Over 50 airlines, 200 000 aircraft landings and nearly 30 million passengers annually move through South Africas 10 principal airports. This includes the three major airports in Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town.

Foto: DanieVDM

Johannesburg International Airport handles the majority of flights to South Africa. Johannesburg International Airport offers international arrivals and departures, domestic flights and other connections to the rest of Africa. Many flights to South Africa are also available direct to Cape Town International Airport and a few direct flights to South Africa are available to Durban International Airport.

In addition to this there are many charter flight companies that operates in South Africa offering private flights for game viewing and to the numerous safari and game lodges.

Airlines offering flights to South Africa

South Africa is served by more than 70 international airlines including South African Airways that operates in many destinations in Europe, North and South America, Asia, Australia and New Zealand.

The following are some of the major airlines offering flights to South Africa:

• 1Time
• Air Austral
• Air Botswana
• Air France
• Airlink
• Air Madagascar
• Air Malawi
• Air Mauritius
• Air Namibia
• Air Portugal (TAP)
• Air Seychelles
• Air Tanzania
• Air Zimbabwe
• Bellview Airlines
• British Airways
• Cathay Pacific Airways
• China Eastern Airlines
• Civair Delta Airlines
• Egypt Air
• El-Al
• Emirates
• Ethiopian Airlines
• Etihad Airways
• Gabon Airlines
• Hewa Bora Airlines
• Iberia Airlines
• InterAir
• Interlink
• Kenya Airways
• KLM
• Kulula.com
• LAM Mozambique Airlines
• LTU International Airways
• Lufthansa
• Malaysia Airlines
• Mango Airlines
• Olympic Airways
• Pelican Air Services
• Qantas Airways
• Qatar Airways
• Saudi Arabian Airlines
• Singapore Airlines
• South African Airways
• South African Express
• Swiss International Airlines
• TAAG Angolan Airlines
• Thai Airways
• Turkish Airlines
• Virgin Atlantic Airways
• Virgin Nigeria
• Zambian Airways

Flights in South Africa

Once you get to South Africa – either via Cape Town or Johannesburg - a very easy way to get to other South African cities is by using domestic South African airlines. There are many airlines that offers flights in South Africa.

Here is a list of South Africa airlines:

Kulula.com

Kulula.com First took to the skies in August 2001 as South Africa’s first low fare airline, offering flights in South Africa affordable for anyone. Kulula.com is the daughter company of Airways (Comair). It is based in Johannesburg and links the city to other major cities such as: Cape Town, Durban, Port Elisabeth and the airport near Kruger National Park (Kruger Mpumalanga Airport).
Kulula.com operates over 325 flights a week with 15 routes including three regional destinations.

1time

Is based in Johannesburg and operates flights within the country and the main destinations are: Cape Town, Durban and George.

Mango

Was launched in 2006. It offers flights between Bloemfontein, Cape Town, Durban and Johannesburg.

South African Airways

Foto: lemoncat1

South Africa Airways is South Africa’s national carrier. South Africa Airways mission is to be “An African Airline with global reach”. South Africa Airways flies locally between Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, Port Elizabeth, East London, Bloemfontein, George, Pietermaritzburg, Mthatha, Kimberley, Polokwane, Richards Bay, Upington, Nelspruit/Kruger, Hoedspriut, Margate, Phalaborwa, Mmabatho, Manzini and Maseru plus the rest of the world.

Host cities and stadiums of the 2010 FIFA World Cup:

• Cape Town
  • Green Point Stadium
• Durban
  • Durban Stadium
• Johannesburg
  • Ellis Park Stadium
  • Soccer City Stadium
• Mangaung/Bloemfontein
  • Free State Stadium
• Nelson Mandela Bay/Port Elizabeth
  • Port Elizabeth Stadium
• Nelspruit
  • Mbombela Stadium
• Polokwane
  • Peter Mokaba Stadium
• Rustenburg
  • Royal Bafokeng Stadium
• Tshwane/Pretoria
  • Loftus Versfeld Stadium

Special visa for South Africa for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs is to issue special “event visas” for soccer fans coming to the 2009 Fifa Confederations Cup and 2010 Fifa World Cup, enabling fans to use dedicated counters at major airports around the world for pre-clearance before they arrive in the country.

