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 What
to Bring on a Tour
If
you have never been to South Africa, and in particular the
Western Cape, you
will be very surprised to find an amazing
infrastructure,
extremely friendly people, stunning scenery, gorgeous weather
and world class service! In
this, the southern tip of Africa, you could expect to find
mountains, forests,
picture perfect beaches, winelands, exotic gardens and wild
flowers, whales, dolphins, Great White Sharks, incredible
restaurants... and an amazing mix of cultures and languages.
In order to help you with some ideas for planning your trip,
and to get you excited about what to expect, we have put
together some information for you to read through.
| Documents |
| We
suggest that you contact your local travel agency before
booking your tickets for all VISA requirements, or the
South African Embassy in your country. |
| Driving
Licenses |
| If
you would like to hire a car during your trip to do
a bit of exploring on your own, you will need an International
Drivers License, which carries your photograph. |
| Telephones |
| Card
phones are fairly common in the city and smaller towns
and cards are available in many shops. Mobile phones,
called Cell Phones in South Africa, are very common,
with excellent coverage in almost all areas of the country. |
| Newspapers
e.t.c. |
| Most
of the world's important newspapers are available at
bookstores. |
| Electricity |
| The
electrical system is 220/230 volts AC at 50 cycles per
second. Adaptors can be purchased at hardware stores
for most plug types. |
| Health |
| Make
sure you have fully comprehensive travel insurance for
your trip, and make sure you are up to date with your
vaccines. |
| Money |
| Travellers
Cheques can be changed at banks as well as American
Express and Thomas Cook. Cash can be changed at any
commercial bank during normal bank hours. Credit Cards,
especially Visa and MasterCard, are widely accepted
and can be used for many purchases from paying at restaurants
to buying goods. Always check with the business beforehand
to confirm they do accept Credit Cards, however. Some
ATM's will give Visa and MasterCard cash advances. You
will also need a Visa card to hire a car. |
| Costs |
| South
Africa is very good value, with the help of the exchange
rate, for Americans and Europeans. Restaurants and South
African goods are very good value for money. |
| Tipping |
| Tipping
is very welcomed by staff, if they offer you good service,
10 to 15% is a good guideline. |
| Clothing |
| The
dress code for South Africa is mostly casual, especially
at the coast. Shorts and T-shirts are perfect for the
day, with jeans, pants and a nice shirt for the evening.
You may need a jersey or jacket during the evening in
case of cool temperatures. Don't forget to bring swimming
costumes for the beach! Cycling clothes are very useful
to make the riding a little more comfortable. Shorts
with a chamois lining are ideal, with a short-sleeved
top or vest being perfect. Cycling glasses, gloves and
a windproof top will add to your safety and comfort.
If you forget anything or want to save the hassle of
bringing everything out with you, we recommend a range
of extremely good quality local clothing at very attractive
prices. Any cycling equipment you require may also be
bought here, often at a cheaper price than overseas,
due to the exchange rate. |
| Airports |
| The
main airport in the Western Cape is Cape Town International,
where you will start your Western Cape, and Cape Town
Tours. George Airport is the starting point for the
Garden Route Tour, and is a small local airport. |
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