{"id":1441,"date":"2019-03-25T14:58:41","date_gmt":"2019-03-25T14:58:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.aaticd.co.za\/?p=1441"},"modified":"2019-03-25T15:02:20","modified_gmt":"2019-03-25T15:02:20","slug":"travelling-information","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.aaticd.co.za\/accredited-africa-training-institute-for-capacity-development\/travelling-information\/","title":{"rendered":"Travelling Information"},"content":{"rendered":"
The following is important information for delegates travelling to Centurion, South Africa, including the lowdown on visa requirements, exchange rates and currency, malaria prophylaxis (if and when required), weather and climate, choosing suitable accommodation in South Africa, tipping, etc.<\/p>\n
General South African Climate<\/strong><\/p>\n South Africa’s climatic conditions generally range from Mediterranean in the southwestern corner of South Africa to temperate in the interior plateau, and subtropical in the northeast. A small area in the northwest has a desert climate. Most of the country has warm, sunny days and cool nights. Rainfall generally occurs during summer (November through March), although in the southwest, around Cape Town, rainfall occurs in winter (June to August). Temperatures are influenced by variations in elevation, terrain, and ocean currents more than latitude.<\/p>\n Temperature and rainfall patterns vary in response to the movement of a high pressure belt that circles the globe between 25\u00ba and 30\u00ba south latitude during the winter and low-pressure systems that occur during summer. There is very little difference in average temperatures from south to north, however, in part because the inland plateau rises slightly in the northeast. For example, the average annual temperature in Cape Town is 17\u00baC, and in Pretoria, 17.5\u00baC, although these cities are separated by almost ten degrees of latitude. Maximum temperatures often exceed 32\u00baC in the summer, and reach 38\u00baC in some areas of the far north. The country’s highest recorded temperatures, close to 48\u00baC, have occurred in both the Northern Cape and Mpumalanga.<\/p>\n Frost occurs in high altitudes during the winter months. The coldest temperatures have been recorded about 250 kilometers northeast of Cape Town, where the average annual minimum temperature is -6.1\u00ba C. Record snowfalls (almost fifty centimeters) occurred in July 1994 in mountainous areas bordering Lesotho.<\/p>\n Climatic conditions vary noticeably between east and west, largely in response to the warm Agulhas ocean current, which sweeps southward along the Indian Ocean coastline in the east for several months of the year, and the cold Benguela current, which sweeps northward along the Atlantic Ocean coastline in the west. Air temperatures in Durban, on the Indian Ocean, average nearly 6\u00ba C warmer than temperatures at the same latitude on the Atlantic Ocean coast. The effects of these two currents can be seen even at the narrow peninsula of the Cape of Good Hope, where water temperatures average 4\u00ba C higher on the east side than on the west.<\/p>\n Rainfall varies considerably from west to east. In the northwest, annual rainfall often remains below 200 millimeters. Much of the eastern Highveld, in contrast, receives 500 millimeters to 900 millimeters of rainfall per year; occasionally, rainfall there exceeds 2,000 millimeters. A large area of the center of the country receives about 400 millimeters of rain, on average, and there are wide variations closer to the coast. The 400-millimeter “rainfall line” has been significant because land east of the rainfall line is generally suitable for growing crops, and land west of the rainfall line, only for livestock grazing or crop cultivation on irrigated land.<\/p>\n To start planning your trip, explore Sputh Africa with us! We hope you enjoy browsing our info pages where you will find all the South Africa’s most popular Attractions and destinations, plenty of photographs to inspire you and a huge selection of accredited accommodation options. You will find user-friendly listings sorted by region, town and suburb and by categories from hotels and guesthouses to self catering options. We hope you enjoy your stay in South Africa!<\/p>\n Centurion – Pretoria Gauteng Climate<\/strong> Johannesburg has a delightfully mild climate, neither humid nor too hot. There are about six weeks of chill in mid-winter (from July to August) and summer offers warm sunshine followed by balmy nights (October to March). The seasons are flexible, one running into the next, and summer habitually spills over into spring and autumn. The nights can be chilly particularly in winter. Bring a jacket to wear in the evenings. The rainy season is in summer rather than winter. Rainstorms are often harsh accompanied by much thunder and lightning and occasional hail, but they are brief and followed by warm sunshine.<\/p>\n Pretoria’s climate is similar to that of Johannesburg, but it lies at a somewhat lower altitude than its neighbor and its air temperatures are, on average, about two degrees higher. This is a summer-rainfall region. Between November and February summer thunderstorms produce flashes of lightning and brief but torrential afternoon downpours. Summer days are hot, though rarely to the point of discomfort.<\/p>\n To start planning your trip, explore Johannesburg and Gauteng with us! Enjoy browsing our info pages where you will find all the Gauteng Attractions and destinations, photographs to inspire you and a huge selection of accredited accommodation throughout the province.<\/p>\n On this site you will find user-friendly guides for Gauteng accommodation options, with listings sorted by region, town and suburb and by categories from hotels, guesthouses to self catering options which include holiday apartments, homes and cottages. We hope you enjoy your stay in the Gauteng Province.<\/p>\n South Africa Standard Time<\/strong>
\nThe Gauteng Climate is said to offer one of the world\u2019s best climates: summer days are warm and wind free and winter days are crisp and clear. Johannesburg and Centurion – Pretoria differ in temperature by about 2% (Centurion – Pretoria being the warmer of the two).<\/p>\n
\nSouth African Standard Time is two hours in advance of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT +2), one hour in advance of central European winter time and seven hours in advance of United States eastern standard time throughout the year. There are no time zone differences within the country.<\/p>\n