To ensure everyone has the best time ever in South Africa, we are glad to have partnered with a travel agent that can take care of flights, hotels, transport, rental cars, activities, and other options. They offer the option of a seamless, comprehensive service that can take care of all the little details, and we recommend them very highly.

This is JD and Francois from the Travel Cafe, in Cape Town.

Our group travel bookings are through JD and Francois, and above and beyond this, they can custom build an itinerary specific to your needs. This could help create relaxing, stress free experience.

Please go to this form to indicate which of the pre-wedding group events and activities, as well as other activities, or arrangements you are interested in booking through them.

https://www.thetravelcafe.co.za/Maggie_Jan_Wedding

More information and the schedule for the pre-wedding group events are under the Group Events page.

You are welcome to reach out directly to JD or Francois at jd@thetravelcafe.co.za, call or WhatsApp JD at +27 63 639 8522, or visit their website at http://www.thetravelcafe.co.za

Please consider the following general options as you book and consider your travels, especially should you choose to book on your own.

Flights - Cape Town International Airport is the closest airport to the wedding venue.

From North America, Delta offers flights that are sometimes from Washington DC, Newark NY, and Atlanta GA, that is 14 hours and direct to Cape Town.

KLM (Dutch airlines) offer a flight with a 24 hour layover in Holland, for those who prefer to break the journey up with a hotel stay.

For those with the time and taste for adventure, you could book a couple of nights in Europe and then fly down to Cape Town.

We do not recommend booking with an airline such as Cathay Pacific, or Qatar which stop in destinations such as Hong Kong, or Doha as from North America this could add 20 hours to your journey.

Ethiopian Airways is also not recommended unless you are feeling adventurous, as while their flights are professional, the airport stop at Addis Ababa may feel quite chaotic.

For European-based friends, various airlines such as KLM, Lufthansa and others offer flights directly from Europe to Cape Town.

Insurance - In an abundance of caution we recommend travel medical, trip interruption, trip delay and baggage loss/delay insurance.

Car rental - Avis, Budget, Europcar and other well-established car rental agencies operate out of the Cape Town Airport. These also offer the option to hire a driver. We recommend getting the full insurance package for peace of mind - though Jan has rented a car without insurance and parked it in Cape Town for months without any issues. Also most cars are stick-shift (manual transmission) in South Africa. Make sure to request an automatic transmission vehicle specifically should this be what you prefer.

Here is some helpful information we put together to aide you while considering travel plans.

Flight Routes - Out of an abundance of caution we suggest finding flights that do not route through Johannesburg, but flies directly to Cape Town.

Packing - Like all international travel it is important to keep your valuables, medication, etc on your carry-on bag and not in your checked-in bag. Checked-in bags sometimes (not often, but can) get lost for a few days, so pack whatever you're going to need for the first few days in your carry-on if possible. This is slightly more risk to this than in other international destinations, so this is advisable.

Flight/Arrival - When flying into Cape town we suggest arriving during the day. Transport to the city should be okay at night, but going east towards the Wine-lands at night is not advised.

If your flight arrives in the evening and you do not have transport to the city pre-arranged, it would be advisable to book a hotel for that night next to the airport. Bear in mind that not only are the roads switched - drivers will be on the opposite side, but it would be easy to get lost, enter a bad area, etc. Better to be safe.

Jetlag - We suggest giving yourself a few days of down-time in a restful hotel to recover from the journey and time-zone adjustment- its a long flight! Bear in mind that it's the same daylight hours zone as Berlin.

Transport - The pre-wedding group events will include transportation, and shuttles will be pre-arranged for the wedding day. Should you come before the group events, or stay longer and wish to explore the country on your own, we highly suggest that you rent a car. The national transport system is not a good, reliable, and safe option, distances are far, and most of the places you may want to travel to will be accessible by car only. That said, some domestic flights can cut down travel time - such as a flight to George should you wish to visit the Garden Route.

Medical system and hospitals - South Africa has both public and private hospital systems. The private care system in South Africa has very high standards. To the extent that many first world citizens travel to South Africa to receive complex medical procedures that are at the same standard and more affordable than in their home countries. Jan would personally rate the South African private hospitals as better than those in Canada and on-par with most of the US.

Visas - American, Canadian, German and Danish citizens receive a temporary stay visa at the South African border for up to 90 days, and are allowed multiple entries/exits. The same applies to visiting Namibia and Botswana, should you decide to do some exploring.

However, for citizens of Turkey and Hungary, some of these countries offer shorter stays of 30 days or may require a visa application.

Driving - You will need an international drivers permit. The AAA and other similar agencies issue these from any branch. Also, people drive on the opposite side of the road in South Africa - ie, the left. Parking attendants serve most or all paid parking zones - these are uniformed people who will have a card machine available to tap to pay. They do not accept cash.

Vaccinations - No vaccinations are required or necessary for visiting the Western Cape province of South Africa, where the wedding will be held.

