The following are requirements for entering South Africa: (1) A valid, acceptable passport or travel document good for a sufficient period to cover the intended stay, (2) A valid visa, if required, (3) Sufficient funds, (4) A return or onward ticket, (5) A yellow fever certificate (if the journey starts or entails passing through the yellow fever belt of Africa or South America).

Anyone travelling to South Africa must have two consecutive blank pages in their passport which lie side by side when the passport is open (i.e. a left and a right hand page). Passports must also be valid for at least six months. Passengers travelling to South Africa with passports that do not comply with these requirements, will either be stopped from boarding the aircraft or risk deportation on arrival in South Africa.

Depending on their nationality, and the purpose and duration of their visit, foreigners may not need a visa to visit South Africa at all. A list of countries exempt from South African visas may be found here.

Delegates are advised to apply for a visa at least four weeks before leaving for South Africa (if they are subject to visa requirements), and to await the outcome before departing. Visas are NOT issued at South African ports of entry, and airline officials are obliged to insist on visas before allowing passengers to board. If passengers arrive without a visa, immigration officials are obliged by law to refuse them entry to South Africa.

Delegates are advised to visit the visa information page at the Department of Home Affairs website. Delegates might also find the list of South African offices abroad useful at the Department of Foreign Affairs website for information on where to apply in their own country. A visa application form may be downloaded here.

The closest city to Stellenbosch is Cape Town. The closest airport is Cape Town International Airport, which is approximately 30 minutes' drive (21 kilometres or 13 miles) from Stellenbosch. The direct flights between the USA and South Africa take about 15 hours and to Australia between 9 to 14 hours. Flights between London and Cape Town take about 12 hours. Flights to and from the Far East are roughly 10 to 12 hours long. Not all airlines fly direct to Cape Town; some flights connect via OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg.

Dedicated conference shuttles will be available to transport delegates from the airport to the conference hotel in Stellenbosch. More information on the departure times and costs of these shuttles can be found in the 'transfer' section under the 'Travel' menu item on this website.

South Africa is two hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time throughout the year making it an hour ahead of central European winter time, seven hours ahead of Eastern standard winter time and seven hours behind Australian central time.

South Africa's unit of currency is the rand (abbreviated ZAR, or just R for short), which is divided into 100 cents. Coins come in denominations of 5c, 10c, 20c, 50c, R1, R2 and R5, and notes in denominations of R10, R20, R50, R100 and R200.

With a favourable exchange rate for many international currencies, delegates will find South Africa a very inexpensive destination. For example, for one British pound you can buy about three daily newspapers; or one take-away hamburger; or two cans of Coke. Fifty pounds will get you bed and breakfast in a decent guesthouse or hotel, or a bus ticket for a ride of a few hundred kilometres.

One US dollar will get you about two daily newspapers; or one can of Coke. A litre of petrol - which is about 0.25 gallons - will cost you about $1. An economy class flight between Johannesburg and Cape Town will cost about $120.

One euro will buy a good cup of coffee in a restuarant; or two loaves of bread. A music CD will cost about E12.

South African banks are generally open from 9am to 3.30pm Mondays through Fridays, and 8.30am to 11am on Saturdays, but those at the airports adjust their hours to accommodate international flights.

The major banks have branches as well as automated teller machines (ATMs) in most large towns - and all over the cities. International banks have branches in the major cities. Thomas Cook (represented by Rennies Travel) and American Express foreign exchange offices are also available in the major cities.

All major credit cards can be used in South Africa, with American Express and Diners Club enjoying less universal acceptance than MasterCard and Visa. In some small towns, you may find you'll need to use cash. Most international traveller's cheques are accepted provided they are in an acceptable currency and may be cashed at most banks. Many hotels and shops also provide this service.

Fuel cannot usually be purchased with a credit card and should be paid for with cash. Many locals have special fuel credit cards, known as garage or petrol cards, for use only at filling stations. However, you can pay road tolls with MasterCard or Visa.

Foreign tourists can have their VAT (value-added tax at 14%) refunded at the point of departure, provided they present their original tax invoices. Simply identify yourself as a tourist to shop assistants and request a Tax Invoice for the goods you have purchased. The goods must be presented for inspection on departure.

Overall, the Western Cape climate is typically Mediterranean, with warm, dry summers and mild, moist winters. Lying between the Indian and Atlantic Oceans, Cape Town enjoys mild winters and pleasant summers. Summer temperatures in December to February range from around 15 to 27 degrees Celsius (60 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit), whilst in the winter months of June to August average temperatures are between 7 to 20 degrees Celsius (45 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit). Cape Town summers bring hot weather and can be quite windy, and winters are usually cold and wet, although you may have some beautiful warm days. Whatever season you visit Cape Town, be warned of the saying: Cape Town has four seasons - sometimes in the same day.

Known to some as sunny South Africa, the country has a warm to hot climate, making it one of the best year-round destinations in the world, with midwinter occurring in June and July and midsummer over December and January. South Africa has distinct climatic zones. Most of the country's nine provinces enjoy a summer rainfall with occasional afternoon thunderstorms, which are spectacular to see. Winters can be very cold in inland areas, with snow sometimes occurring, especially on the mountain peaks. Conversely, subtropical areas have such mild winters, that visitors will never guess it's winter at all.

