Here is a selection of things to do, extracted from the book. For the full list of nearly 300 things to do, order the book from Aardvark Press or find it at your nearest bookstore.

Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park

1. Spend a night at the Kalahari Sands Guesthouse, an oasis in Askham, just 72km from the park entrance. Choose from blissfully cool air-conditioned rooms or self-catering cottages. Knock yourself out with peace, tranquillity, warm hospitality and an abundance of birds to keep you twitching. If you’re not self-catering, don’t miss Hannetjie van der Westhuizen’s generous cooking. Tel 054 511-0021, email: vanderw@lantic.net, www.kalaharisands.mrinfo.co.za.

2. Stop over at Molopo Kalahari Lodge on your way to or from the park. At 65km from Kgalagadi, it allows you the luxury of arriving in the park early or leaving late. Enjoy the landscaped gardens, sculptures, African-style huts and swimming pool. You might even see one of the Khomani San delivering braaiwood in his donkey cart. Tel 054 511-0008, email: namrod13@lantic.net, www.molopo.co.za.

3. Join some friends and do the 155km Mabuasehube Wilderness 4x4 Trail that goes deep into the heart of Botswana. Expect lots of sand, tree savannah and spectacular nights under a star-filled sky. Tel 00267 318-0774 or email: dwnp@gov.bw to book. (You don’t need a passport to enter Botswana if you’re entering and exiting through the same gate.)

4. Do the four-day Nossob 4x4 Eco Trail that meanders for 214km along the Nossob riverbed. You need a minimum of two vehicles and will be led by a guide in his own vehicle. Sanparks Central Reservations, tel 012 428-9111.

5. If camping in a roof-top tent isn’t your idea of fun, book one of the 4x4 routes that allows you to stay in attractive wooden or reed huts with hot and cold running water for added luxury. Both the Bitterpan trail from Nossob across the dunes to Mata-Mata and the Gharagab trail near Union’s End in the north are one-way only, so you never meet oncoming cars. This allows you the freedom to be alone with the red sand dunes, a few shy steenbok and a meerkat or two. If you go in April after good rains, the dunes should be carpeted with wild flowers. Sanparks Central Reservations, tel 012 428-9111.

6. Spend a couple of nights in one of the wilderness camps – unfenced for added excitement and an unforgettably close-to-the-wild experience. At Grootkolk in the north you’ll get up close and personal with the resident lions; at Urikaruus you’ll be sitting on your deck so close to the waterhole you’ll hardly need a telephoto lens. Although you don’t see much game at Kielie Krankie in the south, the sunsets and sunrises are memorable, the stars and silence awesome. Sanparks Central Reservations, tel 012 428-9111.

7. Splash out for a treat, if you can afford it, at the luxury !Xaus (say Kaus) Lodge, situated inside the park on land returned to the Mier and Khomani San. On a red dune overlooking a waterhole, the lodge pampers you with meals inspired by Mier cuisine. Take a dip in the plunge pool, go for a game drive, accompany a Bushman tracker on a magical walk into the wilderness to read the signs in the sand. Listen to Bushman legends and health secrets around the fire at night. Tel 021 701-7860, email: info@xauslodge.co.za, www.xauslodge.co.za.


Augrabies Falls National Park

1. Make a pitstop at Die Pienk Padstal just east of Kakamas. Not surprisingly, given its name, everything is pink – the shade nets, the flowers in the garden, the decorative quartz marking out the pathways. See the arrow showing the 1988 flood level and photographs illustrating this flood. If you’re brave and have a sense of humour, visit the memorable loos. Stock up on dried fruit, homemade jams and chutneys. Tel 054 431-1457, 083 225-8381, email: mwkakamas@mweb.co.za.

2. If you’re a serious off-roader addicted to the Richtersveld and Kgalagadi, take a few days’ detour to Riemvasmaak on the other side of the Molopo River near the Augrabies National Park. Experience some tough 4x4 trails and dramatic scenery while taking advantage of the community-run facilities. Tel 054 337-2804, 083 837-7715, www.northerncape.org.za/riemvasmaak or www.greenkalahari.co.za.

3. Walk along the boardwalk to the falls, taking in all the viewing decks along the way for different perspectives of the wonders of these 90m high falls, with a freefall of 56m. Imagine how scary it must have been during the 1988 flood, when nearly eight million litres of water per second thundered down into the river below.

4. Hike the park’s 39.5km Klipspringer Trail, averaging six-and-a-half hours of walking per day and spending two nights in rustic huts. Although the hike is quite demanding – taking you from the plateau into the depths of the gorge and back again – it’s an excellent way to experience the rocks, plants and animals of the park. The overnight huts have a toilet, braai area and some cooking pots, but no showers or electricity. Take your own sleeping bag, candles, torch, crockery and cutlery. Closed October to March due to the heat, bookings essential. Sanparks Central Reservations, tel 012 428-9111.

