Visas

British passport holders are not currently required to obtain a visa in order to travel to South Africa. This will be granted on arrival. Further visa advice should be sought from the applicable tourist authority for other nationalities and for general queries. We strongly advise you to check with your destinations' Tourist Board or Embassy for the most up-to-date guidelines regarding required passport validity.

For clients travelling to South Africa with children under the age of 18:
Children travelling with both biological parents must travel with:
- Valid passport of travelling parent and child
- Visa, if required
- Birth certificate listing both parents (note: these must be the original documents, or certified copies of the originals)

A child travelling with just one of the parents listed on his or her birth certificate must also present:
- Parental consent affidavit not older than 4 months or
- Letter of special circumstances issued by director-general of home affairs in the event that a parent or parents are incapacitated or deceased and no legal guardian has been appointed as yet.
For full details of requirements for travel to South Africa, please visit dha.gov.za

Insurance

We strongly recommend that you and all members of your party are suitably insured as soon as you book your holiday. It is a condition of booking that you must have suitable travel insurance. It is important that you purchase travel insurance that suitably covers your participation in whatever activities you may undertake at the time that you make your booking. To assist you with this, we have arranged travel insurance in partnership with Holiday Extras. To arrange your travel insurance with Holiday Extras, please call 0800 781 4237 and quote 'WK830' for preferential rates. Please ensure you provide us with the name of your insurer, policy number and their 24-hour emergency contact number as soon as possible. Mercury Holidays will not be liable for any costs incurred by you due to your failure to take out suitable travel insurance from the date of booking.

Payment

If booking more than 10 weeks before departure a deposit of £250pp will need to be paid at the time of booking with the full amount payable at 10 weeks prior to departure. The deposit applies to adults and children. If you are within 10 weeks of travel then the full balance of the holiday will be payable.

Flight Information

Your flight is to Johannesburg Airport is with South African Airways (SA), departing from London Heathrow Terminal 2. Each passenger is entitled to 23kg of hold luggage and hand luggage that you are permitted to carry one item of hand baggage (Max 8kg - 56cm/36cm/ 23cm) in addition to one small personal item on-board the aircraft. Weight restrictions will be finalized on E-ticket receipt. Should you wish to take additional luggage you will need to pay extra at check-in. Check-in should be at least 3 hours before departure.

Health and Vaccinations

It is your responsibility to check any health and vaccination requirements applicable to your booked arrangements. We can only provide general information about this. Health and hygiene facilities and disease risks vary from country to country. You should take health advice about your own needs as early as possible and in good time before your departure. Sources of information include; www.fco.gov.uk, http://travelhealthpro.org.uk/, www.hpa.org.uk, your General Practitioner or a specialist clinic.

Physical Accessibility

This tour is accessible to most people with an average level of fitness and normal mobility. It involves full days of sightseeing, often on foot and includes some climbing of stairs and getting on and off coaches. This tour is not suitable for anyone with walking difficulties.

Group Size

The minimum number of travellers in your group will be 10, and the maximum will be 35. If in the unlikely event there are less than 10 people booked on your tour date, we will endeavour to reduce any disruption to your holiday and try to operate your tour with lower passenger numbers. If we are not able to operate your departure date then you may be asked to change to a different date and a full refund will be made available to you should this alternative not be suitable.

Tour Guide

This is a fully escorted tour, meaning that you will be met on arrival by your national guide who will remain with you for the duration of the tour, ensuring that you have first-hand knowledge at all times.

Currency Information

The currency in South Africa is the South African Rand (ZAR). It is important that you budget carefully and ensure you have the right form of currency before you arrive in the country. Cash machines will also be available throughout the tour in order to withdraw money in your local currency. In Zimbabwe, multiple currencies are no longer accepted and cash is not available at banks. Therefore we recommend that you take cash in USD, as usual, as this is accepted in hotels and restaurants. Visas and national park fees are payable in USD. Visa and Mastercard use should be restricted to hotels, restaurants and supermarkets. Our local agent discourages the purchase of local currency due to the difficulties with foreign exchange generally, but the local guides will be able to advise you if you do require it.

Personal Expenses

You will need to take money with you to cover any personal purchases such as souvenirs, laundry and extra drinks and snacks. Approximately £300 - £400 will be sufficient for the durations of the tour, depending on how much of a bargain-hunter you are!