Travelling in SA – Woodford Car Hire’s Tourist Guide
Tourists wishing to see it all can find the distance and area of the country a bit daunting. Woodford Car Hire has created a quick guide for the overseas traveller:
Every year, around 8 million visitors from around the globe visit South Africa. As one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, South Africa is rich in history, culture and its varying landscapes.
Tourists wishing to see it all can find the distance and area of the country a bit daunting. Woodford Car Hire has created a quick guide for the overseas traveller:
Flying in
By 2014, more than 70 international airlines have flights scheduled to fly into South Africa on a regular basis. The national airliner South African Airways is also a safe bet, with SAA connected to all major international routes both to and from Africa.
The Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) is the body responsible for operating the principal airports in the country and manage around 24 million passengers per year with around 200 000 landings per annum.
Typically, trips from Europe take around 12 hours while travelling from North America or Asia will take anywhere between 12 and 17 hours to get into South Africa. The majority of international flights land at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg – Africa’s busiest airport.
Cape Town International Airport on the western side of the country and Durban’s King Shaka International Airport on the eastern side are respectively the second and third largest airports with direct flights from overseas.
Flying around
South Africa has nine provinces stretching over 1,2 million square kilometres of land. That’s roughly one-eighth the size of the US, a third the size of the European Union and twice the size of France.
Tourist spots are scattered around the country and domestic flights is a popular way of getting within proximity of these sites. There are currently four airlines who fly these domestic routes, with flights throughout the day to the country’s major airports in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban and Port Elizabeth – each in different provinces.
The price of domestic flights varies according to season, but is relatively expensive when compared with domestic travel overseas. It is therefore always worth checking ticket prices and schedules across the airlines, which can be accessed online.
Driving around
Given the cost of domestic flights, renting a vehicle and exploring the country at your own leisure is a popular choice for tourists. Visitors usually choose rental companies that they are familiar with back home, but local companies often afford more competitive rates and provide personalised service.
Woodford Car Hire – the largest local independent rental company in South Africa – is situated at all the major airports offers a wide range of vehicles for either city-slicking or cross-country drives with free kilometres built in.
With the trip to and from South Africa being so long, there are tourists who also prefer to stay for extended periods – something Woodford Car Hire caters for with monthly rentals that have a massively discounted rate.
Woodford Car Hire also prides itself on service excellence with the latest in customer service tools and staff trained to assist visitors to the country with getting around conveniently and cost effectively.