5. If you’re more of a jack-of-all-trades, flex your muscles on the Gariep 3-in-1 Adventure, where you will canoe for 3km down the Orange River, walk for 4km and then return to camp via an 11km mountain bike ride. Book ahead through Augrabies reception, tel 054 452-9200.


Ai-Ais/Richtersveld Transfrontier Park

1. Get wild and succulent by visiting the Goegap Nature Reserve 15km east of Springbok on your way to the Transfrontier Park. It boasts nearly 600 different indigenous plants and has an enormous collection of rare succulents that occur nowhere else in the world. Spring is the best time to see the wild flowers. Drive, walk or mountain bike your way around, or go on a three-hour guided tour in an open truck. Sleep over in the overnight bushcamp, guesthouse or campsite. Tel 027 718-9906, www.northerncape.org.za/getting_around/parks_reserves/.

2. Go exploring in Port Nolloth, a fishing village where time seems to have stood still. Stop for a toasted sarmie and you’ll soon be chatting to the staff and customers like old friends. Have a crayfish braai, swim, dive or go for a walk to the village harbour. Ask the Tourism Development Association about trips to the fish factory, oyster farm, lighthouse and museum. Tel 027 851-1111, email: abraham@richtersveld.gov.

3. Immerse yourself in Nama culture by spending a night at Kuboes. Let the locals show you their traditional Nama dances and Namastap music or tell you stories about the area. Walk the short trail past the wondergat (sinkhole) to the top of Cornellskop for views of the Richtersveld, Orange River and Namibian dunes. Stay at the community-run matjieshuis campsite or chalets at Mountain Valley Guesthouse (previously called the Plantasie), tel 027 831-2363. Be aware, though, that you may have no hot water; even the supply of cold water was erratic the night we were there.

4. Remove your watch, kick back and relax in Eksteenfontein for a night or two, where you'll find one of the friendliest and most helpful tourist information centres in the country. Stay at a community-run guesthouse, Kom Rus ’n Bietjie in the centre of town, or Rooiberg a few kilometres out of town. Tel 027 851-7108, email: eksteenfontein@south-north.co.za, www.richtersveld.net, www.richtersveldguesthouses.co.za, www.south-north.co.za.

5. Or stay at Villa Rosa in Eksteenfontein, a beautiful three-bedroomed house with two bathrooms, where Maria Joseph makes sure everything runs smoothly, tel 027 851-7534. When we were there she organised a Namastap troupe of eight, led by 70-years-young Tant Sanna Joseph, to show us their fun-filled music and dancing, then gave us a feast of bread rolls cooked over the fire, lamb chops, wors and salad. It was like having an instant party with new friends.

6. Spend a night at the chalets at Sendelingdrif. Switch on the aircon to recover your sanity, or enjoy a dop on your porch at sunset, looking out over the Orange River. Sanparks Central Reservations, tel 012 428-9111.

7. Spend a night or two at the self-catering chalets at Tatasberg. You get a fridge and stove, hot showers and a wonderful view of the surrounding stark mountains from the wooden deck or even your bed. Sanparks Central Reservations, tel 012 428-9111.

8. Do one of the two- to four-day hiking trails offered in the cooler months between April and September. You must be accompanied by an accredited guide. Talk to Andy Davies for further information, tel 027 831-1506, AndyD@sanparks.org.


Karoo National Park

1. Visit the museum in Donkin Street, Beaufort West, to see the display on South Africa’s heart transplant pioneer Chris Barnard. The little Dutch Reformed Mission Church that houses the town’s museum is the one that Barnard’s father preached in. Next door is the house where the Barnard family lived, and where the heart surgeon’s ashes have been interred in the garden. Tel 023 415-2308, www.beaufortwestsa.co.za/Whattodo.htm#museum.

2. Take a scenic drive up the Klipspringer Pass at the Karoo National Park to the viewpoint at Rooivalle. You may see Verreaux’s eagles soaring in lazy circles overhead, in search of their favourite meal, the dassie (rock hyrax), while klipspringers will impress you with their agility on the steep slopes.

3. Go on a Karoo safari with a guide in the park’s open 4x4. A night drive may yield sightings of aardwolf, bat-eared fox, caracal, antbear or Cape eagle-owl, but remember that Karoo nights can be seriously cold in winter. Enquire at reception.

4. Explore the 800m Bossie Trail to learn about the Karoo’s rich diversity of succulents and other plants, such as aloes, crassulas, the spiny klapperbossie, boegoekaroo and num-num. If you’re feeling more energetic, do the 11km Fonteintjieskloof Trail. Info brochures from reception; no booking necessary.

