Adventurous travellers seeking a truly remote African safari will be thrilled to discover it in central Botswana. The Central Kalahari Game Reserve is the second largest game reserve in the world and one of the least visited, nothing can prepare you for the sheer wonder of exploring this vast reserve with its wild, untouched beauty. The landscape is dominated by sand veld, acacias, and Kalahari apple-leaf, interspersed with grasslands and dotted with occasional sand dunes, pans and fossil river valleys. While the reserve is home to an impressive variety of wildlife, there is one animal that is rather obviously absent, the human being. It is this lack of human traffic, combined with the park’s lack of infrastructure, that makes for a challenging and marvellously authentic African experience. Visitors need to be entirely self-sufficient but those willing to make the effort will be richly rewarded.
Situated in the northwestern corner of Botswana, the Okavango Delta is a World Heritage Site as it is the largest inland delta in the world. The magnificent Okavango River sprawls out over the dry sands of the Kalahari Desert forming this flourishing waterlogged oasis featuring countless meandering waterways and crystal clear lagoons studded with water lilies, as well as fertile floodplains and reeded islands inhabited with abundant wildlife. The Okavango Delta stretches over an impressive15000 square kilometres. Visitors can enjoy a number of wonderful activities such as game viewing, fishing, bird watching or taking an authentic guided Mokoro excursion through this wetland paradise in a traditional dugout canoe. Commonly spotted animals include: lion, rhino, leopard, giraffe, hippos, elephants, crocodiles and countless species of bird.
Zambia’s flourishing border town, Livingstone, or Maramba, is situated in the South Province of the country. The British colonial city is a tourism centre for the nearby Victoria Falls, Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park, and the Zambezi River. Continuously growing, this romantic destination is rich in culture and history, with a host of adrenaline-infused experiences to choose from including bungee jumping, abseiling, gorge swinging, white water rafting, kayaking, canoeing, and jet boating. For visitors seeking a more relaxed experience, there are countless other activities on offer too. Visit the fascinating Livingstone Museum, take a helicopter flight over the roaring fall, or experience a superb game drive in the UNESCO-listed Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park, home to African elephants, hippopotamus, and an impressive variety of bird species.
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.
As previously described
Set just over an hour from Cape Town, within the inspiring landscapes of the Cape Winelands, Franschhoek is a heritage town and a world-renowned food and wine destination. Travellers could choose to focus their visit on any one aspect alone - nature, cuisine or culture - and find plenty to keep them busy. The estates here attract wine experts from around the globe with their Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cap Classique sparkling wine (among others). Five-star restaurants alongside the cellars are surrounded by the same jaw-dropping valley scenes that have brought artists and writers to the area for centuries. A superb literary festival takes place around May every year, and, combined with the town’s Cape Dutch manor houses, fascinating museums, and charming boutiques, makes Franschhoek a wonderful place to visit in winter. Summer provides endless hiking, cycling and other outdoor opportunities among the lush farmlands and mountains.
