South Africa is made of unforgettable scenery, from lofty mountains to sun-baked deserts and dramatic coastlines washed by the Atlantic and Indian oceans. Game viewing in the many parks and reserves is both spectacular and surprising - you'll find both penguins and elephants.

Scenic highlights
Overshadowed by dramatic Table Mountain and washed by the Atlantic, Cape Town is one of the world's most picturesque cities. Sample fine wine in the tranquil winelands, then explore the country towns, lagoons and forests along the pretty Garden Route. The Wild Coast boasts isolated beaches, rocky coastline and traditional rural villages, and the resorts along the KwaZulu-Natal coast offer lots of family seaside fun.

Inland are the intriguing and moving battlefield sites that lay testament to the Anglo-Boer war. Here too rise the Drakensberg Mountains where vultures ride on the thermals over deeply green valleys and jagged peaks.

Classic safari country
The winning combination of fascinating wildlife and excellent lodges staffed by highly professional guides makes South Africa the perfect destination for safari enthusiasts. In the northeast is the Kruger National Park where the thorny bush harbours the ‘Big Five' (lion, elephant, buffalo, leopard and rhino) as well as many other animals and birds. There's more game-rich wilderness to explore further west, in Limpopo and North West provinces.

History and culture
South Africa has a vivid history. Apartheid was broken down in 1990 by President FW De Klerk, and jailed ANC leader Nelson Mandela was released after 27 years of imprisonment. In the first democratic elections to be held in South Africa, Mandela became president in 1994. The story is told in the excellent museums in Johannesburg, by far the most vibrant of the country's cities with a rich cultural heritage.

Apartheid activist Archbishop Desmond Tutu named the newly integrated South Africa the ‘Rainbow Nation' - a fitting name for a country with 11 official languages and people of all colours, races and creeds, living in a vividly coloured and sculpted landscape.