The variety of scenic landscapes is fascinating as well, ranging from burnt-out deserts and arid savannahs through idyllic green rolling hills and fertile valleys to dramatically shaped alpine mountains with snow-covered peaks. A couple of thousands of kilometres of coastline hem the country. Rough, melancholy and harsh in the west, the beaches on the east coast are mild and Mediterranean, and the north-east coast is tropically warm.

The great variety opens up innumerable ways to spend a holiday. Enjoy leisurely walks in the lovely mountains of the Winelands, a beach run on the wild Atlantic coast, fly-fishing for trout in the Natal Midlands or playing a game of golf on the world's best and most beautiful courses. Delight in a drive through the glowing desert and a glass of excellent wine on a veranda in the Cape Town sunset. Enjoy French, Malay or Indian food or have a braaivleis - barbecue - at the beach. Go shopping in exclusive boutiques or admire African arts and crafts at a colourful street-market. Explore the African bush on safari, watch elephants having a bath at a waterhole or lions hunting their prey.

South Africa stretches between the 22nd and 34th degrees of southern latitude and hence is part of the subtropical zone. Compared to other regions at that latitude, temperatures in many areas of South Africa are rather lower.

The cold Benguela current causes moderate temperatures on the West Coast, and on the central plateau the altitude (Jo'burg lies at 1753m) keeps the average temperatures below 30 degrees Celsius. In winter, also due to altitude, temperatures drop to the freezing point, and in places even lower.
Then it is warmest in the coastal regions. Precipitation is to be expected mainly in the summer months, with the exception of the Western Cape which is a winter-rain area. For your tour planning keep in mind that the seasons in the southern hemisphere stand in direct opposition to those of the northern hemisphere.