5. Pitch your tent in what must be one of the most pleasant campsites in the country, with spotless ablutions, grassed shady sites and lots of birds like mountain wheatear, Karoo scrub-robin and lesser doublecollared sunbird to keep you company.


Marakele National Park

1. Spend a night or two in one of the self-catering chalets at the Ben Alberts Nature Reserve south of Thabazimbi and find yourself among kudu, wildebeest, zebra, waterbuck and impala, as well as a host of bushveld birds. Tel 014 777-1670.

2. Visit the vulture restaurant at Ben Alberts Nature Reserve. The hide is just a couple of wingspans away from the feeding frenzy and you’ll be able to watch Cape and lappet-faced vultures landing at close quarters and squabbling over food. Marabou storks are also in abundance, looking like ancient undertakers with moulting hair and wobbling pink chins. Appointments are compulsory because part of the road is along mine property and you must be escorted by a vehicle flying a red flag 3m high. Tel 014 777-1670.

3. Buy a copy of Die Bospatrys, the magazine of the Waterberg region, to get inside info on what’s going on in the area. Tel 082 821-4717, email: lizzy@bospatrys.co.za, www.bospatrys.co.za.

4. Tour the Kumba mine at Thabazimbi, where iron ore is mined. More than a million tons have been extracted and you’ll see the evidence on the mountains all around the town. Learn how ore is mined and processed and visit an archaeological iron-smelting site dating to the 15th century, where furnaces have been recreated to give a picture of how things were done back then. Tours are run only on Saturdays. Book well in advance, tel 014 772-1556 or 082 878-1275.

5. Go horse riding in the Waterberg biosphere with Horizon Horseback Adventures. Tel 014 755-4003, www.ridinginafrica.com.

6. Visit the Waterberg Rhino Museum to find out more about these endangered animals who have lived on earth for 30 million years. Closed Mondays, but you can visit the black rhino orphans at 15:00 Tuesday to Sunday. Tel 014 755-4428, email: cwfoundation@coretechno.co.za.

7. If festivals and expos float your boat, find out more about Thabazimbi’s Game & Tourism Expo and the OppiKoppi Music Festival. Tel 012 346-2011, email: info@oppikoppi.co.za, www.oppikoppi.co.za.


Mapungubwe National Park

1. Go tracking wild dogs at the De Beers Venetia-Limpopo Nature Reserve and get an insight into the social structure of these fascinating animals. Tel 015 534-2986 or 082 507 9223, email: harriet@limpopo.co.za, www.mapungubwe.com/WildDog.htm.

2. Drive the 45km (4–6 hour) 4x4 Tshugulu Eco Route, which takes you through some spectacular terrain and habitat. There’s a game hide along the way. Book at reception for a fee, and ask for a brochure detailing GPS co-ordinates of points of interest, including a picnic spot, sandstone valley, a red sand dune and various trees like baobab, wild fig and tambotie.

3. Hike the three-day Vhembe Trail and let your guide interpret the fauna and flora along the way. Book ahead; tel 015 534-2014.

4. Visit the viewing decks at the Confluence to see where the Sashe and Limpopo rivers meet, and where Zimbabwe, Botswana and South Africa join along the riverbanks. The four decks, including sunset and sunrise decks, give a wide view out of the river valley, the meandering flow of water and the inevitable baobabs peeping out over the other vegetation.

5. Stay a night or two at Limpopo Forest Tented Camp in the western section of the park or simply make a visit to admire the enormous mashatu (nyala) trees that give shade to the tents. Beware the baboons and monkeys, though, and don’t leave your tent open or food unattended. Sanparks Central Reservations, tel 012 428-9111.

6. See how many of the park’s big trees you can identify – nyala, baobab, shepherd’s tree, leadwood, fig and Commiphora trees (called Kanniedood, or ‘cannot die’ in Afrikaans because during winter they look dead even though they’re not). Bring along a good guide to trees if you’re new to all this.


Kruger National Park

1. Stop over at Harrie’s Pancakes in Dullstroom for divine pancakes of butternut and feta, bobotie, Thai chicken, or fig and pecan nut, and lots more. Tel 013 354-0801.

2. Spend a night at one of Kruger’s sleepover hides, which are equipped with mattresses, bed linen, braai area and basic cutlery and crockery. Choose between
Shipandani near Mopani camp and the Sable Dam Hide at Phalaborwa Gate. Great for seeing hippo and crocs, water birds and maybe even a leopard. Book ahead; Sanparks Central Reservations, tel 012 428-9111.

3. Take your golf clubs along and play nine holes at Skukuza. Book ahead on tel 013 735-5543, email: skukuzagolf@sanparks.org.

