The city of Cape Town is arrival and departure point for thousands of visitors each year with direct flights from most European capitals. As a world-class travel destination Cape Town has a great deal to offer and makes the perfect start or end to any tour of South Africa.

Approximately 100km east of Cape Town you will find the town of Hermanus, the land-based whale watching capital of South Africa. A further 30 km drive will bring you to the towns of Gansbaai and Kleinbaai, the main focus of the Cage Diving industry in South Africa.

Some 500km east of Cape Town, the mild, temperate climate of the Garden Route makes for a perfect year-round destination. As well as scuba diving, the area offers spectacular scenery and fantastic whale and dolphin watching opportunities. Port Elizabeth 250km further east offers big five game viewing and luxury lodges at Shamwari – See Game Reserves below.

Durban International airport is your easiest point of entry to the region. Aliwal Shoal (Umkomaas 50km) and Protea Banks (Margate/Shelly Beach 150km), to the south offer excellent diving, while St Lucia (230km) to the north of Durban is an ideal stop on the way to Sodwana Bay and provides easy access to the Game reserves of Hluhluwe and Umfolozi.

Hidden amongst the coastal dunes at the northern edge of the St Lucia Wetland Park, Sodwana Bay is approximately 350km from Durban. The dive sites of Sodwana Bay represent the most southerly hard coral reef systems in the world and offer a wide selection of sites to suit all levels of training.

If you’re in the KZN area, why not pop just 14km over the border for some incredible dive options. Ponta Do Ouro and Ponta Malangane both access a wide variety of dive sites including the famous Pinnacles - boasting seasonal sightings of Zambezi (bull) sharks, tiger sharks, whale sharks and hammerheads. The tar road will get you to the border (approx. 400km from Durban) where you can leave your hire-car in secure parking. Otherwise select a transfer option from the list below.

There are still vast areas in almost all regions of southern Africa where wild animals can still roam free. Why not include a few nights at a game reserve to your tour? Sabie Sands in the Kruger Park is best reached via JHB (approx. 400km). Shamwari on the Garden Route is a mere 50km from Port Elizabeth. The Huluhluwe / Umfolozi reserves and The White Elephant Lodge are all easily accessed from Durban and make the perfect side trip for divers on the KZN south coast and for those on their way to Sodwana Bay and Southern Mozambique.

Although Johannesburg is not always so close to where you want to spend your time sun tanning, it does have the largest international airport in the country and is the main the hub for most domestic flights. To be fair to Johannesburg, it’s a vibrant city with a lot going on and depending on your flight schedules it may be necessary to stop over for the night.