SOUTH AFRICA

Western Cape
With so much to see and do in Cape Town, the Peninsula and the Winelands, it’s a pity that the average holiday itinerary only provides for a few of the major attractions. Take the cable car to visit Table Mountain, South Africa's most famous landmark, for magnificent views from the summit across the Cape Peninsula, Table Bay and Robben Island. High on its slopes you can visit the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens with some 6,000 species of plants, including indigenous and exotic trees, shrubs and flowering plants. At the tip of the Cape Peninsula, where the Atlantic and Indian Oceans meet, the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve is an unspoiled stretch of land and coast with a wealth of fauna and flora. The Cape Floral Kingdom encompasses some 8,550 species, more than 70% of the species occur nowhere else in the world. The flora of the Cape Peninsula exceeds the total number of species found in Great Britain. The magnificent farms in the historic Winelands produce some of the world's best wines where you can enjoy wine-tasting, delicious meals, and scenic drives through the beautiful mountains and vineyards. Time permitting, birders should make a point of visiting one of the world's great wetlands and bird sanctuaries, West Coast National Park. You'll marvel at the thousands of seabirds and waders and, the many types of graceful antelope. Visitors should not miss the prehistoric rock formations that characterize the ecological oasis of the Cedarberg, or the San rock art in this region. Bushmans Kloof is home to a large variety of botanical communities, more than 755 plant species, and is a premier spring flower destination. Since 1992, Bushmans Kloof has been managed as a private wilderness area and a 7 500 hectare reserve has been created. This thriving wilderness area nurtures indigenous wildlife, protects the history and culture of the San, and secures the future of the unique botanical diversity of the region. 

Kruger National Park
For sheer numbers, South Africa's national parks and game reserves have no equal. Thousands of wildebeest and antelope move across the open plains in great migrations and gather at waterholes in the misty early morning hours. Kruger National Park in Mpumalanga is first on many travelers' lists of "must sees." This crown jewel of South Africa is one of the top ten national parks in the world, supporting the greatest variety of wildlife species found on the African continent. The Big Five—lion, rhino, buffalo, leopard and elephant—are all here, plus impala and antelope of all sizes, giraffe, hippo, crocodile, wild dog, and a prolific assortment of bird and plant species. The park is about the size of Massachusetts and covers nearly five million acres. 

ZIMBABWE

Victoria Falls & Zambezi River
A land of diversity and contrasts and unrivalled natural beauty. It is a land of adventure where one can experience nature first-hand, whether you are hurtling through rapids on the mighty Zambezi or watching a herd of elephant at sunset in one of the many wildlife sanctuaries. Of course, one cannot mention the Zambezi without referring to one of the world's most magnificent natural wonders: The Victoria Falls. Named Mosi-Oa-Tunya... the Smoke that Thunders... it's an enthralling example of the spectacular might and breathtaking beauty created by nature over a period of more than 500,000 years. Witness the greatest mass of falling water on earth as it plunges down a sheer rock face spraying silver mist hundreds of meters into the air. Almost the entire length of Victoria Falls may be viewed from the rainforest on the Zimbabwean side, opposite the gulf into which the river plunges. This allows unrivaled views of the Devil's Cataract, Main Falls, Horseshoe Falls, Rainbow Falls, and the Eastern Cataract. Collectively the falls are twice as tall as the Niagara Falls and one and a half times as long. The rapids immediately down stream offer some of the most terrifying white water rafting anywhere in the world. The Mosi-Oa-Tunya National Park is densely populated with game, and is home to numerous antelope species, zebra, giraffe, buffalo and white rhino. 

BOTSWANA

Famous for its spectacular inland delta, Botswana lies landlocked in the heart of Southern Africa amid South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe. Botswana's highlights include the Okavango Delta and Chobe National Park, one of Africa's prime game-viewing areas. 

Chobe National Park
Its close proximity to the world-renowned Victoria Falls makes it an essential part of any visit to the region. The charm of the Chobe includes its magnificent river, its floodplains filled with grazing herds of Big Game, and the spectacle of flocks of waterfowl winging towards the sunset. The Chobe River is known for its magnificent birdwatching; there are more than 400 species of birds in the park. Fishing is another prime activity. There are more than 90 species of fish including the well-known tigerfish. It is one of Africa's greatest wildlife refuges, and home to the largest elephant herds in the world. 

Moremi Wildlife Reserve & Okavango Region 
There are several names associated with incredible wildlife areas, such as the Serengeti, the Galapogos, the Great Barrier Reef. The Okavango Delta is another... it is a wonderland of water and wildlife, among the most beautiful anywhere in Africa. There is a wide range of habitats in Moremi: from the riparian woodlands, floodplains, reed beds and the permanent wetland of the Okavango Delta, through towering stands of Mopane forests to the dry savannah woodlands. Such diversity implies a wide variety of wildlife, and at any time of the year game is prolific; what is seen obviously varies with the seasons. The mosaic of land and water comprising the Okavango Delta is a birder's haven, especially from November to March when the area is brimming with migratory birds. Other activities possible in this area are fishing, photography, and guided nature walks on the islands of the Delta, which lie outside the boundaries of the reserve.