4. Do the four-day Olifants River Backpack Trail if you’re not afraid to carry your own pack for about 40km. The trail starts from Olifants camp. Your reward will be wonderful views of the Olifants River and sightings of large predators, buffalo, elephant, hippo and crocodile. You’re bound to hear the call of the African fish eagle and may even spot a rare Pel’s fishing owl. Book ahead with Sanparks Central Reservations, tel 012 428-9111.

5. Get down and dirty on the five-day Lebombo Eco Trail, a 4x4 experience that follows the eastern boundary of Kruger for 500km from Crocodile Bridge in the south to Pafuri in the north. From April to October, a professional guide in his own vehicle will lead your expedition and tell you about the ecology, fauna and flora. Maximum of five vehicles. Book through Sanparks Central Reservations, tel 012 428-9111.


Golden Gate Highlands National Park

1. Pretend you’re a Vrystater during the South African (Anglo-Boer) War and imagine how it felt to capitulate to the British by visiting Surrender Hill about 10km from Clarens on the Fouriesburg Road. Alternatively, do the whole historical route thing with a visit to the first Boer settlement after the Great Trek and the cave where women and kids sheltered during the South African War. Gnu Safaris, tel 058 256-1569, email: sethuthu@netdial.co.za.

2. Ride a horse into the mountains or go game viewing on horseback. Bokpoort Horseback Adventures, tel 058 256-1181, 083 628-5055, email: horses@bokpoort.co.za, www.bokpoort.co.za.

3. Prove that the Free State isn’t flat by going rock climbing or abseiling on stunning sandstone rock formations. Korannaberg Adventures, tel 051 973-7282, email: korannaberg@vodamail.co.za, www.korannabergadventures.co.za.

4. Get a rush from white-water rafting, whether you’re a greenhorn or an expert. Clarens Xtreme Adventures, tel 058 256-1260, 082 563-6242, email: info@clarensxtreme.co.za, www.clarensxtreme.co.za; or Outrageous Adventures, tel 083 485-9654, email: kallie@outrageousadventures.co.za, www.outrageousadventures.co.za.

5. Make the most of a beautiful area by quad biking up steep inclines and through little mountain streams to get a taste of what the Voortrekkers must have struggled against in the old days. Guides will tell you about the indigenous plants and geology of the region. Stay away if you’re only into tackling obstacles at supersonic speed. Sethuthuthu Tours, tel 058 256-1569, 082 575-6186, email: sethuthu@netdial.co.za, www.adventureescapades.co.za/adventure-quadbiking/SethuthuthuToursandsafaris.

6. Walk in the footprints of dinosaurs, from the 5–6m Massospondylus to the 90cm Lesothosaurus. Dr Gideon, tel 058 256-1314, 082 824-4978.

7. Delve into the past: take a rock art tour to learn about the artists and their art, as well as its symbolic and religious significance. Wim, tel 058 256-1914, wybenga@telkomsa.net.

8. Put on your silly jacket and hat and go flyfishing at De Molen, Craigrossie, or one of the other trout fishing lodges in the area. The man to help you make this happen is Paul, tel 058 256-1742, 072 174-4380, email: info@trouthunter.co.za, www.trouthunter.co.za.

9. Visit in November and take part in the Cherry Festival at Ficksburg – everything from a beer garden, live entertainment and cherry products to horse and bowls championships, a golf tournament and a mountain biking challenge, even a cherry pip spitting competition. Tel 051 933-6486, email: gavin@cherryfestival.co.za, www.cherryfestival.co.za.

10. Walk with meerkats under the guidance of Wendy Wilson and Shelton Kanyoka, who specialise in habituating meerkats to human presence without disturbing their way of life. On a private game reserve near Fouriesburg, discover the magic world of these sociable little animals and perhaps even become a meerkat sentinel post for a few minutes. Tel 082 924-8543, email: wendy@walkwithmeerkats.co.za, www.walkwithmeerkats.co.za.


Mountain Zebra National Park

1. Stay over at Die Tuishuise in Market Street, Cradock. This series of restored Karoo cottages is where saddlers, harness makers and wagon builders used to live in the mid-19th century. Each is decorated with period furniture to depict settler living of the time. Traditional Karoo dinners are a speciality. To see what similar houses look like before restoration, drive down one of the parallel streets. Tel 048 881-1322, email: tuishuise@eastcape.net, www.tuishuise.co.za.

2. If you’re passing through Graaff-Reinet on your way home, take time to visit Camdeboo National Park and the Valley of Desolation, sometimes referred to as the ‘cathedral of the mountains’. Here magnificent dolerite pillars rise up to heights of 90–120m, testament to millions of years of erosion. Camdeboo National Park, tel 049 892-3453.

