The Republic of South Africa is (as you may well expect) the southernmost nation on the continent of Africa and home to just over 50 million people. As well as its numerous sizeable cities such as Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban and Pretoria, it is also famous for its extensive game reserves and wildlife sightseeing tours. Culturally, the country is divided in many ways with a large wealth divide leaving about a quarter of the population unemployed. Despite this, there are also extremely well-developed and metropolitan areas and the large cities generally have very good travel infrastructure.

South Africa is generally a fairly hot country with the seasons being the opposite of Europe; the hottest months are November to March but the weather is certainly at least pleasant all year round. The flora and fauna of South Africa is world famous and there is a number of vast nature reserves designed to protect the many indigenous species. Accommodation varies from serviced apartments in South Africa to safari lodges and farmhouses, depending on where you are in the country and what you would like to do. The most famous game reserve is the Kruger National Park; covering 7500 square miles it is found in the north east of the country and is home to the big five - elephant, rhino, buffalo, lion and leopard.