Nowhere optimises that more than Cape Town, where the flat-topped Table Mountain stands watch over a city of wide-ranging pursuits. Head to the V&A Waterfront for tours to Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for 18 years, and to Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens for a go-slow day among endemic flora.

Across the tip of the country is Mossel Bay, the start (or end) of the Garden Route, a coastal trail that cuts through pretty villages and mountain peaks. Break the peace at Bloukrans Bridge, home to the highest bungy from a bridge in the world.

A really wild adventure in South Africa is, for many, touring the national reserves in an open-topped 4x4, looking for elephants, lions, zebras and more. There are too many parks to list, but Garden Routers should stop at Shamwari Game Reserve, while those in search of the Big Five (lions, leopards, rhinoceros, elephants and buffalo) should head to Kruger National Park or Hluhluwe Umfolozi. Alternatively, head to Hermanus to see southern right whales from the shore.

Craving beach bliss? Hit up the Golden Mile in Durban, a glittering stretch on the Indian Ocean coast with swim spots, surf breaks and, yes, golden sands.

But with so many animals to snap, wines to sample, and sands to comb, a journey to South Africa can be overwhelming. So let us do the heavy lifting and join one of our expertly curated small-group adventures.

Led by a Local Insider, our Trips let you explore the Rainbow Nation through authentic experiences that benefit the community and reduce the environmental impact on this epic land, its people and its animals.