superior choices can make your visit to south africa one to be repeated and remembered, as you benefit from our lifetime of experience in superior planning for the discerning traveller.

click here to view the map of the stadiums.

culturally diverse, naturally awe-inspiring and rich in ethnic heritage, south africa truly offers the visitor a world in one country.  south africa has become the playground of the rich and ex-president, nelson mandela, the darling of the famous.  it’s not uncommon to find lunch at a local shebeen and dinner at a five star restaurant, on one itinerary.  throw in a visit to a snow-capped mountain and surfing on roaring sand dunes and you have a recipe for holiday happiness and superior bliss. 

as the 2010 host country, south africa has stepped up to the development plate and continues to meet the FIFA World Cup™ standards in the run up preparations for the event.  ours is a country of great natural and ethnic beauty, balanced by world class infrastructure, just waiting for you to unwrap the experience.

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please click here for general information about south africa.

there are some awesome experiences awaiting you in our host cities, but don’t forget that there is a whole country to experience.  trust superior choices to match your 2010 FIFA World Cup™ game plan with our game parks, history and hospitality. what can you expect in south africa?

top 10 to do in south africa

1. visit our beaches.
2. visit our winelands.
3. visit our game parks.
4. visit table mountain.
5. visit the garden route
6. visit the v&a waterfront.
7. visit the world renowned sun city resort.
8. visit nelson mandela’s cell on robben island.
9. visit a township like soweto, kayelitsha or soshanguve on a cultural tour.
10. visit our world heritage sites, such as the cradle of humankind.

top 10 to do in pretoria – south africa’s capital city

1. visit the historic union buildings.
2. take in the local art scene at the pretoria art museum.
3. the transvaal museum boasts excellent  natural history displays and is the home of mrs ples, the australopithecine fossil found at sterkfontein in the cradle of humankind.
4. take a daytrip to the cradle of human kind and the maropeng center.
5. artefacts from the iron age state of mapungubwe are exhibited at the mapungubwe museum at the university of pretoria. the famous golden rhino, golden sceptre, golden bowl and various gold, ivory and copper ornaments, trade beads and chinese ceramics are on display. 
6. also worth visiting are the cultural history museum and the smuts museum, in irene, just outside pretoria.
7. the fact that the iconic voortrekker monument still stands is a tribute to the inclusiveness of the new regime in south africa.
8. the rietvlei dam nature reserve is worthy of a lazy sunday drive and pic-nic.
9. visit the 52-hectare site of the newly built freedom park monument on salvokop.
10. take a trip to the historic diamond mining town of cullinan, now a bustling little tourist town.

top 10 to do in johannesburg

1. visit the apartheid museum.
2. gold reef city amusement park.
3. take a helicopter trip over the city.
4. enjoy the bird show at montecasino.
5. visit the world class exhibits at johannesburg zoo.
6. shopping at sandton and the historic nelson mandela square.
7. tour of soweto, including seeing the hector petersen memorial.
8. get up close to lions at the lion and rhino park and visit the wondercave.
9. enjoy the outdoors at the suikerbosrand nature reserve or the botanical gardens on the west rand.
10. visit constitution hill, built on the site of an old prison and now housing the constitutional court.

top 10 to do in cape town

1. adopt a penguin at sancob.
2. visit the bustling v&a waterfront.
3. go cage diving with great white sharks.
4. a lazy afternoon drive around chapman’s peak.
5. experience the noonday gun from signal hill.
6. take a cable car trip up historic table mountain.
7. shop for bargains on bohemian green market square.
8. visit cape point, where the atlantic & indian ocean’s meet.
9. take cultural tour through the pulsing township of kayelitsha.
10. experience the unique essence of ‘fynbos’ at the botanical gardens.

top 10 to do in durban

1. playhouse complex.
2. shop at bustling victoria market.
3. meet the local wildlife at croc world.
4. stroll through the botanical gardens.
5. vist the vernon crookes nature reserve.
6. walk through history at durban city hall.
7. spend a lazy afternoon at umengi river bird park.
8. spend time exploring the valley of a thousand hills.
9. take a drive up the coast to the hluhluwe-umfolozi game reserve.
10. see dolphins at ushaka marine world and enjoy the summer at the wet & wild water park.

top 10 to do in bloemfontein

1. boyden observatory.
2. bloemfontein national museum.
3. first raadsaal (the old town council). 
4. the national afrikaans literary museum.
5. also visit the nearby anglo boer war museum.
6. take a trip to the augrabies falls national park.
7. enjoy diverse flora at the free state national botanical garden.
8. take in the national art scene at the san du plessis theatre.
9. spend some time at the treknature photo gallery, located at the bloemfontein zoo.
10. visit the obelisk of the national women’s memorial, which recalls the 26,000 afrikaner women and children who died in concentration camps during the anglo-boer war.

