Despite South Africa’s anguished past, the country that occupies the southern tip of Africa has re-invented itself along the lines of a modern destination featuring a mixture of out-of-this-world scenery with a vibrant cultural heritage that combine to create an unforgettable experience.
Many visitors arriving on cheap flights to South Africa head for Cape Town, the oldest city in southern Africa. Its trendy restaurants and a hopping nightlife scene nestle comfortably in the beautiful coastal setting. Further north lies Johannesburg, a vibrant and edgy city, that many travellers see en route to Kruger Park, the world’s biggest and probably best-known wildlife reserve.
Many of the towns on South Africa’s long coast along both the Indian and Atlantic oceans also attract many visitors. Durban, located in KwaZulu-Natal province, features the best surfing beaches in the country while Port Elizabeth and its café culture attracts many travellers heading for the Garden Route. This area along the country’s coast boasts a combination of forests, beaches and lagoons that are one of South Africa’s most popular destinations.
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South Africa is generally sunny and hot in the summer, which lasts from December to April. The winter is mild. The country is large and has many different climates. The Cape is cold and wet in the winter, with snow falling in the mountains. Northern areas get regular thunderstorms on summer evenings, while winters are warm by day and cold at night.
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Peak Season:
As a country of varying climates and pastimes, South Africa is very much a destination throughout the year. As a result, the best times to book cheap flights to South Africa vary depending on what you want to do. Remember that it is in the southern hemisphere where the seasons are reversed. The summer lasts from November to February.
Keeping that in mind, you can find local winter temperatures ranging between 11 degrees Celsius in Johannesburg and 17 degrees in Durban. Local summer temperatures range between 29 degrees Celsius in Johannesburg and 24 in Durban.
If it is wild game that you want to see, spring (August – October) is best while whale watching is best done between mid-June and October (Southern Right Whales) and August to December (Humpback Whales).
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Eight airlines offer flights around South Africa. Among these are British Airways which offers services between Johannesburg and Cape Town, Durban and Port Elizabeth as well as Cape Town and Durban. South African connects several destinations, among them Cape Town, Johannesburg, Durban, George, Upington, Kimberley, East London, Mthatha, Margate and Sun City. Meanwhile, South African Express covers Johannesburg, Cape Town, East London and George and more.
Other domestic flights are offered by Kululu.com, Mango and Nationwide. Several charter airlines also operate throughout the country.
Alternatively, visitors can use the nation’s bus network to get around. Intercape, Greyhound and Translux all operate in South Africa.
Rail: Spoornet offers rail services between the major cities including Johannesburg , Port Elizabeth, Cape Town and Durban. For more upmarket travellers, the Blue Train offers a luxury service (on both a scheduled and charter basis) that operated between Pretoria and Cape Town. Rovos Rail offers a similar luxury service while the Steam Train Company is a scenic tour company.
Roads throughout South Africa are good making renting a car another viable option. Car rental companies operate throughout the country and have branches at airports and the major cities. Motorcycles and motor homes can also be rented but remember to drive on the left.
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- There is no shortage of national parks in South Africa. Of these, Kruger is both the largest and best-known. Established in 1898, it features 147 mammals, 114 types of reptile and 507 species of birds. So while hippos, crocodiles and Impala antelopes (most common animal in South Africa) can all be found here, zebras, buffaloes, giraffes and elephants also abound. Big cats also call the park home with 1,500 lions, 900 leopards and 300 cheetahs on display. Rest camps are scattered throughout Kruger and they range according to your budget from huts to family cottages to luxury guest houses.
- Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park is actually two national parks combined (Kalahari Gemsbok National Park in South Africa and Gemsbok National Park in Botswana). Although it measures a staggering 3.6 million hectares, vegetation here is limited with many of the local animals congregating around the Auob and Nossob rivers. The most common animals are round squirrel and suricate (meerkat) though badgers, anteaters and fox are also in evidence.
- On the coast whales, turtles and penguins can all be seen. Watch breaching whales at Hermanus, south of Cape Town, where a whale crier calls out the location of whales. African Jackass Penguins call Boulder’s Beach in Simonstown (Simon’s Town) home and nesting Leatherback and Loggerhead turtles can be seen at St Lucia in KwaZulu Natal. These tend to nest between November and January but do not hatch until the period between January and March.
- The Apartheid Museum and MuseuMAfricA in Johannesburg offer a glimpse at the country’s history and culture, respectively. South African Lipizzaners jump into action on Sunday mornings in Kyalami.
- In Cape Town a cable car whisks visitors to the top of Table Mountain. The ride covers the 1085m of elevation in under ten minutes and features a rotating floor offering unobstructed views of the city below.
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There are several airports for travellers taking flights to South Africa including:
Cape Town International (CPT), which is 25km east of the city.
Durban International (DUR), which is 17km southwest of the city (travel time - 20 minutes).
Johannesburg International Airport (JNB) (O. R. Tambo International), 22km east of the city (travel time is about 35 minutes).
Port Elizabeth (PLZ), which is 5km west of the city’s business district.
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Visa requirements vary according to your country of origin. All visitors require a valid passport with at least one free page for stamps.
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