South African immigration officials - who are able to speak in several languages - will be stationed at several of the busiest airports around the world, including in the UK, India, Dubai and Hong Kong, where fans will be able to go through a free pre-screening and pre-clearance process.

The immigration officials will also be equipped with hi-tech devices for scanning passports or travel documents. By electronically capturing information from the documents, officials will save time by not having to type in information.

Those passengers who have received pre-clearance by South African immigration officials will be able to arrive in South Africa and go straight through to baggage collection and on to customs.
(Source: southafrica.info)

Foto: Abri_Beluga

South Africa has leftside traffic. The road system is extensive, although the quality of minor roads can vary. Traffic in and around major cities and tourist destinations are sometimes very intense and the number of people injured or killed in traffic is very high. There are many bad drivers in South Africa and some are driving after drinking alcohol (although it is associated with high fines).

The extensive road system makes it easy to travel across South Africa in a rental car. South Africa is a country with plenty of hills and mountains, so if you’re planning to rent a car then we recommend that you aim for a larger car with an engine that can deal with a steep hill or three.

To drive a car in South Africa you need an international drivers license.

Practical tips in terms of road safety

By following a number of advice, you can also reduce the risk of being exposed to car theft and armed strikes (car hijackings):

• Keep the car locked and windows closed while travelling, and do not let handbags, cell phones or other valuables be visible (not while driving).
• Avoid driving long distances, especially in rural areas, during evening and night. If you are lost or need to stop, try to get to the nearest open gas station or somthing like that.
• Dont stop to help people / cars by the roadside, which seems to have had problems, but feel free to report the situation to the police so that they can help the person stopped.

Road map of South Africa

The Automobile Association of South Africa has created some very good roadmaps of South Africa. You can fina all the road maps of South Africa here:
Road maps of South Africa
This is good quality road maps of South Africa that contains all the information you need to plan your road trip, showing in detail the provinces, cities, small towns, national roads, freeways, and major and minor provincial routes.

Recommended routes in South Africa:

If you’re driving out of Cape Town it’s a good idea to take the “back road” or Route 62 from Cape Town to Oudtshorn and George. This is a very good alternative to the main road N2 on this stretch. Driving Route 62 you will pass through some of the most beautiful landscape in South Africa.

Oudtshorn, “the Ostrich capital of South Africa”, is a charming small town offering a lot of attractions and sights in addition to the obligatory visit to an ostrich farm. In Cango Cheetahland you can feel just how soft the fur of a living cheetah really is, in Cango Caves you will find amazing deep caves you can explore with the help of a guide, and in Swartberg you can drive through the most spectacular mountain pass in all of South Africa.

From George you can continue on the main road N2, which goes under the name of Garden Route. This road stretches along the coast, and the contrasts are many and big with the mountains rising straight up from the ocean beneath you. You’ll find a lot of popular sites along the Garden Route, like Knysna and Plettenberg Bay. The latter is a very popular beach resort with a lot of high standard lodges and inns.

Port Elisabeth is for many the last stop before turning back to Cape Town. Just outside Port Elisabeth there are good opportunities for a proper South Afrca safari. The area is very popular for families with small children as it is free of malaria. In addition you can use your own car and drive into the the safari area for a self-drive safari.

Foto: Rachel Zack

Information about the climate and weather in South Africa

South Africa is famous for its sunshine. It’s a relatively dry country, with an average annual rainfall of about 464mm (compared to a world average of about 860mm). While the Western Cape gets most of its rainfall in winter, the rest of the country is generally a summer-rainfall region.

The Climatic conditions in South Africa generally range from Mediterranean in the southwestern corner of the country to temperate in the interior plateau, and subtropical in the northeast. A small area in the northwest has a desert climate. Most of the country has warm, sunny days and cool nights. Rainfall generally occurs during summer (November through March), although in the southwest, around Cape Town, rainfall occurs in winter (June to August). Temperatures are influenced by variations in elevation, terrain, and ocean currents more than latitude.

Summer

Over much of South Africa, summer (mid-October to mid-February) is characterised by hot, sunny weather - often with afternoon thunderstorms that clear quickly, leaving a warm, earthy, uniquely African smell in the air.

The Western Cape, with its Mediterranean climate, is the exception, getting its rain in winter.

