To a village called Maphepetheni in an area called the Valley of a Thousand Hills. You will fall in love with it. It’s not staged in any way; people are living 100% authentic lives. When we make friends, support the locals and are respectful, the people are very happy. They’ll cook for you, sing for you, and recite poetry for you. I’m excited to share these stories and my roots.

What does it mean to be Zulu?

There are no people as warm as the Zulu people in the whole world. We’re brave people — warriors — and we love our culture. Come sit down with us! There are some 11 million Zulu-speaking people across South Africa, with most of them in KwaZulu-Natal — which means ‘the place of the Zulus’.

How do Zulus worship in this area?

Our ancestors are very important: to us, the dead are still people. Zulu’s believe in God and the Christian faith, but feel that they can communicate better with Him via those spirits close to them. They believe in worshipping in the open air. In every village there is a shembe temple, which is a ring of stones. You must take your shoes off to enter, and men and women will sit separately. Often, white outfits are worn to represent purity.

What can visitor expect to eat?

A traditional lunch might consist of ujeque, which is steamed bread made out of soft corn; seasonal vegetables; and village chicken — which can be tough. This is why Africans have strong teeth! And the traditional beer, umqombothi. It takes three days to brew, and its important that the host drinks first to show it’s not poisoned.

What do you wish people knew about your home?

People know less about us in KwaZulu-Natal than they should. We have everything, from the beach to safari to the Drakensberg — and it’s still so authentic. There are memories to be made here.

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This movement was founded by a longstanding group of artists that were painting in Woodtsock but who wanted to take their art from the studios into the streets. We wanted to inspire, we wanted to educate, and we wanted to tell stories that hadn’t been told. Today, we have more than 100 pieces here by local and international artists. In 2012, there was a demand from people to go and see the artwork and to know the stories behind them, and so I started doing the walking tours.

How did the local community respond to the street art?

We had to go to house owners to get permission to paint on their property, and at the start only half said yes. But as we started to paint, more people started to allow the art. It wasn’t easy for people to understand what we were doing. They thought art could only be found in the galleries; that it was only for the rich to own. We explained that this would be art and it would belong to the people. We wanted it to inspire them everyday. Now, the local people love it.

Can you tell us a bit about the neighbourhood?

Woodstock was historically an English neighbourhood of textile factories, but was hit hard when the Chinese market boomed and overtook local business. Artists moved into the empty buildings and it started becoming trendy. More recently, the area has become gentrified. Woodstock now has one of the finest restaurants in the world, The Test Kitchen. Places like Rosetta Roastery and Honest Chocolate are popular, plus the food and fashion at Saturday’s Neighbourgoods Market in The Old Biscuit Mill. It’s very vibrant, very happening. And after a day checking out the street art, you can have a drink at the arty Casa Woodstock Bar. If you come for the tour, you want to end up somewhere with a similiar artistic vibe.

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South Africa is famous for its safaris, but its ocean life is just as rich, just as fascinating. On a cruise around the Dyer Island system in Gansbaai, you have the chance to see our Marine Big Five: the great white shark, African penguin, southern right whale, cape fur seal, and dolphin. I challenge anyone to find another place on Earth that can offer such diversity so close to shore.

Is shark cage diving terrifying?

With Marine Dynamics, we’ve had everyone from a three-year-old to a 100-year-old go in. When you see a great white swim past, you have such a change in perception. It’s a chance to appreciate just how magnificent and elegant they are, to understand they’re not man-eating monsters.

It never gets old to see people leave the cage with that transformation. Experiencing shark cage diving is powerful. The sharks are here year-round, but there’s a higher density from May to September when the cape fur seal pups make their way into the ocean from the Geyser rock colony into the stretch we call Shark Alley.

When is the best time to go whale-watching?

Peak season for southern right whales is October and November. But they start arriving from the Antarctic in May and June and leave again in December. This year, we had a bumper season; more calves were born in these waters than in any of the previous 39 years. Even out of southern right whale season, we still have Bryde’s whales and humpbacks.

Are visitors helping conservation?

When you go out in Gansbaai with Marine Dynamics for shark cage diving, or go whale-watching with Dyer Island Cruises, you’re really making a difference by contributing to the Dyer Island Conservation Trust. The non-profit organisation is involved in vital research and conservation, and it runs the African Penguin and Seabird Sanctuary, which rehabilitates injured and sick birds.

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It’s all about wildlife. It’s all about game viewing. We have people from all over the world coming to South Africa to share this piece of paradise with us, and my favourite thing about the job is meeting them and sharing these wildlife experiences. Working here at MalaMala in Sabi Sands private game reserve in Greater Kruger, I’ve seen amazing things. Sometimes I look back and see tears falling down guests’ faces, from joy.

