About South Africa
Tours | South Africa | About - JIA |
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Experience a sunny safari in South Africa that includes the number one safari destination in the world. We are pleased that you have chosen South Africa as your holiday destination and we are eager to share our country, people and numerous attractions with you. We trust that you will enjoy your stay with us and that it will be a memorable one. We are at your disposal to assist you in any way possible, so please do not hesitate to contact us if you wish to book excursions, rental vehicles or safari holidays in South Africa, or should you have any other problems or queries. Credit Cards
Remember to reconfirm your homeward flight with the airline at least 72 hours prior to departure. If you are on a guided tour of South Africa, the tour guide/leader will normally do the reconfirmation on your behalf. Foreign Exchange Traveller’s cheques and foreign currency notes of all major currencies can be exchanged at any commercial bank. Rennies Foreign Exchange Bureaux or American Express outlets are available at most hotels, providing the required exchange facilities for guests, but this is normally at a far less attractive rate. Fluctuations in the foreign exchange markets are reflected in new rates daily, but it is advisable to make your exchange at official Foreign Exchange outlets only. Game Parks One of South Africa’s greatest attractions is its wildlife. Great efforts have been made to conserve this national heritage, while at the same time providing the facilities and opportunity to view game in their natural habitat. There is a wide variety of parks and lodges to accommodate your tours in South Africa, each one offering a different experience. The National Parks Board has a range of parks throughout the country and the Kwazulu-Natal Parks Board operates in the Kwazulu-Natal area. In these parks you drive your own vehicle and in some camps there is the possibility of night game drives and walks. Check with reception or the South African tour guide at your lodge. Independent, privately owned game lodges cater for a limited number of guests at a time and offer highly personalised attention for the discerning guest. The accommodation and facilities of these safaris in South Africa are normally of an extremely high standard. Major scene-stealers are the elephant, lion, leopard, buffalo and rhino; the famous Big Five and professionally conducted game trails feature on the agenda of most parks. Some reserves offer four-wheel drive vehicles with the services of experienced rangers. Beware of the animals and do not get out of your vehicle and walk around. Read the rules that are given to you at the entrance to National Parks carefully if you opt for a self-drive tour. Health Requirements No international immunisations are needed when entering South Africa. The only requirement is a Yellow Fever vaccination certificate. This is required from travellers who are over one year of age and are entering South Africa within six days of leaving an infected country. Visitors who travel through or disembark in these areas are advised to be vaccinated against the disease before visiting South Africa. As for the risk of Malaria, this exists predominantly in the malignant form throughout the year. When October to April (summer) rolls around in certain areas of the country, mainly Northern Kruger and Swaziland, those visitors on safari in South Africa should make sure to take the necessary precautions. Jewellery Because of the country’s large resources of gold and diamonds, the prices of jewellery are very reasonable. There are a wide variety of jewellery shops to choose from during your tour of South Africa, but be sure to remain very careful of quality and prices. Ask your tour guide to assist you in making the best choices. Languages South Africa’s ethnic diversity is reflected in the eleven official languages spoken by its people. The English-speaking visitor will have no problem whatsoever while travelling through the country. Photography Most international film brands and sizes are readily available from shops throughout the country. Processing is quick with same-day service. For game viewing during your tour of South Africa, telephoto lenses are recommended, as well as a good pair of binoculars.
• 1st January - New Year’s Day • 21st March - Human Rights Day • March/April - Good Friday • March/April - Family Day • 27th April - Freedom Day • 1st May - Workers’ Day • 16th June - Youth Day • 9th August - National Woman’s’ Day • 24th September - Heritage Day • 16th December - Day of Reconciliation • 25th December - Christmas Day • 26th December - Day of Goodwill Public Transport South Africa has a fair to good network of railway and roads, but public transport can sometimes be a problem, especially away from major centres. Transnet and Spoornet train and bus services are good but finding taxi services in smaller places can be difficult. Local bus services in smaller towns are also unreliable and it is advisable for a visitor to make arrangements for a reliable rental vehicle. Journey into Africa Tours and Safaris can assist you with any car hire queries, and can also arrange drivers or guides. Taxis are available at airports, hotels, restaurants and on call throughout the night. Trains and buses run between towns and cities. The major cities have regular bus services. Tourists can make use of one of the many luxury coaches on their tours in South Africa by procuring tickets online or in person. Please contact Journey into Africa Tours and Safaris for further advice. Safety and Security Valuables (including traveller’s cheques) should be locked up when you are away from your hotel or lodge. All hotels and lodges have safety deposit boxes or safes available for your convenience. Use traveller’s cheques or credit cards rather than carrying large amounts of cash on your person. The streets in the cities are not dangerous but it is unwise to walk alone after dark or away from well-lit areas, especially when carrying conspicuous bags and cameras. Use taxis at night and only use those which are booked through a reputable taxi company. Keep your car doors locked at all times. It is not advisable to resist if confronted. When in the cities, take the same precautions that you would anywhere else in the world. Shopping There are modern shopping complexes in and around all major centres, offering the visitor a variety of shops from which to purchase jewellery, curios, artefacts, wine and brandy, clothing, books and anything else they might require. Normal shopping hours are 08:30 to 17:00 (21:00 in certain shopping centres) on weekdays with most major centres open on Saturday for the same hours and Sunday from 08:30 - 13:00. Please keep receipts for presentation at border posts. Handicrafts are generally cheaper in Swaziland. Taxation Foreign tourists visiting South Africa can have sales tax paid (known as Value Added Tax - VAT), refunded at a port of exit, provided the price of total items purchase exceeds R250,00. To qualify for a refund, visitors must be in possession of a valid passport, valid tax invoices and must be able to produce the goods purchased. The VAT rate is 14% and is levied on most products. Telephones South Africa has a sophisticated telecommunications network. International dialling and full telex-, telefax- and electronic mail facilities are widely available. Phone cards and cellular phones are readily available. International dialling codes can be found in South African telephone directories. Dial 00 + Country code + number. Time Throughout the year, South African Standard Time is two hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time. Consult the international section of the local telephone directory for detailed world time zones. Tipping Provided the service is satisfactory, it is the norm to tip porters, waiters, taxi drivers, room attendants, golf caddies, game rangers and trackers, guides and drivers for services rendered. Generally speaking, gratuity should be at least 10% of the cost of the service. Remember that the tips you pay these individuals are sometimes the only pay they receive. We recommend that tour guides and drivers bargain on at least R30, 00 to R40, 00 per person per day on group tours. Tours We offer regular tours and safaris in South Africa and throughout the rest of the Southern African region, including Botswana tours, Namibia tours, Victoria Falls tours, Zambia tours and last but not least, Mozambique tours. All tours can be booked through our office and we also offer special tailor-made tours with multilingual guides. Leave the planning to us and let our experienced tour consultants organise your safari holiday in South Africa. We hope you will enjoy your trip and travel into Africa with Journey into Africa Tours and Safaris. ENJOY YOUR TRIP |
We are also registered as an official tour operator with our Provincial Tourism Authority.
