Home to the big five – lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhino – South Africa is also a big country. It’s twice the size of France and has a 1,740-mile coastline.
So although names like Kruger and Cape Town are synonymous with safaris or city breaks, the Rainbow Nation offers a huge spectrum of other options.
Off-the-beaten-track game reserves, less-travelled road and rail routes, and cities such as Durban, gateway to KwaZulu Natal, provide equally exciting holidays.
Andrea Loddo, lead product manager for Hayes & Jarvis, said: “The key selling point is the diversity of holiday experiences.
“City breaks, safaris, amazing drives, natural parks and extreme activities are available throughout the country and each region has its own appeal. Couples will find the luxury accommodation and beautiful scenery inspiring, but this is also a place where families can feel safe as well as entertained, as there is plenty to keep children busy and the Eastern Cape safari areas are malaria-free.
“Prices have generally come down since the World Cup in 2010 as traffic hasn’t picked up as expected. There’s more choice of hotels and more competitive prices, plus the cost of food and beverages in resort is one of the lowest in long-haul destinations for a consistently high quality. Kruger remains the most popular place for a big five safari, but Eastern Cape safari resorts such as Kariega, Rippons and Shamwari are growing.”
Liz Hall, general manager of African Pride, added: “An alternative to the Garden Route is the much less explored Overberg Coast, to the east of Cape Town. It features wide sandy beaches, great restaurants, stunning scenery, the southernmost point on the continent and the possibility of viewing whales and diving with sharks.”
South African Tourism’s new Leave Ordinary Behind campaign highlights out-of-the-ordinary travel experiences and the variety of attractions and activities around the country.
Safari
Luxury lodges with spas and star-beds and close-up wildlife encounters can all be found in lesser-known safari destinations. The Eastern Cape’s family-owned Kariega is the ultimate destination for birdwatchers, with more than 200 species to spot alongside big game plus many outdoor activities.
Tswalu Kalahari, in the Northern Cape, featured by operators such as Abercrombie & Kent, is primarily a conservation area. New bush experiences it is offering next year include rhino monitoring, where visitors can microchip the animals, and a four-day walking safari with a night sleeping outdoors.
Guests can also help out with rhino programmes at Kwandwe Game Reserve on the Eastern Cape. The reserve is also launching 10 offerings to mark its 10th anniversary, including nocturnal sleep-outs on dry land or on a floating pontoon. For clients who want to combine safari and spa, the facilities at Bushmans Kloof Wilderness Reserve and Wellness Retreat in Cederberg Mountains in the Western Cape include an outdoor spa gazebo.
Sample package: Cox & Kings offers four nights in the Twelve Apostles Hotel, Cape Town, and four nights at Bushmans Kloof from £2,250 on a B&B basis, including BA flights from Heathrow and private transfers.
coxandkings.co.uk
020 7873 5000
Rail
The Blue Train is just the ticket for luxury train trips but there are other ways to travel in style.
Rovos Rail, featured by operators as part of a touring itinerary or standalone trip, recreates the golden age of rail on beautifully rebuilt classic trains, with journeys ranging from 48 hours to a 14-day trip from Cape Town to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Gold Medal offers a three-day Cape Town-Pretoria itinerary from £1,019.
There’s also the sumptuous Shongololo Express, dubbed a ‘cruise on wheels’, which travels through the night to maximise time at sightseeing stops.
Sample package: Visions of Africa offers a 15-night full-board Shongololo Express journey from £3,675, including flights and all excursions, such as a game drive and whale watching in Hermanus.
visionsofafrica.co.uk
0845 345 0065
Food and wine
South Africa is a major wine producer and while Stellenbosch, only 17 miles from Cape Town airport, is an easy region to explore, there are plenty of other ways to get a taste of the country. Across the Western Cape there are 14 wine routes, plus the world’s first brandy trails, in the Boland and Klein Karoo. In Elgin the Green Mountain Eco Route is billed as the world’s first biodiversity wine route and Route 62 is the world’s longest wine route, offering oenophiles 70 wine stops along the way.
Franschhoek, one of South Africa’s oldest towns, is known as the gourmet capital and a top destination to recommend for foodies. Hayes & Jarvis offers the five-star Le Hotel, with three restaurants, from £74 per person for one night’s B&B.
African Pride has a self-drive culinary-themed tour leading in at £2,885 for 14 nights including a cookery class and accommodation at properties belonging to the Good Cooks and their Guest Houses & Game Lodges’ association.
Sample package: Abercrombie & Kent offers an 11-night tour taking in the Franschhoek winelands, Kwandwe Great Fish River Lodge and a safari from £3,345 for travel between January and April 2012. The price includes BA flights from London and car hire with breakfast and some meals included.
abercrombiekent.co.uk
0845 618 2212
Routes
Not all roads lead along the classic Garden Route. Limpopo, South Africa’s most northerly province, boasts vast savannahs and rugged mountains. Operator 2by2 Holidays features a 12-day self-drive journey incorporating wildlife, culture and heritage, with stays at luxury lodges, from £1,195.
KwaZulu Natal, homeland of the Zulu nation, game reserves and evocative battlefields such as Rorke’s Drift, and flanked by the Indian Ocean, is another alternative self-drive destination.
Sample package: Thomas Cook Signature offers a seven-day self-drive tour of KwaZulu Natal taking in the Drakensberg Mountains and including a game drive from £1,099 with flights.
thomascooksignature.com
0844 871 6651
