Watervale Safaris believe in hospitality of the highest standard. To ensure you a comfortable and careless South African hunting safari, we provide you with some helpful tips while visiting our beautiful country.
Car Rentals At Durban International Airport
Airport Transfers or Car Rentals
Clients will first land in OR Thambo International airport in Johannesburg. From there you will take a connecting flight to King Shaka airport in Durban, KZN, where you will be met by the Watervale Safaris team.
For those who chose to bring their own firearms on their hunt, we can arrange representatives to meet you in OR Thambo airport, who will assist you through the process. This is highly recommended! Please enquire with us directly.
Watervale Safaris is less than a 2-hour drive from the airport. Pick up and drop off from the airport is not included as a hunting day.
King Shaka International airport has a number of car rental options from the airport for those who would like their own transport. This is often favored by clients with family’s and who have planned to visit other destinations. For any questions, recommendations or advice, please feel free to enquire with us and we will assist with any arrangements prior to your arrival.
Follow this link to view car rental options at King Shaka airport
Global Rescue Travel Insurance
When you travel, chances are good that your personal medical insurance won’t bring you home or get you the emergency medical care you need. Global Rescue will! Global Rescue could save your life. Watervale Safaris works hard to ensure you have a safe and exhilarating experience while on our trips, but unavoidable incidents unfortunately do happen. Make sure you’re covered by the premier crisis response provider before you travel. Global Rescue is the world’s premier provider of medical & security advisory and evacuation services. Any time you have an illness or injury requiring hospitalization or face imminent bodily harm more than 100 miles from home, Global Rescue will reach you, stabilize you and bring you home, by whatever means necessary.
When you travel, chances are good that your personal medical insurance won’t bring you home or get you the emergency medical care you need. Global Rescue will! Global Rescue could save your life. Watervale Safaris works hard to ensure you have a safe and exhilarating experience while on our trips, but unavoidable incidents unfortunately do happen. Make sure you’re covered by the premier crisis response provider before you travel. Global Rescue is the world’s premier provider of medical & security advisory and evacuation services. Any time you have an illness or injury requiring hospitalization or face imminent bodily harm more than 100 miles from home, Global Rescue will reach you, stabilize you and bring you home, by whatever means necessary.
Click Here for more information on Global Rescue
Directions To Watervale Safaris
For those driving to Watervale Safaris:
GPS Coordinates: -30.148998 (lat), +30.182943 (long)
Please be aware that co-ordinates may differ slightly according to the navigation devise you are using. We recommend that you use our written directions in conjunction with the GPS co-ordinates when traveling to Watervale Safaris.
From King Shaka International Airport to Oribi Bush Lodge
Head southwest. Take the 1st left toward Mdloti St. Turn left onto Mdloti St. Continue onto M65. Keep right at the fork and merge onto N2. At the interchange 165-E B Cloete, keep left and follow signs for N3 toward Pietermaritzburg/Johannesburg. Turn left onto N3. Take exit 61 for R603 toward Umlaas Road/Umbumbulu/Richmond/R56. Turn right onto R56 toward Thornville/Richmond. Turn left at the stop street on to the R56 toward Richmond. Drive for ____ kms. Turn left onto the dirt road at the Inhlamvini turn. Drive for 22kms. Entrance to Oribi Ranch is on the right.
Communications and Phone Service in South Africa
Vodashop at King Shaka Airport for all your Cellphone requirements
Unfortunately Watervale Safaris does not have a telephone available at the camp. For calling back home or staying in touch with your business you will need to have an international cell phone or a satellite phone.
Even though your cell phone may have international calling available, it may not work in South Africa as the cell phone towers there use GSM multi-band and unless you have a phone such as a Blackberry, it will not work there. There are 2 solutions to this problem. The first would be to rent a cell phone when you arrive at either Johannesburg or King Shaka airport in Durban. In the International arrival area there is a phone rental store (Vodashop) located near the general meeting area. These cell phones rent for approximately $3.00 per day and rental of the SIM card minutes for calls back to the US are about $1.25 per minute. This rental can be put on your credit card and this phone can be returned to their store in the departure terminal before your flight back home.
