Cape Town is the ideal starting point for a

South African holiday

. The cosmopolitan "Mother City" has it all - beaches, restaurants and shopping par excellence. It also has one of the most iconic mountains in the world – Table Mountain.

For anyone seeking the thrill of the African bush, the Kruger National Park is king. More than 350km from north to south, and roughly the size of Belgium, this is the flagship of the

South African safari

 Industry.

For a South African self-drive holiday, there is no better route than the picturesque Garden Route. Starting in Hermanus and ending in the eastern cape’s Shamwari and Addo Game Reserve, this route guarantees blue seas, open beaches, enchanted forests and big -5 opportunities.

Another excellent

South African safari

  Destination is the malaria free Madikwe Game Reserve in the northern province, which easily reached from Sun City – South Africa’s top resort.

The country’s wildlife isn’t restricted to land alone – in the ocean off Hermanus and Gaansbaai lies Whale Coast and Shark Alley, named for its concentrations southern right whales during calving season and the fascinating yet frightening great white shark.

These routes make getting around on a

South African safari holiday

 Easy – all you need is a few maps and a car. Choices are diverse, from the Cape Wine lands (tops for its fine vintages) to KwaZulu Natal’s coastal region, the Battlefields and the Zulu Kingdom (heaven for history and heritage buffs)