We ADORE South Africa ! It really has to be one of the most spectacular countries on the planet, with dramatic scenery at every turn - add in fabulous wildlife, great cities, a lovely climate (rarely too hot, rarely too cold) and some of the best food & wine (we’re easily swayed!) anywhere, and it’s easy to see why South Africa is one of our favourite places! All South Africa trips should take in CapeTown at some point - talk about an incredible city! The setting is stunning, with Table Mountain as its backdrop, plus there’s loads to see and do. We love the hop-on hop-off buses that will take you to all of the main sights, including the beaches of Camps Bay and the seals of Hout Bay. Be sure to head down to the Cape Peninsula – dramatic scenery, incredible flora & fauna, and all just a short drive form the city. South Africa is perfect for a Fly-Drive holiday , or we can also arrange an Escorted Tour, or just a few days in a couple of locations with transfers inclu...

A driving holiday is a superb way to really get to know a destination, and many countries are well suited to this style of holiday. Darren shares some of his favourites. The USA is one of the most popular self-drive destinations and there are a myriad of routes and itineraries you can consider, from the theme parks and beaches of Florida, the volcanoes and coastline of the Hawaiian Islands or the classic Route 66 from Chicago to Los Angeles. One of the most popular itineraries combines the states of Nevada and California, taking in Las Vegas, San Francisco and LA, plus a host of other locations in between. From Vegas it’s only a short drive to the Grand Canyon, albeit in the wrong direction, while the route through to San Francisco will take you via Death Valley and Yosemite National Parks. Then follow the Californian coast south to LA, stopping in the likes of Monterey, Carmel and Santa Barbara en route. If you want to combine your transport and your accommodation, then hiri...

South Africa is an amazing destination offering everything from wildlife, stunning scenery and amazing food and fine wines! We can offer plenty of holiday options and one of our favourite is combining vibrant Cape Town with the sheer beauty of the Garden Route and the thrill of safari in the Eastern Cape - one of the most popular South Africa fly-drive itineraries, taking in the best of the Rainbow Nation. SUGGESTED ITINERARY Day 1 - UK to Cape Town Fly from London to Cape Town, arriving next day. Days 2-4 - Cape Town On arrival you'll be transferred to to your chosen hotel, for a three night stay - we have a range to choose from, and your length of stay in Cape Town is flexible. Spend the next few days exploring Cape Town . Perhaps pre-book a Discover Cape Town City Tour (from £23 per person) - a great introduction to this spectacular city, the Cape Town City Tour provides the perfect opportunity to sample some of its attractions and get your bearings. We generally...

Africa is a real passion of ours - we’ve all been, and there’s nothing like being on the Masai Mara at sunrise, exploring the dunes of Namibia’s Sossusvlei or experiencing the Serengeti during the annual wildebeest migration. From Cape Town to Zanzibar , we’re hooked! A good safari will combine different areas to give you a variety of wildlife and landscapes. A driving safari is great  value and really opens up a country, while a flying safari makes easy work of long distances by light aircraft.  A safari in Kenya is like working your way through a guidebook of game, while the national parks of Tanzania are incredibly varied. Hot air ballooning is possible in some locations. It’s easy to follow most itineraries with a stay on the beach, with the likes of Mombasa and Zanzibar being perfect for a beach break with or without a safari! South Africa is one of our favourites, and lends itself perfectly to a fly-drive or escorted tour with its mix of history...

Our friends at Somak Holidays  have recently reported on the best 5 afternoon teas in Cape Town, South Africa: Afternoon teas inject a little lavishness into the routine of things. It’s a celebration of all things sweet, savory, bubbly and a chance to drink tea the ‘proper’ way. Cucumber sandwiches, warm scones, leaf teas, delicate éclairs, and miniature puds – they all have a place in my heart, but above all it’s the theatre of the afternoon tea that makes it such a special experience and one of utter pleasure. Cape Town’s colonial settlers brought with them the English tradition of the afternoon tea, and have since put their own twist on it, and today it’s a thriving tradition known to the locals as ‘high tea’. So lets raise our cup, saucer and pinky to Cape Town’s finest high tea haunts. Belmond Mount Nelson Hotel The  Mount Nelson Hotel  is one of the most famous places in the world to pour a cup or two, and it’s the place to do it in style. The hotel i...

