432
Flight Information Hotline – 086 72 77 888
LifeLine Counselling Line – 0861 322 322
Malaria Hotline – +27 82 234 1800
Medic-Alert Emergency Medical Information – +27 84 194 4444 or +27 21 461 0000
Netcare911 – 092 911
Poison Hotline – +27 21 931 6129
Snake/Scorpion/Spider Bite Hotline – +27 21 931 6129
Baz Bus – +27 21 439 2323
Local Telephone Directory Assistance – 1023
International Telephone Directory Assistance – 903
Tourist Information Hotline – +27 83 123 6789
South Africa Time
South Africa Banking
Tipping
Value-added-tax (VAT) is charged on most items. Foreign visitors to South Africa can have their 14% VAT refunded (value of purchases exceed R250.00). VAT is refunded at the point of departure provided receipts are produced.
South Africa Languages
Climate & Weather
The Sun
The Seasons
Autumn – February to April
Winter – May to July
Spring – August to October
Medical Health
Medical Facilities
The Water
Malaria
South Africa Public Holidays
Human Rights Day – 21 March
Good Friday (the Friday before Easter Sunday)
Family Day (the Monday after Easter Sunday)
Freedom Day – 27 April
Workers Day – 1 May
Youth Day – 16 June
Women’s Day – 9 August
Heritage Day – 24 September
Day of Reconciliation – 16 December (traditionally the start of South Africa summer vacations)
Christmas Day – 25 December
Day of Goodwill – 26 December
If a public holiday falls on a Sunday, the Monday following becomes a public holiday.
South Africa Visa's
Services to foreigners
General visa information
Supplemental visa information
Visa application form