Sydafrika

High on the must-see lists of most visitors to South Africa is the Garden Route, and with good reason: you can’t help but be seduced by the glorious natural beauty. The distance from Mossel Bay in the west to Storms River in the east is just over 200km, yet the range of topography, vegetation, wildlife and outdoor activities is remarkable.

Nya siffror från Sydafrikas miljödepartement visar att tjuvjakten på noshörning minskat från 769 till 594 djur under 2019 – en minskning med 23 procent. På fem år har tjuvjakten halverats.

A string of charming and historic coastal communities, including Muizenberg, Kalk Bay and Simon’s Town (plus the penguins living at Boulders Beach), line the False Bay side of the peninsula. More wildlife and incredible landscapes are protected within the nature reserve at Cape Point and the Cape of Good Hope. On the Atlantic coast side, Kommetjie is beloved by experienced surfers, and the broad beach at Noordhoek by horse riders.

If there's one thing that Stellenbosch is renowned for, it is wine. There are hundreds of estates scattered around the outskirts of the town, many of which produce world-class wines. A tour of the wineries with their many tasting options and superlative restaurants will likely form the backbone of your visit, but there is a lot more to see.

This shipwreck-strewn coastline rivals any in the country in terms of beauty and wilderness, stretching over 350km from just east of East London to Port Edward. Often referred to as the ‘Transkei’ (the name of the apartheid-era homeland that once covered most of this area), the Wild Coast region also stretches inland, covering pastoral landscapes where clusters of rondavels (round huts with a conical roofs) scatter the rolling hills covered in short grass.

From lush tropical forests to uninhabited desert expanses, and from easy-going hammock time to adrenaline-pumping adventures, the Eastern Cape offers a wide range of topography and experiences. Compared with the more developed Western Cape, it can feel like a different country and provides opportunities to learn about Xhosa culture. Some of South Africa's finest hiking (and slackpacking) trails wind along the province's largely undeveloped coastline and through its mountainous, waterfall-filled landscapes.

På den historiska järnvägsbron Selati Bridge, i hjärtat av Kruger nationalpark i Sydafrika, ligger nyöppnade Kruger Shalati. Ett tåg som gjorts om till en lyxig safarilodge som får varje tågälskare att dregla.

Port Elizabeth (PE for short) fringes Algoa Bay at the western end of the Sunshine Coast, and offers many good bathing beaches, great surf spots and excellent water sports. Marine life in the bay is also sensational, with plenty of dolphins and whales that can be spotted throughout the year. The city centre, once a place to avoid, has started to smarten up thanks to a few urban regeneration projects, and it boasts numerous heritage buildings that are well worth a gander.

French Huguenots settled in this spectacular valley over 300 years ago, bringing their vines with them. Ever since, this Winelands town has clung to its French roots, and July visitors will find that Bastille Day is celebrated here. Franschhoek bills itself as the country’s gastronomic capital, and you’ll certainly have a tough time deciding where to eat. Plus, with a clutch of art galleries, wine farms and stylish guesthouses thrown in, it really is one of the loveliest towns in the Cape.

Två familjer, fyra små barn och en riktig drömdestination – Sydafrika. Ett äventyr som kräver sin research, men som belönar med möten att bära genom livet. Följ med från Kapstadens vackra dramatik till Stellenboschs lantliga idyll och vidare ut till savannens vilt norr om Johannesburg.