When a family considers going on a safari in Africa, the first couple of questions that normally arise when small children form part of the party are: Is it safe for them to go along, will they enjoy it, will other guests on the tour enjoy them, are there places they can play and where they can be left with professional sitters? What will it cost?
Crime, like anywhere else in the world, can be a problem, but you really need not do much more than take all the usual sensible precautions. Know where you're going before you set off, particularly at night, watch your possessions, don't walk alone in dodgy areas, and lock your doors at night. Much like anywhere else. And, like anywhere else in the world, there are some areas of major cities that are dodgier than others. It is easy to avoid these and still have a good time. Check with the locals who will quickly point those areas out to you.
Medical insurance is highly recommended, but we want to stress that you scrutinize the policy before you buy it. For many reasons, a number of medical services and facilities are questionable and obtaining the best medical attention when needed, can become challenging.
A few points to consider are:
No vaccinations are required of visitors coming from the United States, Canada or Central Europe. People arriving in South Africa from a yellow fever zone must have a valid international yellow fever inoculation certificate. Infants under the age of one year are exempt. Immunisation against yellow fever, cholera and small pocks is not required
South Africa's weather conditions are described as mild, with lots of sunshine and mostly a dry climate. To this end the saying; 'Sunny South Africa'. We are blessed with hot sunny summers and mild winters, making South Africa a tourist haven.
Here are the weather conditions in some of the most popular and well-known areas:
This question is often asked and has no easy answer as the country is so diverse. Therefore, many factors may influence the answer.
Although South Africa is a Westernised country in many areas such as food, accommodation, shopping and the dominant culture as far as the official economy is concerned, a certain amount of research is vital before a visit to the country and its neighbours especially when no bookings were made before arrival. Lodging is seldom a problem (except during peak periods) and a wide variety is readily available from basic backpackers accommodation and guesthouses to exclusive private game lodges and luxury international hotel groups.