Adventure activities

South Africa rewards intrepid travellers with immersive views of its diverse environments, whether you venture into the bush, underwater or – on the Cape Canopy Tour – high above the remote kloofs of the Hottentots Holland Mountains. This zipline adventure allows you to fly like an African fish eagle, learning about the Cape floral kingdom en route,

The Garden Route is a hub for adventurous activities, including the 709ft bungee jump from Bloukrans Bridge, kayaking tannin-stained lagoons and following bygone woodcutters, gold prospectors and elephants into Knysna’s old-growth forests. Cross Storms River Mouth on a 250ft-long suspension bridge or take to the water below on a Blackwater Tubing expedition through the fern-clad canyons of Tsitsikamma

National Park and it’s one of seven Canopy Tours nationwide, found in areas from the Drakensberg range to the Garden Route’s Tsitsikamma Forest.

Climbers relish the challenges of Cogmanskloof (near Montagu in the Little Karoo), the Cederberg range and Emgwenya (aka Waterval Boven) on the Drakensberg Escarpment

You can appreciate the latter’s

SUPERTUBES vertiginous landscape, where the mountains crash into the lowveld on the clifftop drive alongside the dramatic Blyde River Canyon and at Graskop Gorge – home to a glass elevator ride, a suspension bridge and the Big Swing freefall above dense forest. Another scenic way of taking to the cobalt sky is on a Cape Town Tandem Paragliding flight from 2,195ft at Lion’s Head or Signal Hill to the Atlantic beaches below.

East coast dive spots make the most of the balmy Indian Ocean, while Jeffreys Bay is famous for the Supertubes surf break, but the best-known ocean activity is cage-diving from Gansbaai (near Hermanus) to meet great white sharks in Walker Bay. Hiking adventures range from walking safaris to long-distance slackpacking routes, such as the five-day Whale Trail through De Hoop Nature Reserve and the Kruger Wilderness Trails

Live authentic, immersive and high-end experiences whilst giving back to the community and meeting our friendly locals. Plan your trip to South Africa today!

Find out more on Charitable.Travel/South-Africa

Autumn

Visitors are often surprised to find out that autumn is a great time to view the Northern Lights. And in Finland, there are plenty of extraordinary places to stay to view them from, including aurora domes, snow castles, glass cabins, wilderness lodges and tree houses.

Spring

Home to an estimated three million saunas, it’s a way of life for Finnish society. Visit in spring to feel revitalised and sample a sauna at your accommodation or find a public one in the city. In Helsinki, Löyly is one of the most iconic and well-known public saunas, or take a dip in the icy lake or Baltic sea to make your sauna experience truly Finnish.

Summer

The Lakeland area – in Central and eastern Finland – has 180,000 lakes. Great to visit throughout the year, it comes into its own in summer, when the weather is mild and the days are longest. Recharge and reconnect with nature and, depending on the time of year, enjoy everything from cruises and fishing to stand up paddleboarding and swimming.