South Africa – for the weekend

“Any plans for the weekend?” my friend asked nonchalantly. It was an innocent enough question. She just wasn’t expecting my reply. “Oh, you know, just popping to South Africa.”

Time-poor and seeking more from a long weekend than a trip to the Cotswolds or a mooch around Marrakech (as wonderful as both would be), I was thinking big. The plan? To fly from London almost 1,000km due south to Cape Town after work on Thursday, and be back in the office by Tuesday morning. It may sound extreme but with no jet-lag (the time difference is only two hours) and the lure of Africa’s most beautiful city, it promised to be the wildest of weekends.

The author travelled with Cox & Kings, which offers four nights in Cape Town, staying at the Four Rosmead Hotel. Includes return flights from London Heathrow with British Airways, transfers and breakfast daily.

A morning safari at Aquila Game Reserve, two hours from Cape Town, includes meals and a game drive.

Great white shark cage diving trips with Apex Shark Expeditions cost from ZAR1,950pp (£106). Transfers to the base in Simon’s Town cost ZAR400pp (£22).

Cape Town has a decent public transport system with a cheap, reliable bus network. Taxis are good value for money and offer better safety and convenience. The hop-on/off City Sightseeing busis an easy way to get your bearings.


Main image: Aerial view of Cape Town (Shutterstock)