South Africa

An area the size of a small country holding lion, leopard, elephant, rhino and buffalo. You can drive yourself, which cuts the cost dramatically, and the animals move at dawn and dusk. Not getting out of the vehicle is an absolute rule.

The flat summit makes it visible from everywhere in the city. The cable car stops running in high wind, so go up on a clear morning rather than saving it. Cloud spilling over the top is known locally as the tablecloth.

The coast road down the peninsula from Cape Town is half the attraction, with a penguin beach on the way. It is not the southern tip of Africa, but it stands as the symbolic meeting of the Atlantic and Indian oceans. Very windy.

A coastal drive east of Cape Town alternating forest, gorge and beach. People take several days over it, stopping in the towns. Bungee jumping and whale watching appear along the way.

Where Nelson Mandela spent eighteen years, with tours led by former prisoners. You go by boat, and sailings cancel in heavy swell. Tickets sell out — book ahead.

An hour from Cape Town, with Cape Dutch architecture still standing. A tram-style tour lets you visit estates without driving. The mountain setting is part of the point.

Caves that produced a great many early hominin fossils, with a visitor centre and cave tours. About an hour from Johannesburg, so a day trip. A rare chance to see the record of human evolution in the ground it came from.

So many plant species in so small an area that it is classified as a floral kingdom of its own. Table Mountain and the Cape Peninsula fall inside it. Wildflowers come in spring, August to October.

A wall of mountains, together with San rock art thousands of years old. The walking routes are well established, and it snows in winter. Access by road from Durban.

Lakes with hippos and crocodiles running into beaches where sea turtles nest. Safari and coast in one place makes itineraries easy. Check the malaria guidance for this area.

The largest and oldest confirmed meteorite impact structure on earth, now eroded into landform rather than crater. Go knowing the geology rather than expecting drama. Reached by road from Johannesburg.

Arid country where the Nama continue a seasonal migratory way of life. Difficult to reach and needing a four-wheel drive. Almost no visitors.

Table Mountain, the beaches, the wine country and the peninsula drive are all within a day. Four or five days is comfortable. Summer, December to February, is peak and often windy.

The Apartheid Museum and Soweto are essential to understanding the country’s twentieth century. International and domestic flights meet here, making it the way to Kruger. Walking is not advised in parts of the centre.

The national park allows self-drive and costs far less; private reserves put a trained guide in the vehicle and get closer to the animals. Choose on budget and preference. Five or six hours by road from Johannesburg, or an hour by air.

Warm year-round, so you can swim in winter, and a large Indian community gives it distinctive food. It is the base for the Drakensberg and iSimangaliso. Humid.

One of the few places you see whales from clifftop rather than from a boat. The season runs roughly June to November. About ninety minutes by road from Cape Town.

A canyon and viewpoint drive on the way to Kruger, good for a day either side of a safari. Mist is common, so mornings are better. The driving distances are long — allow time.

Low grass and fewer waterholes concentrate the animals, which makes them far easier to see. Fewer mosquitoes also lowers the malaria risk. Dawn game drives are genuinely cold — bring warm clothing.

Dry and clear, which is what the beaches and vineyards need. December and January are peak and priced accordingly. Some days are windy enough to close the cable car.

Southern right whales come inshore to breed. At Hermanus you simply see them from the cliff. This is also Cape Town’s rainy season.

Normally dry country covered in flowers for a short window. Timing and scale vary a lot year to year, so check local bloom reports. The flowers open in sunshine, so go in the middle of the day.

Do not walk at night; use ride-hailing. Leave nothing visible in the car and keep windows up at traffic lights. Asking your accommodation which areas are fine is the most reliable guidance.

Parts of the region, including northern Kruger, carry seasonal risk and prophylaxis is recommended. See a travel clinic before you go and pack repellent and long sleeves. It does not apply around Cape Town.

Roads are generally good. You can drive yourself around Kruger, but the speed limits and the rule about staying in the vehicle are not negotiable. Long-distance driving at night is not advised.

Supply constraints have led to scheduled power cuts at set times. Carry a power bank and check whether your accommodation has a generator. Tap water is generally drinkable in the major cities.

Dialling 112 from a mobile connects you. Private ambulance and hospital care is good but expensive, so travel insurance is needed. Keep a separate copy of your passport.

Ten to fifteen per cent is normal, and tipping safari guides is customary. There is a culture of giving coins to the people who watch cars in parking areas. Carrying a little cash makes this easier.