3. Go river rafting or white-water rafting on the Great Fish or Brak rivers, surrounded by spectacular Karoo scenery. Choose from half-, one- and multi-day trips. Dabulamanzi Adventures, tel 048 881-4433 or 084 961-9292, email: marcel@isat.co.za.

4. Visit the Great Fish River Museum behind Cradock’s town hall to find out more about the early history of the Eastern Cape’s pioneers from 1840 to 1900. Tel 048 881-4509, www.cradock.co.za.

5. Drive up Oukop hill, 2.5km from Cradock on the Middelburg road, for a panoramic view over the Great Fish River and Cradock. Take a picnic, enjoy a walk on the koppie or find the rock etchings made by British soldiers during the South African War. For more info, tel 048 881-2383, email: Bandisiwe.Mda@lgnet.org.za.

6. Take a drive to see Egg Rock, a 10m-high egg-shaped dolerite rock balanced on edge. You’ll find it about 8km from Cradock on the Queenstown road (R61). You need a gate key and permit; for more info, tel 048 881-2383, email: Bandisiwe.Mda@lgnet.org.za.

7. Do the three-day, 25km Impofu Hiking Trail if you’re both a nature lover and a serious hiker. Spend two nights in huts in the mountains and return to camp feeling smug. Book at the park’s reception, tel 048 881-2427.

8. Spend a night at the restored Victorian guesthouse, Doornhoek. It has a wide porch that looks out over a seasonal lake and stunning views of the surrounding mountains. Sleeps up to six. Sanparks Central Reservations, tel 012 428-9111.

9. Spend cold winter’s nights at one of the family cottages in the main rest camp, with their ingenious log fireplaces that warm both the sitting room and main bedroom. Sleeps up to four. Sanparks Central Reservations, tel 012 428-9111.


Addo Elephant National Park

1. Go whale-watching along the coastline from June to November. Or if you’re feeling flush take a trip from Port Elizabeth harbour into the bay to meet whales, dolphins, great white sharks, penguins, gannets and Cape fur seals on their own turf. Raggy Charters, tel 041 378-2528 or 073 152-2277; email: Info@raggycharters.co.za, www.raggycharters.co.za.

2. Ride the Bedrogfontein 4x4 trail between Kabouga and Darlington and imagine what it must have been like for early pioneers in wagons. You’ll pass through riverine thicket, fynbos and arid nama-karoo vegetation and may be lucky enough to see some ancient cycads on the mountain slopes. Historical relics from the South African War are another feature of the trail. Minimum two vehicles for safety. This 45km route takes about six hours and can be followed in either direction. Tel 042 233-8600, email: addoenquiries@sanparks.org.za, www.sanparks.org/parks/addo/tourism/activities/4x4_trail.php.

3. Do the overnight horse trail to the rustic Narina Bush Camp next to a river in the Zuurberg mountains. Perfect for nature lovers, it has just four tents, each sleeping two, so it’s private and quiet. Braai facilities, kitchen and lapa are provided, but there’s no electricity. Book the tents through Sanparks Central Reservations, tel 012 428-9111, and the horses at the game drive office at Main Camp, tel 042 233-8621, email: addogamedrives@sanparks.org.

4. If an overnight horse trail is too much for you, try one of the one- to five-hour horse trails in the Zuurberg section of the park (through fynbos and forest, no big game, no children under 10) or the main game area (no children under 12). There’s something for everyone from inexperienced to expert riders. Book through the game drive office, tel 042 233-8621, email: addogamedrives@sanparks.org.

5. Spend a night at Matyholweni camp in the south of Addo near Colchester. The attractive thatched cottages are surrounded by thicket and you can soak up the sun on a large wooden deck that’s both private and peaceful. Sanparks Central Reservations, tel 012 428-9111.

6. Do the 36km two-day circular Alexandria Hiking Trail. It takes you through magical coastal forest teeming with ancient yellowwoods and Knysna turacos (which is what daft scientists now want us to call the Knysna lourie) and onto the beach with its dramatic scenery of dune cliffs and ancient strandloper shell middens. Dolphins play in the waves and in winter you may see southern right whales. Beds, mattresses, fridge, stove, toilets and hot-water showers are provided. Bookings required, tel 041 468-0916, email: matyholweni@sanparks.org.

7. Visit Addo in late April and strut your jogging stuff in the 100-miler (160km) run that starts at Darlington Dam and passes through the park to end at Main Camp. If that’s way beyond your limit, try the 50-miler (80km) run from the town of Kirkwood to Main Camp. Tel 083 309-7755, email: nadia@extrememarathons.com.


Tsitsikamma National Park

1. Meet the gentle elephants at the Elephant Sanctuary at The Crags, 18km east of Plett. Take the kids to feed them or walk trunk-in-hand in the forest. Tel 044 534-8145, email: crags@elephantsanctuary.co.za, www.elephantsanctuary.co.za.

