Cycling Tours
South Africa

South Africa is a large and diverse country, whose climate varies from region to region. The Limpopo and Mpumalanga Provinces experience summer rainfall with heavy thundershowers from December to February and a dry winter period from May to October. Cape Town and the Western Cape experiences winter rainfall (June to August) and a largely bone-dry hot summer while much of the rest of the country, including the Kruger Park area, have heavy summer thundershowers (December to March) and a dry winter period from May to October. The Garden Route and Eastern Cape on the other hand can experience rain at any time of year. The best time to visit these areas depends on what you would like to see and which climate you prefer. In summer, the African bush is at its greenest and birdlife is abundant. In winter, wildlife is easier to spot because there is less vegetation and animals gather around rivers and waterholes.

Additional Information - Seasons in South Africa:

Spring - September and October
Summer - November to March
Autumn - April to May
Winter - June to August

• January - The first month of the year is characterized by lush vegetation which has flourished after the early summer rains. Temperatures can soar into the high thirties (approx. 95 – 102˚F), but thundershowers often bring a welcome relief from the heat in the late afternoon.
• February - Though usually one of the warmest months, thunderstorms are still possible from time to time. The bush remains green in colour and vegetation remains thick.
• March - The weather is warm, and although there may still be some rainfall in the north, it begins to ease off. As this is the end of the season, vegetation is lush and rivers and full in the Kruger National Park.
• April - April brings with it the change of season and is often the time of the year when the very short bushveld autumn can be experienced. Water begins to dry up and the temperatures are pleasant however they can vary between hot during the day and chilly during the evenings.
• May - May is one of the best times of year to visit the country as it is not too hot but not too cold either. The bushveld is still green but due to the lack of rain, it is a good time to visit Kruger.
• June – The north and east of the country experience dryer temperatures and this is a great time for game viewing as animals congregate around water holes. When setting out in the morning, it is best to wear multiple layers as the temperature will increase during the day.
• July - In many respects July is similar to June, the only difference is that it is drier. Towards the end of the month, it starts to warm up slightly during the day. However, the evenings are still cold.
• August - August is the driest month, the temperature rises during the day and although the nights are cool the days are very pleasant. The grass is now gold to brown in colour and tends to begin to thin out.
• September - September is a month of great contrasts, the bush is still dry, but many of the trees begin to blossom. The animals are out in full force, with many giving birth.
• October - Temperatures start to rise throughout the country but the rains are yet to come in the north. If thunderstorms occur, they do not usually bring much rain, but certainly enough to start the early growth of the bush and to allow for a flush a fresh green.
• November – Temperatures continue to rise across the country and the rains start in the Kruger National Park. Late afternoon thunderstorms clear the air and can be spectacular.
• December - The festive season is extremely busy in South

A valid passport is required for entry into South Africa. Identity cards are not recognised. Travel documents must be machine-readable (except for replacement documents issued in the event of loss or theft) and valid for at least a further 30 days upon your planned date of departure. At least two blank passport pages are required for visa stamps. Even if travelling on from South Africa to other countries with the intention of returning to South Africa, travellers should ensure that there are enough blank pages for all entry and exit stamps. Without these blank pages, you will be denied entry into the country.

Children can no longer enter in the passport of their parent or caregiver and so are also required to have their own, valid identity documents for entry into South Africa.

Please check yourself if you require a visa for entry into South Africa with the South African High Commission or the South African Department of Home Affairs, as some nationalities require a visa to enter the country.

Entry of Minors

Persons under 18 years of age must present a birth certificate in the original or as a certified copy when entering or leaving the country. Though border police have not regularly been asking for this since December 2018, it is still obligatory. According to information from the South African Department of Home Affairs, these can also be in languages other than English. However, short-term changes to the regulations or differing interpretations by individual departments cannot be ruled out.

In order to avoid difficulties when entering and leaving South Africa, it is recommended that children carry international birth certificates or, if necessary, certified English translations.

Radurlaub Zeitreisen GmbH assumes no liability for the correctness of the information given here. You can obtain the latest information from the responsible consulate in your country.

The national currency in South Africa is the rand (ZAR or R).

There are 100 cents to every rand and 10, 20, 50, 100, and 200 rand banknotes. Eurocheque is not accepted. Cash can be exchanged locally in banks and at exchange offices and Bureau de Change.

Credit cards are widely used in South Africa. It is possible to pay with credit card in some hotels, shops, and restaurants. Credit cards are often not accepted in rural areas.

Depending on from where you are flying there may be mandatory vaccinations for entry into South Africa. Should you be entering South Africa from a country which WHO have declared as having a risk yellow fever transmission, you must be able to prove that you are vaccinated against the disease. This also applies to stopovers of more than 12 hours in countries such as Nairobi and Addis Ababa. We strongly suggest that you visit your GP well in advance before your trip and to ask for malaria prophylaxis and to have missing vaccinations refreshed.

Malaria

There is a medium to high risk of contracting malaria from October to May in the east of the Mpumalanga Province (including the entire Kruger National Park and adjacent private game reserves) and in the north and north-east of the Limpopo Province. For this reason, a malaria prophylaxis is recommended. There is a low risk from June to September in the east of the Mpumalanga Province (including the entire Kruger National Park) and in the north and north-east of the Limpopo Province as well as from September to May in the north and north-east of KwaZulu-Natal (including Tembe and Ndumo as well as the Umfolozi and Hluhluwe game reserves).

Before your trip, we ask you to please check with your GP (or a tropical medicine specialist) whether it is necessary to take malaria prophylaxis with consideration as to where and the time of year you will be travelling.

In order to prevent infection, you should also continually protect yourself from insect bites! Make sure to consistently apply insect repellent on uncovered skin (i.e. all exposed parts of the body) especially during the evening and at night. If there is no insect screen in your room, be sure to shut all windows and doors during the night and use insect repellent in your bedroom. Wear light clothing that covers your whole body, especially in the morning, in the evening, and at night and especially when outside.