Set at the confluence of the Indian and Atlantic oceans and backed by the iconic Table Mountain, the bustling city of Cape Town presents an alluring combination of drawcards. Incredible powdery white beaches, highly acclaimed wine routes, and astonishingly beautiful mountain trails surround a cosmopolitan hub. This diverse metropolis is filled with superb shops and restaurants, extraordinary heritage monuments, a multitude of entertainment venues, and a spectacular, chic waterfront harbour. Highlights include the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary African Art; Table Mountain's jaw-dropping views; Boulders Beach, where penguins might swim right up to you in the warm Indian ocean waters; the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, where you can walk along a treetop canopy among incredible native flora or watch an open-air concert at the base of the mountain; Robben Island, where visitors can see the cell where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for 18 years; and many more.
The Whale Coast is a rugged stretch of South African coastline, snaking along the Atlantic Ocean and encompassing the towns of Kleinmond, Hermanus, Stanford, and Gansbaai. The route is backed by fynbos-covered mountains and includes farms, rivers, caves, and valleys. Between June and October, and especially over August, September, and October, the humpback or southern right whales that come here to mate and give birth can be seen frolicking offshore. The Whale Festival, held annually in September in Hermanus, is a special event featuring live music, markets, and much more. Throughout the year, explore the historic villages, and enjoy bird watching, wine tasting, paragliding, fat bike rides, river rafting, game viewing, mountain biking, and golfing. Don’t miss a visit to the African Penguin and Seabird Sanctuary in Gansbaai.
Nestled in a fertile valley surrounded by the rugged peaks of the Cape Winelands, Franschhoek is an elegant heritage village located approximately 75 kilometres east of Cape Town. Known as South Africa’s food and wine capital, it combines a rich French Huguenot heritage with a relaxed countryside atmosphere. Visitors can explore acclaimed estates producing Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, and exceptional Cap Classique sparkling wines, often travelling between vineyards aboard the popular wine tram. Tree-lined streets, historic Cape Dutch architecture, and boutique galleries add to the village’s charm. Summer brings opportunities for hiking and cycling through lush farmland, while winter invites cosy cellar tastings and the acclaimed annual literary festival. The scent of vineyards carried on the breeze, paired with sweeping views of green valleys and dramatic mountain backdrops, creates a refined yet welcoming year-round destination for food, wine, and culture enthusiasts.
Known locally as Mosi-oa-Tunya—“The Smoke That Thunders”—Victoria Falls is one of the world’s great natural landmarks. Straddling the Zambezi River between Zambia and Zimbabwe, it forms a vast curtain of water that fills the air with mist and sound. The Zimbabwean side grants the most dramatic views, where mist rises like ghostly curtains and rainbows arc through the spray. Measuring about 1,708 metres across, it is regarded as the largest single continuous sheet of falling water on Earth. The adjacent town of Victoria Falls provides a convenient base for exploring the region, with a wide range of activities from scenic flights and microlight trips to white-water rafting, bungee jumping, kayaking, and safaris into Chobe National Park.
The Chobe River forms the northern boundary of Chobe National Park and is one of southern Africa’s most rewarding wildlife riverfronts, especially in the dry season when animals concentrate along its banks. Elephant herds gather in large numbers at the water’s edge, hippos crowd the channels, and buffalo move regularly through the floodplain grasslands, while lions range through the wider system and may hunt buffalo in the surrounding landscape. The river also supports exceptional birdlife across reeds, sandbanks, and woodland edges, and visitors typically explore it through guided game drives on designated park tracks as well as boat safaris that bring them level with elephants and hippos along the shoreline.
Located between the Chobe National Park and the Moremi Game Reserve in Botswana, the 200 000-hectare Khwai Conservancy is an enthralling place of wild landscapes and abundant wildlife. The plentiful Khwai River running through the park and dense Mopani forests in the interior provide the perfect home for numerous animals, and the incredible scenes of animals drinking from the river allow for superb photography opportunities. Visitors can look forward to seeing large elephant herds, and spotting lions, leopards and hyenas quite easily. Other species include wild dog, zebra, giraffe, wildebeest, buffalo, lions, cheetahs, leopard, hyenas, hippos, Kudu, Tsessebe, and reasonably rare Roan and Sable. Hiking, game drives, guided walks, spa treatments, and open-air camping are just some of the activities on offer.
