South Africa

Richards Bay opens a window onto the cultural and natural heritage of the KwaZuluNatal province. Not far from the city are game reserves such as Hluhluwe and Thula Thula, where you can embark on a safari in an open-air vehicle in search of Africa’s Big Five: lions, elephants, Cape buffalo, leopards and rhinoceros. A UNESCO World Heritage site, iSimangaliso Wetland Park encompasses vast savannas and lake systems home to hippos, zebras, giraffes and more than 500 species of birds, as well as a sheltered beach on the coast of Cape Vidal that is ideal for swimming and snorkeling.

The city of Cape Town and its environs truly have something for everyone. Naturalists should take the cable car to the top of Table Mountain for extraordinary views and then explore the diverse flora and fauna of the Cape of Good Hope, including baboons, ostriches and a colony of African penguins. History buffs will be moved by poignant stories of apartheid told in the District Six Museum and in the prison on Robben Island that once confined Nelson Mandela. Epicures might venture to nearby Stellenbosch to taste award-winning wines at vineyards nestled in lush valleys embraced by mountains.