BUSH TALES & CAMPFIRES

On arrival into Cape Town, you’ll be taken to the iconic Mount Nelson, A Belmond Hotel, serenely located at the foot of Table Mountain. During your stay, you’ll be taken on a looping tour of the Cape Peninsula, for incredible views of the shoreline – with nothing between you and Antarctica except for endless ocean! You’ll then go on a History Brought to Life tour, visiting the Natural History Museum, strolling through the Company Gardens and ending in a historic tavern, in order to experience Cape Town’s many influential cultures.

As well as sunning yourself on the lovely white beaches of Camps Bay and Clifton and spending hours amongst the world-class shopping scene on the V&A Waterfront, you can take a tour of Table Mountain for superlative views of the City Bowl. Avid historians should head to Nelson Mandela’s prison cell on Robben Island to hear first-hand accounts from former prisoners.

Check out the latest gastronomic trends in some of the world’s best restaurants, such as the exclusive Test Kitchen or trendy Pot Luck Club, and then eat your heart out in the Bo Kaap area, café-hopping as you sample the flavoursome fusion of Cape and Malay cuisine, including traditional bobotie, curries with sambals and rotis and bunny chows, with sweet koeksisters to finish.

Nestled in the sun-drenched vineyards of South Africa’s excellent Winelands, Delaire Graff Estate will be your home for two nights, where you can bask in the exceptional spa, admire the personal art collection that adorns the rooms’ walls and of course indulge in private wine-tasting sessions at the estate. You’ll be given a great introduction into the world of wine with a Behind the Barrels wine tour, to learn about what goes into each vintage and why. Put your newfound knowledge to the test by weaving between the Cape Dutch towns of Stellenbosch and Franschhoek, making sure to have your fill of both local vintages and fresh fare.

To cram as many vineyards into one go, consider taking the Franschhoek Wine Tram to visit the lovely wineries dotted around the valley. For an exceptional, wooded Chardonnay with hints of caramel and nutmeg, take the narrow road up into the mountains to the Chamonix cellar, where tastings are carried out in an 18^th-century blacksmiths cottage. Alternatively, consider an afternoon at the Stellenbosch winery, Kanonkop, for its award-wining Cabernet blends and comprehensive art collection.

This is where the itinerary evolves from a sophisticated South African holiday to an epic desert adventure. Once you’ve flown into Namibia’s capital, you’ll then take a light plane to Wolwedans and be transferred to Boulders Safari Camp, where you’ll stay for three nights hugged into a rocky plateau by massive granite boulders.

With towering red sand dunes, petrified forests and some of the clearest skies in the world, Namibia is much more than just a destination for ticking off the Big Five. You’ll venture deep into the NamibRand Nature Reserve on a scenic sundowner drive and climb into the wicker basket of a hot air balloon for out-of-this-world views of the desert.

With only four guest tents in the camp, you’ll be served cocktails at sunset atop a high plateau in almost complete seclusion, which only gets better when the stars come out. Proclaimed one of the darkest places on the planet, wait until the sun disappears for electric sightings of the Southern Cross, Orion’s Belt and galaxies 100,000 light years in diameter.

From Wolwedans it’s up north along the Skeleton Coast for a three-night flying safari with the Schoeman family. Over the course of the safari, you’ll fly low over the rust-coloured sands of Sossusvlei, the seal colony at Cape Cross and over the prominent shipwrecks abandoned along the harsh coast. In between flights, expert guides will collect you in a Land Rover and take you on scenic drives to nearby rock engravings, to explore the red lava and yellow sandstone beds of the Huab River and to spot the desert adapted wildlife, including black rhinos.

Tented camps will be set up to take advantage of the best views in each area, so make sure to save some space on your memory card as this leg of your journey is a photographer’s dream.

A green oasis in the red desert, Windhoek offers a chance to catch your breath before continuing on to the wildlife mecca that is Botswana. You’ll be returned to Windhoek where you can relax in your plunge pool, on the private sundeck or in well-stocked whisky bar of the all-suite Olive Exclusive Hotel. A trendy and very cool sanctuary, this retreat feels like a live-in art gallery with Namibian landscape photographs on the walls and abstract ceiling lights that dominate the rooms.

