SOUTH AFRICA

Game Viewing: June to October when the vegetation isn’t as thick and game viewing is easier but good all year round at private reserves.
Whale Watching: Mid-June to October (Southern Right Whales) and August to December (Humpback Whales).
Diving (Scuba & Shark Cage diving): April to September
Flowers: August to September
Birding: The palaeoarctic migrants arrive in November and the intra-Africa migrants usually by mid-October.

All major roads and highways in South Africa are excellent and typical of any first-world country. Some of South Africa’s back roads aren’t as well maintained, so care should be taken while driving on them. Driving in South Africa occurs on the left-hand side of the road, and the speed limit is 75 miles per hour. Be on the lookout for animals in the bush and in rural areas.

Canadian and US passport holders do not require a visa for entry to South Africa for a stay of up to 90 days. What is required is a valid passport with a minimum of 2 blank pages and a validity of 6 months past your intended return date from South Africa.

During game drives in the bush, predatory animals like lions, leopards, and hyena often come so close to your vehicle that danger would seem imminent. Amazingly, the animals who live in and around the private game reserves are accustomed to the sight and sound of a Land Rover filled with people, and will often appear not even to notice you. However, anything could happen in the wild, so guests are instructed not to stand up in the vehicle or make any sudden movements, and all rangers are trained to handle an attack situation and are armed with loaded shotguns.

The private hospitals in South Africa are some of the best in the world. In fact, doctors at the Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town performed the world’s first heart transplant in 1967. Private hospitals are more advanced than public hospitals and tend to be less crowded. Tourists are advised to visit private hospitals in the event of an emergency and are expected to pay cash for medical services rendered.

The seasons of the southern hemisphere are opposite to those in the northern hemisphere so the summers run from November to February, when most of the country is characterized by hot weather with afternoon thunderstorms. Winters are generally mild and dry. South Africa enjoys one of the world’s highest average daily hours of sunshine – 8.5 compared with 3.8 in London, 6.4 in Rome and 6.9 in New York. South Africa has an average annual rainfall of 464 mm, compared to a world average of 857 mm. In the Western Cape, the average rainfall is highest in the winter months, while in other provinces, the average rainfall is highest during summer. Overall South Africa enjoys a temperate and pleasant climate, with lovely warm sunny days most of the year.