Tourism offices

These are often under-used, but they can be a veritable treasure trove! Tourism offices should know everything that is currently happening, and the staff can also help point you in the right direction if you have a limited budget and time. These offices also have handy maps and brochures to guide you.

5 Plan but don’t over-plan

While it’s important to have an itinerary of places you want to visit, leave some hours or days open to explore places you might not have known about.

7

Device chargers

Load-shedding aka electricity blackouts, has become quite normal in SA. The power is off for two to four hours at a time, depending on area and load-shedding stage. It might be useful to download a mobile app on from the Google Playstore or Apple iStore to stay in the know – an

Unless the accommodation you are staying in has a UPS, inverter or generator, it’s a good idea to always have a fully charged portable charger with you to ensure your phone has enough juice. If your phone is dead, you might miss taking some fab pics, and many other things.

8

Avoid travel debt - stick to the budget

Ensure you have a budget drawn up with a "security" fund for emergencies. While it may be tempting to blow the budget there are a variety of activities and accommodation options to suit every budget.

9

Public holidays in autumn

Accommodation and activities tend to fill up quickly during public holidays, so book in advance.

• 21 March: Human Rights Day

• 7 April: Good Friday

• 10 April: Family Day

• 1 May: Worker’s Day