South Africa and Mauritius

Standing beneath the mighty Table Mountain, the busy harbour city of Cape Town boasts a mix of cuisines, cultures and landscapes. Perhaps spend your time here taking the cable car to the summit of this iconic peak, visiting Robben Island and its notorious prison, and exploring the UNESCO-listed Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden. And for magnificent sunsets every night, The Leopard Bar at Twelve Apostles Hotel & Spa offers an uninterrupted skyline of purples, reds and oranges.

Stay: 4-star Old Bank Hotel

One of the oldest towns in South Africa, Franschhoek has had plenty of time to perfect its grape-growing business. With over 30 wineries to choose from, red and white connoisseurs will be spoilt for choice when embarking on tastings. Your hop-on hop-off Franschhoek Wine Tram tour will take you to eight of the best cellar doors across the valley and teach you all about the different varietals on offer here.

Stay: 4-star Le Franschhoek Hotel and Spa by Dream Resorts

Experience the Franschhoek Valley at your own pace with the Hop‑on Hop‑off Wine Tram, choosing from five lines —Blue, Navy, Orange, Pink or Red — each visiting a unique set of wine estates. Your day begins at either the Franschhoek or Groot Drakenstein Terminal, where you can enjoy a coffee and beignet before boarding a double‑decker tram or open‑air tram‑bus that loops through the valley, allowing you to hop off wherever you’d like. With full freedom to plan and book your own tastings, dining and activities directly with each estate, you can decide how long to linger at every stop, keeping an eye on the timetable as some restaurants may be closed on certain days. Any wine you purchase can be safely stored by the team and collected at the end of your tour, leaving you free to enjoy the journey hands‑free.

Tucked away in the wide-open landscapes of the Little Karoo, just a few hours from Cape Town, Sanbona Wildlife Reserve offers a truly wild escape. With dramatic mountains, vast plains, and a deep commitment to conservation, it’s one of the few places where you can spot the Big Five outside of traditional safari regions. Whether you're tracking wildlife on game drives, discovering ancient San rock art, or simply soaking up the silence from a luxury lodge, Sanbona is all about reconnecting with nature in its purest form.

Stay: 4-star Sanbona Wildlife Reserve

Spend your days here as you please: indulging in cocktails, beach and the spa at your Hotel – or by exploring this wild isle. Mark Twain once wrote, “heaven was copied after Mauritius”, and when you’re hiking the Black River Gorges National Park, seeing the ‘coloured earth’ in Chamarel, spotting dolphins in Flic-en-Flac, or gazing at the multi-cascades of Tamarind Falls, you’ll soon see why…

Stay: 4-star Ravenala Attitude Mauritius