South Africa

GEOGRAPHY
This wonderful country consists of 9 provinces namely Northern Cape, Western Cape, Eastern Cape, Free State, Kwazulu Natal, North West Province, Eastern Transvaal/Mpumalanga, Northern province and Gauteng. It is flanked by the Indian Ocean on the east and the Atlantic on the west. So it has a coastline of 2,954 kilometres, a temperate climate and topography ranging from highveld grasslands to semi-desert to subtropical swamps. These different zones allow for diverse plant and animal kingdoms, which includes the Cape 'Fynbos'.

ECONOMY
South Africa is one of the worlds leading producers in gold and diamonds and has been since 1886. Other valuable ores that are exported include platinum, chromium, manganese and fluorine. The benevolent climate and fertile soils allow for a large range of fresh produce and tropical fruits grown and used for both domestic and export purposes. Cattle ranching wine production and fishing also form and important part of South Africa's economy.

CLIMATE
Summer temperatures average between 15 - 30C (60 - 96F). South Africa's climate is
generally mild through out the year and snow is limited to the highest mountain peaks. On a whole it is quite a dry country with rainfall about 502 mm a year. As far as sunny days are concerned South Africa ranks high in the world. Kwazulu Natal has mostly a sub tropical climate with a high humidity is summer. The Southern Gauteng has hot summers with occasional thundershowers and frosty winters, while the eastern part enjoys mild winters. The Cape interior and the Freestate have similar weather conditions to the Southern Gauteng region. The Western Cape region has a Mediterranean climate with warm, dry summers and cold, wet winters.

PLACES TO VISIT

JOHANNESBURG
Situated on the Transvaal Highveld, 5751 feet above sea level, it is the largest city and commercial centre of South Africa. The city came into being when gold was discovered in 1886, since then it has grown from a shantytown to a modern sophisticated city. Johannesburg is the main gateway to the major tourist regions of Southern Africa.

NORTH WEST
A popular tourist attraction is Sun City, situated in the North West Province, just over an hour and a half's drive from Johannesburg. Here you will find yourself on the southern boundary of the Pilanesberg Game reserve. The are many upmarket leisure options and sporting facilities of every description, championship boxing, casinos, cinemas, excellent restaurants and star studded extravaganzas.

MPUMALANGA
This region is well known for its spectacular scenery, wildlife and historical interest. En route to the Kruger National Park, you have the advantage of some stunning scenery. The Mac Mac pools are worth stopping for and you can treat yourself to a swim in the crystal clear pools. A small detour leads you to the town of Pilgrim's rest, a historic gold rush town well worth exploring before you continue on to Blyderivierspoort Nature Reserve. Here you can feast your eyes on attractions like the Blyde River Canyon and the view across the Lowveld from God's Window. It is a short drive from here to the world famous Kruger National Park.

The first national park created in Africa, Kruger Park covers an area of over 12 000 square miles of the Eastern Transvaal bushveld - the natural habitat of hundreds of species of animals and birds. Lion, elephant, cheetah, giraffe, wildebeest, impala, waterbuck, crocodile, baboon, zebra, and a large number of antelope are some of the animals often spotted in a day's gameviewing. Bird watching is excellent with lilac-breasted rollers, vultures, hornbills and secretary birds to name a few. The parks rest camps provide comfortable accommodations in huts and chalets and most of the camps have restaurants and curio shops. Just bear in mind that you will need to be in the park before the gates close for the evening as well as the gates for your camp. Paul Kruger Gate opens at 05h30 and closes at 18h30. (This can change, so please check at the gate)

KWAZULU NATAL
Durban, the holiday city offers a subtropical climate, endless summers, an effervescent ocean lined with golden beaches and thousands of pleasure options. When you're not playing golf, fishing or lying on the beach, you can visit a crocodile farm, a nature reserve or follow an arts and crafts trail. It is a city full of colour, bustle and excitement with gleaming seafront hotels and miles of golden beaches edging the Indian Ocean.

A short flight or drive will take you to historic Pietermaritzburg, gateway to the Natal Midlands and the charming Drakensberg. The Drakensberg is South Africa's principle mountain range, its highest peaks on the border of Natal and Lesotho. Along the lower slopes are some of some of the most beautiful and appealing country hotels, guest farms and nature reserves. Stone Age paintings decorate the walls of many caves and rocky overhangs, the flora and fauna of the mountains are a source of constant delight to naturalists.

Zululand has many splendid game and nature reserves. The best known and most accessible are St Lucia Game Reserve which is primarily a reserve for hippos and crocodiles, and further inland, Umfolozi, Hluhluwe and Mkuze, all three of which contain, among their varied animal population, both the black and white rhino.

