Planning a trip to South Africa and still checking the final things to prepare and pack before leaving? Apart from your passport and credit card, your phone is probably one of the most useful items you will take with you to South Africa.
So taking some time to prepare it before you leave can make things much easier once you arrive, especially when you are travelling between different places or do not have access to Wi-Fi.
From downloading maps and important information to checking your settings, updating your apps and arranging mobile data, there are several simple things you can do before your trip.
In this guide, we look at some practical ways to prepare your smartphone for travelling to South Africa, so you have what you need ready before you leave.
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Update your phone and important apps
Before you leave, check that your smartphone is running the latest available software and that your important apps are up to date.
This is easy to overlook when you are busy preparing for a trip, but you do not want to discover that an app needs a major update when you are already abroad and have to use your mobile data or weak hotel Wi-Fi.
Think about the apps you are likely to use during your trip. These could include your maps and navigation apps, airline and travel booking apps, banking apps, WhatsApp, weather apps and car rental apps.
You do not need to download every travel app you can find. Focus on the ones you are actually likely to use.
It is also worth checking that you can log in to important apps before you leave. If an app requires a password, verification code or two-factor authentication, make sure you know how you will access your account while travelling.
Download maps for offline use
If you are planning to travel around South Africa, make sure you have access to maps before you leave.
Google Maps allows you to download maps for offline use, so you can still find your way around when you do not have mobile data or Wi-Fi. Download the areas you will be visiting while you are connected to Wi-Fi at home.
This can be particularly useful when travelling through rural areas, mountain regions or national parks where mobile coverage can be limited.
If you use Waze, you may also want to keep it installed. Waze can be useful for live traffic information and road alerts, particularly when driving around busy cities. For a longer trip, there is nothing wrong with having both Google Maps and Waze available and using whichever is more useful at the time.
Arrange your mobile data before you leave
One of the things worth sorting out before travelling is how you will get mobile data in South Africa.
You may be able to use your normal mobile provider's roaming service, but check the costs before you leave. Depending on your provider and plan, international roaming can become expensive and you might receive a surprise bill when you get home.
Another option is to use an eSIM for your mobile data while travelling. The advantage is that you can arrange and install the eSIM before you leave home. Once you arrive in South Africa, you can switch it on and connect to mobile data without having to find a shop selling SIM cards. You can order a taxi, contact your accommodation, check your route or send a WhatsApp message to let someone at home know you have arrived.
This can be particularly useful if you arrive late at night, when shops at the airport may already be closed. Instead of waiting until the next day to find a local SIM card, you can have your mobile data ready to use as soon as you arrive and start your holiday straight away.
Both O.R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg and Cape Town International Airport provide limited free Wi-Fi. However, you need to register with an email address before you can use it.
Check if your phone supports eSIM
If you are not sure whether your smartphone supports eSIM, open your phone's native dial pad and enter *#06#.
If an EID is displayed, your device supports eSIM. It's also worth checking that your phone is network unlocked and can use a different mobile network before buying a travel eSIM.
Set up your eSIM before travelling
If you decide to use an eSIM, it is generally easier to arrange it before you leave home. Follow the provider's instructions to install the eSIM while you still have a reliable Wi-Fi connection.
If your phone supports dual SIM, you can normally keep your regular SIM active for your existing number while using the travel eSIM for mobile data. Before leaving, check which SIM is selected for mobile data and review your roaming settings. This is particularly important if you are keeping your normal SIM active, as you do not want your phone unexpectedly using your regular SIM for expensive roaming data.
Simunye Mobile offers eSIMs for South Africa that you can purchase and install before your trip. Once you arrive, you can switch to the eSIM for mobile data and start using your phone without having to find a local SIM card shop.
You can view the Simunye Mobile South Africa data plans and choose a plan before you travel.
Good to know: If you use Simunye Mobile, there is no app to download. Once you have purchased your eSIM, you can just save the Simunye Mobile website shortcut to your phone's home screen. This gives you quick access to the website user area when you need it, without having to search for it in your browser.
