Highlights of Southern & East Africa

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.

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.

Sharing an unfenced border with the world-renowned Kruger National Park, Sabi Sand Nature Reserve is one of Africa’s most prestigious safari destinations and was the first private game reserve established in South Africa. Spanning 65,000 hectares of pristine wilderness, the reserve encompasses rolling savannah, Lowveld woodlands, seasonal riverbeds, watering holes and the perennial Sabi and Sand rivers. Renowned for its exceptional wildlife viewing, Sabi Sand offers some of the best opportunities in Africa to encounter the Big Five, particularly its famous leopard population, as well as cheetah, giraffe, zebra and numerous antelope species. Visitors can enjoy unforgettable game drives, guided bush walks and magical evenings beneath star-filled skies. Combined with some of South Africa’s most luxurious safari lodges, Sabi Sand delivers an unrivalled blend of wilderness, exclusivity and world-class hospitality.

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.

Situated on the eastern side of the Okavango Delta in north-western Botswana, Moremi Game Reserve is one of Africa's most celebrated wildlife reserves, protecting an extraordinary mosaic of floodplains, lagoons, forests and open grasslands. As the first reserve in Africa established by a local community, it is recognised for both its conservation significance and its exceptional biodiversity. Visitors can enjoy game drives and seasonal mokoro or motorboat excursions, with opportunities to spot elephants, lions, leopards, African wild dogs and abundant birdlife in remarkably varied habitats. The ever-changing landscapes, where winding waterways meet acacia woodlands and sweeping plains, create a memorable safari experience that combines outstanding wildlife viewing with the untamed beauty of the Okavango Delta.

Widely regarded as one of East Africa’s most dynamic and cosmopolitan cities, Nairobi sits along the Nairobi River and serves as Kenya’s capital and largest urban centre, acting as a major gateway for safari travel across the country. The city features a growing café culture, active nightlife, and cultural landmarks such as the National Museum of Kenya and the Karen Blixen Museum. Just outside the city centre lies Nairobi National Park, where wildlife, including lions, giraffes, and buffalo, roam against a backdrop of skyscrapers — one of the rare cases in the world where a major national park borders a capital city. Visitors also often stop at the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust elephant orphanage for close encounters with rescued calves.

Located in the southern reaches of Kenya, the Amboseli National Park is renowned for its excellent variety of wildlife such as Maasai giraffe, elephant, lion and cheetah and not surprisingly it is one of Kenya's most popular parks. The landscape of Amboseli is dominated by the majestic snowcap of Mount Kilimanjaro, as well as open plains, acacia woodland, swamps and the massif of Ol Doinyo Orok. The birding is excellent, especially closer to the lakes and swamps. The park is famous for being the best place in Africa to get close to large herds of elephants among other wildlife species. Other attractions include opportunities to meet the Maasai people and soak up spectacular views of Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest free-standing mountain in the world.

One of Kenya’s most iconic natural wonders, the Masai Mara National Reserve stretches across more than 1500 square kilometres in the country’s southwest. The park shelters a remarkable array of wildlife, including elephant, lion, leopard, and buffalo that roam its savannahs, while crocodile and hippopotamus inhabit the Mara River. Birdwatchers will delight in the presence of more than 450 resident species. Yet the true spectacle is the Great Migration, named one of the Seven New Wonders of the World. Each July to September, roughly 1.7 million wildebeest trek from the parched plains of Tanzania’s Serengeti to the greener grasslands of the Masai Mara, followed by zebra, antelope, and predators such as lion, hyena, and cheetah. The sight, sound, and raw energy of these vast herds are a once-in-a-lifetime experience for any traveller.

Located in Tanzania’s scenic northern highlands, Karatu is a small, colourful town surrounded by rolling green hills and fertile farmland. Travellers heading for the Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Crater often pass through Karatu, which lies beneath the towering Ol Deani Volcano. The town serves as a popular overnight stop for visitors exploring the region’s many game parks. Karatu offers a variety of activities, including browsing bustling local markets, sampling beer at a local brewery, visiting traditional homesteads, or taking guided walks through the Ngorongoro Forest in search of waterfalls and caves. Whether seeking cultural experiences, hiking and biking opportunities, or simply a relaxing break between safari drives, visitors will find plenty to enjoy in this welcoming town.

Northern Serengeti occupies the remote reaches of Tanzania's Serengeti National Park, where sweeping grasslands, wooded hills and the Mara River create one of Africa's most remarkable wildlife landscapes. Best known for dramatic river crossings during the Great Migration, the region offers unforgettable game drives with opportunities to see vast herds of wildebeest and zebra alongside lions, elephants, leopards and crocodiles. Outside the migration season, quieter plains and year-round resident wildlife provide a more secluded safari experience. Crisp morning air, the distant calls of birds and the golden glow of the savannah at sunrise immerse visitors in the rhythms of the wild, leaving a lasting impression of nature on an extraordinary scale.