Tours in South Africa

Start with the light. In the Highveld it is hard and clear in the morning, and by late afternoon the grass goes the colour of toast and the thunderclouds pile up over the horizon. South Africa is a country of big skies and long drives, and it rewards anyone who stops rushing between the famous names and looks at what is between them.

Most trips begin in Johannesburg, a city of ridges, jacaranda-lined suburbs and neighbourhoods that each feel like a different town. Soweto and the Apartheid Museum are where many visitors go to understand how the country got here, and a local guide can take you through them at the pace of a conversation rather than a checklist. Pretoria sits close by, calmer and more formal, with its government buildings looking down over the streets.

Half an hour or so out of Johannesburg, the land opens into rolling grassland and low hills, and this is where we would linger. The Cradle of Humankind is a landscape of limestone caves, and the walk down into Sterkfontein is cool, damp and quiet after the glare outside. Nearby, the Maropeng exhibition gives you the story of human origins in a way that is easy to follow, even if you have never thought about fossils in your life. Wear proper walking shoes, because the caves have steps and uneven ground.

Beyond Gauteng, the country keeps changing. Cape Town has Table Mountain over the city, the sea on two sides and the winelands a short drive away. The Garden Route runs along forests and lagoons, Kruger and its neighbouring reserves are the place for safari, and Durban brings warm water and a strong Indian influence to the table. We do not have tours in all of these yet, but if one is on your list, ask. A local guide can build it around you.