Protea Hotel Wanderers

Johannesburg: 1 Night

Despite its colourful reputation, Johannesburg has a wealth of attractions, and the vast majority of overseas visitors leave pleasantly surprised, especially if it is their first time to the city and they have had the time to explore it for a couple of days. Taking a guided tour of Johannesburg's highlights, which include The Museum Africa, the Johannesburg Art Gallery, and the thought-provoking and excellent Apartheid Museum to name but a few, is an excellent way to see the major attractions of the city, and spending a day in the company of a recommended tour guide will also give a new perspective to the city which visitors otherwise would not be aware of.

Other sightseeing attractions include the Carlton Centre (or Top of Africa as it is more commonly known), which is the tallest building in the entire Southern Hemisphere, the Mai Mai Centre (Johannesburg's traditional medicine market) and the World of Beer. A tour of nearby Soweto will give an interesting insight into the country's largest town, home to over 3 million people. One of the highlights of a trip to Soweto is a visit to Nelson Mandela's former house, where he used to lived before his prison sentence. For the adreneline seekers, Gold Reef City is a must. There are around 30 rides in the Park, including some truly terrifying white-knuckle rides.

Protea Hotel Wanderers is a stylish hotel in the heart of Johannesburg’s popular suburb of Illovo. Ideally located, it offers easy access to a number of excellent shopping and dining alternatives. It consists of 229 modern, air-conditioned rooms with sound-proofed windows, satellite TV, free Wi-Fi and en-suite bathrooms. Warm earthy tones, elegant decor and harmonious designs compliment the exceptional and intuitive service of this elegant city hotel.

Perry's Bridge Hollow

Hazyview: 3 Nights

The Lowveld area around the Kruger Park is beautiful, and there are several attractions worthy of a visit during your stay in the area. The small town of Hazyview is an ideal place to base yourself to explore the surrounding area.

The self-drive Lowveld Panarama Route includes highlights such as Blyde River Canyon, God's Window, Lisbon Falls, the Three Rondavels and Bourke's Luck Potholes.

Other activities in the area include visiting the Hoedspruit Endangered Species Centre, which focuses on the conservation of rare, vunerable or endangered animals, enjoying a morning or afternoon tour at Moholoholo (a haven for the rehabilitation and care of abandoned or injured wildlife), visiting the Shangana Cultural Village, white water rafting, or taking an early morning balloon ride over the surrounding countryside.

The Kruger National Park itself is only an hours drive away, and is home to hundreds of species of wildlife and birds, including the Big 5.

Perry's Bridge Hollow Boutique Hotel is set amongst trees in the heart of the colonial Perry's Bridge Trading Post. Here, you have a choice of restaurants to dine at in the evening, and Perry's Bridge Brewery offers an afro-chic ambience where you can enjoy the locally brewed lager. The Trading Post also boasts clothing boutiques, a deli and a curio shop, and guests can also experience a night of Shangaan dance and song at the neighbouring Shangaan River Club.

The 31 spacious rooms and 3 family suites offer relaxed, yet sophisticated accommodation in a beautiful indigenous garden setting. The colonially furnished air-conditioned rooms each feature satellite television, indoor and outdoor showers, mini-safes, tea/coffee making facilities, and a private patio with Lowveld views. Time spent at the swimming pool in this beautiful garden setting is bound to leave you feeling refreshed and revived.

The Royal Villas

Eswatini: 1 Night

The prestigious Royal Villas nestle in the shadow of the Ezulwini mountains and welcomes you with 5* elegance to unspoilt Swaziland. Just 10 minutes from Mbabane, and 25 minutes from the Oshoek Border, the unique African setting and secure surroundings provide a luxurious and central base from which to explore Swaziland.

Guests can enjoy the true satisfaction of luxury dining in the exceptional restaurant. The resident Chef is highly trained and dedicates professional intent on bringing only the best culinary creations to your table.

Enjoy your meals besides a roaring fire in winter and outside on the terrace in summer.

There is a a swimming pool for guests enjoyment, and a pool bar and terrace. Tours of local area including adventure trips can be arranged, as well as golf and horse riding.

There are a total of 56 rooms found in 17 Villas, spread around a beautiful estate with stunning views.

