General Safety Tips
Africa is no more or less safe than any other country in the world. Be aware of your surroundings and stay alert. Avoid dark areas at night, and park in well lit public places. Always lock your car when you leave it and lock valuables in the boot or leave them at your accommodation for safe keeping.
Don't have lots of jewelry and valuables on show. If you must carry your passport and/or money, keep them in a button-down pocket.
Driving
Remember all drivers will need a valid driving licence and in South Africa are required by law in to carry an identity document (e.g. a passport) and driving licence at all times. Driving in South Africa is on the left. The roads are generally good and, once away from major towns, relatively free of traffic.
If you are travelling on dirt roads, reduce your speed and leave space when following other vehicles as you may miss braking lights or traffic signs in the dust storm from the vehicle in front. Be careful on dirt roads after heavy rain as the surface can be slippery. In rural areas, look our for animals in the road. Such as goats and cattle. Seat belts should be worn, speed limits should be obeyed and European drink-drive standards apply.
There are plenty of petrol stations, but it is advisable to fill up once the tank is around half empty, particularly in the more remote areas. Petrol stations do not take credit cards, so make sure you have cash to hand. Many petrol stations will have an ATM machine.
Guided Tours
If you are travelling as a member of a party in a guided tour, you are unlikely to encounter problems. Tour operators make it their business to know the areas they are visiting and will be up to date with local conditions.
Health & Medical
You may need some inoculations - Tetanus, Polio, Hepatitis A or B and Typhoid - but it will depend on how up to date you are. If you are visiting a malarial area, you should take malaria prophylactics, wear long sleeved clothes and long trousers at dusk and use an repellent.
As medical opinion changes fairly frequently, you should speak to your GP or contact the BA Travel Clinic (+27 11 807 3132) which always gives reliable and up to date advice. For mosquitoes and other annoying insects, we recommend the use of Tabard insect repellent spray. You can also visit www.malaria.org.za.
The only other African bug you should be aware of is the tick which can occasionally transmit tick bite fever.
This takes 2 weeks to incubate and the symptoms are headaches, aching joints and swollen glands. It is treated easily and quickly with a course of antibiotics but, since you are most likely to be back at home by the time the symptoms present themselves, it is a help if you can tell your doctor that this might be the cause.
Prevention is better than cure: if walking or hiking, wear insect repellent and use Bayticol spray. Bayticol is sprayed on the clothing (trousers/shorts turn-ups, shirt cuffs, collars, waist bands etc) and not on the skin. If you cannot get Bayticol before you arrive, it is commonly available at chemists here.
A tip for the ladies: If you find Tabard spray a little potent, try the Tabard lotion which is a little more gentle. Alternatively, you could buy a large jar of Aqueous cream from any chemist or Clicks branch here (around R10) add a few drops of citronella oil and rub all over your body.
If you are taking regular medication, make sure you have enough to cover the duration of your holiday.
Money
There are banks and ATMs in all the towns, in most villages and in the larger petrol stations. All large hotels, restaurants and shops accept Visa and MasterCard credit cards although American Express is not commonly accepted.
On Safari
All game reserves have common sense rules to ensure your safety. Listen to your guide or ranger and follow his advice. If self driving, be aware that wild animals are dangerous so stay in your car, drive slowly and keep a reasonable distance.
Swimming
It is best only to swim in designated areas, otherwise you might come across a hippo or a crocodile! Be careful of strong currents when swimming in the sea and don't swim too far out.
Walking Holidays
Africa has its fair share of poisonous snakes. It's rare to see one and they will usually try to get away from you. Wear stout boots and long trousers for walking and look where you are going.
Weather
Like everywhere else these days, the weather in South Africa can be unpredictable. The following is a guide only.
Spring - Sep/Oct/Nov: The Western Cape should be warming up as the rainy season comes to an end. In KZN, Mpumalanga and Swaziland, it should also be warming up, with the rainy season starting in Oct/Nov.
Summer - Dec/Jan/Feb: The Western Cape should be hot and sunny as it is the dry season. In KZN, Mpumalanga and Swaziland, it should also be hot and sunny, with possible thunderstorms in the afternoons. The north coast and Kruger areas are likely to be humid.
Autumn - Mar/Apr/May: The Western Cape should be warm, sunny and mainly dry. It should also be warm and sunny in KZN, Mpumalanga and Swaziland with possible thunderstorms in the afternoon. Not so humid in the north coast and Kruger areas.
Winter - June/Jul/Aug: The Western Cape should be relatively warm but can be very wet and windy. In KZN, Mpumalanga and Swaziland, the days should be warm and bright, but cold at night and in the early morning.
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