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| South Africa Travel Information |
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History Population
and Languages Geographical Facts
Climate Natural Habitat
The Great Outdoors Entertainment Shopping
Conference Facilities Banking
Currency Vat (Value Added
Tax) Safety Guidelines OVERVIEW South Africa offers visitors a world of new and exciting discoveries with an intriguing blend of African, Eastern and Western lifestyles. The combination of magnificent scenery and a temperate climate, friendly hospitality, a wealth of safari and sports options, efficient infrastructure and excellent accommodation establishments will satisfy even the most discerning visitor. South Africa's cosmopolitan high-rise cities provide the setting for plush hotels, theatres, restaurants and sophisticated shopping malls, while African curio shops, oriental bazaars, mosques, temples and other churches reflect the rich cultural diversity of her people. An unforgettable experience awaits you in "Big Game Country" - almost unchanged since the beginning of time. With inhabitants from semi-desert dunelands to bushveld and shady subtropical forests, South Africa's game reserves are home to an unparalleled variety of animals and game species. Come and enjoy unlimited holiday options - up-market and off the beaten track. Whether you wish to relax and soak up the sunshine, enjoy the social whirl, or follow a quest for adventure, South Africa has everything you're looking for - and more. HISTORY For many centuries, South Africa has been home to an array of African people. Following Jan van Riebeeck's arrival at the Cape in 1652, the country attracted settlers from the four corners of the globe - in particular from Holland, Britain, France, Germany and India. Today, the country's cultural diversity is one of its most dynamic components. South Africa also has a complex political history and a fascinating, diverse cultural heritage. Since May 1994, the country has been governed by a democratically elected Government of National Unity, with President Nelson Mandela at the helm. He has been succeeded by Thabo Mbeki who was sworn in as President in 1999. POPULATION AND LANGUAGES Estimated at about 38 000 000, the country's population encompasses a unique diversity of cultures, religions, lifestyles and languages. South Africa currently has eleven official languages. English is spoken throughout the country and French, Italian and German are spoken by staff in many large hotels and shops. GEOGRAPHICAL FACTS South Africa lies at the southern tip of the African continent between latitudes 22 and 35 degrees south. The country is flanked in the west by the Atlantic Ocean, in the south and east by the Indian Ocean, in the north by Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe, and in the north-east by Mozambique and Swaziland. The country covers an area of some 1 127 000 ?kilometres. That's more than five times the size of the United Kingdom and one eighth of the size of the United States. South Africa consists of nine provinces: Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, North West Province, Northern Cape, Northern Province and Western Cape. Johannesburg, in the province of Gauteng, is the largest city, whilst Cape Town and Durban are two of the most popular holiday destinations. CLIMATE As South Africa lies in the Southern hemisphere, the seasons are the reverse of those in the Northern hemisphere. Mild winters make South Africa a popular year-round destination. The country has one of the world's highest daily sunshine rates. Because the South African sun has a high ultraviolet rating, screening products with a sun protection factor of 15 and over are recommended. The Cape has a Mediterranean climate with winter rain, whilst the game viewing areas to the north have clear winter skies. Snow sometimes fails on the KwaZulu-Natal Drakensberg and the Cape mountains in winter. The average maximum temperature in Durban in August is 22,4? C. NATURAL HABITAT Flora South Africa's floral wealth represents some 10% of the total number of flowering species in the world. A mix of tropical and temperate climates yield five major habitat types, namely fynbos, forest, Karoo, grassland and savannah - each with its own diversity of species. The area covering the fynbos habitat - also known as the Cape Floral Kingdom - represents one of the world's most unusual and diverse floristic regions, encompassing some 8 500 species. The flora of Table Mountain alone is richer than that of the whole of Tasmania, which is approximately 2 000 times larger, whilst the flora of the Cape Peninsula exceeds the total number of species in Great Britian. Fauna South Africa's terrestrial animals are among the most spectacular on earth. Numbering over 300 species, they range in size from the tiny pygmy shrew to the imposing African elephant. This is one of the few countries where the "Big Five" (elephant, lion, rhino, leopard and buffalo) are frequently seen. Whales can also be seen off the Western Cape coastline. THE GREAT OUTDOORS Game reserves Game reserves throughout the country are set in habitats ranging from desert dunelands to subtropical forests. The South African National Parks administers seventeen parks and one National Lake Area. Among them, the Kruger National Park - South Africa's most famous sanctuary - supports more species of wildlife than any other park on the continent. Most of the KwaZulu-Natal reserves are controlled by KwaZulu-Natal Nature Conservation Service. Among the more popular, Hluhluwe/Umfolozi, Mkuzi, St Lucia and Itala offer peaceful surroundings, comfortable accommodation and excellent game viewing. Set in the crater of an extinct volcano and known as "The Jewel of the North West", the Pilanesberg Game Reserve supports almost all the species (including the Big Five) which previously occurred naturally in the region. Up-market, privately-owned game sanctuaries are situated mostly in Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal. They provide luxury accommodation and