Fact Sheets
South African Tourism is producing a series of Fact Sheets on activities and special interest topics including:
Accommodation, Animals of South Africa, Camping, Diving, Fish of South Africa, Fishing, Flying, Game Reserves, Golf, Hiking, Plants of South Africa, SATOUR = Service, Shopping, Self-drive day tours, Special Interest Themes, Surfing, UK and South Africa contact sheets, Restaurants, Geography, Incentive Holidays, "The Classic Tour", "The Cultural Tour", "The Outback Tour", The People of South Africa, Wines & Wine Routes, Websites.
Firearms
You may bring firearms into the country for hunting purposes with a temporary permit valid for the duration of the hunt. No prior clearance is required, but you should contact the airline at least two to three weeks before departure for specific details.
Fishing
This is one of South Africa`s most popular sports. Many game and nature reserves have dams, rivers or a stretch of coastline where fishing is enjoyed. There are about 250 species of freshwater fish in southern Africa and some 1,500 sea-water species along its coastline. A fishing licence is required.
Flowers
More than 24,000 plant species are to be found in South Africa, nearly 10 per cent of all the flowering species found on earth. The Garden Route along the Western Cape is so named because of the lushness of the vegetation there. Many cities have their own botanical gardens. Some tours from the UK are based around a floral theme, visiting Namaqualand, for instance, when this semi-desert area bursts into flower in August or September depending on the amount of rain received during June/July.
Flying time
The flying time from London to Johannesburg is only about 10 hours 30 minutes, to Cape Town around 11 hours.