The big picture
The tournament covers a huge area. Cape Town to Victoria Falls is more than 1,800 km in a straight line, and Johannesburg to Windhoek is about 1,200 km. Most fans who follow a team will fly between cities. Johannesburg's O.R. Tambo airport is the main hub, with frequent domestic flights to every South African venue city and regional flights to Harare, Bulawayo, Victoria Falls and Windhoek.
Getting there from India
There are many one-stop connections from Indian cities to Johannesburg and Cape Town through Gulf hubs (such as Dubai, Doha and Abu Dhabi) and African hubs (such as Addis Ababa, Nairobi and Mauritius). Book early for the India v Pakistan weekend (10 October) and the knockout week (17–21 November), when demand will peak.
Getting between venues
| Route | Typical option |
|---|---|
| Johannesburg ↔ Cape Town | ~2 hour flight |
| Johannesburg ↔ Durban | ~1 hour flight |
| Johannesburg ↔ Centurion | ~40 minute drive or Gautrain rail link |
| Cape Town ↔ Paarl | ~1 hour drive |
| Johannesburg ↔ Victoria Falls | ~1 hour 45 minute flight |
| Johannesburg ↔ Windhoek | ~2 hour flight |
| Harare ↔ Victoria Falls | ~1 hour flight |
Car hire is popular in South Africa, where you drive on the left. For fixture clusters, our venue guides list every match at each ground.
Visas and entry
Visa rules depend on your passport, and they change. Check the official government immigration websites of South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia (and Zambia or Botswana if you plan side trips) well before you book. Allow plenty of time for processing during a major event. Some visitors to Victoria Falls use the regional KAZA UniVisa, which covers Zimbabwe and Zambia for eligible nationalities. Check whether it applies to you.
Money
- South Africa: South African rand (ZAR). Cards are widely accepted.
- Namibia: Namibian dollar (NAD), pegged 1:1 to the rand. Rand notes are also accepted.
- Zimbabwe: the local currency is the ZiG, and US dollars are widely used. Carry some small US notes.
Weather in October and November
- Highveld (Johannesburg, Centurion, Bloemfontein): warm, sunny days with short, heavy afternoon thunderstorms, especially in November.
- Cape Town & Paarl: mild and mostly dry, often windy. Paarl can be hot.
- Durban: warm and humid, with some rain.
- Gqeberha & KuGompo City: mild and breezy.
- Zimbabwe: October is one of the hottest months, especially in Victoria Falls, where 35°C is common. Rains often start in November.
- Windhoek: hot, dry days and cool nights.
Staying safe
Most visits pass without trouble, but take the usual big-city precautions. Use registered taxis or ride-hailing apps, especially at night. Don't flash phones or cash. Keep car doors locked and valuables out of sight. Follow advice from venue staff on transport to and from grounds. Read your own government's travel advice before you go.
Plugs and practicalities
South Africa mostly uses Type M (large round-pin) sockets and the newer Type N. Zimbabwe mostly uses Type G (UK-style) and Type D. Namibia uses Types D and M. Bring a multi-country adapter.
Book hotels near the venues
Accommodation in smaller venue cities such as Paarl, Victoria Falls and KuGompo City is limited, so book early. These links open hotel searches for the night before each city's first match.
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Make a holiday of it
Many fans combine the cricket with a safari (Kruger National Park is a few hours from Johannesburg), the Garden Route between Cape Town and Gqeberha, the Cape Winelands near Paarl, or Victoria Falls itself. October is a good month for game viewing: it's the dry season, and animals gather near water.