South Africa Ends All Covid Travel Mandates

Announced June 23, 2022, South Africa no longer requires visitors to be vaccinated against Covid-19, has lifted rules about gatherings and events, and ends the requirement to wear masks indoors.

This makes travel to enjoy South Africa’s cities, beaches, wilderness and wildlife plus see its Nelson Mandela sites much easier. Even though it’s no longer required, wearing an N95- or KN95-type mask is a simple and effective way to minimize the chance of inadvertently spreading the virus that causes Covid-19 to others and of getting infected yourself. It is possible to be reinfected more than once with Covid and new studies show that each infection increases the chance of developing the cardiovascular and brain damage associated with long Covid.

South Africa removes all Covid travel regulations as of June 2022

The lifting of South Africa’s Covid measures was detailed in the Minister of Heath’s June 23, 2022 statement and followed mid-June declines in key Covid measures in South Africa such as test positivity rate, hospitalizations and deaths. The decision was ratified by South Africa’s Presidential Coordinating Council and Cabinet on June 22, 2022.

As of June 23, 2022, there are no longer Covid rules for gatherings and events in South Africa including the requirement to wear masks indoors. As well, in order to enter South Africa, there are no longer any requirements to have received Covid vaccinations nor provide proof of a negative Covid test. It is still wise, however, for travelers to be vaccinated and to test themselves regularly with rapid antigen tests to ensure they’re not contagious.

Visit South Africa now

July is the height of winter in South Africa, when crowds are generally smaller and prices lower. While nights and early mornings are cool, afternoons are often sunny and warm.

For those wanting to see wildlife on a safari, July and August are ideal times because there are fewer leaves on trees for animals to hide behind and the drier weather means wildlife congregates around water holes.

Visit South Africa later this year and next year

South Africa’s spectacular wildflower season begins in mid-August. As the southern hemisphere’s winter turns to spring, it’s also an ideal time for whale-watching along South Africa’s coasts. For example, there’s an excellent chances of seeing whales from shore in the town of Hermanus during the spring months of September and October.

September to December sees an increasing number of festivals every month with South Africa’s high season in the hot summer months from November to March. Shoulder season in South Africa is September to October as well as April to May, with lower prices and fewer crowds. Regardless of the time of year you want to travel, there is plenty to see and experience throughout South Africa.

Commemorate human rights in South Africa

No trip to South Africa is complete without visiting some of the sites commemorating South Africa’s work to end apartheid and enhance human rights. July 18 is Mandela Day, the anniversary of the 1918 birth of freedom fighter and South Africa’s first Black president, Nelson Mandela.

There are more than 100 sites in South Africa commemorating Mandela that are part of Madiba’s Journey (Madiba is a nickname for Mandela). These include the former political prison of Robben Island near Cape Town, the Mandela Capture Site near Durban, and the Apartheid Museum and Constitution Hill in Johannesburg, as well as public art throughout the country reminding everyone of the importance of protecting human rights.