The luxurious bedrooms all have air-conditioning, crisp linen and fresh flowers, and the spacious en-suite bathrooms promise complete relaxation in pristine surroundings.

Rooms are equipped with a fully stocked mini bar, DSTV and internet.

Anew Hotel Hluhluwe & Safaris

Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park: 1 Night

You don't have to visit Kruger to experience wildlife, or see the Big 5 close to. Only 280 km north of Durban, the Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park covers 96,000 hectares and is renowned for its variety of bird and animal life.

There have been over 300 bird species recorded, and cheetah, wild dog, the Big 5 and many species of antelope and other plains game including giraffe and zebra inhabit the Park, offering the visitor a varied self-drive game viewing experience.

The Park is most famous for its population of white rhino, of which there are about 1,600, and it is practically impossible to visit the Park without seeing one - if this happens, then you are extremely unlucky!

The excellent road infrastructure means that self-driving is easy in a 2WD, or you can arrange to go on a guided game drive from the camps.  Viewing hides overlook waterholes enabling visitors to see animals at close range.

Situated between the renowned Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park and the Isimangaliso (Greater St Lucia) Wetland Park is the Anew Hotel Hluhluwe & Safaris. Rich in natural ambience and with a distinctively African rhythm, Protea Hotel Hluhluwe & Safaris treats guests to luxurious accommodation, tantalising cuisine, and a world-class service with friendly staff.

The hotel's en-suite rooms all offer satellite television, telephone and tea/coffee making facilities.

Relax on the swimming pool terrace and soak up the cultural richness in the evenings, when Zulu dance shows are held beneath the magnificent Umkanyakude (Fever) tree.

Hluhluwe & Safaris offers a choice of 3, 6 or 9 hour open vehicle game drives through the Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park, home of the Big Five. Pre-bookings are required before your arrival date and each game drive needs a minimum of 4 people. Game drives are available either in the morning or in the afternoons. Packed lunches can also be requested for at an additional cost.

Protea Hotel Umhlanga

Durban: 1 Night

With over 320 days of sunshine per year, Durban is a holidaymakers paradise. The 6 km 'Golden Mile' of beaches are packed with sun worshippers throughout the year, while the warm waters of the Indian Ocean entice swimmers, surfers and other water sport and diving enthusiasts.

For those looking for attractions away from the sand and sea, Durban offers a bustling cosmopolitan city with excellent restaurants, museums, live music and theatre. Durban is also home to the largest population of Indian descendents in South Africa, so it is not surprising, therefore, that the city is renowned for its aromatic spice markets and delicious curries - reputed to be some of the best in the world outside of India itself.

Some of the best diving in South Africa can be found at Aliwal Shoal, just 50 km south of Durban. Aliwal is voted as being one of the top 10 dive sites in the world.  Besides being able to dive and swim alongside the many tropical fish species and loggerhead turtles, the major attraction at Aliwal is the ragged tooth shark, or 'Raggy' as it is fondly known within the local dive community.  From July to November the ragged tooth sharks visit Aliwal Shoal in their annual migration from the Cape to the St Lucia Marine Reserve, and the docile nature of this species means that divers can get extremely close to the sharks without the need for a diving cage.

Umhlanga Rocks, near Durban, evokes a vision of golden beaches, lush surroundings and the exhilaration of holidaying in an idyllic part of the world. The 3* Protea Hotel Umhlanga is where that vision turns to reality.

Conveniently situated mere minutes from the protected beach and only 10 minutes away from Durban in the heart of Umhlanga Rocks, the Protea Hotel Umhlanga offers friendly and comfortable accommodation. Most of the 120 well appointed en-suite rooms have sea-views and all are comfortably furnished. The hotel is also situated in close proximity to a variety of restaurants catering for all tastes and budgets.

The Rex Hotel

Knysna: 2 Nights

Situated right in the heart of the Garden Route and set on the shores of a beautiful lagoon, Knysna (pronounced 'Nysna') is a bustling little holiday town with a lively Waterfront area.

The excellent selection of accommodation and restaurants, coupled with the many activities on offer, makes this a superb holiday destination and a perfect base from which to explore the many attractions of the Garden Route. The annual Knysna Oyster Festival takes place mid-year in Knysna and is one of the area’s annual highlights, boasting amazing food, great music and friendly people.