WESTERN CAPE
Cape Town is the oldest city in South Africa, with Table Mountain as a dramatic backdrop; it is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Founded in 1652 as a victualling station for ships of the Dutch East India Company on their way to and from the East. It has now grown into a modern complex, with its suburbs, busy harbour of Table Bay, fishing villages, extensive vineyards, a spectacularly beautiful marine drive, innumerable beaches along its two shorelines, several nature reserves, including Cape of Good Hope Reserve, Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens and the newly developed Waterfront district.

GARDEN ROUTE
The Garden Route between Mossel Bay and Storms River runs parallel to the coastline, which features lakes, mountains, golden beaches, cliffs and dense indigenous forests. The Oudsthoorn area in the Little Karoo is famous for its ostrich show farms, Cango Caves and Cheetah Ranch. Lots of intimate little country inns have sprung up along the Garden Route making this a delightful area to spend a few days pottering around.

BEST TIME TO GO
South Africa is an all year round destination, however there are some places more popular at certain times. The northern regions are good destinations in the winter months as gameviewing is at its best and temperatures are very mild (20-23C). Winter rainfall is very little in the north. The Southern regions are summer destinations with low summer rainfall and temperatures reaching 28-30C or higher on beautiful days.

It is recommended that you reserve all your accommodation as far in advance as possible, since availability is at a premium.

BORDER POSTS
(These can change, please check)

ROAD: South Africa / Namibia
Vioolsdrif Open 24hrs
ROAD: South Africa / Mozambique
Komatiepoort 07h00 - 22h00
ROAD: South Africa / Botswana
Tlokweng 07h00 - 22h00
ROAD: South Africa / Zimbabwe
Beitbridge 06h00 - 20h00
ROAD: South Africa / Swaziland
Oshoek 07h00 - 22h00

BANKS
Banking hours at most commercial banks are:
Mon - Fri 09h00 - 15h30
Sat 08h00 - 11h00
Automatic tellers are open 24 hrs and are located in most towns and cities. Major hotels have foreign exchange facilities and most shops, lodges and travel agencies take travellers cheques.

WHAT TO PACK
With a few exceptions, dress in Africa is casual. Clothing should be lightweight, loose-fitting and of breathable fabrics such as cotton. While out in the bush you will find those neutral colours are best as they blend with natural surroundings. The dress code in some finer hotels and restaurants is semi-formal and men are required to wear jacket and tie to dinner on the Blue Train and Rovos Rail. Laundry services in available at most camps, lodges and hotels. Evenings in the winter can be cooler so some warm clothes would be advisable. It is also useful to bring warm clothes if you are going on safari as it gets quite cool on evening game drives. Other things to bring are comfortable walking shoes, swimming costume, hat, sunblock, anti-malaria prophylactics, insect repellent, binoculars, camera and sunglasses. Luggage should be soft-sided type as it is easier to stow on small aircraft as well as safari vehicles. Rather bring 1 or 2 small bags than 1 large one and try to keep luggage to a minimum. If you are travelling to Botswana, you will be strictly limited to a maximum of 15 kg plus reasonable camera equipment.

SUGGESTED LUGGAGE LIST
1. Good quality sunglasses - preferably polarized. Tinted fashion glasses are not good in strong light
2. Sun hat
3. Golf-shirts, T-shirts and long-sleeved cotton shirts
4. Shorts/skirts
5. Long trousers/slacks
6. Track suit
7. More formal attire for your stay at prestigious city hotels or on one of the luxury trains.
8. Underwear (sports bra recommended on game drives as the roads can be bumpy and uneven) and socks
9. Good walking shoes (running/tennis shoes are fine)
10. Sandals
11. Swimming costume
12. Warm winter jersey
13. Warm Anorak or Parka and scarf / gloves for the cold winter months (May to September)
14. Light rain gear for summer months (late November to April)
15. Camera equipment and plenty of film
16. If you wear contact lenses, we recommend that you bring along a pair of glasses in case you get irritation from the dust
17. BINOCULARS - ESSENTIAL (Night vision binoculars are not essential but highly recommended if your safari includes night activities)
18. Newman's bird book if you are a keen birder.
19. Personal toiletries (basic amenities supplied by most establishments)
20. Malaria tablets (if applicable)
21. Moisturizing cream & suntan lotion
22. Insect repellent e.g. Tabard, Rid, Jungle Juice, etc
23. Basic medical kit (aspirins, plasters, Immodium, antiseptic & anti-histamine cream etc)
24. Tissues/"Wet Ones"
25. Visas, tickets, passports, money etc
26. Waterproof/dustproof bags/cover for your cameras.

Please note that bright colours and white are NOT advised whilst on safari

PASSPORTS & VISAS
International visitors require a valid passport together with onward travel documents.

