Arrive at Cape Town International Airport and collect your rental car. An easy drive will find you in Cape Town’s Gardens neighbourhood, and along trendy Kloof Street to the stylish More Quarters Apartment Hotel.

Set in the foothills of Table Mountain, More Quarters personifies Cape Town, its timeless style and contemporary features perfectly in keeping with the area’s character. Gardens is a vibrant and laid-back cosmopolitan quarter boasting sophisticated restaurants and quirky boutiques, with the Atlantic coastline’s glittering beaches a short drive over spectacular Kloof Nek. Explore the bistros and nightclubs of Camps Bay’s beach-front promenade – which is one of Cape Town’s most popular destinations – and earmark Clifton’s flawless four coves for a day in the sun.

Visit the V&A Waterfront as the day begins to melt behind the mountain and book a sundowner-cruise as the lights of the city flicker on around you. Finally, rustle up a bite in the privacy of your own space; you are back at More Quarters, your home-away-from-home with Internet access, satellite TV and a fully-equipped kitchen. Or step into the warmth of a balmy evening and head to Kloof Street for several alfresco dining options.

Your Africa Safari Expert can tailor your stay, whether you choose a tandem-paragliding flight off Lion’s Head to soar over the ridges of the Twelve Apostles mountain range and glistening sands of Camps Bay, to a soft-grass landing on Sea Point Promenade; or less physically taxing but with equal brio, a journey to Cape Point, the extreme south-western tip of the African continent, to witness the ancient coming together of the Indian and Atlantic Oceans.

After breakfast, set off for Franschhoek in the heart of the Cape Winelands and settle into your suite at the elegant Franschhoek Country House & Villas.

One of South Africa’s oldest towns, Franschhoek was established over 300 years ago by French Huguenots, and is today acknowledged for its beauty and style, as well as for being the foodie capital of the country. Glide through picturesque vineyards and breath-taking scenery on the spectacular 45-minute drive from Cape Town. Art galleries and cafes line its streets, and Franschhoek is at its best when explored on foot, with its pristine natural beauty and unspoilt Cape Dutch architecture evoking the Cape’s storied history.

The Monneaux Restaurant at the Franschhoek Country House is a culinary destination in itself. Unwind at the hotel’s intimate treatment room and pamper yourself with a full body massage, and then enjoy a cocktail in the lounge before dinner. With its signature dishes an inspired fusion of Mediterranean and Cape Malay flavours paired with the wines of the Franschhoek Valley, you have much to look forward to.

After a delicious buffet breakfast overlooking the lawns of the hotel and with its manicured herb garden, climbing roses, lavender bushes and lemon trees offering a wonderfully scented start to your day, set off in search of the perfect wine for your palate. The Stellenbosch and Paarl wine routes are both within an easy half-houru2019s drive of Franschhoek. Enjoy leisurely wine tasting and light lunches in dappled sunlight under tall oaks or delve into cellars sunken into hillsides. With its winemaking tradition eloquently blending the Old World with the New, you will find South African wineries surprisingly accessible, each charming estate a producer of internationally recognised varietals that more than welcomes visitors.

Return to Cape Town International Airport to drop off your rental car and board your flight north to Limpopo’s Hoedspruit Eastgate Airport. A representative will be standing by for your 30-minute road transfer to Thornybush Main Lodge, which overlooks the seasonal Monwana River in Thornybush Private Game Reserve, adjacent to the Kruger National Park.

You are finally in unrivalled Big 5 game-viewing territory. Staff are on hand with a refreshing welcome of cooling lemonade and a soothing face towel while your lodge manager familiarises you with your programme, assigning you a ranger and a tracker team to accompany you on your early-morning and afternoon game drives. Settle into your luxurious suite, wash off the dust from your journey, and relax on your deck for a moment overlooking the nearby waterhole in the river bed. Kudu are quietly coming down to drink. And, over there, an elephant, then another safari adventure is just beginning.

Thornybush Lodge is an accumulation of delights: a pristine setting, dedicated staff, hospitable service and remarkable sights. Your days will become a treasured compilation of memories: from the shadow of a leopard materialising above you through a mist of trees, to a herd of elephants marching through the dust of an empty riverbed as you pause for sundowners.

After a last early-morning game drive with a hot-water bottle and blanket over your knees, return to the lodge for a final, delicious buffet breakfast. Bid adieu to the vervet monkeys who have spent each morning delighting you with their antics, and to the warthogs grazing on the lawn, and transfer to Hoedspruit Eastgate Airport for your flight to Johannesburg’s OR Tambo International Airport, and your onward journey home.