Travel

Rental Car

Driving

Airport You will fly into Cape Town's International Airport (CPT). You can fly direct from London with British Airways or Norse Atlantic. Driving time to venue: 45 mins Driving time to Cape Town: 20 mins Hire Car We highly recommend renting a car for the duration of your stay. ​It is significantly cheaper than in Europe to do so and will give you much needed flexibility. ​We advise getting full cover for your peace of mind and recommend booking accommodation with on-site parking, just in case. In South Africa they drive on the left, same as the UK! Car parks are very cheap (e.g. at V&A). You can also park on the road in many places. If you do, and there is one, pay the informal parking attendants in cash (R5-10 (20-50p is fine) to watch your car if you park on the road Traffic lights are known as 'robots'. If there's a power outage, many of the robots turn off too(!) So just watch out for that. Uber Use Uber. It's the most reliable and effective taxi option in Cape Town and the surrounding area. ​ ​Ubers across Cape Town city will cost around £5. Ubers from Cape Town or the airport to the venue will cost around £15.

Travel Note

Weather & Tipping

The sun is super strong. We recommend wearing factor 50 and topping up regularly. Pack layers. While it gets hot in the daytime, the evenings are cool and the wind can be chilly. The sea is cold! Getting in is a top morning ritual, but it's no bath! Get accommodation with a pool for a more relaxing dip. South Africa has a tipping culture. Assume to pay at least 10% on top of your (cheap) food bill. 12-15% even better. Tipping parking attendants is very low - R5-10. South Africa uses the Rand (£1 = approx. R24). You can use a credit card pretty much everywhere (with the exception of Amex), but we would recommend drawing some cash once you get there for tipping etc. The fees are fairly nominal.

Travel Note

Health and Safety

Water: Tap water and ice are best avoided. While tap water is technically safe to drink, power outages can change that and it's not worth the risk of being unwell. Load Shedding: South Africa has an energy crisis and to manage this the government enforce periods of blackouts. This is why having a back-up generator at your accommodation is useful. It means you don't need to worry about charging your phone at certain times of days or worrying the air-con will go off. But it's definitely not the end of the world without one! Is South Africa Safe? The short answer is yes. Like with any big or unfamiliar city, we would recommend always using your best judgment, staying aware of your surroundings and avoiding leaving valuables visible or in parked cars. Whilst its safe to explore unfamiliar areas with some prior research, guided local tours can be great ways to add local flavour and history to your experience.