You need a valid passport to enter South Africa (read more here)

Depends on your country of origin (click here to find out if you need a visa)

South Africa uses four types of power plug sockets that are of type C, D, M and N. The standard voltage is 230 V and the frequency is 50 Hz. Be aware that there will be loadshedding when visiting South Africa, which means that the electricity will be shut down a few hours per day, mostly in the night.

You will need to buy a local SIM. We bought it at the airport of Johannesburg after arriving. 

A combination of cash and a credit card is the best idea, as some rural parts of South Africa doesn’t accept a credit card. But card payments are widely accepted.

South Africa, and the big cities like Johannesburg in particular, has a bad reputation as it comes to safety. It’s being said that it’s one of the most dangerous places in the world. As for South Africa, I only ever truly felt unsafe while driving in the dark, but that’s because of all the stories you read online and nothing really happened. Just keep in mind that it’s still very dangerous to drive in the dark and we only did it for a short amount of time as we miscalculated the driving time. Johannesburg on the other hand, we skipped this place entirely as no-one recommends going there so do the same thing.

Even though the country is deemed unsafe, it’s a very beautiful country. The people were nice and always helpful as from my experience! The only bad thing we encountered, was when we didn’t pay a parking guy beforehand (we told him that we would pay when we came back, which was the truth!) and he gave us a flat tyre. This was a trick to make us pay even more for helping us with the flat tyre. So, even though they are not the legitimate parking person, always pay them a bit beforehand! The last thing about safety that is very important is about Kruger National Park. Don’t ever go through the Numbi gate! There are way to many bad incidents with tourists there like robberies. The park is even thinking about closing the gate! Instead, go through the Paul Kruger or the Phabeni gate which are closest by.

I know it all sounds scary, but it’s better to know beforehand. Just don’t let fear be a big factor of your trip and just be careful. As long as you don’t do anything irresponsible like walking around at night or with expensive jewellery and always keep an eye out! Also, do some research before going.

Public transportation in South-Africa differs per region and city. But in general, the big cities have well-developed public transportation systems, but the more rural parts may have limited options. There are four predominantly ways to use public transportation: buses, trains, Uber and minibuses called taxis. Also, the public transportation in South-Africa has some issues, like lack of funding.

Our budget was a bit more expensive than we usually are used to. Per person, we spent around €2300 for 2 weeks. Know that this includes our plane from Belgium, 2 national flights to fly to Cape Town and Johannesburg for the Kruger Park, a 5 day safari with accommodation and game drives, our rented car and all the accommodations.

National flights around the country will cost around €100 and accommodation was, on average, €60 per night for 2 people in the low season. I was the most surprised about the price for Kruger National Park. For a 5 day safari for 2 people, it was around €630. This includes the entrance, all the lodges (not the most expensive ones) and 4 game drives, namely a sunrise, sunset and night drive and a walking tour as well.

On average, you will spend between €120 and 200 per day in South Africa, depending on the time you travel.

For 2 weeks, we spent £1400 for 2 people with the biggest cost being gas (keep in mind, we drove a total of 5000 kilometers!). We booked 3 hotel nights and those were £270 in total, so we saved a ton of money with sleeping in the car! 

The daily suggested budget for Scotland for 10 days is around £100, assuming you will stay in a mid-range hotels, eat cheap (for example, cooking for yourself) and use your own vehicle.

In South Africa, you will need to drive on the left side of the road. This is not the most complicated thing to do, but it’s still quite frightening if this will be your first time. Try to arrive in daylight, so you can just follow other cars. As you will get a rental car, the steering wheel will be at the right side of the car. This will help for passing cars. Also, if you have a copilot, make sure that both of you pay attention and that you help eachother! No need for any accidents! 

There are a few things that you need to keep in mind for your safety while driving around. You will notice a lot of people walking next to the highway. Don’t EVER stop for anybody as you don’t know their intentions and it’s better to be safe. Another tip is to never stop too close to the car in front of you. Some other cars can surround you and then you have no way to escape. The last thing, avoid driving in the dark! That’s when it gets the most dangerous. There were even signs next to the highway announcing that it’s a high risk zone for danger.  Last thing, don’t forget to lock your door once you step inside your car. 

Malaria is present throughout the year, but you have the highest risk between September to May in low altitude areas of Mpumalanga Province (including Kruger National Park) and Limpopo Province, Vhembe and Mopani districts, Musina, Thohoyandou and surroundings. You need to consult with your doctor if you need to take Malaria medicine.