South Africa has a lovely climate, which makes it a year-round destination. The seasons are exactly opposite from those in the Northern hemisphere. Roughly speaking, the country can be divided into 2 weather zones: – The Cape Peninsula and the coastal areas up to Port Elizabeth have dry and sunny summers (SeptemberJuly) and have a reasonable chance of rain and cold weather in winter (July-August). – Inland, in the Highveld, the rains come in summer (September-July), accompanied with high temperatures and usually at the end of the day. Winters (July-August) are dry.
During the day it is sunny and warm and the evenings cool and clear. (Don’t forget to bring warm clothes!)

You are still in Africa with its strange insects, tropical diseases and bacteria. We recommend you to contact your doctor before travelling to Africa. He can give you up-to-date advice on the necessary vaccinations and malaria precautions where necessary.
Some tips against malaria: * Wear long sleeves and long pants in the evenings and at night
* Use mosquito repellents at all times
* Where mosquito nets are provided, make use of this when sleeping Water: Generally throughout South Africa, water is safe to drink, however bottled water is also readily available and can be purchased at all shops and lodges. Makes sure you drink enough water, especially during the summer months when it can get very hot. It is a good idea to keep a water bottle filled with fresh water at all times and have this with you, especially when on activities or out and about during the heat of the day.
Dietary Requirements:
If you have any specific dietary requirements, please advise this on booking your tour. This is also requested from you on the booking information form. This information will be given to all the lodges prior to your arrival so that this can be accommodated accordingly.
Medical Conditions:
Any medical conditions you may have, needs to be noted. Please ensure that we receive this information prior to your arrival and on booking your tour. This is also requested from you on the booking information form. This includes advising us of health issues and any allergies. If you will be travelling with medication, it is best to have this properly labelled and if necessary, keep this on you at all times.

Your personal safety is always important, whether you are at home or on holiday. Everyone wishes for a worry-free holiday to be able to enjoy it to the fullest. Below some advice. Be aware People will recognise you from miles away as being a tourist. You look different, behave different, dress different and talk different.
This is a good thing as South Africans are very welcoming and love to meet people from different countries and cultures. Unfortunately, criminals will also recognise you as foreign which makes you an easy target. Our advice: Always be aware of your surroundings and use your common sense.
If you find yourself in a situation that makes you feel uncomfortable: leave. Don’t worry about being impolite. Also make sure not to draw attention by exposing expensive jewellery, cameras, phones and valuables. What to do in case of an emergency? Keep the following phone numbers on hand: 112 General emergency number (Call Centre will direct you to the required emergency service)
This number can be dialled from a mobile phone. 10111 For any police (SAPS) related emergencies. 10177 Medical emergencies.

The general speed limits in Namibia are as follows:

60 km per hour on a public road within an urban area

100 km per hour on gravel roads (non-tarred roads) – although on most gravel roads we recommend not exceeding 80 km per hour for your own safety due to road conditions.

120 km per hour on tarred roads/ freeways

HOW TO CALCULATE TRAVEL TIMES:

Namibia is a vast country, with much to see and do along the way between destinations. It is less about the destination itself and more about the journey to get there.

– On tarred roads we calculate the distances (to include stops en-route) by taking the distance and dividing it by 80 km per hour.

– On gravel roads we calculate the distances (to include stops en-route and take road conditions into account) by taking the distance and dividing it by 60 km per hour.

The above will give you the most accurate approximate travelling times.

PETROL STATIONS & FUEL:

When travelling in Namibia, you will not have to pump your own fuel. All fuel stations will have attendants who will do this for you. They will also assist with checking your oil, inflating your tires and checking your tire pressure and washing your windscreen. It is good practice to give a small tip for these services.

Almost all towns in Namibia have fuel stations and most also have a small convenience store with basic supplies. Those in major towns will accept credit cards, but some in the smaller towns do not have credit card facilities, so we always recommend having cash on hand to pay for fuel along the way.

Refuel as often as possible, as it can happen that some fuel stations will not have fuel and therefore best to keep topping up along the route. Most maps of Namibia also show all fuel stops throughout the country.

Fuel costs fluctuate but as an indication, you can budget on the fuel prices (petrol and diesel) costing between ZAR 12 and ZAR 15 per litre.

