We are excited to share with you some recent updates to the Southern Africa region’s entry requirements that will enable your clients to travel stress free through our beautiful destinations.

South Africa has opened its borders to all but 22 countries (significantly reduced from the initial 57 countries listed) Please click HERE to view the official revised list of high-risk countries currently not able to travel to South Africa for leisure. This list is revised every two weeks. If the passport of a traveller from a high-risk country indicates that they have spent 10 days or more in a low-risk country before departure, they will be considered to be arriving from a low-risk country and subject to the low-risk entry requirements.

Health screening and COVID-19 protocols

• Arriving passengers must present a valid certificate of a negative COVID-19 PCR test, obtained not more than 72 hours (3 days) from the time of departure for South Africa. The test must be conducted by a certified medical practitioner and the certificate must have the name and signature of the practitioner who conducted the test.

 • Arriving passengers will be screened for any COVID-19 symptoms and/or for contact with people who have been infected with the virus.

 • Arriving passengers will be asked to download the COVID Alert South Africa mobile app – more information here.

• All foreign national visitors must have travel insurance that covers the cost of any testing or quarantine.

Mandatory quarantine

Not required unless:

• Arriving passengers fail to present a valid and negative COVID-19 PCR test. This will require quarantine at own cost.

• Travellers display any symptoms of COVID-19 or have been in contact with an infected person. A mandatory COVID-19 test will be required at their own cost. If this test result is positive, travellers will be subjected to a 10-day quarantine at a designated site, at their own cost.

Great news: Namibia has opened its borders to all countries and travellers! For international travellers looking to visit South Africa but unable to travel directly because they are coming from a ‘high risk’ country then Namibia is a perfect stop over. Why not offer your clients wishing to visit South Africa a 10 day add on to Namibia so they can meet the South African entry requirements, and enjoy an incredible 10 day visit to Namibia!

Health screening and COVID-19 protocols 

• All passengers arriving on international flights must present a negative PCR COVID-19 test result, conducted within 72 hours of boarding the flight to Namibia. 

• All travellers will undergo health screening and temperature testing, and must submit their full itinerary on arrival. 

• Re-testing after 5 days in the country is NO LONGER required. 

Mandatory quarantine

 • Not required, unless a traveller's PCR test is older than 72 hours (but less than seven days) – supervised quarantine of seven days is then required.

Zimbabwe is open to international travel, via its International Airports only at present, land borders remain closed.

Health screening and COVID-19 protocols

• All travellers will be required to present a negative COVID-19 PCR test certificate, obtained from a recognised facility within 48 hours of departure for Zimbabwe.

 • All travellers will undergo health screening and temperature testing.

 • Social distancing, hand sanitisation and the wearing of masks are mandatory.

 Mandatory quarantine

 • Not required unless travellers show symptoms of the virus or don't have a negative COVID-19 PCR test certificate on arrival – they are then required to stay at a designated isolation facility for 7 days, then self- isolate for another 7 days. A fee of $60 will be levied on travellers tested at ports of entry. Isolation is at travellers’ own cost.

Zambia is open to foreign nationals and issuing visitor visas upon entry into the country. Depending on your nationality, travellers can arrive without a visa, obtain a visa on arrival, or apply for an e-visa before travelling to Zambia – visit the Zambia Department of Immigration website for more info.

 Health screening and COVID-19 protocols

 • All arriving passengers must have a certificate of a negative COVID-19 test that has been conducted within 14 days of arriving in Zambia.

 • Visitors will be expected to adhere to COVID-19 regulations like physical distancing, wearing face masks, and personal hygiene. They will also need to monitor themselves daily for 14 days post arrival for symptoms of the virus and report any occurrence to the nearest health facility.

Mandatory quarantine

 • All international visitors are screened on arrival. If you show any signs of COVID-19, you will have to quarantine for 14 days.

The latest encouraging news comes from Botswana who announced this past Friday that their borders will open from 01 November to private charter flights, we are still waiting for further details regarding more specific travel restrictions and regulations.

Mozambique still has a 10-day mandatory quarantine period in place; however their borders are open to international visitors. 

 Health screening and COVID-19 protocols

 • All arriving travellers are required to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 PCR test result, conducted in their country of origin within 72 hours of departure for Mozambique.

 •  All travellers will undergo health screening and temperature testing.

 Mandatory quarantine

 • All visitors, regardless of citizenship or prior travel, are required to self-quarantine for 10 days, followed by a COVID-19 PCR test at their own cost. Alternatively, travellers may self-quarantine for 14 days without completing an additional COVID-19 test.

Visitors to all of these countries will need to adhere to Covid-19 regulations such as physical distancing, wearing face masks in public places, regular hand washing and sanitising and can also expect to undertake temperature testing, health screening and to complete health questionnaires – on arrival, when checking into accommodation, visiting shops, restaurants and tourist attractions, etc. This will be the new normal for travel for the foreseeable future which travellers will learn to adapt and adjust to.