2. Monkey around with free-roaming apes, lemurs and monkeys of all shapes and sizes at Monkeyland’s forested sanctuary at The Crags near Plett. Tel 044 534-8906, email: info@monkeyland.co.za, www.monkeyland.co.za.

3. Get up close and personal with the world’s biggest mammal, the whale. A two-hour boat trip from Plettenberg Bay to visit whales and dolphins in their own element costs around R500, but is an unforgettable experience. Ocean Blue Adventures, tel 044 533-5083, 083 701-3583, email: info@oceanadventures.co.za, www.oceanadventures.co.za; or Ocean Safaris, tel 082 784-5729, email: info@oceansafaris.co.za, www.oceansafaris.co.za.

4. Get a bird’s eye view of the spectacular Tsitsikamma coastline and Storms River Bridge from a chopper. Capri Tours & Helicopters operates from the Petroport at the bridge, offering short flips or longer rides to spot dolphins and whales (June to November), or simply to enjoy the view of indigenous forests, deep gorges, rivers and waterfalls. Tel 042 280-3343 or 082 749-9042, email: roland@caprihelicopters.co.za, www.caprihelicopters.co.za.

5. Get an insight into rural township life by joining Geraldine Damons on the one-and-a-half-hour Tsalanang Township Walk at Storms River. Feel its liveliness and beat, share in its hardships and meet its characters. Tel 084 801-6274, email: geraldinedamons@gmail.com, www.townshipwalk.co.za.

6. Experience the thrill of human flight with a sky dive over Plettenberg Bay. Great for people with little time to learn the ropes or those who are chicken, because tandem jumping needs no experience. You’ll get a 35-second freefall from 3 000m, then sit back and enjoy the view while your instructor guides you back to earth. Skydive Plettenberg Bay, tel 082 905-7740, email: info@skydiveplett.com, www.skydiveplett.com.

7. Go zipping over waterfalls on steel cables, abseiling down a 30m cliff to the foot of a waterfall, or quad biking through the Tsitsikamma’s unparalleled scenery. Tsitsikamma Falls Adventure, tel 042 280-3770, 082 578-1090, email: tsitsikammafalls@lantic.net, www.tsitsikammaadventure.co.za.

8. Spend a night or two at Tsitsikamma Backpackers in Storms River village. It shouldn’t really be called ‘backpackers’ at all, because that conjures up overtones of grunge, sleaze and gross overcrowding and there’s none of that. It’s really cool, with spacious living areas for all to share, oodles of loos and showers, snazzy six-bed dorms or more private two-bed rooms, and two-man tents on wooden decks in the garden for a close-to-nature feel. Really reasonable prices too. Tel 042 281-1868, email: stay@tsitsikammabackpackers.com, www.tsitsikammabackpackers.com.

9. Go on safari at Buffalo Hills Game Reserve and spoil yourself with its luxury tents, boma dinners, guided walks and drives to see rhino, buffalo and sable antelope in a malaria-free environment. Also kickstart your system with a visit to the Nyati Distillery for a mampoer tasting. Take the Wittedrif turnoff 15km east of Plett. Tel 044 535-9739, email: buffalohills@mweb.co.za, www.buffalohills.co.za.

10. Hike the ‘slack-packing’ Dolphin Trail, which gives you three nights in luxurious accommodation and two magical days of coastal scenery, fynbos and indigenous forest. Ditch the heavy backpack because that’s portered for you – bliss. The 17km trail is a joint venture between Tsitsikamma National Park, Forest Ferns and Misty Mountain Reserve. You get a well-trained local guide, all your meals, a comfy bed, and you may even spot whales and dolphins. Tel 042 280-3588, email: info@dolphintrail.co.za, www.dolphintrail.co.za.


Knysna National Lake Area

1. Get an insight into other cultures by joining a township tour. Duck into a shebeen for a taste of the local beer, visit a sangoma to learn about traditional medicines, play with the children at a crèche and learn about local projects. Thole Tours, tel 082 767-2401, email: tholetours@yahoo.com; or Eco Afrika Tours, tel 082 558-9104, email: ecoafrika@gmail.com, www.eco-afrika-tours.co.za.

2. One of Knysna’s favourite tourist attractions has always been the Outeniqua Choo-tjoe, a stream train that plies the scenic route from Knysna, through Wilderness to George. Sadly, it was closed following devastating damage to the line at Kaaimans River Pass in the August 2006 floods, but you can still ride the Choo-tjoe from George to Mossel Bay. Tel 044 801-8288.