a range of additional amenities. The options of safari coach tours and fly-in programmes are also available. For additional information on game reserves, contact: South African National Parks Tel: +27 12 343 1991 Fax: +27 12 343 0905 Whale-watching South Africa's "Coast of Whales" stretches from Gansbaai in the south to St Helena Bay on the West Coast, with Hermanus in the centre. Courting, mating and calving whales frequent the waters between June and November every year. The species most commonly seen is the southern right whale, but humpback and Bryde's whales can also be sighted in the area. Bird-watching The country has over 9000 bird species. The Drakensberg provides a stunning backdrop to a rich birdlife and an impressive range of sunbirds inhabit the nature reserves of the Western Cape. The Langebaan Lagoon in the region is populated in summer by tens of thousands of birds. Every summer, more than 100 species migrate from the Northern hemisphere to the shores of South Africa. Beaches South Africa's beaches are not only very beautiful, but swimming is exceptionally safe from a hygienic point of view. Most KwaZulu-Natal beaches are protected by shark nets. Adventure tourism South Africa offers a wide choice of adventure travel options throughout the country. These include white-water rafting, ballooning, back-packing, bungi-jumping, mountaineering, scuba diving and deep-sea fishing, to name but a few. Sightseeing South Africa offers a host of sightseeing experiences which include attractions ranging from bushman paintings, art galleries and exhibitions, to tours of gold mines and caves. Spectacular scenic beauty and the winelands of the Western Cape are among South Africa's greatest drawcards, immensely popular throughout the year. ENTERTAINMENT A host of entertainment opportunities ranging from adventure and recreational sports, to a dazzling nightlife of theatre, cabarets, discos and casinos are available. Most venues also house an array of pubs and offer a range of exotic cuisine. SHOPPING Local manufacturers set a high premium on workmanship and at the current rand value, you can afford to be really extravagant. In the cities, you can buy anything from a karakul coat to a bag made of crocodile skin, hand-woven rugs and designer jewellery. Indian bazaars specialise in oriental ornaments, saris and spices. Flea markets and curio shops are also worth a leisurely browse. Brochures on the arts and crafts routes such as the Crocodile River Ramble (Gauteng) and the Midlands Meander Arts and Crafts Route (KwaZulu-Natal) encourage exploring off the beaten track. Clothing & accessories Although you will almost certainly come to South Africa for some reason other than shopping, once you're here you'll be pleasantly surprised at the variety and value of the goods on offer. Our high fashion designers tend to lean towards a fusion of classical European trends with some subtle or not so subtle African touches - and the odd, totally off-the-wall feature. So you could go home with something pretty unique. And, of course, we do mine a pretty big chunk of the world's gold, diamonds and platinum, so it would be a shame not to investigate acquiring apiece designed especially for you. In some cases, you can sit back and sip sparkling wine gazing out over the mine where the soon-to-be-yours stone was born, while a designer sketches ideas for you. If you're not into beads, baubles and bustiers, you'll still find plenty to keep you occupied. There is no better place to buy the essential safari gear before you head off into the bush. Remember, in South Africa, we don't manufacture outdoor clothing for the once-a-year traveller, we make it for farmers, game rangers and such, who most certainly would make their feelings known if it didn't make the grade. Malls If you really want to see how most South Africans live, you’ll have to go to where you’ll find us. And, like many people in the world, we need to shop to live. So you’ll find an interesting cross-section of our population buying, browsing, busking, eating, drinking, catching up with friends and generally hanging out in the malls, and you’ll also find a good selection of things worth buying – things not necessarily created especially for the tourist trade. Of course, in some ways, all malls are alike but there are subtle differences. Although you may find many of the same goods on offer as you would at home, you will somehow have no doubt that you’re in Africa. It’s those little things – and they’re worth hunting down. CONFERENCE FACILITIES South Africa has a substantial number of exceptional conference facilities designed to international specifications. Conference facilities are also available at hotels, educational institutions and theatres. Settings range from beach resorts to exclusive game reserves and include both small, intimate venues and large centres able to accommodate thousands of delegates. BANKING The following banks offer foreign exchange services: Allied, FNB, Nedbank, Standard, Trust, United and Volkskas. Banks and automatic teller machines are found in every large town. Several international banks have branches in the main cities. Most commercial banks are open from 09:00 to 15:30 on weekdays and 8:30 to 11:00 on Saturdays. CURRENCY The currency unit is the rand, denoted by the symbol R. R1=100 cents. Foreign currency can be exchanged at commercial banks, American Express and Rennies Travel. VAT (VALUE ADDED TAX) Currently set at 14%. VAT is included in the market/quoted price of most goods and services. Foreign visitors may, however, claim back VAT paid on items taken out of the country when the total value exceeds R250.00. SAFETY GUIDELINES It's sensible to take the same precautions in large cities as you would in any of the world's major metropolitan areas. Never leave luggage unattended in front of the hotel or in the lobby. Deposit your valuables in the hotel's safety deposit box. Don't stroll around the streets after dark. Always lock your car doors and keep the windows closed. |
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