Helpful Travel info for South Africa

To Help With Your Packing

Cape Town has a Mediterranean climate. Our hot and dry summers are generally between September and April, and the wet chilly winters you will find in the months of Mid-April to Mid-September. Do remember this when packing! Also important – your clothes will get dirty! So think through what you pack for the project work.

• Passport, insurance certificates and personal documentation including some certified copies stored separately.
• Personal medical first aid and hygiene kit (including antihistamines, anti-diarrhea and headache tablets)
• Camera with enough film/memory cards and batteries for the duration of your placement ( you will have electricity on your placement to charge batteries)
• If you wear glasses (or contacts) it is also advisable to bring a spare pair.
• Sunscreen, lip balm, and sun hat.
• Spending money – small denomination notes
• Proof of recommended inoculations
• Mosquito and insect repellent
• Torch/ Flashlight
• Water bottle
• Sunglasses
• Travel Adaptor (for round 3-prong plugs in SA)
• Waterproof and secure bag for documents and money
• You could be doing some painting while on the project, so a set of clothes you don’t mind getting dirty and damaged!
• Fleece type pullover (It can get cold at night) and lightweight sweater.
• Trousers/tracksuit pants
• Lightweight waterproof jacket for the wet season (April – September)
• Short sleeved shirts or t-shirts
• Long-sleeved shirts/blouses
• Trainers / comfortable shoes and sandals
• Swimwear, beach towel and bath towel
• Shorts / Skirts (on or below the knee for ladies)
• Positive attitude

VISA REQUIREMENTS

Arranging your visas is YOUR responsibility and the information provided below is to serve as a guideline only. We advise that you confirm this information with the embassy/consulate of the countries that you will be visiting in your home country before departure.

Please check whether your home country requires you to have a Visa and do they allow you to apply for the Visa once in South Africa.

Many nationalities are able to obtain a 3-month TOURIST VISA when arriving in Cape Town at no cost but please confirm this before starting your trip.

When applying for the TOURIST VISA, please state you are here on HOLIDAY.

This is the address to use when applying: 57 Trill Road, Observatory, Cape Town, South Africa

Travel insurance

Prior to your trip, you will need to arrange medical insurance which will give you full cover for any medical requirements which may arise during your trip, including cover for full air evacuation in the unlikely event that this is necessary. Your medical cover also needs to include repatriation. If you do not already have a company that you are happy to use to take out a policy with, we suggest World Nomads, who offer comprehensive medical and travel insurance. Please be sure to check your policy carefully to ensure that it does cover activities which you are likely to participate in.

Police clearance / background check requirement

You must please get a police clearance/criminal record check certificate, which we need you to send to us before you arrive on the project.

PLEASE NOTE: WITHOUT POLICE CLEARANCE, YOU WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO JOIN THE PROJECT. It is mandatory for all our volunteers to complete police checks prior to joining any one of our projects to ensure they have no criminal record. As a volunteer, regardless of project selection, you will come into contact with minors or vulnerable adults during your stay. We, therefore, feel that it is our responsibility to run a check on everyone volunteering with us in order to ensure the safety of the people and communities we work with. Depending on your nationality and the rules attached to your home country, there will be a small charge, either payable to African Impact or your local authority.

Please note that your police/criminal record check cannot be more than 6 months old when you start your volunteer program, so if you are booking more than 6 months in advance of your project start date, please wait to obtain this check.

If from the UK or US we can assist you with the process for a minimal fee. Please note it is required for all projects. For all other countries, we have helpful contacts and usually, experience. In addition, African Impact insists that volunteers and interns avoid any contact with drugs and any inappropriate activities relating to alcohol.

Vaccinations

Please consult your private doctor with regards to immunizations/vaccinations. Below are details of what is likely to be recommended.

Tetanus: A recent tetanus injection is highly recommended

Polio: Recommended

Hepatitis A&B: Recommended

Typhoid: Recommended

Yellow Fever:  If coming from a yellow fever risk country or transited through one (mainly Latin America and Central and Western Africa) it is mandatory to show proof of yellow fever vaccination by means of a valid yellow fever certificate. If unsure please check with your Destination Manager

You will need an adequate supply of sunscreen cream for the hot African sun – SPF 30 and above. Also, please bring a hat and a water bottle with you, as you will be in the sun for a good portion of the day. Even if the sky is overcast, the sun is strong enough to cause burning.

Many volunteers and interns get dehydrated during their time with us, don’t let that be you – we do not want you to have to miss out on any of your experience due to being sick as a result of dehydration, so please, please, drink lots of water!

Safety

We take your safety very seriously and on arrival, will give you a comprehensive talk on the do’s and don’ts around the city. We pride ourselves on our record and give all our volunteers 24-hour support. We also live in the house with you, so we have the best knowledge of the local area and how to have the best experience. Please respect this advice.

Some safety guidelines you should be aware of:

• Avoid traveling alone, especially at night.
• Find out where the unsafe areas are and avoid them.
• When traveling keep all important documents and valuables in a safe place, like a hidden pocket or money belt.
• Carry only as much cash as you think you will need for that day.
• Don’t wear expensive jewelry or watches.
• Be wary of people who seem too friendly too fast.
• Keep cameras out of sight and always keep bags and purses in your sight.
• Before swimming, ask how safe the area is.
• We would advise not sharing your personal contact details with anyone under any circumstances. In addition, as you will be working outdoors, in an unfamiliar community and environment, you have to listen to your project manager and respect the local rules and customs at all times!
• Know the emergency number of the project team.
• Make sure we have the contact details of your emergency contact person at home.

Staying in touch with family & friends

You are able to buy a local SIM card at the airport if you wish. Alternatively, you can change your cell phone status to roaming. Please just check with your service provider to ensure your phone is “unlocked” to allow foreign SIM cards.

Cape Town has Wi-Fi but it’s important to know that the connection is not always reliable. There are also internet cafes available if you fancy a coffee and a catch up with home, so please bring your laptop if your telephone doesn’t have data roaming.

Money & Forex

The South African currency is the Rand (ZAR). It is advisable to bring Rands with you as you will need cash to pay for incidental purchases. You can use all major credit and debit cards in most restaurants and shops, as well as to pay for doing tours or activities in and around Cape Town. You should budget on spending about $500-$600 for a 4-week placement (note that if you would like to do the one-day safari this would cost up to $200 per person.

Cape Town restaurants, markets and shops all accept major credit cards and there are plenty of ATMs from which to draw cash, although it’s important to note you may be charged for this.

Please notify your bank of your stay in South Africa as some banks suspend accounts when they see an unknown international transaction.