FUEL CALCULATION:

Double Cab – 75 litre fuel tank                           Fortuner SUV – 80 litre fuel tank

On average you can work on about 8kms per litre. This should give you an approximate indication of the expected fuel consumption and for you to be able to work out your fuel budget based on the route you will be travelling.

VEHICLE DETAILS:

In Namibia we drive on the left-hand side of the road.

NB: Vehicles in Namibia are manual transmission or automatic.

NB: Make sure that you know which type of vehicle is booked for you and specify if you request an automatic vehicle as both vehicle types are available.

In Namibia we always recommend a 4×4 vehicle. Many areas require a vehicle with high clearance and these vehicles handle the gravel roads, found throughout the country, better and with more stability making travel safer and easier.

NB: At all times when driving a motor vehicle during the day on a trunk road, main road and district road, you need to switch on your head lamps on dipped beam or daytime running lights. This is according to Namibian Law.

DRIVER’S LICENSES:

An international driver’s license will only be required if your license does not adhere to the following:

• Must state “Driver’s License” in English
• Must have a clear photo of the driver
• Must be valid for the duration of travel

You can bring your mobile telephone to South Africa. The network is good, generally speaking. However making calls to Europe, America or within South Africa is expensive. A good alternative is to buy a local simcard and insert this in your phone, this way you can make much cheaper calls and your family and friends back home are still able to reach you. When purchasing a sim-card you need to bring your passport as you need to register according to the RICA regulations. Staying in touch via internet is no problem either. In almost all towns and accommodation establishments you can make use of internet facilities and Wi-Fi.
The dialing code in South Africa is +27 TIPPING: Tipping is common in South Africa. In general tips are about 10-15% of the total bill. Tips for petrol attendants who clean your windows and check oil and water are normally around R5-R10.
Usually you will find a person, often wearing a special vest or a badge, at parking places. They are car watchers and look after your car. It is normal to tip them anything from R5.

During the day it is sunny and warm and the evenings cool and clear. (Don’t forget to bring warm clothes!)

The currency in South Africa is the South African Rand (ZAR). You can exchange Euros and Dollars everywhere, however drawing money from an ATM is the cheapest option. You find ATM’s in every town and at airports. Credit cards are also accepted at most places.

You do not need a visa for a stay of shorter than 90 days. At customs you receive a sticker or stamp in your passport (please make sure you have at least 2 empty pages available in your passport). The passport needs to be valid for at least another 30 days after return. You must be able to show a flight ticket with a confirmed return or onward flight.

TRAVELING WITH MINORS (UNDER 18 YEARS): From 1 June 2015 onwards, passengers travelling to South Africa with children under 18 years old, need to be able to show not only a valid passport and airline ticket, but also an official unabridged birth certificate including details of both parents of the minor. In short, the new regulations state that:
• Parents, travelling with children, need to show their valid passports and airline tickets as well as original unabridged birth certificates of the travelling child(ren);
• In the event of children travelling without their parents (but with a family member, friend or guardian), they need to show an official declaration in which both parents give consent to their child travelling* including copies of passports of both parents or the legal guardian of the travelling child;
• In the event of the child travelling with one of the parents, he/she needs to show the unabridged birth certificate as well as an official declaration of the other parent, giving consent to travel* ;
• If applicable, official documents (court order) stating that the single parent has full custody over the travelling child, or the official death certificate of the other parent.
• In addition, adopted children need to provide proof of adoption by means of an adoption certificate. =
Please note while certified copies of unabridged birth certificates are currently accepted, it is preferable to carry the original document. Please note that certified copies are only valid for 3 months from date of issue. The South African Home Affairs Department introduced these regulations to combat human trafficking and illegal adoption practices. How to obtain an unabridged birth certificate?
Check with the home affairs department in your country or alternatively your local municipality how to obtain the unabridged birth certificate. Please make sure you allow for sufficient time between application and receipt of the document, which can vary from 5 days to 3 weeks. Make sure the documents are in English. Please also make sure that all certified copies of the required documents have valid and clear, readable date stamps of your local authority.
NB: For more information contact the South African and / or Namibia Embassy (same rules apply for Namibia) or Consulate in your country.

Some tips on what to pack:
* A good quality pair of sunglasses
* Comfortable walking shoes (closed shoes)
* Swimming costume
* Wind breaker / anorak / parka for cold evenings
* Camera with extra battery and extra card
* Binoculars
* A good flashlight
* Basic medical kit