Surrounded by oceans and with a diverse landscape that includes forests, rivers, mountains, and large tracts of pristine wilderness, southern Africa is the ideal destination for outdoor adventure. For a complete list of operators specializing in adventure pursuits, purchase the Getaway Adventure Guide or go to its website for details: www.getawaytoafrica.com.

The Western Cape (which includes Cape Town) and Victoria Falls are the two adventure centers of southern Africa. Both are well-serviced by one-stop shops where staff will advise and make bookings for every adventure activity available. In Cape Town visit Long Street where a number of one-stop adventure shops are located-Adventure Village (tel. 27/21/424-1580; www.adventure-village.co.za), is recommended. The most helpful outfit in Vic Falls Village is Backpackers Bazaar (tel. 263/13/45828; backpack@africaonline.co.zw).

Abseiling -- With numerous mountainsides to drop off, and a number of rivers to drop into, the Western Cape offers the most scenic abseiling (rappelling) options in South Africa.

Ballooning -- For the best hot-air balloon views, head for the Pilanesberg game reserves in the North-West and drift over the savanna looking for big game. A close second is to sample a glass of wine while soaring over its source in the Winelands of the Western Cape.

Bird-Watching -- Situated on one of the world's biggest continents, with a range of totally different environments, the southern African region offers hours of rewarding bird-watching, and many species occur nowhere else but here. The best areas are Ndumo and Mkhuze in KwaZulu-Natal, the bush savanna of Mpumalanga and the Limpopo Province, and the Okavango delta in Botswana. For the best bird-watching safaris in southern Africa, contact Peter Lawson (tel. 27/13/741-2458).

Boardsailing (Windsurfing) -- The most exhilarating windsurfing spots are in the Scarborough and Kommetjie area on Cape Town's western seaboard, off the Cape Point coast, and at Langebaan on the West Coast, where the wind comes up almost every afternoon.

Bungee/Bridge Jumping -- You can take the highest bungee jump in the world at Bloukrans River Bridge -- 216m (708 ft.), which rather makes the 65m (213 ft.) from the Gouritz River Bridge seem like child's play. Both these jumps are on the Garden Route, Western Cape. At 104m (341 ft.), the world's second-highest bungee jump is off the Victoria Falls Bridge.

Canoeing & Kayaking -- Canoes can usually be rented wherever there's water -- check the regional chapters or with the local tourism bureaus. This is certainly a great way to explore the upper reaches of the Zambezi River and South Africa's "Lakes District" in the Garden Route. Kayaking is offered along the coast as well as on certain rivers, but takes considerably more practice. Gliding through the waters in a dugout canoe (called a mokoro) in the delta is one of the highlights of a trip to Botswana.

Diving -- You'll need to take a recognized dive course before plunging down in the deep to meet some of the 2,000 species that live off the African shores. If you're doing it here (and this is one of the cheapest places in the world to do so), make sure the organization is part of the South African Underwater Union (SAUU), which is affiliated with agencies worldwide. Sodwana Bay in northern KwaZulu-Natal is the most popular dive destination. The Cape coast is good for wreck-diving. For more information, contact SAUU (tel. 27/21/930-6549).

Fishing -- With more than 2,500km (1,550 miles) of coastline, rock, and surf, anglers are spoilt for choice here. The confluence of the warm Indian Ocean and the cold Atlantic is responsible for one of the highest concentrations of game fish in the world, including marlin. June through November are particularly popular months on the KwaZulu-Natal coast, for which you need no license. Spear fishermen won't leave disappointed either; for more information, contact SAUU (see "Diving," above). Trout fishing is also extremely popular, particularly in the Dullstroom area (Mpumalanga), the Drakensberg (KwaZulu-Natal), and the mountains of the Western Cape. For more information, call the Federation of SA Flyfishers (tel. 27/11/462-6687). For organized fly-fishing holidays, contact Ultimate Angling (tel. 27/21/686-6877).

Golfing -- Courses in KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape are usually very beautiful and incorporate the natural environment. Unique to Africa are the courses where you may bump into wild animals (in Mpumalanga and the Limpopo Province, in particular). Many of the best courses have been designed by world champion and Johannesburg native Gary Player.