If travelling to South Africa then guests must please ensure that their passport is valid for at least 6 months after their entry date and that they have a minimum of 2 blank pages (if there is insufficient space in the passport then entry will be denied) in their passport to enable the entry visa to be issued. In addition if a father (or mother) is travelling with his (her) children alone then a letter of consent, certified by their local police, must be signed by the mother (father) and carried with them.

All passport holders should verify with their travel agent or relevant consulate concerning visa entry requirements. If you are extending your journey to other countries, please establish entry requirements for those countries as well.

Please ensure that you have all the necessary visas prior to departure (unless available on entry) AS NONE OF WYDAH TOURS, THEIR STAFF, THEIR AGENTS NOR THEIR OPERATORS CAN BE HELD LIABLE FOR ANY ERRORS.

HEALTH REQUIREMENTS
There are a few basic health matters that require care and attention. We are obviously not medical practitioners and the following points are recommended guidelines only. Please consult your doctor and also check with your health department prior to departure for any changes in health regulations. You can also look at the following website. www.travelclinics.co.za

a) Malaria
Malaria within South Africa's borders is only prevalent in a few areas. It is encountered mainly in northern and eastern Mpumalanga, northern Kwa-Zulu Natal, and the border areas of the Northern and North West Provinces. Malaria is also common in the lower lying areas of Swaziland. It can also be found throughout Mozambique and Zimbabwe, and much of Botswana. Northern Namibia is also a malarious area. Should you be visiting these areas malaria precautions are advised.
Malaria transmission is at its highest during the warmer and wetter months of November through to April. From May through to October the risks of acquiring malaria are reduced.

Both chloroquine-resistant and normal strains of malaria are prevalent in Africa. Malaria is transmitted by a very small percentage of female Anopheles mosquitoes. They are only active in the early evening and throughout the night, at the times when one is usually sleeping or sitting around the campfire.

MALARIA prophylactic recommendations for southern African travellers:
Expert opinion differs regarding the best approach to malaria prophylaxis. It is important to bear in mind that malaria may be contracted despite chemoprophylaxis, especially in areas where chloroquine resistance has been reported.

Please remember that the best insurance is the preventative kind: avoid being bitten by using mosquito repellents liberally. Wear long-sleeved shirts and trousers/slacks in the evenings. If staying in a bungalow or tent, spray with an insecticide like DOOM to kill any mosquitoes that may have flown into your room. Mosquito coils are effective.

If you become ill on your return, while still on prophylaxis or even once you have stopped taking them, ensure that your doctor does everything to establish that your illness is not malaria.

Malaria is not a serious problem if people are sensible and take basic precautions.

b) Yellow Fever
There are no compulsory inoculations. However travellers from a yellow fever zone must have a valid yellow fever vaccination certificate.

c) Water
It is very important that you drink plenty of water especially during the warmer months. It is generally recommended that guests drink at least 2 to 3 litres (4 to 6 pints) of water per day to limit the effects of dehydration. This excludes tea, coffee and alcoholic beverages, which act as diuretics and can actually contribute to dehydration.

Generally, water throughout Southern Africa is safe to drink directly from the tap. However, bottled water is readily available, so please do not allow yourself to become dehydrated.

d) Other Health Issues
There are no other health issues that one needs to be overly concerned with.

INSURANCE
It is a condition of booking, that the sole responsibility lies with the guest to ensure that they carry the correct comprehensive travel and medical insurance to cover themselves, as well as any dependants/travelling companions for the duration of their trip to Southern Africa.

This insurance should include cover in respect of, but not limited to, the following eventualities: cancellation or curtailment of the holiday, emergency evacuation expenses, medical expenses, repatriation expenses, damage/theft/loss of personal baggage, money and goods. Wydah Tours, including their representatives, employees and agents will take no responsibility for any costs, losses incurred or suffered by the guest, or guest's dependants or travelling companions, with regards to, but not limited to, any of the above mentioned eventualities. Guests will be charged directly by the relevant service providers for any emergency services they may require, and may find themselves in a position unable to access such services should they not be carrying the relevant insurance cover.