Stellenbosch is the only winelands town that has a University, and with the infusion of young student energy this ‘College’ atmosphere permeates throughout the town. This is visible in the many bistros, art galleries, Music venues, Theatres and Wine bars that make up the vibrant heart of the Old town. It is a unique place where international guests are able to experience the diverse culture and meet the many people from all aspects of society that make Africa the ‘Rainbow nation’. The wine Stellenbosch   is home to some of the   oldest and most famous wine estates in South Africa, in fact Stellenbosch is where South African wine making began! It’s home to the widest range of estates, with 148 wineries in total where they produce some of the world’s best wines. Kanonkop and Rust and Vrede among others are repeatedly recognized for their wines worldwide. The best way to visit the vineyards is on a tour where you can sample the wines along the way! The arts St...

Karen looks back to 2013 at her favourite trip: “My favourite trip of last year was to South Africa - I'm the only person in the office who hadn't been before and I've heard such great things about it - and I wasn't disappointed! The South African Tourism Board invited me to go, and we took in two main areas - Cape Town & the Cape Peninsula area, and Durban along with nearby safari parks. Cape Town is such a fantastic city, and in such a dramatic setting - the first time you see Table Mountain it really takes your breath away! I'd been told that the weather at the top of Table Mountain can change quickly and you can't go up if the weather is bad, so we headed straight for the cable car as soon as we arrived, as it was sunny! The views are just incredible, across the city and the Atlantic Seaboard, plus along the Cape Peninsula too. I really liked the  V&A Waterfront  area of Cape Town - it has a lovely feel and some great shopping, plus you catch boats...

Well another year has passed already and here at the Escape Worldwide Long Haul Holidays we have had a great year with plenty of travel, which we love the most. I myself  have been to Cape Town and the Winelands in South Africa, also Sri Lanka, The Maldives, Dubai and the beaches of Florida. Yep plenty of amazing places, all in the name of research of course. All the places I have visited have there own special magic. With Dubai I was lucky enough to stay the stunning Atlantis the Palm which was simply brilliant and well worth a visit especially for families as the waterpark there was simply fantastic. I loved both Sri Lanka and the Maldives with the highlight for me, climbing Sigirya Rock Fortress, it was a bit of a challenge but well worth it when you get to the top, with simply amazing views and the remains of an amazing Rock Fortress! The Maldives again was simply stunning a real jewel in the Indian Ocean and a truly magically place for a honeymoon. The Stunning Ma...

Hi fellow travellers, This week we have some great holiday offers: Longhaul Holiday Offers This week explore South Africa by fly-drive, go cheetah-spotting on the Masai Mara, party and chill in Thailand or be pampered in Oman - superb holidays across the Globe, all at excellent prices and fully ATOL-protected. Call us on 020 8989 0970 or e-mail us at info@escapeworldwide.co.uk for more details today. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- KENYA SAFARI from £1575 MASAI MARA + MOMBASA A one-off special offer saving £150 per couple on the superb 7-night 5* Cheetah Safari, departing 29 April, complete with free Hippo Pool breakfast on the Masai Mara. Combine it with the beaches of Mombasa or Zanzibar, or just do the safari itself. CHEETAH SAFARI   - 7 -  FB -  £1575 pp + INDIAN OC RES MOMBASA 7+7  - HB -  £1845 pp + ROYAL ZANZIBAR RESORT 7+7 -  AI -  £2075 pp See more details at: http://...

Following a recent visit to South Africa, Mark ended up in Cape Town after a week-long drive along the Garden Route: “South Africa is such a diverse country that a drive through part of it turned out to be really rewarding and thoroughly enjoyable. I’d never done a driving holiday before, but I really liked the flexibility and independence, being able to go where we wanted, when we wanted. Picnics on the beach for breakfast (as dolphins swam past on one morning!), seafront cafes for a quick break, stops to take in the view over False Bay to the Cape of Good Hope or to see the penguins at Betty’s Bay, just because we wanted to! We’d driven about 1500 km from Port Elizabeth to Cape Town, via Knysna, Wilderness, Arniston and Hermanus, arriving in to Cape Town from the winelands at Stellenbosch and the Cape of Good Hope National Park. After the best part of a week on generally peaceful roads and in small towns, Cape Town was a bit of a culture shock! We drove in via the Lion’s Hill pass at...