Relais & Châteaux - Southern Africa

Southern Africa

The south of the African continent from Namibia to Zimbabwe, taking in South Africa, is a region rich in unusual landscapes and a privileged site to admire African flora and fauna. While the five species of African "big game" (leopards, lions, elephants, rhinoceros and buffalo) are present everywhere, if you travel across the dozens of reserves and nature parks in this immense territory, you will see hundreds of other species, many of which have now but a few members still living on the surface of our planet.

The beauty of Africa is splendid but fragile: it is captivating by its mix of ethnic groups, diversity of landscapes, including deserts that are still reminiscent of distant explorations, the temptation of the infinite in the same time zone as countries in Europe.

To the far south of the continent, the Cape region is principally devoted to vineyards and gastronomy.

News

Football World cup 2010 in South Africa
From it’s humble beginnings in 1930 the Football World Cup has grown to be one of the most spectacular sporting events in the world. The 2010 World Cup promises to be the planet’s biggest sporting event ever. Well over a billion people are expected to follow the month long tournament between the world’s top 32 soccer playing nations.

Safari Escape
Take advantage of a journey in one of our Relais & Châteaux located in the heart of savannah and its proximities to discover exceptional landscapes and meet the famous « Big Five » of Africa : leopards, lions, elephants, rhinoceros and buffaloes adding with a multitude of other sorts of animals, among which lots of beautiful and coloured birds. An unforgettable adventure !

Food and Wine Experience
Lovers of wines, Relais & Châteaux invites you to take the roads which will lead to discover the most outstanding vineyards of South Africa : Constantia, Durbanville, Franschhoek, Hermanus, Olifants River, Paarl, Wellington, Swartland...

Itineraries

The Garden Route
Following on from the Whale Route is the spectacularly scenic Garden Route, renowned for its beautiful, pristine beaches, indigenous forests and nature reserves, lakes, mountain ranges and great hiking trails. Famous towns such as Knysna and Plettenberg Bay are dotted along this popular coastline.

Mpumalanga Province and the Kruger National Park
Mpumalanga is often visited simply for its scenic beauty, yet it is also home to the world-renowned Kruger National Park. The flagship of South Africa’s national parks, this two million-hectare reserve offers an unrivalled wildlife experience.

Namibia, Kalahari Desert, Limpopo Province & Zimbabwe
Combine the thrill of Namibia - a country featuring the world’s oldest living desert, the wildlife wonders of the Kalahari Desert, the Limpopo Province ( which offers a mosaic of exceptional scenic landscape,a fascinating cultural heritage,an abundance of wildlife species), the malaria-free magnificence of South Africa’s Waterberg, and the excitement of Zimbabwean wilderness.

The Western Cape
Cape Town is widely described as one of the world’s most desirable destinations. Some of its more famous landmarks include Table Mountain, Robben Island (where famous political prisoners, including Nelson Mandela, were imprisoned for decades), Cape Point - where the Indian and Atlantic Oceans meet, the historic Kirstenbosch Gardens and the bustling Victoria & Alfred Waterfront.