None of Wydah Tours and its agents, staff and associates can be held responsible or liable for loss, damage, or theft of personal luggage and belongings, nor can they be held liable for personal injury, accident or illness. Please ensure that you and your belongings are adequately insured before your departure. Insurance is compulsory when participating in any of our trips. It is better to purchase a policy locally, as this will cover repatriation back to your home country. We cannot be held liable for any losses or damages incurred.

a) Health Insurance
It is compulsory to have full medical, emergency evacuation and repatriation cover for the period of time you are away.

b) Cancellation and Curtailment
You might have to cancel or curtail your journey due to unforeseen circumstances. If for any reason you cancel a trip close to departure date, you could lose the entire cost of your holiday. Should you have to leave before your holiday is finished, we cannot refund you the cost of the portion of the package you do not complete. In the eventuality of this happening, insurance may cover you, depending on the reason for cancellation and curtailment.

c) Baggage & Money Insurance
It is advisable to take out baggage and money insurance, especially if you are carrying a lot of cash or expensive and valuable camera equipment. You should always carry such equipment as "carry-on" luggage. Do not put anything of value in your checked-in baggage!

d) Claims
If you anticipate an insurance claim upon your return, be sure to document as accurately as possible any accident, injury or loss. Doctor's notes and police reports will aid any claim.

LOSS OF ARTICLES
Please note that we cannot accept any responsibility for the misplacement of any articles whilst on your travels. Naturally, we will endeavour to re-unite you with your misplaced items. However, logistics may not be favourable for the returning of articles unless you are prepared to pay for the cost to get your goods to you. Any costs incurred will be for your own account.

This issue is possibly the single biggest form of stress for guests who have left their goods behind somewhere en route and who are not prepared to pay for the costs to be reunited with their possessions. So please make sure you keep your goods with you.

TIPPING / GRATUITIES
Tipping is not compulsory. If, however, you want to tip because you have received good service, we have enclosed a brief guideline to assist you:

a) Camp, Game Lodge and Specialist Guides
If the guide has done a good job, we recommend US$5 per guest per day for travel to Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe and R50 per guest per day for visitors to Namibia and South Africa.

b) The General Safari Camp / Lodge Staff
Here we recommend about US$3 per guest per day for safari camps in Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe and R30 per guest per day for safari camps in Namibia and South Africa. This should be placed in the communal tipping box to be distributed equally amongst all the staff at a later stage

c) Hotel Staff
Please allow between R5 and R10 per guest per day for hotel staff ie housekeeping etc

d) Porterage
Here we recommend about US$1 per person per movement.

e) Transfer and Touring Driver/guides
Transfer R10 per person
Half day tour R25 per person
Full day tour R50 per person

f) Blue Train and Rovos Rail
Cabin attendant R100 per person per journey
Waiter, Dining Car R75 per person per journey

g) Restaurants / Hotels
10% is customary on meal accounts but only if you are satisfied with the service.

CURRENCY
The currency unit is Rands and Cents. 1 rand = 100 cents. Major credit cards are accepted at most hotels, restaurants and stores.

LANGUAGES
Although the new 'South Africa' boasts 11 official languages, the major languages spoken are still English and Afrikaans. The other 9 languages are African, the most common being Zulu and Xhosa.

SHOPPING
Most shops are open from 08h30 to 17h00 Monday to Saturday and on Sundays until 13h00. Most major cities boast magnificent flea markets over weekends.

LOCAL FOOD AND WINE
Most of the dishes served in restaurants are similar to those of Europe and America, but typical South African dishes include sosaties (a type of kebab), bobotie (a curried dish), various bredies (meat and vegetable casseroles), crayfish (or rock lobster), and many other seafood dishes. The Western Cape produces very fine wines, ranking among the world's best.

ELECTRICITY
Current is 220/240 volts at 50 cycles per second. Please note that some game lodges do not have electricity and run on generators. You will not find plug sockets in these rooms/tents at these lodges.

PHOTOGRAPHY
The choice of the correct camera equipment and film will determine the quality of your photographs on the trip. For good photography of birds and animals, a good SLR camera and telephoto lens is necessary. A zoom lens can be extremely useful on safari and the minimum recommended size is 200mm. Consideration should be given before travelling with any lens bigger than 400 mm as most interesting shots are taken using hand held equipment. The new high-resolution digital cameras are outstanding and give great quality images, especially if you are using a digital camera body which takes normal camera lenses. Camera bodies like the Canon D60 and 1D are superb. The advantage of digital photography is that one can get instant feedback and adjustments can be made in the field to your techniques to ensure that your photographs are the quality that you would like.

Colour reversal film (slides) will give far better quality than prints. The guides have found that they are getting the best results using Fuji film. Fuji has brought out a good high-speed film that gives good colour with very little grain (less so than any of their competitors). This is especially useful when using a big lens in low light situations. The guides' personal preference is the slower film (either 50 or 100 ASA) as this gives almost perfect quality for normal light. However, you may consider going to 200 ASA for a larger lens in low lighting conditions. The new Fuji 400, we believe is giving great results too. The only disadvantage with the low ASA film is that you need a tripod for the early morning and evening shots.

IMPORTANT: BRING SPARE FILM (ALTHOUGH IT IS AVAILABLE IN MOST CAMPS/LODGES) AND A SPARE CAMERA BATTERY.