3. Feed the giants at Knysna Elephant Park 22km west of Knysna, or walk with them in the forest. They’re all orphans rescued from culling operations in the Kruger Park, except for two who were born here. They live in a controlled free-range environment and aren’t tame, but habituated to humans. Harry, the dominant bull, is unusually tender with the little ones, who will melt your heart. Tel 044 532-7732, email: kep@pixie.co.za, www.knysnaelephantpark.co.za.

4. Have dinner at Pembrey’s on the way to Belvidere. Peter and his son Peter John work wonders in the kitchen, with elegant combinations impeccably executed, while mum sees everything runs smoothly out front. Perhaps the fact that Peter John worked for Gordon Ramsay for a few years helps to keep their food inspired, but they’re a lot less uptight! Don’t miss the venison with a touch of chocolate in the sauce for added richness, or the butternut and almond ravioli with sage butter. Tel 044 386-0005.

5. Succumb to the temptations of freshly baked bread, croissants and pastries at Ile de Pain on Thesen Island. Their hot chocolate, apple strudel and olive bread-sticks are to die for. Get there early in high season, or you’ll have to queue for a table. Tel 044 302-5707.

6. Discover a peaceful oasis in the middle of town – the Pledge Nature Reserve is slap-bang in the heart of Knysna, just 200m from busy Main Road. A circular route of paths winds through indigenous wetland, forest and fynbos in this 10ha reserve. Rest on a wooden bench next to a lily pond or go in search of the blue-mantled crested flycatcher, olive bush-shrike or Knysna turaco. It’s well worth a visit: as the brochure says, ‘Not all Knysna’s pearls are tucked away in her oysters.’ Get a map and key from the info kiosk next to Nando’s at Pledge Square on Knysna’s Main Road or book a guided tour. Tel 044 382-3712, email: pledge@xsinet.co.za.

7. Let your hair blow in the wind on an early morning or sunset horse-ride along the beach at Buffalo Bay, about 10km west of Knysna. Or ride at low tide through the coastal Goukamma nature reserve. Great Beach Horses, tel 082 835-9110, email: dsgreat@yebo.co.za, www.great.co.za.

8. Board a boat at Thesen Island and travel through the Knysna lagoon to the open sea in search of whales, dolphins, seals and sharks. Ocean Odyssey, tel 082 852-9402, 083 543-3773, email: info@oceanodyssey.co.za, www.oceanodyssey.co.za.

9. Take your mountain bike out for a spin in the serene Homtini Forest up the Rheenendal road west of Knysna. A three-hour, 19km circular trail starts at the Krisjan-se-Nek picnic site (on the way to Jubilee Creek). Pay for a permit at the entry point, which should be manned, or simply sign the visitor’s book. Contact Sanparks’ Cathy van Rooyen for more info; tel 044 302-5606.


Wilderness National Park

1. Take to the skies above Wilderness for a paragliding adventure. Tandem flights are available for the faint of heart or those without time for training. Cloudbase Paragliding, tel 044 877-1414, 082 777-8474, email: jan@cloudbase-paragliding.co.za, www.cloudbase-paragliding.co.za; Coastal Paragliding, tel 082 413-3007, 082 499-0855, email: info@coastalparagliding.co.za, www.coastalparagliding.co.za; South African Paragliding Adventures, tel 072 199-0622, email: deon@saparaglidingadventures.co.za, www.saparaglidingadventures.co.za.

2. Ride the Outeniqua Choo-tjoe steam train from George to Mossel Bay. The Choo-tjoe has long been a favourite of the area, travelling the scenic route from Knysna, through Wilderness to George. Devastating flood damage to the line at Kaaimans River Pass in August 2006 led to the closure of the line, but the George-Mossel Bay route still allows you to get a hint of what it was like. Tel 044 801-8288.

3. Visit the railway museum in George if steam trains really get you keyed up. It has one of the largest collections of them in the country. Tel 044 801-8288.

4. Go kloofing through indigenous forest and along the Kaaimans River, indulging in some boulder hopping or even a jump off the rocks into the water below – if you dare. Eden Adventures, tel 083 628-8547, email: tours@eden.co.za, www.eden.co.za.

5. Experience the thrill of quad biking near George. Choose anything from a 30-minute ride to a three-hour trail through a forest or nature reserve, even adventure trips over two or three days. For something different, try the two-hour nocturnal snake, scorpion and spider hunt, armed with flashlight and magnifying glass. Quad Adventures, tel 072 303-9011, email: info@quadgardenroute.co.za, www.quadgardenroute.co.za.

6. Top up your adrenalin levels by abseiling 45m into the Kaaimans River Gorge right next to a magnificent waterfall. Eden Adventures, tel 083 628-8547, email: tours@eden.co.za, www.eden.co.za.

7. Hire a two-man canoe at Ebb & Flow Reserve and paddle up the Touw River, passing yellowwoods and milkwoods and spotting kingfishers along the way. Eden Adventures, tel 083 628-8547, email: tours@eden.co.za, www.eden.co.za.