Save your bookings and important information
Your phone will probably contain a lot of information about your trip, but don't rely entirely on being able to open an email or website when you need it.
Save important booking information somewhere you can access it offline. This could include your flight details, accommodation bookings, car rental information and travel insurance details.
You can download documents, save PDFs or take screenshots of important information. Screenshots are particularly useful for booking references, addresses and confirmation numbers that you may need to find quickly.
It is also worth saving the addresses and contact details of your accommodation. Having the address available on your phone can be useful when speaking to a driver, collecting a rental car or finding your accommodation after a long journey.
Download useful apps for South Africa travel
There are also a few apps that can be useful during your trip to South Africa. You don't need all of them, so choose the ones that fit your itinerary.
- Latest Sightings: Visiting Kruger National Park? This app shows recent wildlife sightings from other visitors, which can be useful when looking for animals in the park.
- SANParks: The official SANParks app, with useful information about national parks, accommodation and activities.
- Uber / Bolt: Both ride-hailing apps are useful in South African cities and can be handy when travelling to and from airports or getting around without a rental car.
- Polarsteps: Automatically tracks your journey and creates a travel record of the places you visit. Particularly nice if you are travelling through several destinations.
- XE Currency: Useful for quickly converting South African rand into your home currency and checking what things are costing you.
- EskomSePush (ESP): Shows information about electricity interruptions in your area. It can be useful when staying in South Africa for a longer period. With that said, power supply in South Africa is largely stable at the time of publishing this article.
- Tracks4Africa: Useful for road trips and travelling beyond the main tourist routes, with maps and information focused specifically on Africa.
You do not need to download every app on this list. Pick the ones that are relevant to your trip and set them up before you leave.
Check Whatsapp, contacts and emergency information
WhatsApp is likely to be one of the most useful communication apps during your trip. It is widely used in South Africa, and many accommodation providers, tour operators and businesses use WhatsApp to communicate with customers.
Before leaving, make sure WhatsApp is working properly and that your important conversations and contacts are available. If you are travelling with friends or family, make sure you have their current numbers saved as well.
If you're using a travel eSIM for mobile data, you can continue using WhatsApp with your existing number. You do not need to change your WhatsApp number simply because your mobile data is coming from another SIM or eSIM. Even if you're using a local SIM card with local number from any country, you don't need to change your original WhatsApp number.
Also check your phone's emergency information and emergency contacts. Most smartphones allow you to store emergency information that can be accessed from the lock screen. Set this up before your trip if you haven't already done so.
Check your photos, storage and battery
Travelling often means taking far more photos and videos than you normally would. Before leaving, check how much storage space is available on your phone.
If your storage is nearly full, clear out old photos, videos, downloads or apps you no longer need. This gives you some extra space for the photos and videos you will take during your trip.
It's also worth checking your photo backup settings. If your phone automatically uploads photos and videos to iCloud, Google Photos or another cloud service using mobile data, you could use more data than expected once you start travelling. Check the settings and consider limiting mobile-data use for photo backups if necessary.
Battery life is another thing to think about. Long drives, navigation, taking photos and using mobile data can all drain your battery. Take a suitable charging cable and consider bringing a power bank, particularly if you will be spending long periods in a car, travelling between destinations or visiting places where you may not have easy access to a power outlet.
If you have a long flight or road trip ahead, it's also worth downloading some music, podcasts, audiobooks or films before you leave, so you don't have to rely too much on mobile data for entertainment.
A few minutes of preparation can make a difference
Your smartphone can be one of the most useful items you take with you to South Africa, but it works best when you have prepared it before leaving home.
Downloading maps, saving important information, checking your apps and settings, arranging your mobile data and making sure you have enough battery and storage are all simple things that can make your trip easier.
You don't need to change every setting on your phone before travelling. Just make sure the apps, information and tools you're most likely to need are ready before you leave, including for those times when you don't have Wi-Fi or a mobile connection.