What happens on a game drive?

A game drive is all about game viewing, but it’s also like playing a game because we don’t know what we’re going to find out there in the bush. The most important thing is to trust your guide. Before we take our guests out on safari, we do a vehicle orientation. We tell them they’re not allowed to stand up: if we stand up, we break the shape of the vehicle and the animals might recognise us as humans, and they could be disturbed or attack out of fear.

All the animals here grew up with Land Rovers around that’s how we’re able to do such close game viewings, even if an animal is feeding. The morning drive ends with a cooked breakfast back at camp, and during the evening drive we have sundowner drinks out in the bush. Some of the animals are becoming active at this time, so maybe we’ll hear some lions or leopards roar.

What type of animals do you see in this area?

We have the The Big Five, which are lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhino. And lots more; we don’t have any fence between Kruger and our reserve. Here in MalaMala it’s almost everyday we see the cats. For leopard viewings, there’s nowhere better. Down in the river, during the dry season, all of the animals come to drink, so if it’s a sunny day in the late afternoon all you have to do is drive along the riverbed and you’ll find the lions and leopards waiting for the prey species. We feel very lucky to have this river here. The river is part of what makes MalaMala so great for game viewing.

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I’m an outdoor adventure guide. I moved here to The Green Kalahari to be able to wake up every morning to all this; for my family to live in nature like we’re supposed to. The biggest city is Upington, about 80 miles away from us. The border to Namibia is about 43 miles north. And we’ve got Augrabies Falls National Park right on our doorstep.

What is The Green Kalahari?

This is the vein of life that runs through the desert, where South Africa’s longest river meets the Kalahari, with beautiful vineyards and trees, beyond, which it’s desert. There’s scenery and birdlife, fishing and canoeing, mountain biking and hiking. The Northern Cape is the biggest province in South Africa and probably the least explored, but they say that once you’ve got the red sand under your toenails you’ll always come back.

What’s the best way to explore the river?

River rafting. We go down a section of the Orange River with some rapids — just big enough to get the blood pumping. You paddle your own craft down there. The river has a very mild, mile-long section for families, and very wild, longer sections as well. For the extreme adventurer, we can organise multi-day rafting journeys up and over the border.

What’s the most extreme activity on offer?

We’ve got a mountain bike course that goes through the most spectacular areas — red dunes to rocky, mountainous areas and crystal ridges. It’s very challenging, but fun. Every year, in our cooler winter season, the Trans-Augrabies Mountain Bike Stage Race takes place here: it’s three days and around 155 miles.

What kind of wildlife can you see?

Springbok, gemsbok and beautiful birds, including Marshall eagles and black eagles. But the Kalahari, for me, is about the little things — the Augrabies flat lizard with its beautiful colours, the scorpions, the little ants. If you take time and walk around, or even get down on your hands and knees, you’ll see the magic of the desert.

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I’ve always loved being outside. One of my greatest passions is to go hiking, and the Drakensberg boasts the largest concentration of hiking trails in South Africa. It’s just littered with adventure pursuits, too: hot air ballooning, abseiling, rock climbing, horse-riding, mountain biking, zip-lining, paragliding, whitewater rafting, taking a helicopter flip into the ’Burg: you name it.

What’s the landscape like?

Incredible panoramic vistas of stark, rugged peaks with rolling hills in the foreground covered by dense grassland and lush, indigenous forests; waterfalls falling into turquoise pools that are ideal for swimming. There’s flora and fauna that’s endemic to the area: roughly 300 species of plant are only found in the Drakensberg. And there are high concentrations of antelopes, like the eland, which was revered by the San people who lived here thousands of years ago. There are many examples of ancient rock art in these parts too. For these reasons, it’s one of only 20 places in the world that’s been recognised twice by UNESCO.

What’s an unmissable activity?

A helicopter trip over the Drakensberg. It’s so hard to comprehend how rugged and vast the mountains are until you’re high up and can see the depth of the valleys and height of the peaks. It’s mind-blowing. The only other way to experience it is to hike to the top of the escarpment, but the great thing about a helicopter is that within a few minutes you’re already up there.

What adventure activities are popular for families?

One of the most popular family experiences is zip-lining at the Drakensberg Canopy Tour, which has 12 lines criss-crossing a valley over indigenous forest. It’s for ages seven and up. And a guide will explain all the geological features and the flora and fauna, too, so the idea isn’t just to have a thrilling experience, but an enlightening one, too. It really is spectacular.