Cape Town and the Garden Route coastal belt have a so-called Mediterranean climate, influenced by winds blowing in from the South Atlantic. Summers tend to be warm, mild and unpredictable; rain can fall at any time of the year and winter days can be cold and wet. Subtropical KwaZulu-Natal has hot humid summers and warm, sunny winters, coral reefs and tepid seas; the province's Drakensberg range sees misty summer days and mountain snow in winter. The North West Province is hot to very hot in summer and mild to cold in winter but offers almost all year-round sunshine. A summer-rainfall area, Gauteng has hot summers and cold winters with frost. Hail is common during summer thunderstorms. Johannesburg and Pretoria lie on a plateau (the Highveld) and have a near-perfect climate; summer days are hot, with none of the humidity of the KwaZulu-Natal coast, while the winters are dry with chilly nights.

East of Johannesburg, the Lowveld, the low-lying wedge along the Mozambique border that includes the Kruger National Park, is subject to similar summer and winter rainfall patterns to the Highveld, but experiences far greater extremes of temperature because of its considerably lower altitude.
For more information visit the website of the South African Weather Service.

South Africa has some of the best doctors and hospitals in the world. However, delegates should acquire travel insurance since quality healthcare is not cheap. Tap water may be drunk throughout the country (it's safe even if it looks a little brown coming out of the tap in some areas). Drinking water straight from rivers, however, can put your health at risk. Fruit and vegetables are safe to consume.

No vaccinations are required by law to enter South Africa. If you are travelling from a country where Yellow Fever is present you will need to prove you have had the inoculation by presenting a valid international yellow fever inoculation certificate. Both Typhoid and Hepatitis A vaccinations are highly recommended.

Most of the main tourist destinations in South Africa are malaria free, making South Africa a particularly good destination to travel to with kids. The only areas where malaria is still prevalent are the Lowveld of Mpumalanga and Limpopo and on the Maputaland coast of KwaZulu-Natal. This includes the Kruger National Park. Advisable precautions are malaria tablets, insect repellent and wearing long-sleeved shirt and trousers in the evenings. Make sure your doctor or travel clinic knows you are travelling to South Africa (don't just say Africa) so that s/he can prescribe the right anti-malarial medication, if necessary. Malaria Helpline: 0861 MOZZIE (0861 66 99 43).

You should wear sunscreen and a hat whenever you are out of doors during the day, particularly between 10am and 4pm. Sunglasses are also recommended wear, as the glare of the African sun can be strong.

South Africa has one of the highest rates of HIV infections in the world.

Smoking has been banned in public areas in South Africa, but there usually are designated areas where you can smoke. The law also prohibits anyone under 18 from entering a designated smoking area and from buying cigarettes.

The electricity supply is 220/230 volts AC 50 HZ, with the exception of Pretoria (230 V) and Port Elizabeth (200/250 V) and is supplied through either 15-amp three-prong or 5-amp two-prong plugs, in both cases with round pins. Adaptors can be purchased, but may be in short supply. US-made appliances may need a transformer. Most hotel rooms have 110 volt outlets for electric shavers and appliances.

South Africa's culinary traditions stem from many nations' cultures due to its location on the Cape sea route. A melting pot of many different ethnic groups, cuisine varies from European, Malay, Indian and Chinese to a variety of delicous 'home grown' dishes. Cape Dutch is a mixture of European peasant cooking flavoured by herbs and spices brought by the workers from the Dutch East Indies. The Asian influence has made a rich contribution to the cuisine and curry lovers will appreciate the Indian presence in Kwa Zulu-Natal. The seafood is superb and delegates are encouraged to try the local game such as impala, kudu and ostrich. South Africa�s wines have achieved world acclaim, with two main wine growing areas including the Northern Cape and Western Cape.

Most parts of the country can be safely visited by tourists. You should take the usual common-sense precautions you would take in any city: lock your valuables in the hotel safe; be careful when changing large amounts of money; do not display expensive photographic equipment or jewellery; make copies of your passport and keep them in your luggage and just be careful about walking around at night (especially in the major cities). If you are in doubt as to the safety of a particular area or attraction, contact the National Tourism Information and Safety Line on +27 (0)83 123-2345. This number may also be used for assistance in replacing lost documents or reporting incidents.

Emergency Number from a cell phone - 112

Police Emergency Number - 10111

Ambulance / Fire - 10177

Tipping

Most restaurants do not add a service charge to the bill, thus it is customary to leave a 10-15% tip. Porters are generally tipped between R2-R5 per bag. Taxis 10%. Parking guards and petrol station attendants can be given whatever small change you have available.

Driving

Non-residents are permitted to drive with a driving licence issued and valid in their own country, provided it bears the photograph and signature of the holder and is in English. If your drivers licence does not meet these requirements, an international driver's licence is required. Driving is on the left and the wearing of seatbelts is compulsory. We have very strict drinking and driving laws, with a maximum allowable alcohol blood content of 0.05%. Talking on a mobile phone while driving is illegal. Our speed limits are generally 120 kmph on highways and between 60 & 80 kmph in towns. Toll fees apply on national roads. Always lock car doors when driving & leaving the car and do not display valuables on the car seats.

Mobile Telephones

You can rent mobile phones - called cellphones - from the airport on arrival. Delegates may bring along their mobile telephones from home, provided that they are not dedicated to a service provider back home. Apply for international roaming with your service provider before departure or starter packs may be purchased on arrival at the airport for about ZAR 100. You will need to produce your passport and proof of address in your home country. The smart card (with your new South African telephone number) may be inserted into your telephone and you are on your way. Additional prepaid cards may be purchased and loaded as required; mobile telephone shop assistants are generally well qualified to assist visitors. When delegates return home they may, of course, discard the South African smart card and revert to their original telephone smart cards.

The mobile telephone service providers in South Africa are Virgin Mobile, Cell C, MTN, Vodacom and 8ta (Telkom).