Magnificent  South Africa holidays

South Africa has 11 official languages (and a few unofficial) - Afrikaans, English, Zulu, Xhosa, Ndebele, Venda, Swati, Sesotho, Sepedi, Tsonga, and Tswana. Zulu is the most used, followed by Xhosa and Afrikaans. English is widely spoken in most urban and tourist areas, so you'll be able to get by with no problems - but it's still worth trying the odd phrase such as 'howzit' which is a traditional South African greeting meaning 'hello' or 'how are you?'

The official currency in South Africa is the South African Rand (ZAR) which is divided into 100 cents. There are banknotes for 10, 20, 50, 100 and 200 rand, and coins for 1, 2 and 5 rand and 5, 10, 20 and 50 cents. It’s best to ask for lower denominations when exchanging money. Major credit and debit cards are widely accepted, and ATMs are plentiful in urban areas.

Vaccination requirements can change without notice and can be specified as a condition of entry, or just as an advisable precaution only. We will advise you of any destinations that require compulsory vaccinations as a condition of entry.

We strongly suggest that you consult your GP or one of the specialist vaccination centres for more detailed and current information at your time of travel.

The Department of Health also offers travellers health advice on www.travelhealthpro.org.uk, www.fitfortravel.scot.nhs.uk or www.dh.gov.uk/travellers.

Tap water is safe to drink in urban areas and in major cities in South Africa but not in rural areas. If you’re not comfortable with drinking from the tap anywhere, then we would advise buying bottled water.

Travel insurance isn’t mandatory for entry, but its advisable to have travel insurance in place whenever you travel abroad and to take a copy of all the details.

While hotel porterage has been covered in the cost of your holiday, tipping in other situations is customary for obtaining good service and we’re often asked by customers to provide some guidelines. Unless specified, any amounts are completely at your discretion.

For service in restaurants etc. 10-15% is usual. If you request wheelchair assistance at airports, it’s customary to tip the porter. Suggested tips per guest per day are: Tour Manager ZAR36, Driver ZAR14.

Our tours of South Africa have all been carefully crafted to show you the country’s highlights – and much more besides. As well as the usual Titan benefits (superb service, hassle-free transfers from home, a knowledgeable tour manager), one of the biggest plus-points about our collection of escorted tours to South Africa is choice.

Opt for one of our comprehensive South Africa tours (The Best of South Africa, Sensational South Africa and Contrasts of the Cape) for a fantastic introduction to the Rainbow Nation. For a really wild experience, take a look at our South African Safari Adventure – two weeks of game drives across four very different reserves - or a stay-put safari like Mabula Game Lodge or Qwabi Private Game Reserve.

You can also combine South Africa tours with time elsewhere in Africa. Our Tracks of Africa holiday offers the chance to explore Cape Town and the Garden Route, and travel across the country on a luxurious vintage train, before you head north to safari in Botswana and gaze at Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe. Our Cruise & Tour holiday begins at Victoria Falls, before you embark on a South African safari and then a cruise from Cape Town to Mozambique and back.

Flight time from London to Cape Town is approximately 11 hours and 30 minutes.