Trip Report by Sande Kouba, Travel Consultant

South Africa is known as “a world in one country” and for good reason. Situated at the southern edge of the African continent, this country is bounded by oceans on three sides, with an interior that has a wonderful assortment of habitats, from lush tropical forests to arid deserts, from mountains to the open savannah of the bushveld.

Historically, South Africa was the pariah of the world under its infamous apartheid regime, but caught the imagination of all with Nelson Mandela’s release from prison in 1991, followed by the peaceful, first democratic elections in 1994. Since then, it has become one of the top travel destinations on the planet, blending elements of both “Africa of old” with modernity. On one hand, one can escape to wild, remote areas and experience exceptional game viewing and true wilderness. Then, just an hour’s flight away, there are modern cities and hotels that compete with the best in the world. With 11 official languages and a diverse range of cultures and ways of life, it is no wonder that Mandela has named South Africans “the rainbow nation”.

When it comes to wildlife and scenery, South Africa has a plethora of places to see, including a number of World Heritage Sites and incredible game reserves. One of the most beautiful cities in the world, Cape Town is built amongst an entire, unique Cape Floral Kingdom, one of only six Plant Kingdoms that cover the Earth. There are more naturally occurring, different species of flowers just around Cape Town than there are in the whole of North America or the whole of Europe! In the Eastern Cape lies Mkambati, a small area of 6 000 acres that contains more plants than Great Britain. On the other side of the spectrum are the deserts and arid areas, including the world’s first National Park that traverses the borders of two countries, the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park.

The coastline of South Africa is enormous, offering superb scenery, such as sandy beaches and sheer, fynbos-covered cliffs of the Garden Route, as well as amazing wildlife opportunities, from humpback whales breaching off Cape Town to pristine coral reefs on the KwaZulu-Natal Coast.

The pride of South Africa’s natural heritage is the Kruger National Park. This enormous area encompasses a savannah landscape with 147 mammal species, over 400 bird species and numerous reptiles, amphibians and insects.

Travel planning South African safaris is a joy to us – but as a company collectively having seen almost everything in Africa and having heard about the rest from our clients, we compulsively want you to consider all the options. Tourism has developed to such an extent that the world traveler can return many times and continually enjoy entirely new facets of the country. Because the country is so accessible to the tourist, how to see it is as big a decision as what to see. All game areas can be reached by scheduled or light aircraft flights and the road network is wonderful for self drives. See our trains section for rail options.

Cape Grace Hotel:
With a classically inspired exterior and gracefully elegant within, Cape Grace is set on its own private quay on Cape Town’s vibrant Victoria & Alfred Waterfront. Cape Grace’s charm lies in its intimate atmosphere, stylish décor and unique personalised hospitality, where you will find staff warm and flexible, with a spirit of unrivalled generosity.

When Charles Brand, his wife Beth and parents Chippy and Cynthia opened the doors of Cape Grace to the world in December 1996, their vision was a hotel that felt more like a good friend’s home. In an understated way the décor and environment needed to reflect its 5-star aspirations. But, more importantly, staff needed to relate to guests as personal hosts, with warmth and a sense of comfort in their own individuality.
At every level there is complete trust in the idea that if everyone is the best they can individually be, all else will follow. A series of comfortable spaces, all 122 guest rooms and suites feature exquisite furniture, luxurious fabric and intriguing detail, providing an immediate sense of place.
Double-glazed French doors in all guest rooms open to beautiful views of the international yacht marina, Table Mountain or Waterfront harbour. Elegant in style and generous in size, the overall tone is warm and inviting, with care and consideration given to making guest rooms as comfortable and relaxing as possible.