Autumn

Autumn (fall) in South Africa (mid-February to April) offers in some ways the best weather. Very little rain falls over the whole country, and it is warm but not too hot, getting colder as the season progresses.

In Cape Town, autumn is fantastic, with hot sunny days and warm, balmy nights which many people spend at outdoor cafés.

Winter

Winter in South Africa (May to July) is characterised in the higher-lying areas of the interior plateau by dry, sunny, crisp days and cold nights. So it’s a good idea to bring warm clothes.

The hot, humid KwaZulu-Natal coast, as well as the Lowveld (lower-lying areas) of Mpumalanga and Limpopo provinces, offer fantastic winter weather with sunny, warmish days and virtually no wind or rain.

The Western Cape gets most of its rain in winter, with quite a few days of cloudy, rainy weather. However, these are always interspersed with wonderful days to rival the best of a British summer.

The high mountains of the Cape and the Drakensberg in KwaZulu-Natal usually get snow in winter.

Spring

Nowhere in South Africa is spring (August to mid-October) more spectacular than in the Cape provinces. Here the grey winter is forgotten as thousands of small, otherwise insignificant plants cover the plains in an iridescent carpet of flowers.

The journey to see the flowers of the Namaqualand in the Western and Northern Cape is an annual pilgrimage for many South Africans.

Map of South Africa

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Foto: lawmurray

The Kruger National Park, which is one of the top three safari destinations in Africa, is a haven for spectacular animal and wildlife, and one of the continent’s very best game reserves. It is without a doubt the place for the best South Africa safari.

Kruger National Park is situated in the provinces Mpumalanga and Limpopo and is one of the world’s largest national parks with it’s more than 18.000 km²

Photo: somadjinn @ sxc.hu

A South Africa safari in the Kruger National Park gives you the chance to see up to 150 different mammals; large herds of antelope, giraffes and elephants, monkeys and lion prides. Several areas in the park, such as the Sabi Sands gives you a chance to see all of The Big Five (lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhino) in one day. Sabi Sands is a private game reservation adjacent to the Kruger National Park, and the reservation is known as the birthplace of the South Africa luxury safari.

More than 500 different species of birds have their home in the park and may be seen when you’re doing a safari.

Photo: somadjinn @ sxc.hu

You may have seen some of the animals that you see on your South Africa safari in a zoo previously, but to see the spectacular wildlife and the animals in the Kruger National Park where they truly belong is an experience you won’t easily forget.

If you’re planning a holiday to South Africa then a safari in Kruger National Park is a must, don’t miss it!

There are many ways to get to Kruger National Park. Some choose a rental car from Johannesburg (app. 5 hours), while others fly in to the international airport in Nelspruit or directly to one of the park’s smaller airports. If you drive to Kruger National Park, you will find gas stations at most of the gates except at the Paul Kruger and Malelane gate. The speed limit within the park is 50 km/h on tarmac and 40 km/t on gravel roads.

The big question for many people going on a South Africa safari is wether they should stay in a lower priced lodge in one of the public game reserves or in a higher priced lodge in some of the private game reserves adjacent to the park. It’s not easy to give a good ansver to this question.

The cheaper lodges are usually located outside the park borders, and are of a decent standard. They have skilled park rangers who knows what they are doing in their service as guides. You can get a South Africa safari which lasts a full day with lunch included, but will have to leave the park when it closes at night.

Photo: somadjinn @ sxc.hu

Higher priced lodges are located inside the park or in private game reserves adjacent to the park. The lodges are luxurious and so are the prices. The biggest advantage with these higher priced lodges is that the rangers cooperates more closely via radio, and in this way has a better knowledge of where the animals are located at any given time. This gives you a bigger chance to see more of the animals, maybe even The Big Five every day.

Other game reserves and parks that offer you a proper South Africa safari:
The Eastern Cape reserves Addo and Shamwari.
Phinda Game Reserve.
Madikwe Game Reserve.
Pilanesberg Game Reserve.
Cedarberg Game Reserve.
Waterberg Game Reserve.
Lowveld Game Reserve.
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park on the borders of Namibia, South Africa and Botswana.
Ai-Ais / Richtervelds Transfrontier Park on the border between South Africa and Botswana.