top 10 to do in nelspruit

1. shop at riverside mall.
2. try your luck at the local casino.
3. take a trip into the kruger national park.
4. take a peak at the world through god’s window.
5. shop for quality curio at the many roadside stalls.
6. visit the botanical gardens en-route to white river.
7. visit the nearby sudwala caves, dinosaur park and cultural centre.
8. visit nearby natural heritage sites, such as the blyde river canyon and burkes luck pot holes.
9. a short distance away above nelspruit is the gold mining town of kaapsehoop where the mist filled evenings and a herd of wild horses grazing in the town transport you into a world of yesterday.
10. visits to the crocodile farm, ostrich farm and halls estate (one of the largest subtropical fruit production farms in the area) give some idea of the variety and beauty of this area.

top 10 to do in polokwane

1. visit the idyllic looking concentration camp cemetery.
2. visit the bakone malapa northern sotho open-air museum.
3. view a croc feed and informative talk at cheune crocodile farm.
4. shop for curious and handmade goods made by local craftspeople at bush craft.
5. the eersteling monuments mark the site of the country's first gold crushing site and its first gold power plant are marked by monuments.
6. view 23 000 glass negatives capturing the first 5 years of the town on celluloid at the hugh exton photographic museum.
7. makapansgat caves & limestone works looks at ancient human habitation in the area.
8. all guns confiscated at the end of the magoeba war in 1893 were melted into a mass of metal. upon the building of a golf course in 1975, this was found and is now considered a gun memorial.
9. more than 21 species inhabit the polokwane game reserve, wherein an enjoyable afternoon can be spent on one of the walks on offer.
10. visit the modjadji rainforest, a world famous forest housing the world's largest concentration of indigenous cycad species.

top 10 to do in rustenburg

1. paul bodenstein park.
2. visit the 1871 anglican church.
3. view the statue of the voortrekker girl.
4. visit the dutch reformed church (1898 -1903).
5. visit old-president kruger’s farm, boekenhoutfontein.
6. experience the tabacco research institute at kroondal.
7. enjoy the rustenburg ramble, a route that includes various craft galleries.
8. take in the natural beauty of the nearby hartebeespoort dam area, filled with restaurants.
9. rustenburg is home to the the royal bafokeng tribe - comprising a population of 3 million – who rose to some prominence during the 1980’s when they demanded compensation and royalties from mining companies who were mining platinum in the area.
10. south west of the town of rustenburg lies the rustenberg nature reserve. proclaimed in 1967, it is situated on the northern slopes and summit of the majestic magaliesberg mountain.

top 10 to do port elizabeth

1. sea view lion park.
2. entertainment world.
3. no 7 castle hill museum.
4. tsitsikama national park.
5. addo elephant national park.
6. prince alfred's guard memorial.
7. bayworld oceanarium & snake world.
8. the 1882 victorian pearson conservatory is a nature lover's paradise.
9. historic donkin heritage trail, which allows the visitor to follow in the footsteps of the 1820 settlers on their journey of discovery and settlement.
10. st georges park, which covers 73 hectares and is home to the world famous port elizabeth cricket club, the oldest bowling green.

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time zone

local time is gmt+2

electricity

1. current is 230v 50hz.
2. round, three prong plugs are standard.  international adapters are available at most hotels and travel stores.
3. power outages are common throughout the country as south africa is dealing with an energy supply crises, which is receiving urgent attention in the run up to 2010.

currency

1. zar = south african rand. one rand is divided into 100 cents.
2. money can be changed at most of the larger hotels, banks and bureaux de change are widely available in cities. 
3. atm’s are widely available, but a daily limit for cash withdrawals at an atm does apply.
4. major international credit cards, such as visa, amex and diners club are widely accepted.
5. travellers cheques and major foreign currencies, such as usd, gbp and euro are accepted at some hotels and high end stores, but a commission is charged.  alternatively, exchange for local currency at banks or bureaux de change.

language

1. south africa has 11 official languages, but english is widely spoken and considered as the business language of the country.

health

1. yellow fever: if you are arriving into south africa from an infected area, a yellow fever vaccination certificate is required; otherwise no other vaccination certificate is needed.
2. malaria: there is a malaria risk in the low-lying areas of the northern province and mpumalanga (including the kruger national park) and north-eastern kwazulu natal.  precautions are advised when travelling in these areas.
3. hiv/aids: there is a high prevalence of hiv/aids and personal protection is advised.
4. cholera: tap water is generally safe to drink in urban areas, but sterilisation is advised in rural areas as sporadic outbreaks of cholera happen periodically in areas, such as northern kwazulu natal, mpumalanga and the limpopo province.
5. tb: drug-resistant tb has been reported throughout the country and personal protection is advised.
6. food poisoning: food poisoning is rare.
7. facilities: medical facilities in south africa are good, but medical insurance is strongly advised as private hospitals require a cash deposit upfront and are preferred above public hospitals.

tipping

1. waitering is a livelihood and a tip of 10% is expected for good service, should a service charge not already be included in the bill.
2. tipping for services rendered is widely expected by porters, taxi drivers, petrol attendants and ‘car guards’.  the latter of which will assist you in finding parking and keep an eye over your vehicle when shopping.  they are usually immigrants from neighbouring countries and a tip of zar2 and upward is expected on your return.
3. golf caddies should be tipped accordingly.