Kindly note that the above information is correct at time of publication, however these regulations are very much subject to change.

Greetings from South Africa to our travel partners! As the world is slowly starting to open up again, and South Africa is eagerly anticipating the day when we can open our doors to visitors again, we thought it was important to send you an update from our side. Please read our latest article which details the current situation in South Africa with regards to travel within the country, international tourism re-opening and the measures that are being taken to ensure the health and safety of future visitors to the country. We’ve also shared how we at Southern Africa 360 believe travel will change once our borders open and what can be considered new and different for international visitors to South Africa. In addition we have selected a few of our new sample packages for you to review, please see below.

What is the current situation in South Africa with regards to travel within the country and international tourism re-opening?

It is still unclear as to when South Africa will re-open its borders to international travel as the country’s Risk-Adjusted Strategy is based on levels of lockdown, not dates. South Africa is currently in Lockdown Level 3, with Level 5 being the highest and strictest level and Level 1 being the least restrictive.

Under the current Lockdown Level 3 the following travel related activities are allowed:

• Business Travel between cities and provinces, permits for this travel need to be carried.
• Essential Travel is also allowed and includes moving to a new place of residence, caring for an immediate family member, attending a funeral, students returning to school and to obtain medical treatment.
• Domestic scheduled flights are currently operating between the golden triangle airports – Johannesburg OR Tambo, Cape Town and Durban. Bloemfontein, Port Elizabeth and Upington Airports are also open with limited flights and East London and George Airports will be re-opening towards the end of July. Flights are strictly for business travel only and permits are required when booking and checking in for a flight.  
• Car rental and long-distance public transport is allowed for inter-provincial travel for those who are approved to travel.
• Accommodation is open for business travellers. Many of the large hotel groups have been open for business travel in the major cities since 01 June, under strict health and safety protocols, for example the Radisson Hotels and many of the Tsogo Sun Hotels. There are also a number of smaller accommodation establishments, for example B&Bs and guest houses that have opened up, particularly in the smaller towns and cities such as Hermanus, George and Knysna.
• Restaurants are allowed to open for pick-up or delivery and have also recently been allowed to have sit-down customers, with strict protocols in place, including screening, sanitising, social distancing, wearing of masks when not eating and limited numbers according to the size of the venue.
• Conferences and meetings with less than 50 people are allowed for business purposes, but events must also adhere to strict health protocols and social distancing measures.
• Casinos are allowed to open provided that the number of persons allowed in the casino does not exceed 50 percent of the available floor space, with patrons maintaining a distance of at least one and a half metres from each other. There must be strict adherence to all health protocols and social distancing measures.
• Most South African National Parks that cater for self-drive excursions are open, under strict regulations. Self-drive game drives for example in Kruger National Park are only allowed for people from the same household and the number of people per vehicle should not exceed 70% capacity. There are strict gate quotas in place, approximately 1/3^rd of what they were, therefore pre-booking is essential.

The risk-adjustment strategy for the phased re-opening of tourism has been co-ordinated by the Tourism Business Council of South Africa (TBCSA), with input and collaboration with all industry role players, including accommodation and transport associations and SATSA. We are currently in the Preparation Phase, to be followed by a Phase 1 trial phase where safe source markets with similar risk profiles and stages of pandemic are allowed to travel to South Africa. These travellers would be vetted (this could include for example completion of questionnaires and health checks prior to travel), all stringent safety protocols would be in place and the focus would be on low-contact product and low-risk areas, traditionally with low density.

In Phase 2, South Africa would further open key markets, expand the experiences on offer, until in Phase 3 air access is opened fully and the destination can restart its longer-term growth strategy. At the same time, South Africa will have to focus on continuing to create an enabling environment for tourism, which looks at more visa waivers, a robust eVisa system and air liberalisation.

What measures are being taken by the South Africa tourism industry to ensure the health and safety of future visitors to the country? 

The South African tourism industry has put in place stringent health-focussed protocols to guide and assist stakeholders within the travel and tourism value-chain including staff, travellers and guests. These are aligned with the latest World Health Organization, National Institute of Communicable Disease and Department of Health guidelines and have been approved by the Department of Tourism. Please click here to read more about these.

Some examples of these measures, in summary of what your clients can expect, include:

• Compulsory wearing of face masks – for anyone out in public and for all staff at all facilities at all times
• Wearing of additional Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for staff in high contact areas
• Frequent sanitising of high-touch areas
• Frequent sanitising of vehicles and lower carrying capacities
• Screening, temperature checks and hand sanitising when entering buildings and public vehicles
• Hand sanitisers available at strategic touch points and soap available in public bathrooms for hand washing
• Minimal handling and exchanging of cash/cards/travel documentation
• Extensive training to all staff (be this at the airport, at accommodation establishments, transport providers, etc.)
• Procedures to follow should someone have a high temperature or Covid-19 symptoms
• Social distancing signage and Covid-19 monitors to ensure that guidelines are enforced
• Increased check-in times at airports
• Limited/reduced numbers at attractions to allow for social distancing
• Markers to manage queueing
• No buffets at hotels and restaurants – plated/a la carte meals only 

What measures will Southern Africa 360 have in place to ensure the health and safety of clients travelling with us?