You can pull on your cultural hat and discover the colonial history of Windhoek at the Christuskirche, a beautiful landmark and Lutheran church, or at Parliament Gardens, which is flanked by bronze sculptures that celebrate Namibia’s independence, including the Tintenpalast monument.

Today, you’ll fly across the Kalahari belt to Botswana’s safari hub, Maun, and then take a light plane to San Camp located on the desolate Makgadikgadi salt pans. There are game drives on offer, but as your next stop will be the big game territory Okavango Delta, we recommend concentrating on the wide range of activities during your three nights here. Career across the startling white landscape on quad bikes or take it slower on horseback. Go with a loincloth-clad San bushman to learn about how his people have managed to survive in this dry area with very little and then follow the trails to the meerkat colony, where you can interact with these wild but very friendly creatures.

As the sun starts to descend, head into the tea tent for afternoon refreshments under billowy canvas or find your inner Zen in the yoga pavilion as you stare out towards the endless horizon.

Home to the original elephant-back safari experience in Africa, Abu Camp offers a rare chance to interact with a herd of elephants. During your stay you’ll join these peaceful giants, either by walking with them or by getting a leg up and riding them, in order to form a strong bond and understanding of the importance of elephant conservation.

The camp is located in the exclusive Abu Concession, set within the unspoilt Okavango Delta, and aside from the elephant safaris, there are also walking safaris and daily game drives available, where you’ll be able to spot huge herds of buffalo, as well as zebra, wildebeest, giraffe, lion, spotted hyena and leopards.

You can also experience the area on water, weaving through the quiet channels of the Delta on a mokoro (traditional dugout canoe) or on a motorboat. And if you’re starting to miss the feeling of flying already, you can rise above the densely-matted papyrus waterways and palm islands of the Delta on a scenic light aircraft or helicopter flight.

Next it’s off to Zambia for two nights of thrilling adventure, framed by the mighty and iconic Victoria Falls. Adrenaline junkies will be enthralled by the array of activities here: from bungee jumping off the border bridge and diving into Devil’s Pool at the brink of the falls to whitewater rafting down the rapids and micro-lighting over the edge. Take to the skies – our favourite way of viewing the falls – or remain on land and go walking with lions.

You’ll stay at the incomparable Tongabezi, perched on the banks of the Zambezi River just 30 minutes from the falls. Admire the river views from your thatched suite and watch the resident hippos frolicking in the water before cruising upstream for a classic sundowner with a cold gin and tonic in hand.

Under the shade of huge mahogany trees and next to a permanent lagoon where hippos bathe, the Luwi Bush Camp is located deep in Zambia’s South Luangwa National Park. A rustic yet comfortable camp, characterised by its grass thatched roofs and polished mud floors, Luwi is an ideal base for going on walking safaris.

The wildlife in the area is prolific, with countless spottings of the elusive roan and hartebeest antelope, which are almost never seen in other parts of the park. For more blockbuster game, you can track lions on foot or wake up early and watch wild dogs on a hunt. For the ultimate bush experience, consider the ‘Return to the Wild’ sleepout, where you can sleep on a sweeping bend in the dry riverbed under the stars, with a scout and a guide keeping watch for any inquisitive animals.

Such a colossal trip deserves a pretty phenomenal finale, which is precisely what you’ll get. Few countries are so dominated by one geographical feature as Malawi is by its great lake. Fringed by white sandy beaches and swaying palm trees and hemmed in by misty mountains and cool highlands, Lake Malawi is the perfect spot to unwind, especially after the walking safaris in Zambia.

You’ll be staying at the decidedly beach-chic hideaway, Kaya Mawa, which is perched on the southern tip of Likoma Island opposite nearby Mozambique. Do more than just dip your toes into Lake Malawi’s waters - go sailing, snorkelling, scuba diving, waterskiing, wakeboarding or windsurfing. The island’s sandy south is peppered with baobabs and the area can be explored on foot or by bike. If you stay on a Sunday, visit the cathedral, one of the largest in Africa, to hear the local choir sing beneath the beautiful stained-glass windows.