Jiving with Jo'burg Jollers to the Sounds of Kwaito (Gauteng): The best place to experience the melting pot of Rainbow Nation culture, and to celebrate the emergence of a cohesive national identity, is on the dance floors grooving to kwaito, South Africa's own homegrown version of house. Look out for performances by TKZee, Arthur, Bongo Maffin, and Boom Shaka.

Freezing Your Butt Off on an Early-Morning Game Drive (Limpopo Province, North-West, Mpumalanga, and Botswana): In winter (May-Aug), considered to be the best time of the year to go on safari (when animals are the most visible), rangers set off in their open-topped vehicles before dawn.

Getting Caught Up in the Cape Minstrels Carnival (Cape Town): Every New Year, brightly dressed troupes of "coloured" men dance through the streets of Cape Town, singing to the quick-paced strum of banjos and the thump of drums. This tradition was inspired by American minstrels who came to the Cape in the late 1800s, but the celebration actually dates back to 1834 when slaves took to the streets to celebrate their liberation.

Spotting Zebra from the Highway (Cape Town): Zebra, wildebeest, and various antelope graze on Table Mountain's slopes literally minutes from the city center. Look out for them from the highway as you drive in from the airport.

Enjoying the Sunset from Table Mountain (Cape Town): From this great vantage point, you can watch the sun sink into the Atlantic Ocean, turning the Twelve Apostles a deep pink; then walk across the tabletop to the lip and watch the city lights start to twinkle and the dusky outline of the hinterland mountains under a moonlit sky.

Feeling Humbled at Mandela's Prison Cell (Cape Town): Tours of Robben Island are pretty restrictive, but looking into the tiny cell where Nelson Mandela spent the majority of his time in prison leaves few unmoved. Further insight into the years spent here is provided by guides who were incarcerated at the same time as Mandela, in what came to be known as the "University of Robben Island."

Watching Whales from White Dunes (Western Cape): At De Hoop Nature Reserve's Koppie Alleen, the white dunes stretch deep beneath the sea, turning its blue hue into a hypnotic turquoise. This is the perfect place to watch the Southern Right Whales who come to breed off the Overberg Coast -- said to offer the best land-based whale-watching in the world.

Walking Through Carpets of Flowers (Northern Cape): In this annual miracle of spiritual proportions, the semi-arid and seemingly barren West Coast bursts into life after the first spring rains. More than 2,600 species of flowers literally carpet the Namaqualand plains for a few weeks before subsiding back into the soil for another year-long wait.

Visiting the World's Largest Open-Air Gallery (Western Cape, Eastern Cape, and KwaZulu-Natal): Created by the San hunter-gatherers, an ancient civilization all but destroyed by the migrating Nguni and white settlers, these rock-art paintings date back between 100 and 20,000 years, and document the history and spiritual beliefs of these gentle people. More than 15,000 sites are scattered throughout the country.

Seeing the Zulu Kings Reed Dance (Kwazulu-Natal): Experience a scene that has been enacted for hundreds of years as you join some 15,000 Zulus, many dressed in tribal gear, to watch the virgin maidens dance for the Zulu Prince Gideon, who would traditionally pick a wife here.

Soaking Up Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe): The sight of more than 500 million liters of water a minute thundering into the Batoka Gorge, creating soaring rainbows and a mist of drenching spray, will never leave you. Enjoy the view with a champagne breakfast on Livingstone Island.

Rafting the Churning Waters of the Zambezi (Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe): There is absolutely nothing like hearing this mighty river pound past, drowning the guides' last-minute instructions as you plunge into such vividly named white waters as "the Muncher."

Drinking the Waters of the Delta (Okavango Delta, Botswana): As you're poled along in your mokoro (dugout canoe), past palm-fringed islands and aquatic game, sample the life-giving waters of the delta. Simply scoop up a handful (keeping an eye out for crocs!) and sip.