DIETARY REQUIREMENTS
Due to the remoteness of the venue, the only special diet which can be offered is vegetarian. Kosher and Halaal meals are unfortunately not available.
TRAVEL TO SOUTH AFRICA
Various international airlines offer flights to South Africa. Delegates should make their own travel arrangements to and from South Africa. Should you require any assistance or advice, please contact the Conference secretary. She will also gladly assist you in making hotel reservations should you arrive before the Conference.
ORGANISED TRAVEL TO AND FROM SKUKUZA
Transport from OR Tambo International Airport (Johannesburg)
There are no regular shuttles between OR Tambo International Airport and Skukuza, and therefore the conference organisers are arranging a dedicated conference shuttle service. Return transport in small buses (maximum 13 passengers) between OR Tambo International Airport to Skukuza will be provided for delegates at an additional cost. The journey time is about six hours (430 km), including comfort stops.
Delegates will have to book the shuttle service in advance and pay for it together with their registration and accommodation fees. Please indicate on the online registration form if you wish to use the minibus transport option. You will also have to communicate your arrival and departure times at OR Tambo with the conference secretary once you have made the arrangements. PLEASE NOTE THAT YOU CAN COMPLETE YOUR REGISTRATION FORM WITHOUT THIS DETAIL – we just need to know whether you will make use of the service.
IMPORTANT: In order to have sufficient time to comfortably reach the Kruger Park before the gates close, the shuttles must leave O R Tambo International Airport no later than 11:00 on Monday 8 May 2023. If you are going to use the shuttle, please ensure that your flight arrives in Johannesburg sufficiently early (allowing time for immigration formalities, baggage retrieval, etc. and flight delays) to meet that deadline. Also, the return shuttles will leave Skukuza at 08:00 on Friday 12 May 2023 and should reach O R Tambo International Airport between 15:00 and 16:00. Your return flights should be booked to allow sufficient time for security and check-in procedures and for unforeseen delays.
Transport from Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport (Nelspruit/Mbombela)
Delegates could opt to fly from Johannesburg to Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport, which is about 90 minutes’ drive from Skukuza. Local carriers have regular flights from Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban to KMIA.
Transport from Skukuza Airport (Skukuza)
Delegates could also fly from Johannesburg to Skukuza Airport, which is about 20 minutes’ drive from Skukuza. Only a few flights are offered per day from OR Tambo International Airport.
Transport Fees
Shuttles will be organised from all three airports to Skukuza. People making use of the shuttle service will also have access to this transport for early morning and afternoon sightseeing trips in the Park during the conference.
Please check the Conference Fees page for the transport fees.
Private travel to Skukuza
Delegates who wish to make their own way to Skukuza by private vehicle can consult the Kruger Park website for routes from the Johannesburg area to the various gates of the Park. The closest entry gate to Skukuza is the Kruger gate.
Please note: in May, the Park and camp gates all open at 06:00 and close at 17:30. Please ensure you arrive at the Park with sufficient time to pass through the formalities at the Park gate and then to get to Skukuza before 17:30. The Kruger Park website has a table of minimum travel times between the various gates and camps in the Park. For Skukuza, the recommended Park entrance gate is Kruger gate (about 30 minutes’ drive from the gate to Skukuza).
Notes:
1. The minimum travel times do not allow for any stops for game viewing, etc.
2. No motorcycles or open vehicles are allowed in the Park.
3. Outside of the camps, visitors are not allowed to get out of their vehicle in the Park, except at certain specifically designated picnic and viewing sites.
4. Travel within the Park is slower than outside with speed limits in the Park of 50 km/h on tarred roads and 40 km/h on gravel roads and a recommended average speed of 30 km/h. Therefore, if you are pressed for time, rather enter the Park through the Kruger Gate as this is the closest to Skukuza.
Hotels close to OR Tambo International Airport
If your flights are arranged in such a way that you have to arrive a day before or if you have to depart a day later than the above dates, it is recommended that you book accommodation in one of the hotels close to O.R. Tambo International Airport. Please contact the conference secretary for assistance in this regard.
INTERNET ACCESS AND CONNECTIVITY
Good internet connectivity cannot be guaranteed in Skukuza. Please do not rely on connectivity to download any presentations or live streaming.
INVITATION LETTERS
Requests for official Letters of Invitation (to help secure funding or facilitate entry into South Africa for participants) and any other information on the conference should be addressed to Prof. Jackie Nel (Jackie.nel@up.ac.za).
