|
|
FAQ |
||
|
What travel documents do I need? You need a passport that is valid for 6 months beyond your departure date, and that has at least two blank pages in the ‘Visa’ section for immigration stamps. Holders of American, Canadian, and European Union passports do not require visas for South Africa, Botswana or Namibia. Holders of American passports do require visas for Zimbabwe and Zambia, but these can be purchased at the point of entry into these countries. Zimbabwe requires US$ in cash. Holders of Commonwealth passports and citizens of most western European countries do not require visas for Zimbabwe, but British citizens do require visas for Zambia. Please Note: These requirements can change suddenly and with little or no prior notification (especially in Zimbabwe and Zambia) so please double check with us before you travel. Will I require inoculations and other medication? Southern Africa does not legally require any inoculations. The only exception is if you are arriving from other African countries where Yellow Fever is prevalent, in which case you will need to be vaccinated against this disease. I have heard that it is difficult to get to Africa from the US, is this true? There are daily direct flights from New York and Atlanta to either Johannesburg or Cape Town in South Africa, with a flying time of around 15 hours. Once in South Africa there is a well developed network of scheduled flights throughout southern Africa. Can I get there with my air miles? Yes. Although as with travel anywhere these days, it is increasingly complicated. South African Airways is partnered with Delta in the USA, and you can use your Delta Skymiles to purchase a ticket on the South African Airways direct flights to South Africa. Alternately, there are a number of carriers that fly from European cities to South Africa, including British Airways, Virgin, Lufthansa, KLM, Air France and Swissair. They all have US partners, and you can use your miles to reach South Africa via Europe. Will I have to carry a lot of cash? Most camps, lodges and hotels have facilities to accept payment by credit card. On safari, all expenses are covered in the cost of accommodation and any extras will tend to be limited and can generally be paid by credit card. In urban centers, particularly in South Africa, ATMs are to be found in most shopping malls and banks, and will accept US cash cards using the Cirrus and Plus systems, as well as Visa, MasterCard or American Express credit cards. Both international airports (Johannesburg and Cape Town) also have banks and ATMs. When traveling on a self-drive tour it is important to note that cash will have to be used to pay for fuel and tollgates as most Non - South African credit cards are not accepted as mode of payment! Is tapwater safe to drink? The tap water in South Africa is safe to drink. Camps, lodges and hotels will make it clear to their guests whether they should or should not drink the tap water and in most cases, will provide mineral water free of charge if tap water is not safe. In SA it is general practice to freeze tap water for ice blocks to use in drinks. These have been the cause of many an upset stomach amongst foreigners as bacteria in water do not die when frozen but are preserved and will be the cause of illness when melted and taken in with drinks. Will I be able to communicate with local people? English is an official language in all five countries of the region, and is the de facto language of politics and economics. It is taught at school, and is widely spoken in the urban and tourist centers. Even in rural areas, many local villagers (especially younger ones who have received schooling) will be able to converse in English. Of the eleven official languages in South Africa Zulu is the most commonly spoken (24%) then Xhosa (18%), Afrikaans (13%) and then English and Tswana both at (8%) are only forth most commonly spoken. Will I be able to stay in touch with the outside world? All urban centers are well served by terrestrial telecommunications systems, and cellular networks are well developed (cellular phones can be rented for the duration of your stay). Calling cards from most US carriers (e.g. AT&T, MCI, etc.) offer toll free number which can be dialed from South African phones for long-distances calls, while local calls can be made with telephone cards from Telkom (the local carrier). Almost all hotels have telephone and fax services, often internet as well. While out on safari you will be able to escape from modern technology and, but for emergencies, will be out of reach to the outside world (a rare luxury!). All camps do, however, have radio communications in case of emergencies. Certain luxury lodges in South Africa offer full telephone (and even internet) services for those who cannot afford to 'disappear'. Is it possible to drive oneself around? Self-driving is certainly an option in most of South Africa and parts of Namibia. Most safari camps, however, are located in remote wilderness areas and some of these cannot be accessed by road. Here flights in and out by light charter aircraft are the only option. The Western Cape Province of South Africa – encompassing Cape Town, the "Winelands", the "Whale Route" and the "Garden Route" - are some of the most popular self-drive destinations. Virtually all roads are tarred, well sign-posted (in English) and in excellent condition. South Africa's KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga and Limpopo Provinces are some of the other regions that lend themselves well to self-driving. Most of Namibia can be visited on a self-drive basis, although a 4x4 is recommended for certain of the dirt roads through the Namib. When traveling on a self-drive tour it is important to note that cash will have to be used to pay for fuel and tollgates as most Non - South African credit cards are not accepted as mode of payment! I have heard that Africa is politically unstable and dangerous? Africa is the world's second largest continent, and is four times the size of the USA. In size, Africa is larger than the combination of the United States of America, Europe, China, India, Argentina and New Zealand. There certainly are parts of Africa (particularly central and northern Africa) that are not at all safe for travel, but is very misleading to think of this as representative of the entire continent. Southern Africa is by far the most peaceful, democratic and economically stable part of the continent. All five countries in the region are multi-party democracies with stable governments and strong economies. In fact, their political and economic systems do not differ much from American or Western European systems, and the traveler from these regions will feel remarkably at home. For more information kindly contact us at: info@tokologo.co.za |
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
