Travel to South Africa
Indice
We arrived to the African continent, and what better way to explore it than getting to know South Africa. A country full of culture, natural landscapes and especially wild flora and fauna everywhere. It is this reason that attracts many travelers in the world, to discover the most powerful animals of the wild kingdom that you will not be able to see anywhere else.
South Africa is a country that stands out for its wide diversity of ecosystems. Although most travelers look to South Africa as an excellent safari destination, you also have many other options for touring the country from end to end.
The local currency is the rand, its code is written as ZAR. It has a currency exchange rate that makes it favorable to visit the country, the current approximate value of the Rand compared to the US Dollar is 15 rand to one dollar.
Major credit cards such as MasterCard, Visa, American Express and Diners Club are widely accepted, so you will have no problem on your trip. A basic element to take into account for your budget is that tipping is practically obligatory. In restaurants a 10% tip is usually given, and at gas stations a tip is also customary. But, so that you have an idea of how much your tour of South Africa may cost, we will give you a detailed and indicative budget.
Travel to South Africa covid
If you are a citizen of another country and want to travel to South Africa, then you need a visa. The “visitor” visa is for international travelers who reside permanently outside of South Africa. It is also for those who wish to visit the country on a more temporary basis for tourism or business purposes. But it does not last forever. Once you get it, the visa is valid for no more than 90 days.
So, now you are in the country. While you are here, the visa is considered a visitor’s permit. The period of validity of the permit is counted from the date you arrived and will be stated under the heading “conditions” on the visa label.
It is important to make sure you apply for the correct visa or permit. Otherwise, entry into the country may be refused if the purpose of the visit is not stated correctly.
Depending on where you are from, visa requirements are different from country to country and are subject to change. Each application is treated as an individual case, so you should inquire at the nearest South African consulate or mission abroad or any Department of Home Affairs office to see if you are even supposed to apply for a visa.
Travel Tips to South Africa
I want to clarify one point: this mini guide is ideal for those who travel to South Africa on their own because that is what I did. I didn’t pay for a travel agency to set up the route for me, I let the destination itself do it for me during the 22 days of the trip.
This will depend on your country of birth. For example, I am Chilean and I only needed my passport to travel there. For many countries it is not necessary to apply for a visa if you will stay in the country for less than 90 days (3 months).
This is one of the most frequent doubts for those who visit South Africa, especially if they come from Latin America. Most of the trips from this part of the continent have a stopover in Sao Paulo (Brazil), so the yellow fever vaccine is mandatory. And when I say it is mandatory, it is real. I was asked for the vaccination certificate when I was about to board the plane to Johannesburg and if I had not had the famous paper, I would not have been able to take the plane. So do not take this point lightly.
Travel to South Africa from Argentina
We narrated this trip in its entirety both Jairo and I in Instagram Stories. I explained the headaches of its preparation, but, above all, day by day more than 6,000 people saw our adventures and misadventures in a trip that went from less to more. So much less that I had no confidence that I would like it, that I was really afraid of the news I had read, and so much more that I ended up crying my eyes out as the plane took off.
To tell the truth, when I thought about traveling to South Africa on my own, I was quite scared. The crime rates are shocking and it is well known that sensationalist news are the ones that appear the most in the media. However, after having returned from this trip, I can say that the fear I had was quite unjustified.
We were also walking around the more touristy area of Johannesburg’s Soweto neighborhood (the one around Mandela’s house and the Orlando Towers) and I noticed an atmosphere that was more festive than dangerous.