General information:
| Security | When out travelling, keep your valuables in the boot of your car, out of sight. Always lock your vehicle when it is unattended. When you park your car anywhere in South Africa, you will probably find a Security person, who offers to look after your vehicle whilst it is unattended. This is optional , dependant upon the area and whether you have belongings inside the vehicle which will not fit in the boot. Should you agree to the service, a tip of R2 upon your return, providing your vehicle is in the same condition that you left it, will be acceptable. If you have the misfortune to be stopped by The Traffic Police,who may be genuine Police or the Bogus variety, who are operating again, and are threatened with a Traffic Fine, for whatever Offence, DO NOT HAND OVER CASH, but insist on a “Ticket” to be written out, which should contain all relevant details of the alleged offence, together with the Fine payable, and date of Court Appearance. This Document can then be taken to The Magistrates Office in Sabie. I am not encouraging SPEEDING, but the general rule of thumb is that you can exceed the speed limit by up to ten percent, without being stopped, i.e up to 88 in an 80 zone. |
| Car Hire | Please remember that if you intend to take your hire car out of South Africa, and into neighbouring Countries, then a Permit is required from your Car Hire Company. It is best to arrange this when you collect your vehicle. Arrangements can be made at Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport, but this will take up some of your valuable time. Please be careful, as we are aware of Scams taking place at KMIA with respect to Car Rental vehicles. |
| Petrol & Diesel | In South Africa there are plenty of Filling Stations in the towns and cities, but in between there are often none at all, so make sure that you fill your tank before leaving urban areas. For example, there are no Filling Stations between Sabie and White River. The price of Petrol in Sabie is currently R14.85 per litre, as of February 06, 2018 In Sabie there are three Filling Stations namely two Caltex and one Engen. The Caltex near Smokeys is the only one which sells LRP. Unlike most of the world, Filling Stations in South Africa are not “self-service”. Therefore, apart from filling your tank the Petrol Pump attendant should offer to check your oil and water and tyre pressures and also to clean your windscreen. Once this has been done to your satisfaction, a small tip is in order, again usually an amount up to R5 is happily accepted. |
| Weather & Climate | Sabie, like most of South Africa, has Summer rainfall, and clear, dry warm Winter days with cool nights.At present we are experiencing a Drought again, so please use water sparingly! Our current rainfall is well below our normal average annual rainfall. Sabie lies 1,120 metres above sea level, and therefore enjoys a very pleasant climate. It is always slightly warmer in the Blyde River Canyon, Kruger National Park,and Nelspruit, so hats and sunscreen are a necessity all the year round. |
Public Holidays
Many visitors arrive in South Africa, without reservations, and are unaware of our Public Holidays and often, a long weekend, lies ahead. These periods are always extremely busy, so to help you better plan ahead, these important dates are set out below:
| DATE | HOLIDAY |
| March 21, 2018 | Human Rights Day. |
| March 30, 2018 | Good Friday. |
| April 02, 2018 | Easter Monday . |
| April 27, 2018 | Freedom Day. |
| May 01 ,2018 | Workers Day. |
| June 16, 2018 | Youth Day. |
| August 09, 2018 | National Womens Day. |
| September 24 ,2018 | Heritage Day. |
| December 16, 2018 | Day of Reconciliation. |