safety

1. visitors should be aware of the high incidence of crime. although this tends to be concentrated in pockets throughout the country, e.g. township areas or high density areas, opportunistic crime is fairly widespread.
2. be aware of your surroundings and take necessary precautions.  enquire about safety standards at the hotel front desk before venturing out for a stroll in a populated area.
3. car doors should be locked while driving.
4. avoid walking alone at night, try whenever possible to sightsee in groups and stick to major routes.

climate

1. the 2010 fifa world cup™ will be hosted during the winter months.
2. south africa has a largely temperate climate, with local variations according to altitude and the influence of the warm indian ocean currents on the east coast and the cold benguela current on the atlantic west coast.
3. days are generally sunny and temperatures are high during summer, moderating in winter.
4. the western cape, where cape town is situated, has a mediterranean climate with hot, dry summers and cold, wet winters. snow on the mountain peaks is not uncommon during winter.
5. gauteng province, where johannesburg is situated, has late afternoon thunderstorms, which damp down hot summer days, while warm winter days cool down rapidly, bringing overnight frost and even winter rains in some areas.
6. the kwazulu natal and wild coast areas, where durban is situated, is sub-tropical with high humidity.

duty free allowance

1. travellers to south africa do not have to pay duty on
   1. 200 cigarettes, 50 cigars and 250g tobacco;
   2. 2 litres of wine and 1 litre of spirits;
   3. 50ml perfume and 250ml eau de toilette;
   4. miscellaneous goods to the value of r3000.
2. goods brought into sa by sa residents must be declared on arrival and are subject to import duties.
3. goods to be re-imported require a da65 or NEP-form that is issued on departure.
4. prohibited items include:
   1. meat and dairy products;
   2. all medication, except for personal use;
   3. flick knives, explosives and ammunition;
   4. pornography containing minors and bestiality.

doing business in s.a.

1. south africa’s multicultural status means that business etiquette may vary as you come into contact with different individuals.
2. in most sectors however, it is similar to doing business in europe and the america’s.
3. business hours are generally 9am – 5pm monday to friday, with shorter hours on weekends.
4. banking hours are 9am – 3pm monday to friday and 9am – 11am on saturdays.
5. english is the primary business language.
6. it is advisable to dress formal for meetings.
7. south africans are generally relaxed and informal with regards to introductions and handing out business cards. 
8. shaking hands is common for both men and women.
9. the giving of gifts is uncommon and unnecessary.

communication infrastructure

1. international dialling access code for south africa is +27
2. the dialling code for outgoing international calls is 00+(country code)+(city code)+(number).
3. include city codes in all numbers i.e. 011 8049966
4. the country is served by three gsm mobile phone networks, providing 900 and 1800 frequencies.  mobile service providers abound and ‘pay-as-you-go’ sim cards are widely available and advisable for travellers.
5. card and coin operated pay phones are widely available.
6. high-speed wi-fi and adsl connection is available in most hotels and some coffee shops.

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• passports must be valid for at least 30 days beyond the period of intended stay.
• passports must have at least one blank (unstamped) page for each entry sought – these pages are in addition to the endorsement/amendment pages at the back of the passport.
• an onward or return airline ticket is required, as well as sufficient funds and documents needed for further travel.
• yellow fever certificates are required if the journey starts or entails passing through the yellow fever belt of africa or south america.

australia > no visa for a stay of up to 90 days. valid passport compulsory.
brazil > no visa for a stay of up to 90 days. valid passport compulsory.
canada > no visa for a stay of up to 90 days. valid passport compulsory.
denmark > visa and valid passport required.
france > visa and valid passport required.
germany > no visa for a stay of up to 90 days. valid passport compulsory.
ireland > no visa for a stay of up to 90 days. valid passport compulsory.
netherlands > visa and valid passport required.
new zealand > no visa for a stay of up to 90 days. valid passport compulsory.
spain > visa and valid passport required.
united kingdom > no visa for a stay of up to 90 days if valid passport is endorsed as british citizen, british dependent territories citizen, or british overseas territories citizen (virgin islands).  those whose passports state british national (overseas) may stay up to 30 days without a visa.  all other require a visa. please check with your travel agent.
united states > no visa for a stay of up to 90 days. valid passport compulsory.

• visit http://www.home-affairs.gov.za/visa_schedule.asp for a complete list of countries that are exempt from visa fees.
• visit http://www.home-affairs.gov.za/visa_countries.asp for a complete list of countries that need visa’s to enter s.a., as well as the costs and requirements thereof.

*disclaimer: superior choices takes no responsibility for the accuracy of visa information displayed on this page, which has been included on this site as a courtesy to our clients.  information included herein is courtesy of the south african department of home-affairs and travellers should consult their local embassy, consulate of travel agent for requirements pertaining to their particular status.

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