The Knysna Lagoon is sheltered from the ocean by a coral reef and the Knysna Heads - 2 large cliff formations which form a natural narrow opening into the ocean. Several operators offer relaxing catamaran trips and sunset champagne cruises out to the Heads and into the open sea, which is a great way to escape the busy streets for a while.

The surrounding forests and nature reserves provide ample opportunity for leisurely walks or picnics, short hikes or more strenuous day walks, plus a number of biking trails. Nearby Brenton-on-Sea beach is a magnificent 7 km stretch of uninterrupted white sands around a half heart-shaped bay.

The Rex Hotel promises its guests superior service and exceptional comfort. This impeccably appointed hotel offers guests a gateway to world-class restaurants, lush forests and the shores of the peaceful Knysna Lagoon.

The Rex Hotel offers the choice of Standard Rooms, Luxury Studios and two bedroom Apartments that reflect an urban chic ambiance and mixes contemporary and classic décor with cool colours and rich fabrics. The studios and the apartments have an open-plan lounge, dining area and kitchenette.

The O Bar & Eatery at The Rex offers excellent service, superb cuisine and exciting specialities. The outdoor terrace area is the perfect spot to bask in the sunshine and indulge in coffee or light snacks.

Hlangana Lodge

Oudtshoorn: 1 Night

Oudtshoorn (pronounced ‘oats-horn’) is 55 km north of George and is the tourist mecca of the Little (or Klein) Karoo. It is most famous for its ostrich farms.

Before the First World War, thousands of ostriches were bred on farms across the area, primarily to service the growing fashion trend for ostrich feathers. Today, there are still many breeding farms but the main tourist attraction are the Ostrich Show Farms, which offer interactive tours where you can learn more about the history of ostrich farming and meet the long-legged and long-necked inhabitants face to face.

The impressive Cango Caves are a further 30 km from Oudtshoorn. Naturally formed, the caves are engraved into the heart of the Swartberg Mountains and empowered by the beauty of the stalagmite and stalactite rock formations. The caves are illuminated to show some of the biggest stalagmite formations in the world. The largest chamber is the Grand Hall, which is107 metres across and 16 metres high.

Another popular reason to visit Oudtshoorn is the chance to spend a memorable (but early) morning with a family of meerkats. Tours depart before sunrise and you get to spend a couple of hours watching these endearing little creatures as they wake up and start popping out of their burrows to forage for food and frolick in the morning sun.

Hlangana Lodge is set in exotic gardens on the outskirts of Oudtshoorn. Offering the highest standards of luxury and service, it is perfectly situated to explore the surrounding countryside.

Guests can enjoy the landscaped garden, relax in a deckchair next to the saltwater swimming pool, or admire the skillfully crafted woodwork on the veranda.

Standard rooms open onto the verandah overlooking the garden.

President Hotel

Cape Town: 3 Nights

Nestled at the foot of the majestic Table Mountain and bordered by the Atlantic Ocean, Cape Town is consistently voted amongst the top cities in the world to visit and it is no surprise that this wonderful city is one of the highlights of a holiday to South Africa. The climate is Mediterranean, with mild winters and hot summers.

One of the main tourist attractions is the tastefully restored V&A Waterfront with its many shops, bars and restaurants. There is also an aquarium and one of the largest craft markets in Southern Africa. Boats offer tours of the harbour from the quayside and the whole place is always buzzing with life and activity. The City Bowl is home to many museums and historical buildings which can all be viewed from a 'topless' hop on/hop off tourist bus, complete with interesting commentary as you ride around the city.

The adventurous can climb up (or abseil down) Table Mountain, windsurf or kitesurf at Bloubergstrand Beach, dive in shark tanks, or do any one of a dozen more adrenalin pumping activities. For a more relaxed pace of life, there are miles of sandy beaches for soaking up the African sun, or enjoy a quiet stroll through the beautiful Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens.

The President Hotel is situated in Bantry Bay. Most of the spacious 350 rooms and suites overlook the Atlantic Ocean or Lions Head, and offer facilities one would expect of a 4* hotel. When you're not visiting the beaches or the bustling V&A Waterfront nearby, you can relax next to the large swimming pool.

In the evenings, enjoy a cocktail in the Senate Bar or a sundowner on the Terrace.

All rooms have air-conditioning and a flat screen TV.