IMAGE: GETTY


SOUTH AFRICA


The small town of Wilderness, which lies


on the Garden Route in the Western Cape


GETTING THERE & AROUND British Airways and Virgin Atlantic have daily direct flights to Cape Town from Heathrow, and BA also flies several times a week from Gatwick. Both airlines have direct flights each day to Johannesburg from Heathrow, too. ba.com virginatlantic.com Average flight time: Around 11h. Long-distance buses connect cities and major towns across the country, offering a good-value way to get around. Operators include Intercape and Greyhound; the latter runs more basic CitiLink buses as well as Dreamliners, which offer greater comfort over long journeys, with


84


reclining seats and more leg room. greyhound.co.za intercape.co.za For more flexibility, consider


hiring a car. Drive South Africa is a booking agent that offers vehicles at competitive prices from leading rental companies such as Avis and Europcar. drivesouthafrica.com If you’re not in any hurry, the


long-distance intercity Shosholoza Meyl train service (p.83) is a great and inexpensive way to see some of South Africa as you travel. If money’s less of an issue, consider The Shongololo Express: its 15-day African Trilogy trip includes a Kruger National Park game


NATIONALGEOGRAPHIC.COM/TRAVEL


drive and the Drakensberg Mountains. shosholozameyl.co.za shongololo.com There’s an extensive domestic


airline network, with carriers connecting both major terminals and tiny private airstrips. Local operators include South African Airways and Fly Safair. flysaa.com flysafair.co.za


WHEN TO GO South Africa is a year-round destination and warm days are not uncommon, even in the coldest months of June, July and August. The wet season generally runs from October to March, coinciding with summer temperatures that regularly


hit 30C and above; coastal regions get more rain during this period. There are regional differences, however; the Western Cape, for example, tends to remain dry during the summer. Visit between July and November


for whale-watching season. The May to September dry season is good for other wildlife-viewing, with less-dense vegetation making it easier to spot animals in the undergrowth.


MORE INFO southafrica.net Lonely Planet South Africa, Lesotho & Eswatini, £17.99


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