Walks

For so many who jump in the car and whizz from town to town, it's often difficult to fathom what makes certain areas of this country so very special. To really get the idea, you need to stop the car, get out and walk. Only then can you really appreciate the country's astonishing natural diversity.

There really are thousands of walking paths scattered around to choose from, so to make it a little easier, here are the details of a few routes that we have enjoyed or which have been particularly recommended to us. They vary in length from a few hours to a few days; some are guides, some are not; all - we hope you'll find - are hugely satisfying.

All distances are measured in kilometres. Hiking trails are often limited to a set number of people so book ahead. to avoid a 50,000 page book of 'turn left's' and 'cross the stream's' we have generally stuck to providing you with a rough idea of the route and provided you with the contact details for finding out more about it, apart from in Cape Town where we have spelled it out.

And finally… I am sure you have covered clothing and footwear needs etc and the wisdom of walking as a group in isolated areas. But just to be sure, don't forget to take sun hats and water in summer, raincoats and decent hiking shoes in winter and cameras and binoculars year round.