South Africa Travels Blog

Travelling by Car in South Africa.
If you are using a car to travel around South Africa, wearing a seat belt is compulsory by law.
The quality of many roads in South Africa can be shocking by European standards, sub standard if you are used to even, well paved streets, especially in the more remote regions such as Lesotho, Swaziland and parts of natal. The road conditions will often necessitate driving more slowly and more cautiously than you would at home. Some areas may even be impassable without a 4 wheel drive vehicle. Do not be surprised to come across the odd wandering cow on the rural road.

Car rental companies charge twice as much insurance, for cars travelling outside South African borders, so drive carefully if you are not going to pay that excess. An additional tip is to take the secondary policy which covers you for the excess on the first policy.

Travelling by Mini Bus Taxi is a definite no – no. All forms of public transport are subject to muggings and theft. If you do, always travel with someone else.

A winters highlight along the Kwazulu-Natal’s South Coast is a fishing phenomenon known as the “Sardine Run, which has fascinating an effect on human beings as it has impact on marine life.
Every year hugh shoals of pilchards set off from the cool Cape Waters in search of warm spawning grounds.
Moving with the north flowing offshore current, these diminutive fish remain out of reach of the shore along the Cape coast, but somewhere around Natal`s southern border, counter currents sweep them landwards, and this is where the excitement starts because there is always the chance that your spot of the beach will be the one playing host to tons of fish driven onshore by a permutation of wind, tide and predators.
Sea birds provide one of the clues to finding the fish. Where ever they are, wheeling, shrieking and diving into the waves, the sardine are sure to be.
The sardine swim in successive waves swinging out to sea again in the vicinity of Durban.
The migration is an annual one, with the first sighting towards the end of June and continuing for a month.