Malaria - however, if you travel further inland to the Kruger national park, to the Okavango Delta in Botswana, you're along the border with Mozambique, you're in Kwazulu-Natal, or in the Ehlanzeni district you should seek medication for the prevention of Malaria. These regions are more than a thousand miles from the wedding venue - there is no risk.

Malaria medication makes you drowsy and is a miserable experience - if you can avoid going to Malaria areas, I recommend this as the medication is strong enough to sour your trip.

The CDC recommends Hepatitis A, B, Rabies, Typhoid and Cholera vaccinations as well as your ordinary ones - it seems to me that this is preventatively paranoid and unnecessary. Contracting one of these would be akin to being struck by lightning in South Africa. South Africa has extremely remote regions where civilization doesn't quite reach. If you plan to visit these, taking common-sense precautions such as washing your hands, not drinking unsanitary water, etc should cut out this risk. That said, if you would like a medical doctor's opinion on the matter, I suggest finding a South African doctor in your area - they would have the contextual experience to differentiate what is necessary from what is overkill pre-caution.

Botswana and Namibia - The Northern half of these countries show risk of Malaria. However, this risk is very low unless travelling to specific regions in the North. For example, along the Northern border of Namibia going along to the country's extreme North Eastern corner, the risk is much higher (Okavanago). This is again thousands of miles away from the wedding venue.

It is highly recommended that you also read the "Staying Safe in South Africa" page's travel tips section

Power

The power is itinerant at best in South Africa. Most of the country runs on scheduled power, with scheduled off times as the power grid is not able to keep up with the demand. You can google for the schedule in your area, or get an app such as “Eskomsepush” (the name is a pun I won’t explain in polite company in reference to the national power company, and expresses frustration with gusto).

Power is 220v, not 110v as in North America. Please check that your device’s power adaptor is rated for 220v, it usually says it underneath in tiny writing.

The plug points in South Africa are either 3 prong or 2 prong, and look like this:

What’s easier than the pre-purchase of a power converter, is to just get a few simple cables from a gas station or dollar store in South Africa. Or you can pre-purchase an adaptor here:

https://www.amazon.com/LENCENT-Grounded-American-Converter-Botswana/dp/B0CPLWH6HJ/

Internet

You may find that it’s a bit less reliable and slower than you’re used to, but it does (eventually) work. Bear this in mind if you have work responsibilities - it may be best to communicate asynchronously such as via email with your work if possible.

Culture around customer service, timeliness, tipping, etc

It is customary to tip waiters, barmen and car guards. A normal tip for a car guard is anything between R 5 and R 20. Most people tip 10% at a restaurant, and of course, this is at your discretion for a job well done.

To help you guage, bear in mind that the average daily way for unskilled labour is around R200 to R 350 per day in Cape Town - around 12 to 18 USD. If you encounter services from persons who are not part of the unskilled labour income group, they will likely expect more. The average salary in South Africa is currently around R 25 000 a month, which is about 1,300 USD, and minimum wage is R 25 per hour. Sadly, foreigners are often perceived as more wealthy than locals, and this may play into the attitudes you encounter - but there are plenty of good people too.

Gift giving is mildly customary - but is not necessary - in this region of Africa. For example, leaving a chocolate bar, or a shirt you don’t want anymore for the cleaning staff at a hotel is not uncommon - and whatever you leave will be used and not be thrown out.

Dressing code in most of South Africa is casual or smart casual, in most contexts other than a wedding.

What may be perceived as disinterest, or a negative attitude in a customer service context may have historic and political implications here. Consider the history of South Africa and the power dynamics involved of yourself as a person who may be perceived as privileged, purchasing or accessing services from - or being served by - those who may see themselves as disenfranchised - and may also in fact be. It helps not approach servers with an attitude of expecting servitude, but to ask their names, refer to them as Mr or Mrs, and find other small ways of showing respect towards their dignity. Africa tends towards cultural values of equality, relationships, and sharing - and the indifference that individualism creates when being served by staff might be perceived as arrogance in this context. I’d like to encourage you to speak to persons and ask their stories. You might find yourself astounded by the willingness of people to share, and the stories of someone that may seem as ordinary as a car guard. I’ve had many experiences of being humbled hearing stories of travel of Africa by foot, encounters with wild animals, etc.

The perception that things should be on time is also not quite congruent with local values. Things happen when they happen - however, if you are in a pricey hotel you should expect service. The local perception of time is more around what is happening right now, than about meeting the demands of an abstract set of ideas about time. Cape Town is less like this, but as you venture further into the countryside you are likely to encounter this. I recommend patience, as impatience about timeliness may also be perceived as foreign, come with historic-political tones of colonialism, and be seen as rude. However, people are used to attempting to adjust to this idea as well. That said, you’re in Africa - hakunah mtata, take it easy ;)