South Africa

You can visit South Africa without a visa for up to 90 days for business or tourism.
Check the expiry date of your visa or entry stamp and ensure you do not overstay
Your passport must have an ‘expiry date’ at least 30 days after the date you leave South Africa and have at least 2 blank pages

Routine / Strongly Recommended
Tetanus, Diphtheria & Polio (Td/IPV booster)
Hepatitis A
Typhoid (recommended if travelling to rural areas or eating outside major hotels)

Optional / Trip-Dependent
Hepatitis B – for long stays, medical work, risk of blood exposure
Rabies – for wildlife activities, caves, rural travel, or long trips
MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella) – ensure up to date
Chickenpox (Varicella) – if never had it
Cholera – only if doing humanitarian work or visiting high-risk areas
Yellow Fever
Not required for direct travel from the UK.
Required only if arriving from or transiting through a yellow-fever risk country for more than 12 hours.

Malaria Considerations
South Africa is mostly malaria-free except for certain areas:
Malaria-risk zones:
Kruger National Park
Sabi Sands
Limpopo (far northeast)
Mpumalanga (lowveld)
KwaZulu-Natal north of St Lucia
If visiting these areas:
Take antimalarial medication (atovaquone/proguanil, doxycycline, or mefloquine)
Use strong insect repellent and long sleeves at dusk
Sleep in screened or air-conditioned accommodation
No malaria risk in: Cape Town, Garden Route, Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban city, Drakensberg, West Coast

https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/south-africa

South Africa has a varied climate because of its size and geography. Seasons are opposite to the UK (summer = Dec–Feb, winter = Jun–Aug).

Summer (December – February)
Hot, often humid in the east; dry heat in the west
Temperatures:
Inland: 25–35°C (can exceed 40°C in the Kalahari)
Coast: 24–30°C
Rainfall:
Thunderstorms common in Kruger, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Free State
Cape Town is dry (Mediterranean summer)
Best areas now: Cape Town, Garden Route, West Coast
Safari note: Bush is lush; beautiful but animals harder to spot

Autumn (March – May)
Mild, sunny, and generally settled
Temperatures:
Day: 20–28°C
Night: 10–18°C
Rain decreases across most of the country
Excellent time for safaris and Cape travel

Winter (June – August)
Dry inland; cool and wet in Cape Town
Temperatures:
Inland & safari areas:
Day: 18–25°C
Night: 4–10°C (frost possible in the Highveld)
Cape Town:
Day: 14–18°C
Rainy, windy, cool
Best for safaris:
Dry grass, excellent visibility in Kruger & Madikwe
Cooler temperatures ideal for game drives

Spring (September – November)
Warming up; storms return in northeast
Temperatures:
Day: 22–30°C
Nights: 10–18°C
First rains return in safari regions (Kruger, Limpopo, KZN)
Wildflowers bloom in Namaqualand (Aug–Sept)

Regional Differences
Kruger & Northeast (Limpopo / Mpumalanga)
Summer: hot + thunderstorms
Winter: warm days, cool nights, very dry (best wildlife viewing)
Cape Town & Western Cape
Mediterranean climate
Dry, hot summers
Cool, wet winters
Durban & KZN Coast
Subtropical
Hot, humid summers with rain
Mild, warm winters
Johannesburg / Highveld
Sunny all year
Summer thunderstorms
Cold winter nights, dry air