Getting around: You drive on the left hand side of the roads. South Africa has a good network of roads throughout the country, which are well sign posted. Car Rental companies have offices in all major centres and airports. Travelers have the option of “going it alone” or getting the professionals to handle everything for you in a package tour.

Extra care should be taken before planning a road trip into adjoining countries as not all roads are tarmac and with some areas only accessible in 4x4 vehicles.

CLIMATE:

GARDEN ROUTE: The Garden Route has a Mediterranean maritime climate with moderately warm summers and mild winters and is one of the richest rainfall regions in South Africa.

CAPE TOWN: Cape Town has a Mediterranean climate. In summer it is usually pleasantly warm. The hottest days are often cooled by the Cape Doctor, the famous South-Easter, which keeps the city free of pollution. It seldom rains in summer, and only briefly when it does. The winters are cool and wet, but the temperature hardly ever falls below 10° C.

KWAZULU NATAL:
KwaZulu-Natal, on the eastern side of South Africa, is bordered by the warm Indian Ocean to the east and the high escarpment of the Drakensberg Mountains to the west. The province has a warm, sub-tropical climate, with temperatures moderated by the expanse of the Indian Ocean. Summers are hot and humid averaging 28 degrees, and experience the majority of the annual rainfall, while winters, with average temperatures of 23 degrees, are warm, dry and clear. There is occasional frost in the interior and snow often falls in the higher reaches in winter. Winter sunshine averages almost 7 hours a day, some of the highest in the country.

The climate of KZN is described as all-year-round tourist- friendly. Sea temperatures are also relatively stable, averaging 21 degrees all year, providing possibilities for a diversity of aquatic activities in any season, including diving, fishing, swimming, boating and surfing.

KRUGER PARK: Summer temperatures can climb above 40 degrees. Rainfall in the Lowveld averages 800 mm per annum, and falls mainly during the summer months, which results in humid, sultry weather. The rainy season usually starts in September and can last until May.

The climate is much more tolerable in the dry winter months of June, July and August. Then the days are mild and the nights a little cool. This time of the year is also ideal for animal viewing in the Kruger National Park, because the shrubs and trees don't have so many leaves to obstruct the view. Since it hardly ever rains in winter, the game must come to the waterholes to drink in the mornings and afternoons and can easily be observed from the car.

BOTSWANA: Botswana's climate is semi-arid. Though it is hot and dry for much of the year, there is a rainy season, which runs through the summer months, peaking in January and February. Rainfall tends to be erratic, unpredictable and highly regional. Often a heavy downpour may occur in one area while 10 or 15 kilometres away there is no rain at all. Showers are often followed by strong sunshine so that a good deal of the rainfall does not penetrate the ground but is lost to evaporation and transpiration. 'Pula', one of the most frequently heard words in Botswana, is not only the name of Botswana's currency, but also the Setswana word for rain. So much of what takes place in Botswana relies on this essential, frequently scarce commodity.

Summer days are hot, especially in the weeks that precede the coming of the cooling rains, and shade temperatures rise to the 38°C mark and higher, reaching a blistering 44°C on rare occasions. Winters are clear-skied and bone-dry, the air seductively warm during the daylight hours but, because there is no cloud cover, cold at night and in the early mornings. Sometimes bitterly so - frost is common and small quantities of water can freeze.

NAMIBIA: It gets quite hot between December to February, but because of its high altitude, humidity is low and nights are pleasantly cooled by a light breeze. It does rain quite heavily in summer but the evaporation rate is extremely high so it does not stay damp for long. Winters can get very cold at night with some frost in low lying areas, but the days are warm, sunny and cloudless.

MOZAMBIQUE: The climate varies in the different regions of the country, but generally the inland areas are slightly cooler, although more humid than along the coast in the rainy season. Winter is the dry season lasting from April to September, and is the best time to visit the country. The southern parts of the country are generally drier and less tropical than the north, with temperatures along the coast averaging 80ºF (27ºC). The rainy season coincides with the heat and humidity from October to March, with average coastal temperatures of 88ºF (31ºC).

ZAMBIA: Although Zambia lies in the tropics, the height of the plateau ensures that the climate is seldom unpleasantly hot, except in the valleys. There are three seasons: the cool, dry winter season from May to September; the hot, dry season in October and November; and the rainy season, which is even hotter, from December to April.

MALAWI: January to March is the hot, rainy season. Temperatures average around 26ºC, but reach the mid 30s. In April, roads open up and the weather turns beautiful with clear skies, warm days and cool evenings. June and July are the middle of winter, but the average daytime temperature is about 21ºC, but the nights are cold, especially in the highlands. By late August, the days become hotter, though the nights are still cool and by October the days are very hot, with warm nights. It is still dry. The rainy season starts in December, so this month can be very humid.

TANZANIA: Tanzania lies so close to the equator that seasonal variations in temperature are not extreme. Owing to the country's widely varying topography, Tanzania's climate displays great range of regional differences. When planning your holiday take animal migration patterns into account if you are interested in a safari.

INDIAN OCEAN ISLANDS: The islands are tropical so everything is green and you can expect some sudden downpours in summer.  The average temperature is 23°C (73°F). The temperatures at the coastal areas varies between 22°C in winter and 34°C in summer. The sea temperature varies between 22°C and 27°C. It is also the cyclone season with the risk of storms highest between January and April. Winter is balmy and warm in coastal regions not exposed to the south-east trade winds.