Safety & Guest Care
What we do about safety.
- Document
- Guest Safety & Movement Protocol
- Version
- 1.0
- Last reviewed
- 26 August 2026
- Reviewed by
- Sydney Hall, Local Director
The disclosure
US State Department advisory. Guests are asked to review the current US State Department travel advisory for South Africa before departure. The official advisory is available at travel.state.gov.
The ledger
Phases 01 to 03 change with your package. From phase 04 — ground transport and hotel onward — the two paths converge and the trip is identical.
| № | Phase | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Departure, US gatewayResponsibleOne CSTA travelling hostWhat happensOne of the two CSTA hosts meets the group at Atlanta and flies with you to South Africa. You are not travelling alone from the first gate. The second host is waiting in Johannesburg. | One CSTA travelling host | One of the two CSTA hosts meets the group at Atlanta and flies with you to South Africa. You are not travelling alone from the first gate. The second host is waiting in Johannesburg. |
| 02 | Arrival, OR Tambo InternationalResponsibleThe travelling host + the Johannesburg hostWhat happensThe host who flew with you stays with the group off the aircraft. The second host meets the group inside the terminal. From here both hosts are with you for the rest of the trip. | The travelling host + the Johannesburg host | The host who flew with you stays with the group off the aircraft. The second host meets the group inside the terminal. From here both hosts are with you for the rest of the trip. |
| 03 | Immigration and baggageResponsibleThe travelling host + the Johannesburg hostWhat happensBoth hosts walk the group through immigration and baggage claim. No independent taxi rank. No shuttle desks. | The travelling host + the Johannesburg host | Both hosts walk the group through immigration and baggage claim. No independent taxi rank. No shuttle desks. |
| 04 | Airport-to-hotel transfers and full ground logisticsResponsibleBoth CSTA hosts + ground logisticsWhat happensPrivate vehicle, pre-cleared driver, direct route. Vehicle and route logged with CSTA operations before you land. | Both CSTA hosts + ground logistics | Private vehicle, pre-cleared driver, direct route. Vehicle and route logged with CSTA operations before you land. |
| 05 | Hotel arrival and check-inResponsibleBoth CSTA hosts + hotel duty managerWhat happensRoom assigned in advance. Both hosts walk the group to rooms on arrival and stay at the same hotel as the group. Room and floor selected against CSTA's standing hotel brief. | Both CSTA hosts + hotel duty manager | Room assigned in advance. Both hosts walk the group to rooms on arrival and stay at the same hotel as the group. Room and floor selected against CSTA's standing hotel brief. |
| 06 | Daily movementResponsibleBoth CSTA hosts + driverWhat happensAll movement is in vetted vehicles with vetted drivers. Guests are not asked to hail transport, walk unfamiliar routes at night, or carry passports outside the hotel safe. | Both CSTA hosts + driver | All movement is in vetted vehicles with vetted drivers. Guests are not asked to hail transport, walk unfamiliar routes at night, or carry passports outside the hotel safe. |
| 07 | Township and cultural site visitsResponsibleBoth CSTA hosts + local partnerWhat happensVisits are pre-coordinated with local hosts on site. You arrive with a name, not as a stranger. No unscheduled stops. | Both CSTA hosts + local partner | Visits are pre-coordinated with local hosts on site. You arrive with a name, not as a stranger. No unscheduled stops. |
| 08 | Medical or emergency eventResponsibleBoth CSTA hosts + 24-hour emergency protocolWhat happensBoth hosts carry a 24-hour emergency contact line. The nearest private hospital is identified in advance for every night of the itinerary, and guests are routed there directly in an emergency. | Both CSTA hosts + 24-hour emergency protocol | Both hosts carry a 24-hour emergency contact line. The nearest private hospital is identified in advance for every night of the itinerary, and guests are routed there directly in an emergency. |
| 09 | Internal flights and inter-city transferResponsibleBoth CSTA hostsWhat happensBooked on your behalf. Both hosts fly with the group between Johannesburg and Cape Town and back. Escorted airside on the departure end, met at the aircraft door on the arrival end. | Both CSTA hosts | Booked on your behalf. Both hosts fly with the group between Johannesburg and Cape Town and back. Escorted airside on the departure end, met at the aircraft door on the arrival end. |
| 10 | Return to airport, departureResponsibleBoth CSTA hostsWhat happensBoth hosts see the group off at OR Tambo — driven to the airport, walked through check-in, and left at the international departures security line, not before. One host flies home with the group. | Both CSTA hosts | Both hosts see the group off at OR Tambo — driven to the airport, walked through check-in, and left at the international departures security line, not before. One host flies home with the group. |
What we will not do
- — No unescorted evening movement.
- — No unvetted local transport.
- — No township or community visit without a contracted local partner on site.
- — No itinerary improvisation. Changes are made by the hosts, not by the group.
If something changes
Itineraries are built in advance, but travel is live and occasional adjustments happen — a site visit may be rescheduled, a day reordered, or an activity substituted for reasons of safety, weather, or local conditions. When this happens, CSTA arranges an equivalent alternative and you are informed by your host. Any change that affects your departure date or triggers a refund is governed by the refund and cancellation policy.
Guest and family contact line, 24/7
Monitored by a CSTA host. Same number for guests on the ground and family at home.
Insurance
Comprehensive travel insurance featuring trip cancellation and emergency medical evacuation is strongly recommended for your tour with CS Travel Africa. Purchase your policy within 14 to 21 days of making your initial trip deposit to secure maximum benefits, including pre-existing condition waivers. If you cancel your journey inside 60 days of departure, any refund or trip credit is subject to CS Travel Africa's cancellation schedule; independent travel insurance is what reimburses your non-refundable booking fees and separate flight costs. How trip protection works with refunds.