Hang- & Paragliding -- To combine flights with beautiful scenery, head for Wilderness in the Western Cape, considered the best area for coastal flying, or dive off Lion's Head for a bird's-eye view of Cape Town. To fly alone, you'll need to complete a course here, or ensure that your license is recognized. If you've never flown before, simply do a tandem flight with an instructor. See relevant chapters for schools or clubs in the various regions.

Hiking -- South Africa has the most comprehensive trails network in Africa, from short rambles to tough 2-week hikes covering everything from fragrant botanical gardens, indigenous forests, savanna, and fynbos-clad mountains to uninhabited coastlines. Unique to Africa are trails in game reserves where you may encounter big game on foot, the best of which are the Umfolozi trails in KwaZulu-Natal. Also keep an eye out for "kloofing" trails, on which you follow a river through a mountain gorge (kloof), swimming and clambering your way out. Most of the best hiking trails are in the Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal, as well as in Mpumalanga and the Limpopo Province. Hikers may wish to contact the National Hiking Board of South Africa (tel. 012/336-7500) or consider purchasing The Complete Guide to Walks and Trails in Southern Africa by Jaynee Levy (Struik).

Mountain Biking -- For pure scenic splendor, the best trails are in the Western Cape. Explore the Cape's Winelands, Table Mountain, Cape Point, or the indigenous forests and superb coastline of the Garden Route. Bikes can be rented wherever there are trails. For more information, read Guide to Mountain Bike Trails in the Western Cape by Paul Leger (Red Mill Publications) or contact Suzie Mills (tel. 27/11/837-8205; suzie@clip-in.co.za), a passionate biker and fount of knowledge on trails throughout South Africa.

Mountaineering -- The most challenging and popular mountains are in KwaZulu-Natal (Drakensberg) and the Western Cape (Table Mountain, Cederberg). Table Mountain alone offers more than 500 routes. Some of the best mountains are privately owned, but local climbing clubs can provide permits. For more information, contact the Mountain Club of South Africa (tel. 27/21/465-3412).

Parachuting (Skydiving) -- You need no previous experience to do a same-day jump -- simply complete an accelerated free-fall course or try a tandem jump. For the best views, leap into the skies above Stellenbosch in the Cape's Winelands, then reward yourself with some serious wine tasting after the event.

Riding -- There are horse trails throughout southern Africa, ranging from 2-hour excursions around town surrounds (Noordhoek Beach in Cape Town is particularly recommended) to week-long expeditions. One of the best wilderness experiences is found in the Waterberg, Limpopo Province. If horses aren't your bag, you can mount an ostrich in Oudtshoorn, a camel in Cape Town, or an elephant in Botswana or Victoria Falls.

Sailing -- You'll find the yacht facilities in South Africa excellent, with winds averaging 15 to 25 knots. Offshore sailing requires that you belong to a recognized yacht club; to find out more about local harbor regulations, contact the South African Sailing (tel. 27/21/439-1147; www.sailing.org.za)

Shark-Cage Diving -- Unlike scuba diving, this requires no experience. Great White sharks are baited by operators who lower cages (usually containing two persons) into the water to view this protected species feeding close up. This activity is offered in the Western Cape -- off Dyer Island, near Hermanus; and in Mossel Bay, Garden Route.

Surfing -- For many, Jeffrey's Bay in the Eastern Cape represents the surf mecca of Africa; but KwaZulu-Natal's Durban, with its year-round warm weather and water and consistently good waves, is South Africa's real surfing center.

White-Water Rafting -- Commercial river running is a well-developed industry, and no experience is necessary if you're escorted by a reputable outfit (that is, registered with South African Rafting Association [SARA]). The Zambezi below Victoria Falls offers one of the greatest adrenaline trips on water, and is not to be missed even if you've never rafted before. The biggest wildwater after this is the Tugela River in KwaZulu-Natal (runnable only in summer). Other rivers worth rafting are the Blyde in Mpumalanga, an 8km (5-mile) descent with grade 3 to 5 rapids; the Doring (late Aug to Sept) and the Palmiet in the Western Cape; and the Orange in the Northern Cape; the latter offers the most relaxing rafting trip. Ask what you should wear or bring when making a booking.