South Africa ‘The Rainbow Nation' is a colourful and vibrant country best known for being one of the world's best safari destinations. Kruger National Park along with its many private game reserves give visitors a chance of encountering the Big 5 game animals (Lion, Leopard, Black Rhinoceros, African Elephant and African Buffalo) and over 1 million worldwide visitors head to Kruger National Park each year in hope of seeing these amazing creatures.
Away from the wildlife, South Africa has so much else to offer, whether it be relaxing on sandy beaches in Durban on the East Coast, saying hello to the penguins on Boulders Beach, hiking the world famous Table Mountain overlooking Cape Town or exploring Robbin Island and the tumultuous history of South Africa through one of its most influential people, Nelson Mandela.
If you are planning a holiday to South Africa remember that before you jet off to The Rainbow Nation to get travel insurance for any unforeseen problems that you may encounter during your trip.
Below is some more information about our products, for which Terms and Conditions apply. Please visit the policy information hub for full details.
In 2019 over 430,000 UK tourists visited South Africa, and whilst most journeys are trouble-free there are some problems that do arise. This can range from travel delays, cancellations and lost luggage through to more serious medical treatment.
Tourists can access free care if using public hospitals, for which the quality may vary. Having travel insurance in place would enable you to access the private health care providers with the peace of mind that you have cover in place to help with the costs.
Remember too, that there are likely to be a higher risk of certain diseases like malaria – so make sure you take malaria tablets. Also make sure you have up to date vaccinations particularly for Hepatitis A, Tetanus and Typhoid.
Whilst violent crime in the main tourist locations is generally quite low, broadly speaking South Africa does have a high rate of crime. The South African Tourism Police patrol all major towns and cities but make sure that you stay vigilant and have your personal possessions secured on your person.
Should you lose your possessions or have them taken then travel insurance can help to cover their loss and in some cases provide replacements.
Our Single Trip, Annual and Backpacker policies can help keep you protected whether you’re heading to South Africa for any type of trip.
Across our Single Trip and Annual insurance policies, you can choose from our Bronze, Silver or Gold levels of cover. Depending on the level of cover you choose, you’ll be protected for:
*Not available with Bronze level cover.
**Only available with Gold level cover.
You can also purchase add-ons to ensure you’re covered for activities you’re taking part in.
South Africa has 11 official languages, of which English is one. As you would expect it is widely spoken in the largest cities - Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban and is broadly the country’s second language with around 16 million speakers.
As above, the crime rate is high across South Africa, so there are a number of tourist scams to be wary of. ATM skimming scams are common so make sure to hide your pin when using ATMs. Be aware of your surroundings, particularly after dark. Try not to walk alone in remote areas, avoid isolated beaches and picnic spots.
If you are travelling to more remote destinations, visiting townships or outskirts of major cities then you’ll need to be much more wary and either travel as part of a group or ensure that an organized group is managing your itinerary.
