Kruger National Park with Cape Town City Stay

If booking more than 12 weeks before departure a deposit of £295.00pp will need to be paid at the time of booking with the full amount payable at 12 weeks prior to departure. The deposit applies to adults and children. If you are within 12 weeks of travel then the full balance of the holiday will be payable.

South African passport requirements: Your passport must have an ‘expiry date’ at least 6 months after the date you arrive and at least 3 blank pages. South Africa visa requirements: British passport holders are not currently required to obtain a visa to travel to South Africa. This will be granted on arrival. 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 the Department of Home Affairs website.

We work closely with The Travel Visa Company who will be able to arrange your visa on your behalf. Please call them on 01270 250 590 and quote 'Mercury Holidays'. When calling the Travel Visa Company, they will advise you of any changes to the fees or the procedure, they will also advise you of all information they will require in order to apply for the visa. We recommend you check with your destinations' Tourist Board or Embassy prior to departure for the most up to date guidelines regarding these.

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.

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.

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

The currency in South Africa is the South African Rand (ZAR). Credit cards are widely accepted and ATM’s are available in most town/cities. We recommend that you exchange your currency before you leave the UK. Some local banks will not change money back into Pound Sterling, so do not exchange too much. It is advisable to carry smaller note denominations as some outlets and vendors may not accept the larger notes.

You will need to take extra money with you to cover any dinners where these are not mentioned on your itinerary and personal purchases. Approximately £300-£400 per person should be sufficient for the duration of your tour.

Tipping

It is customary to tip both your driver and guide. We would recommend to tip your guide and driver approximately £6 per person per day in total and £6 (122 ZAR) per person per day for the ranger. Tipping for restaurants (recommended 10%) and the porters at your hotels will be at your discretion. Tips will be collected at the end of your tour. Tips are accepted in the local currency, US dollars, Euros and British pounds.

We have no minimum number of passengers to run this holiday. If we are not able to operate your departure date for any other reason, 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.

For your tour portion, you will have a guide/driver with you during your excursions. For the beach portion of your holiday, you will not be escorted by a tour guide. Your time here will be free to do as you wish. Details of your departure transfer will be confirmed by your guide at the end of your safari or by a representative in the hotel.

Western and international food will be served however some establishments will serve traditional meals giving you a chance to experience local flavours. Vegetarian and Vegan options available, please request prior to departure. Please contact Customer Experience for questions about other dietary requirements or allergy information.

It is not recommended to drink the tap water, even in developed countries water may contain unfamiliar elements that can cause upset stomachs. In less developed countries water is not filtered in the same way. Bottled water will be available at shops and hotels/lodges.

On your arrival you will be met by a representative from our local agent, African Eagle, holding a sign displaying: “Mercury Holidays”. The Mercury Holidays/African Eagle representative will show you to your transfer vehicle. Your national guide will be on hand 24 hours a day should you have any queries.

If you need to contact your representative during your stay the details are:

African Eagle:

Telephone Number 0027 82 325 0201

E-mail duty@ae.co.za

Emergency contact details for African Eagle 24 hour: 002782 325 0201