3. Drakensburg

The green Drakensberg Mountains provides a haven for hikers, pony trekkers, trout fishermen and nature lovers. Proclaimed a World Heritage Site in 2000 the mountains are South Africa's premier mountain wilderness.

The early European settlers named the mountain range 'Dragon Mountains', the range stretches along the western border of the KwaZulu-Natal and into Mpumalanga. The part most visited is the Central Drakensberg, which has the highest peaks - Injasuti (3410m), Cathkin Peak (3148m), Champaign Castle (3376m) and Giant's Castle (3314m).

The other popular destinations are the 8km broad sweep of the Amphitheatre and Mont-aux-Sources in the Northern Drakensberg, and the Sani pass into Lesotho in the South.

For further detailed information see East Cape.

4. The Garden Route

One of South Africa's greatest tourist attractions, the Garden Route, a slender stretch of coastal plain, runs along the coast of the West Cape between Mossel Bay and Storms River Mouth in the East Cape.

The Garden Route bears the legendary status as South Africa's paradise - reflected in local names such as Garden of Eden and Wilderness. The route is 200km long and is crossed by rivers tumbling down from the mountains to the north to its southern rocky shores and sandy beaches.

For more detailed information see GARDEN ROUTE.