The ECB have confirmed that England will tour South Africa at the end of 2015 and the early part of 2016.
The trip will comprise of four Test matches - the first of which will get underway on Boxing Day in Durban - before five one-day internationals and two Twenty20 clashes are played.
"Any tour of South Africa is special and as the Proteas currently set the benchmark in Test and ODI cricket it will be a real challenge which our emerging team will relish," said the ECB's managing director Paul Downton.
"We can be assured of fantastic support in South Africa from the thousands of loyal supporters who always follow us around the country – particularly at the Boxing Day Test in Durban and the New Year Test at Newlands in Cape Town."
On their last tour to South Africa in 2009, England held the hosts to a 1-1 Test series draw.