FROM THE MOTHER CITY TO THE SMOKE THAT THUNDERS

Cantilevered above Clifton Bay and the Atlantic Ocean, the boutique and aptly named Cape View Clifton has unmatched views. Your home for three nights, use the sea-facing, balcony encased rooms as your diving board to splash along the beach-lined coast. Fan out across one of the four Clifton beaches or head to Camps Bay to see the white sands backed by the Twelve Apostles mountain range. If you have a soft spot for penguins, Boulders Beach is the best place to see the waddling colony or if you’d prefer to see fuzzy-furred pups, then head on a scenic boat trip to Seal Island to watch these blubber-heavy animals dry on the rocky outcrop– be aware that this is also a popular feeding ground for great white sharks. With three nights here, you’ll have time to take a tour through some of the world’s finest wines, we recommend either one of the charming towns Stellenbosch or Franschhoek, and to peer over the steep edge of Table Mountain- best reached by the very convenient cable car. Robben Island, the prison where Nelson Mandela was kept for 18 years, can be a sobering experience so consider pairing the historic tour with a walk through the tranquil and beautiful botanic gardens of Kirstenbosch. In a city heaving with culture, adventure and plenty to do, make sure to work up an appetite and as evening descends, settle comfortably in one of the Atlantic Seaboard’s fantastic restaurants for a sunset view paired with divine seafood and a glass of local wine.

The oldest lodge in South Africa, Mala Mala Main Camp is the ultimate safari blueprint. With an average of 25 individual leopards seen each month (the most elusive of the large game), your chances of seeing the Big Five while on a game drive are more than 76%. If you’re searching for an authentic African wildlife experience, you certainly found it. The camp is set on the banks of the Sand River, adjacent to the Kruger Park, and is designed with all the old-world charms of a traditional hunting lodge, with a few contemporary add-ons. Offering a fleet of open sided safari vehicles that have sliding camera mounts, bean bags for camera stability and even under-seat lighting, this is the ideal time to go on a photographic safari with your own dedicated ranger helping you pick the best angles and apertures. If you prefer to watch the action from the front row (rather than behind a lens) walk with a tracker for a more hands on insight into the African bush or for the safari connoisseur looking for something special, why not go on a night drive to glimpse the rare nocturnal creatures, such as the fierce honey badger or shy aardwolf.

If you haven’t been blown away by Cape Town’s mountainous scenery fringed by white beaches or by Sabi Sand’s illustrious wildlife and five-star accommodation, then surely Victoria Falls will have you reeling with its thundering waters, smokey mists and plethora of heart-pumping activities. Elegant, colonial and close enough to see the spray from Victoria Falls, you’ll be transferred to the Royal Livingstone hotel, where you can spend your two nights bungee jumping, whitewater rafting and micro lighting over the majestic waters.  For a truly epic finale, consider looping the length of the falls in a helicopter to behold the area in all its glory.