Give yourself the gift of a lifetime - Give yourself a South Africa Safari!

South Africa, with its breathtakingly landscape, sub tropical climate and wonderful people, is a perfect place to spend your holiday. A South Africa holiday will be unforgettable whether it is a safari, family holiday or just a weekend trip.

For travellers who appreciate life outdoors South Africa is a wonderland. The coastal landscape is unique and has plenty to offer for magnificent and eventful South Africa holidays.

Travel by rental car along the coastal roads and you will meet a variety of sights and scenery: The small fishing village Hermanus, whales appearing (May - October) in the many bays and Simonstown’s Boulder Beach where the Jackass penguin has it’s home. Knysna is a calm small town with excellent seafood restaurants and in Outshoorn you’ll find the fascinating Cango Caves.

Foto: lemoncat1

For a once-in-a-lifetime encounter with the South African wildlife you should visit Kruger National Park where numerous safaris gives you a unique chance to get up-close and personal with some of South Africa’s most famous animals. A South African camping safari will let you fall asleep with the lion’s roar or hyena’s laughter outside your tent.

Here are some possible highlights for your South Africa holiday:

• Cape Town, with iconic Table Mountain, notorious Robben Island and the excellent bars and restaurants of the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront. The view from the top of Table Mountain is spectacular, Robben Island will give you a better knowledge of South Africa’s history and from the lighthouse at Cape Point you can enjoy the view of both the Indian Ocean and the Atlantic at the same time.
• The famous Winelands is perfect way for the winelover to spend his South Africa holidays.
• Kruger National Park, a spectacular animal and bird life. Read more about Kruger National park here.
• Kwazulu Natal with its magnificent landscapes and poignant history. Here you will also find Durban, South Africa’s #1 holiday town. Durban can be crowded during peak season, but you can find many excellent restaurants serving the best Indian food. North of Cintsa lies the Xhosa villages, and why not take a hiking or cycling trip along the Wild Coast while you are in the area?
• South Africa safaris are the ultimate holiday experience.
• Surfing. South Africa has some of the world’s best surfing beaches and there are numerous possibilities to get wet all along the coast. Beginners can have private lessons in places like Plettenberg Bay where you also find well used hiking trails to the Robberg Peninsula. From the trails you can hear the sea-lions roar while you admire the view.
• Bungy-jumping. On the Garden Route (the N2 highway) you’ll find the Bloukrans River which gives you the ultimate challenge: The world’s highest bungy jumping. The 216 meters high bridge is guaranteed to give you an awesome buzz.

Amongst the most popular travel destinations in South Africa is the Western Cape region with Cape Town as its centre. Although it’s a small area relative to other popular cosmopolitan cities, it attracts millions of visitors from all over the world every year. Cape Town is considered one of the most beautiful cities in the world as it is surrounded by glorious landscapes with unique vegetation, beautiful mountains and stunning wide beaches, especially on the Cape Peninsula, at False Bay and on the West Coast.

Franschhoek, South Africa Foto: Axel Bührmann

20 minutes along a scenic route from the airport in Cape Town lies Franschhoek. Franschhoek is South Africa’s wine cellar. The small town is surrounded by mountains and hills covered by wine ranks. Franschhoek is in real just a main street with some side streets that take you straight into the vineyards. The main street is bustling with life, a mix of tourists and locals. The beautiful small white houses are filled with shops, galleries, restaurants and cafés. But we are not here for the shopping. We are here for wine tasting. And we are not the first.

Foto: swanksalot

The Hugenots arrived in South Africa in 1688. They had a good eye for both wind conditions and beauty, and immediately understood that Franschhoek was perfect for wine making. Today there are more than 40 wine producers in the valley, and 27 of them are open for wine tasting and tours. Franschhoek is the place to learn everything about South Africa’s excellent wines. Many of the vineyards has high standard restaurants where you can enjoy the wines accompanied with local foods.

One of them is the Grande Provence, a restaurant on the elegant wineyard sharing it’s name with the restaurant. Everyone who visits South Africa wants to go on a proper safari, but how about adding a safari among the wine bottles of Franschhoek to your South Africa holiday?

More info about wine tasting in Franschhoek can be found on these websites:
Môreson
Haute Cabriere
Grande Provence
Boschendal
Graham Beck