South African Standard Time (SAST) is the time zone used by all of South Africa, Botswana as well as Eswatini and Lesotho. The zone is two hours ahead of UTC (UTC+02:00) and is the same as Central Africa Time. Daylight saving time is not observed in either time zone. Solar noon in this time zone occurs at 30° E in SAST, effectively making Pietermaritzburg at the correct solar noon point, with Johannesburg and Pretoria slightly west at 28° E and Durban slightly east at 31° E. Thus, most of South Africa’s population experience true solar noon at approximately 12:00 daily.

The South African National Time Standard, or ‘SA Time’ Master Clock, is maintained at the Time and Frequency Laboratory of the National Metrology Institute of South Africa (NMISA) at Pretoria and is distributed publicly by an NTP Internet Time service [source: Wikipedia].

You can check out time differences from SAST here.

The official South African currency is the Rand (R). The Rand consists of 100 cents and you have 5c, 10c, 20c, 50c, R1, R2 and R5 coins. Paper money comes in these denominations : R10, R20, R50, R100 and R200.

To exchange foreign currency you need to bring your passport. There are several ATMs at the bank offices in the town centre, near Pick ‘n Pay & Spar supermarkets and at the gas station. At the ATM you use your pin to withdraw Rands with your credit card and bank card. Please remember to check with your bank if you need to activate your bank card before departure! All well known credit cards like Mastercard, Visa and American Express are accepted.

South Africa has 11 official languages. English is commonly used in business and tourism. Shangaan, English, Afrikaans and Sotho are common in this area.

We highly recommend renting a car during your stay in Hoedspruit. Many of the area's attractions, restaurants, shops, wildlife experiences, and the nearby Kruger National Park are best explored at your own pace. Having a vehicle gives you the flexibility to make the most of your time in the Greater Kruger region.

For guests looking to hire a vehicle, we recommend Trophy Travel, a trusted local car rental company conveniently located just outside Hoedspruit Wildlife Estate. They offer a range of vehicles suitable for exploring the area and can often assist with airport collections and drop-offs. We are happy to provide contact details and assist with arrangements before your arrival.

As with travel anywhere in the world, be vigilant and avoid isolating situations.

Hoedspruit is a year round destination. The summer daytime temperatures are generally in the mid 30s, while in winter, they’re in the mid 20s. Night time temperatures in summer are in the high teens and low 20s, while in winter they rarely drop below 10. The unit of measure is degrees Celsius. Transition months between seasons (spring and autumn) are not very pronounced.

Clothes:

• Light-weight cotton garments in neutral colours work well for day wear in the bush (khaki, beige, olive green – avoid white or red on game drives),

• Swimwear,

• A light jacket or sweater may be necessary for the summer evenings, and a heavy jacket and sweater are recommended during the winter months of May – August,

• A hat,

• Hiking shoes if you plan to walk a lot,

• Restaurants are quite relaxed, but ‘smart casual’ is generally the required dress code.  

Essentials:

• A camera,

• A good pair of binoculars, ideally in the 10×40 range. We do have a pair for use in the villa, but you may want your own for game drives,

• A high factor sunscreen,

• A small personal medical kit containing any prescribed drugs as well as plasters, headache pills and antihistamine is always useful,

• Lip balm, 

• Sunglasses.

Please note that this information is subject to change, so check with the relevant authorities before you travel.

• A valid passport. Please look at the expiry date. According to South African law, a passport needs to be valid at least 6 months after arrival and it needs at least four blank pages.

• A valid driver’s license. An international drivers license is not necessary, unless you still have a paper license.

• European visitors will receive a visa stamp (without costs) in their passports. Non-European visitors need to check prior to departure if a visa is required to travel to South Africa.

• Bring any medical documentation you may need, like prescriptions, information about allergies and medication.

• Travel insurance documentation.

• Check the expiry date of your credit card and pin card before departure. In many cases you need to activate your bank card to use in South Africa.

Please check your need for vaccinations before departure to South Africa so you can enjoy your holiday without any worries.

Which vaccination you need depends on your age, health condition and prior (as a child) vaccinations. For most adults who already have had their recommended vaccinations, only DTP and Hepatitis A are necessary. Always consult your doctor for advice.

Hoedspruit is a low-risk malaria area. Take care during sunrise and sunset as mosquitos are more likely to sting during these times. At the villa, use your fly screens to avoid mosquitoes getting into the villa and rooms.