Nature and wildlife lie at the heart of the South Africa holiday experience, and a safari is an absolute must. A huge range of accommodation offers everything from simple camps to ultra-luxurious lodges, with daily game drives in search of the famous ‘Big Five’. South Africa is also home to arguably the most appealing city on the continent, Cape Town, with its spectacular coastal setting close to the point where two oceans meet. Take in the views from the top of Table Mountain, explore the colourful neighbourhood of Bo-Kaap and learn about Nelson Mandela’s long walk to freedom on Robben Island.
From Cape Town you can strike out into the winelands for a boozy tour of the sun-dappled vineyards, or watch whales from the shore in Hermanus. Then head east along the coast and explore the lush scenery and stunning beaches of the famous Garden Route, which runs from Mossel Bay to the Storms River. Further east still is the Wild Coast, less visited but arguably even more beautiful, along with the spectacular mountain scenery of the Drakensberg Range. South Africa’s cities tend to live in the shadow of Cape Town, but cosmopolitan Durban is an appealing place to spend a few days, and Johannesburg is starting to shake off its negative image with a glut of high-profile regeneration projects.