Scenically beautiful, Cape Town is a compelling mix of trendy modern and old-world elegance. Glamorous hotels, world-class dining and stunning vistas merge seamlessly with dynamic student suburbs and vibrant nightlife. Malay and African heritage is evident in the cuisine, traditions and entertainment while the architecture reveals a strong Dutch, German and English flavour and style. Contemporary art is proudly displayed in a variety of galleries and modern boutique hotels, and wine bars and brandy tasting lounges will appeal to the fashionable set. For the well-heeled the finest in opera, ballet, drama and music can be appreciated in style.

Explore the Cape Peninsula with an experienced guide, visiting the working fishing harbour of Kalk Bay, with its bohemian arts and crafts shops, quirky boutiques, and antiques stores. Head to the richly historic Simon’s Town, a naval town with museums and monuments to bring insight into the colourful past and the shark diving industry. We go in search of our own splinter colony of rogue penguins, away from the crowded boardwalks, on a beach known only to locals. Next its on to the Cape Peninsula for a gentle hike to explore the reserve’s secluded beaches and unique wildlife. Our return to Cape Town is via Noordhoek Farm Village a food artisan hub of the Peninsula OR alternatively, pop into a gorgeous Constantia wine estate, a well-known wine-producing area, one of the oldest in the southern hemisphere. Time permitting, we may stop for a sundowner at a local brewery, vineyard, beach or scenic look-out.

We spend a day visiting the Winelands, with a stop in the fascinating town of Stellenbosch, browsing through appealing shops and museums, and sipping coffee in one of the tempting street-side cafes. We awaken our senses with a wine tasting experience at an iconic property. Soak up the scenery of this wonderful region, admire a contemporary art collection, see the highest-growing vines and take in breath-taking vistas from an elevated vantage point. After lunch, we discover the town of Franschhoek, established by the French Huguenots in 1688, where historic charm blends with a contemporary ambiance. The town boasts a host of boutiques, gourmet restaurants and galleries. We continue to some family-owned, off-the-beaten-track estates for a more intimate, boutique wine tasting experience, before returning to Cape Town.

Beyond the Hottentots-Holland Mountains, to the East of Cape Town, lies the Overberg, an area of fruit and grain farms, verdant wine-growing valleys and a coastal Riviera known for its charming towns and whale viewing. Swathes of colourful Cape Fynbos flowers, rocky shores and richly green vineyards are all part of the Overberg’s essence.

During the calving season, Hermanus is arguably the best destination to view the Southern Right Humpback Whales. From June to December these migratory animals make their presence known in Walker Bay, with pods of up to 50 creatures frolicking close to land. Hermanus’ resident Whale Crier sounds his kelp horn alerting the town to the proximity of these magnificent sea beasts.

Recently established, The Hemel en Aarde wine route extends back from Hermanus. This successful wine-growing region boasts highly-acclaimed Pinot Noirs cultivated from its vineyards and wine estates. Translated as “Heaven on Earth” the valley lives up to its name, a feast for all the senses. Overberg highlights include Cape Agulhas, the southern-most tip of Africa and meeting point of the Indian and Atlantic Oceans, as well as the Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve.

As you bump along the park roads, the sun warm upon your face and air dry in the back of your throat, your senses are on high alert. This is the real Africa, cut away from the hectic pace of life, home to Africa’s Big 5. The Kruger is alive, from the nervously twitching herd of impala after a night of predator action, to the wild dog cavorting like domestic pets alongside the road. Marvel as a herd of elephant simply appear from out the bush, then silently vanish back into the landscape.

With over 2 million hectares of pristine wilderness, the Kruger’s biodiversity sustains numerous species of game and birds. The dry north consists of Baobab trees, scrubland and rocky outcroppings which can be seen for miles and animals tend to gather around water sources. As you come south, the park gets busier, animal numbers increase and the backdrop changes to grassland and acacia woodlands.

The Sabi Sands is a 65,000-hectare private reserve adjacent and open to the Kruger, known as one of the few places that you can see the Big 5 in one day. It has a diverse habitat with the Sand and Sabi Rivers running through it, a huge range of wildlife, and a reputation for big cat sightings. Head out for an early morning game drive, in open vehicles, stopping for a refreshing coffee break and a chance to listen to the sounds of the bush and admire the landscape. After some down-time and a siesta back at camp, set off again in the late afternoon when the bush comes alive. Swaying to the movement of an open vehicle while wrapped warmly against the night chills, is an unforgettable experience. The call of a Nightjar darting overhead and the flash of eyes reflected from the bushes brings an entirely different twist to your safari and as you drop your head back and look up – the starry night skies go on forever.

The growing, coastal town of Vilanculos (now Vilankulo) is located in the Vilanculos District of Mozambique’s Imhambane province, a third of the way up the country’s 2600km coastline. In addition to being a gateway to the five islands which form the Bazaruto Archipelago, Vilanculos is a place of charming people, colourful markets and vibrant cafés and bars.

Exotic, sun-baked beaches stretch on forever, the pristine landscape a superb horse-riding destination’s “swimming” the horses is a memorable experience for riders of all levels. Turquoise oceans mirror heated azure skies and flow over a rugged shoreline. A gentle, eco-canoe trail through crystal waters and water lilies invites an appreciation of the aquatic animals and bird life which animate the region. Inland leads through coconut plantations and typical rural fishing villages, where signs of development are starting to make themselves visible.

Mozambique is a sun destination, with a colourful history and a laid-back beach holiday vibe. Explored by da Gama from 1498, and colonised by the Portuguese thereafter, its heritage includes Arab slavers, a productive trade in gold, ivory and commodities and a devastating civil war before it became a democracy and a member of the commonwealth.