South Africa is unique amongst African countries, being incredibly first world in some aspects while utterly third world in others.  South Africans are proud patriots and warmly welcome visitors.  Indeed the standards of hospitality and service are arguably the best on the continent.  South Africa boasts fantastic shopping, luxury lodges and hotels, a rich and sophisticated culture and impossibly beautiful scenery. That said, it pays to be prepared for the other extreme, for example, you drive right past the huge Khayelitsha slum as you leave Cape Town Airport.  It’s definitely true that South Africans still have some reconciling to do with each other and their complex history.

South Africa’s colourful composition does makes for a fascinating and diverse country to journey through.  Cape Town is lively and vibrant, set against the iconic backdrop of Table Mountain.  A visit to Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela spent 18 years imprisoned for opposing apartheid, is a highlight here.  Surrounding Cape Town are some of the most productive and aesthetic wine estates, a favourite of which is Babylonstoren.  Actually, this is not so much a winery as a wholesome visual and gastronomic delight; its great edible garden feeds a unique restaurant where you may order your meal by colour.

If you’ve come to Africa in search of safari, we’d recommend one of the private wildlife conservancies that comprise part of the greater Kruger ecosystem.  The game viewing here is truly extraordinary, and some of the lodges take the concept of bush luxury to an entirely new level.

There are two other remarkable experiences worth mentioning here.  The first is a visit to Fugitives Drift and the battlefield tours, which explain, in dramatic fashion, the deadly clashes between the British army and the impis of King Chaka Zulu in the 1800s.  The second are the various journeys across the country that you can do aboard the luxury train, Rovos Rail.

The “rainbow nation” has much to offer and we look forward to having a conversation with you to fill in more of the detail.