Table Mountain National Park

1. Visit the Bo-Kaap Museum in Wale Street for a peek into the life of the Cape’s Muslim community. Tel 021 481-3939, www.iziko.org.za/bokaap.

2. Delve into the past at the Iziko South African Museum in Queen Victoria Street, Cape Town – must for folks obsessed with dinosaurs and fossils. Or go star-gazing at the planetarium next to the museum for a projected show on the domed ceiling. Tel 021 481-3800, www.iziko.org.za.

3. Do a township tour: visit a shebeen to taste traditional beer, chat with the residents and eat a typical African dinner. Andulela, tel 021 790-2592, email: info@andulela.com, www.andulela.com.

4. Go sniffing and spitting – or even better, swallowing – at one of Cape Town’s wine farms. Buitenverwachting 021 794-5190, Cape Point Vineyards 021 785-7660, Constantia Uitsig 021 794-1810, Groot Constantia 021 794-5128, Klein Constantia 021 794-5188, Steenberg Vineyards 021 713-2211.

5. Visit the Neighbour Goods Market on Saturdays for delicious bread, cheese, olives, honey and baked goods. Find it in the Old Biscuit Mill on Albert Road, Woodstock. Tel 021 448-1438, www.neighbourgoodsmarket.co.za.

6. Enjoy fresh fish in a romantic setting at Harbour House restaurant at Kalk Bay harbour. Arrive before sunset to make the most of the glorious views of boats bobbing in the harbour and waves crashing against the rocks. Tel 021 788-4133.

7. If your budget is limited, buy some vis en skyfies in a packet from Fish Hoek Fisheries in Main Road, Fish Hoek, and go to the beach to scoff them. Tel 021 782-2314.

8. Indulge yourself with an elegant high tea at the Mount Nelson Hotel. This is where the rich and famous have come for more than a century, from the British royal family to Hollywood celebs like Leonardo Di Caprio. For a set fee, you can pig out in stylish sophistication on everything from smoked salmon sandwiches to savoury quiches, petite fours and éclairs. Bookings essential. Tel 021 483-1000, www.mountnelson.co.za.

9. Visit World of Birds in Hout Bay to see more than 3 000 birds and small animals of 400 species in some 100 walk-through aviaries. Tel 021 790-2730, email: info@worldofbirds.org.za, www.worldofbirds.org.za.

10. Pick your own roses at Chart Farm in Klaasens Road, Wynberg. Have a cuppa beforehand on the shady terrace overlooking the vineyards. Tel 021 761-0434.

11. Go whalewatching from June to November and learn about the marine life of these fascinating creatures, dolphins, sharks and seals. Waterfront Boat Company, tel 021 418-5806, email: louise@waterfrontboats.co.za, www.waterfrontboats.co.za.

12. Get a spectacular view of Cape Town from the cable car and Upper Cable Station on Table Mountain. If you take your ID along on your birthday, they’ll let you travel free. Follow the signs from Kloof Nek Road to the Lower Cable Station. Tel 021 424-0015, www.tablemountain.net.

13. Hop out of a plane and check out Table Mountain and Robben Island from the air as you skydive to earth. If you have no experience, go for a tandem jump. Skydive Cape Town, tel 082 800-6290, email: ronel@skydivecapetown.za.net, www.skydivecapetown.za.net.

14. Get a bird’s eye view of the wonder that is the Fairest Cape by taking a helicopter tour over the peninsula – anything from 20 minutes to an hour. Civair, tel 021 419-5182, 082 552-7642, email: info@civair.co.za, www.civair.co.za; Sport Helicopters, tel 021 419-5907, 082 491-7905, email: info@sport-helicopters.co.za, www.sport-helicopters.co.za.

15. Visit Robben Island and World Heritage Site in Table Bay. Once a leper colony, this is where former President Nelson Mandela was incarcerated for many years. The prison became an icon of apartheid suppression and is now a museum. Tour guides include ex-prisoners. Get tickets from the Nelson Mandela Gateway at the V&A Waterfront, tel 021 413-4220, email: infow@robben-island.org.za, www.robben-island.org.za.

16. Do the Hoerikwaggo Mountain Trail, a three-day slack-packing trail that covers three of Cape Town’s Big Five – the V&A Waterfront, Table Mountain Cableway and Kirstenbosch. Sleep in luxury in the old Platteklip Wash House on Table Mountain. Tel 021 465-8515, www.tmnp.co.za.

17. Take a picnic and loll about on the lawns at Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens during the summer concert series. Almost anything goes, from the Cape Town Philharmonic to Afrikaans punk rock band Fokofpolisiekar. Tel 021 799-8783, info@sanbi.org, www.sanbi.org.