Why NOW is the Best Time to Book Your South Africa Holiday

South Africa. A country that offers the perfect fusion of wildlife, rich culture, winelands and a compelling history. Intrigued? Well now is the best time to book and plan your trip to this safari superpower; we chatted to our Africa Expert Tom Grapes to find out why:

Forget the Euro and the US Dollar – the Pound has a real upper hand over the South African Rand right now, a trend that is set to continue over the coming months. According to XE.com, you can currently get around 16 ZAR to £1. To put that into context that’s a pint of beer for about £1.50, a three-course, mid-range restaurant meal for two for £25, and five-star hotels for the price of a four-star elsewhere.

Once the freneticism of March (and the South African school holidays) has died down, you’ll see autumn transitioning into winter across the country. So, from April to June, you can not only expect beautiful, fall landscapes and pleasant weather but, as it’s off-season, everywhere is less busy and the prices drop. Alternatively, book now for June to August, and you’ll be visiting at the best time for wildlife.

Readers of The Telegraph gave Cape Town the ultimate accolade in 2016 by voting it the ‘Best City in the World’, while South Africa came away with third place in the ‘Best Country’ category. Not a bad medal haul.

Just like us, South Africans drive on the left-hand side of the road, making motoring abroad a much less daunting experience. Not just that, but self-drives are actually an enjoyable way to experience the country under your own steam – take the Garden Route, hit the tarmacs between the vineyards of Stellenbosch and Franschhoek or why not embark on an epic road trip from Johannesburg to Cape Town?

NO JET LAG. I don’t think we need to say much else here. South Africa is only two hours ahead of the UK in our winter, and just an hour ahead when our clocks change for British Summertime. So you can hop back and forward without worrying about being tired or lethargic – you can simply hit the ground running when you land.

Where else can you be dining in a five-star award-winning restaurant one day, spotting whales the next and then on safari the following morning? That’s right; nowhere. So what are you waiting for? Book your trip to South Africa right NOW.