Intimate encounters with some of Africa's most relaxed elephants are the main attraction of Addo Elephant National Park, a 1,642km² malaria-free reserve that shelters all the Big Five.

It's hard to think of a more stunning coastal vista than Storms River Mouth. Here, a thrilling suspension bridge across a tall gorge forms the focal point of visits to Garden Route National Park’s easterly Tsitsikamma sector.

Oudtshoorn is the largest town in the Little Karoo, a semi-arid mountainous region situated a short drive inland of the Garden Route. Established in 1857, it is often referred to as the ostrich capital of South Africa, having experienced two economic booms between 1865 and 1913 on the back of the international market for this flightless bird's feathers. Several commercial ostrich farms still operate in the vicinity of Oudtshoorn, and it is also a popular base for exploring the Swartberg Mountains and Cango Caves.

Get ready to meet the world's largest – and strangest? – bird on your visit to a working ostrich farm. These peculiar long-legged, long-necked creatures stand more than 2.5m tall. Their eggs are 12 times larger than a chicken’s, and although they cannot fly, they are among the fastest sprinters on the African plains.

Overlooking Walker Bay to the southeast of Cape Town, Hermanus offers the world's best land-based whale watching over a calving season that runs from July to November but usually peaks in September and October. But even at other times of the year, you’ll find there's plenty to enjoy in this quaint seaside town, from relaxed wine-tasting excursions and fine seafood cuisine to clifftop walks and ocean safaris to look for sharks, dolphins and other marine creatures.

Between June and November, Hermanus offers the world's best land-based whale watching. This is when pods of southern right whales migrate from sub-Antarctic waters to calve in the deep sheltered bays of Walker Bay. You might see whales from the harbor, but there are also some great outlook points on the town’s wheelchair-friendly coastal cliff path.

Succumb to the old world charms of Stellenbosch, which was founded on the Eerste (First) River inland of Cape Town in 1679, making it the second-oldest town in South Africa. Stellenbosch is also a prominent university town, so its oak-shaded avenues are lined with an interesting mix of Cape Dutch architectural landmarks and vibrant student bars and cafes. A setting in the Cape Winelands means that several of the country's most popular wine estates stand within a close radius of Stellenbosch.

A wine-tasting tour through the scenic Cape Winelands provides you with an opportunity to sip a selection of yummy wines. Along with familiar varietals such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Chardonnay, make a point of trying Pinotage, a Pinot Noir–Cinsault cross that was first cultivated in 1925 and is now the country’s signature grape.