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Become a South African Overland Adventure traveller and you will appreciate
just how big South Africa is.
When it comes to land mammals, South Africa hogs the superlatives:
it's got the biggest (African elephant), the smallest (the pygmy shrew),
the tallest (the giraffe) and the fastest (the cheetah). No slacker
when it comes to birdlife, South African birding is amongst the best
in the world. South African flora is also spectacular.
South African overland travellers can enjoy hiking trails and mountain
biking trails - it's even possible to cycle through some of the wildlife
parks! South Africa also has some of the best, least-crowded surfing
in the world.
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South African Travel Facts
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Area: 1,221,037 sq km
Population: 43.1 million
Capitals: Pretoria (administrative); Bloemfontein (judicial)
and Cape Town (legislative)
People: 77% black, 10% white (60% of whites are of Afrikaner
descent, most of the rest are of British descent), 8% mixed race,
2.5% of Indian or Asian descent
Languages: Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans, Pedi, English, Tswana, Sotho,
Tsonga, Swati, Venda, Ndebele
Visas: South African entry permits are issued free on arrival to visitors
on holiday from many Commonwealth and most Western European countries,
as well as Japan and the USA. If you aren't entitled to an entry permit,
you'll need to get a free visa before you arrive.
Time: GMT/UTC plus two hours
Currency: Rand
Health risks: Malaria is mainly confined to the eastern half
of South Africa, especially on the lowveld (coastal plain). Bilharzia
is also found mainly in the east but outbreaks do occur in other places,
so you should always check with your overland adventure guide before
drinking water or swimming in it. Check out our vaccination
guide line.
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South African Climate |
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Its position just south of the Tropic of Capricorn ensures that its
topography and the surrounding oceans moderates the South
African climate. Basically, the further east you travel, the more
handy your rain-gear becomes, but there are also damp pockets in the
south-west, particularly around Cape Town. The coast north from the
Cape becomes progressively drier and hotter, culminating in the desert
region just south of Namibia.
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South African Travel Tips
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Keep a few exchange receipts as you'll need them to reconvert your
rands when you leave South African ports and airports. |
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The South African R200 note looks a lot like the
South African R20 note, so take care when you travel. |
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Spring is the best time for wildflowers in the Northern
Cape and Western Cape provinces. |
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Keep an eye out for lurking crocodiles in South
African streams and rampaging hippos in the northern coastal regions.
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Enquire
Now 
Specials
Overland Africa
