Winelands of the Western Cape, South Africa.
Have you been to the winelands of the Western Cape? I may be biased (having spent the majority of my life in this region) but I still think the Western Cape is one of the premier destinations of the world. I no longer live there, but return fairly frequently. The region has so much to offer. There are hundreds of world class wine estates. You can get really good wine at reasonable prices. For some strange reason, it is not easy to get good South African wine at reasonable prices outside of South Africa. But if you are visiting they are a bargain. I always stock up when I go and bring as many bottles as I can back with me. Many of the estates sell carry cases that you can check in the hold of the plane. But back to the Western Cape. Not only do you have many estates but they are found in a stunning landscape. Majestic mountains near the ocean, beautiful architecture (mainly Cape Dutch). Then there is the plethora of fantastic restaurants. Cape Town itself has one of the most interesting waterfront harbors in the world, Table Mountain …. Go there, you won’t regret it. Just don’t do it over the Cape winter. January and February are probably the best months.
While you are in South Africa, go on a safari in the north east of the country. There are plenty of private safari companies to chose from or do a drive yourself safari in the Kruger National Park. Or if you want a more exotic experience, travel to the neighboring Botswana where you can experience game viewing in a different way. The Okavango Delta is probably the grand prize, more easily reachable in a small plane. But there are other options too, Chobe being one of them.