Cell phone coverage in our area is not great but signal spots are found all over the reserve during the day. If you are needing to make calls it is not trouble at all to drive you out to a signal spot. For phone coverage that works literally anywhere in the world, the best choice would be a satellite phone. For good service and reasonable rates contact Explorer Satellite Communications.
Health Information
South Africa is a relatively “soft” country when it comes to health risks as the medical facilities are world class, with many excellent hospitals, clinics and private practices throughout the country. However, all medical treatment must be paid for at the time of service, so you should purchase a Travel Insurance for your stay. These facilities are just a short distance from Watervale Safaris.
We do not fall within the Malaria belt, so Malaria medication is not required unless you plan to travel to a Maleria area prior to, or after, your stay with us.
Tap water is safe to drink throughout South Africa.
There are no immunizations required to enter South Africa. A Tetanus Booster (be sure yours is up to date prior to your departure) and Hepatitis A have been recommended by local Health Departments.
Sufferers of specific allergies and ailments should ensure that they bring their own medications and prescriptions. (As your prescriptions can be refilled in South Africa it might be a good idea if you had your doctor write an additional prescription for your medications in the event that you lose yours or if you run out while you are there) Don’t forget suitable head-wear for sun protection and sun protection creams and remember physical health awareness, as changes in routine could have an effect on your health.
Customs, Passport and Imports Requirements
All visitors to South Africa are required to carry a passport that is valid for at least six months beyond the intended length of stay. There should be sufficient blank pages (a minimum of 2) for entry stamps upon arrival. Visas are not required for citizens from USA, UK, Canada, France, Germany and Spain. Visitors can stay for a maximum of 90 days. You may be requested to show a return ticket.
You are entitled to import into South Africa a personal allowance of 400 cigarettes, 50 cigars, 9 ounces of pipe tobacco, 2 liters of wine, 1 liter of alcohol, other gifts up to a value of R500 and any amount of foreign currency as long as you declare amounts over $20,000 to customs upon arrival.
Sporting firearms may be readily imported into South Africa. You may bring up to 3 firearms per hunter (however most airlines limit you to 2) and 200 rounds of ammo per firearm but again airline regulations allow only 5 kgs or 11 lbs of ammo per passenger. The average weight of factory loaded ammo boxes of 20 shells per box runs from 1 lb 4 ounces to 2 lbs.
Prior to the day of your flight you will need to take a trip down to the local Customs Office (usually located at all international airports) and get a Form 4457 (Certificate of Registration of Personal Effects Taken Abroad). These Custom Offices are normally open 9 – 5, Monday – Friday, but it would be best to call before you go to ensure that there will be somebody available to assist you. When you go take the guns that you will be taking to Africa with you. This is a very easy procedure. They will sign a customs form that includes the manufacturer, model and serial number of each firearm. The reason for this form is to show the US Customs people when you return to the USA that you owned the guns prior to your departure and that you are bringing back the same guns that you took out of the country. Be sure to have that form available on your return. Since the United States does not require your sporting rifles to be registered you must have this form to show the South African police. This will suffice as proof of ownership for the required SAP Form 520 .
Download the SAP 520 temporary rifle import permit and the trophy requirements document here.
Please note to accompany your SAP520 form, you require:
Copy of your passport
Copy of your itinerary
Proof of ownership of your rifle; form 4457 from your local customs office
Proof of export (obtained at the airport upon departure of US or from country of origin and may not be older than 6 months old!
Letter of invitation from us, your hunting outfitter
If clients would like assistance through customs, we recommend using one of the following:
- Air 2000, website http://www.hunterssupport.com/
- Rifle Permits, website www.riflepermits.com
- PHASA, website, http://www.professionalhunters.co.za/
Electricity in South Africa
Voltage in South Africa is 230 – 240 volts, 50 Hz. For your electrical items you will need a voltage converter. These can be purchased at any K-Mart, Wal Mart or similar type of store.
You will also need a plug adapter to plug your converter into the wall. The universal plugs that come with some converters indicate that they can be used in Africa. They will not work with the type of plugs that are in use in South Africa.
Correct South African Plug