EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW FOR ULTRA 2016

Cape Town, are you ready for the biggest party of the year? After months of waiting, Ultra South Africa is finally here and for those of you who are going, a jam of epic proportions lies in store for you. Not only will you get to dance to some of the biggest artists in the world, this year, you can camp out and enjoy a full-on, non-stop weekend party.

By now you know that Ultra is going down this Saturday and Sunday (27 February – 28 February) at The Ostrich Ranch. You definitely know the epic headline acts which include Afrojack, Skrillex, Tiësto and Zedd in the lineup. You may know how you are getting there and what to expect, but if you don’t we are here to help.

Getting There

If you don’t feel like driving to the Ostrich Farm, Ultra have teamed up with Uber and Park and Ride SA. Whether you are going for one day or two, you can make use of these services. The park and ride tickets for Tyger Valley Shopping Centre and Stellenbosch are sold out, but the are still tickets from the V&A Waterfront. Tickets cost R150 and include a return trip. You can purchase tickets here.

Camping

Camping is only available at Ultra Cape Town. Like with all overnight festivals you have the option of bringing your own gear and roughing it, or you can go for the glamping option and book a tent through Heartbreak Motel.The camping area comes complete with showers, restrooms, food stalls and bar facilities. There will also be a small campsite stage with seating for you to enjoy.

You will not be allowed to camp without a camping ticket, so make sure you have one if you are planning to stay the night. You can purchase tickets here. You are more than welcome to bring your gear and food, but no alcoholic drinks are allowed, only juices and water, folks. Alcohol can be purchased once inside. All bags will be searched upon entry so rather be safe than sorry.

Cashless Event 

Ulta is a cashless event, that means you will not be able to use your hard cash to buy anything. Instead, you will have to get an Ultra SA card which you can load up with money and tap for every purchase. Cards can be purchased in the following values: R200, R400, R600 and R1000 with a R20 refundable deposit for the card. After that, you can top up your card with any amount and dedicated or roaming top-up areas. You can top up with cash, or by debit/credit card. If you do not use all the cash on your card, you can get refunds at the event from 10 pm.

What not to do

The usual T&Cs apply here, no weapons, illegal substances and hazardous/breakable material. In addition, you cannot bring fireworks, lasers, flashlights or anything that will interfere with the artists. Unless it has been approved, no professional DSLR, recording devices or video equipment will be allowed and any unauthorised recordings will result in legal actions, so get out from behind the camera and enjoy everything with your own eyes.

No food or drinks are allowed into the venue unless you are camping and even then you may not bring glass or aluminum cans. For the sneaky people out there, CamelPacks will not be allowed so you can’t smuggle that wine or punch into the venue.

Now that you have all the info, you can plan ahead and make sure you have the most insane weekend! Enjoy!

Photography courtesy Ultra South Africa