OUR POST COVID REASSURANCE:

• Meet and Greet at Airports within SA which includes extensive information and briefings on the COVID-19 protocols for the country.
• A Covid-Kit will be given on arrival, including a complimentary 3-layer cloth mask and minimum 80% alcohol 50ml hand sanitizer for each guest
• Screening at hotels and tourist attractions to assist clients
• Daily Temperature checks might be done by hotels and at certain attractions
• Daily sanitising of all vehicles
• Seating capacity in all private vehicles reduced by 30-50% (maximum of 2 pax in a sedan, 4 pax in an 8-seater and 8 pax in a 14-seater vehicle for example)
• Digital vouchers and itineraries sent to guests’ mobile via WhatsApp or email on arrival. 

How do we at Southern Africa 360 see travel will change once our borders open?

We believe that people will have a longing and new appreciation for nature and the outdoors – space and clean air, opportunities to be active and take part in new, fun and exciting activities. Staying in less crowded places will be important. Itineraries need to be less prescriptive and rather more flexible with a variety of options to each day, with new and different ways of doing the previous standard day tours. People will want to spend this travel time with their loved ones – some of who they were cooped up with on lock-down and others they were unable to see for a long time because of lock-down. Core values have shifted from “the biggest and the best” to things that matter and are more important, such as family time and personal health.  

Self-drive has always been popular in South Africa as the destination offers a high-quality road network that is safe and easy to drive. We believe self-drive will now become even more important and there will be less emphasis placed on guided and especially group tours. The most popular route for visitors to the country to do on a self-drive basis is the Garden Route, however Cape Town itself is also great to discover on a self-drive basis – exploring the Cape Peninsula route and the surrounding Cape Winelands, Cape Whale Coast and even the lesser known Cape West Coast in the comfort of a self-drive vehicle at a flexible pace. Another region of South Africa that is not commonly seen as a self-drive destination for Indian travellers is the Kruger and Panorama Route areas – this region is an easy 4-5-hour drive from Johannesburg and offers a wide variety of spectacular natural scenery, wildlife and adventure activities. Game drives in Kruger National Park are possible and safe to do on a self-drive basis, higher clearance vehicles are preferable but not essential as many of the roads are tarred. We have a wide range of self-drive touring ideas on our website for you to browse – self-drive trips.

Glamping (glamorous camping) offers a fantastic way for families to experience indoor luxury and the great outdoors, exploring remote locations and enjoying the best of nature together without having to rough it and forego creature comforts. Glamping offers a fantastic camping alternative without the hassle of having to pack and carry all your camping equipment, transporting a caravan or worrying about bugs and shared ablutions – transforming camping into a luxury experience. Glamping locations offer anything from safari-style tents, platform tents, riverside chalets, cabins in the woods and more – perfect for any season. The level of luxury varies with glamping however comfort tends to be considered highly, along with private locations - seemingly made for social distancing. South Africa is home to some outstanding and very popular glamping spots throughout the country. One of the better-known glamping projects is AfriCamps – which offer fully equipped self-catering glamping tents across South Africa – from the Cape Winelands to Greater Kruger, there are currently 11 different locations, situated on beautiful working farms, estates and reserves. Have a look at some of our glamping sample itineraries by clicking here.

A factor that is very close to our heart and the ethos of our company is responsible travel. In all we do we try to keep the three pillars of sustainable travel in mind – what are we doing to help protect the natural environment, how are we ensuring that local communities are benefitting from tourism and that cultures are being shared in an authentic and experiential way and not eroded or exploited.

Something simple that we as a company do is support as much as possible accommodation and activities in South Africa that are Fair Trade Tourism (FTT) accredited. FTT is a non-profit organisation which supports sustainable tourism development through the award of a certificate to companies that commit themselves to the Fair Trade criteria of fair wages, fair working conditions, just profit sharing and respect for human rights, culture and the environment. This assures visitors that the people whose land, natural resources, labour, knowledge and culture are used to support the tourism activities they are enjoying are actually benefiting fairly from them. Have a look at some of our Fair Trade Holidays here.

We also believe that South Africa’s neighbour Namibia will make an ideal post-covid-19 travel destination – with its very small population density and vast open spaces, unique landscapes and excellent wildlife experiences, the country is also an excellent self-drive destination – have a look at some of our Tips & Tricks for self-driving in Namibia.

Many will want to visit destinations that are set in peaceful natural settings and are crowd free, Botswana is another destination that lends itself to this in more ways than one can imagine! Undoubtedly one of the most beautiful countries in Africa, Botswana has a landscape like no other. It is home to the Kalahari Desert and the Okavango Delta – vast open spaces with very few others around. That coupled with its majestic wildlife, natural wonders and warm locals makes it a special place to visit.