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My tours tend to be longer than other guides’ — people seem to generate a lot of questions! I believe there’s a lot of discipline involved in guiding, and a passion for the industry is essential. I’ve now been doing it for 22 years; 15 years in this part of Mpumalanga. It’s a special place: there are so many diverse cultures, each with their own unique characters. And the views across Blyde River Canyon are stunning.

What is The Panorama Route, and what are its major sights?

The Panorama Route encompasses some of South Africa’s most stunning scenery, right here around the Blyde River Canyon. At 16 miles long, it’s the third largest canyon in the world.

There’s also the Lisbon Falls, Graskop Gorge and Bourke’s Luck Potholes, which is a beautiful geological feature created by swirling water erosion where two rivers meet. And, of course, there’s the short hike to the lookout at God’s Window. They say on a clear day you can see to the ocean in Mozambique.

What was life like for the first European settlers?

If you’re a keen historian, you’ll find this region very interesting. There are various tales of pioneers who came to settle in Pilgrims Rest looking for gold. One of the best resources, is Percy Fitzpatrick’s Jock of the Bushveld, which is set in these parts and tells the trials and tribulations of the author and his dog, Jock.

How can a traveller visit responsibly?

Support the local community by buying their arts and crafts that they sell at sights along The Panorama Route. Obviously, you can’t buy from every little shop you come across, but don’t wait until you get to Johannesburg — buy from the local community. It really helps to boost morale.

What, for you, makes South Africa special?

The diversity — it has so many cultures and areas of natural beauty to explore. The vastness of the country, too. You can go from one part of the country to another and see something completely different.

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I get to share the beauty of my country with visitors. You could spend a whole week on the Wild Coast here in the Eastern Cape enjoying the unspoilt natural beauty, and the hospitality of the Xhosa people. You can go horse-riding, hiking or fishing, and all along the coast we have waterfalls that pour directly into the sea.

What’s your idea of the ultimate Wild Coast adventure?

Crossing the Kei River into the former Transkei, via the Xhosa village of Qolora, and then picking up Trevor’s Trail from Trennerys Hotel. It combines a river cruise and a trek in indigenous forest. It’s great for birders, and a guide can talk about the flora and traditional medicines. Finally, you take a boat through the Transkei Gates Gorge where you can do cliff jumping.

What’s your favourite place here?

At Coffee Bay there’s a very beautiful natural phenomenon called The Hole in the Wall, which was created by waves bashing the sandstone. There’s a traditional Xhosa story attached to it. A lady from a nearby village that went to collect water met a beautiful man. But this guy wasn’t an ordinary fellow, he’d passed on and was an ancestor. In Xhosa culture, when someone passes away, they become an ancestor (we still communicate and connect with them). They fell in love, but the union was forbidden by the woman’s parents. As a result, the ancestors were very angry and bashed a hole in the rock using a big fish.

What will visitors remember most from a trip to The Wild Coast?

Stunning as the scenery is, it’s the people who’ll make visitors want to come back for more. There’s a misconception about South Africa that you must stay indoors or you’ll get robbed. Here, you don’t stay in an air-conditioned car away from everyone; you get to interact with friendly locals who might show you where the next pub in the village is, and you’ll maybe end up sharing a bottle of beer, having a chat.

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I’ve been working in the wine industry for nearly 30 years and in my opinion this is the best wine destination in the world. The proximity of the Winelands to Cape Town is unique: people can enjoy iconic city sights and then, in under an hour’s drive, be sampling local wines among the vines in Stellenbosch or Franschhoek. Within a three-hour radius you can visit 10 wine regions easily. And for UK travellers, it’s a simple flight to Cape Town in a straight line north to south, so there’s no jet lag.

What’s the local food like?

You’re really spoilt for choice with restaurants in the Winelands. And it’s very affordable, along with our wines. There’s a move away from the theatre of molecular gastronomy made popular by Ferran Adrià and Heston Blumenthal. Food here is becoming more real — more authentic.

In one of the oldest buildings in Stellenbosch, we have the restaurant De Volkskombuis, which means ‘the people’s kitchen’. And this was the food that I grew up with: traditional Cape-Dutch cuisine, that evolved in home kitchens over generations. Dishes such as waterblommetjie bredie, a lamb stew made with a little flower that lives in the marshes and dams here in the Western Cape.

Which wines do visitors absolutely have to try?

A lot of people will immediately think of Vin de Constance, which was supposedly the first wine that was made in Constantia. It was already being drunk in Europe in the 18th century; Napoleon had it at his deathbed at Saint Helena. But I think in the last two decades or so, we’ve really started redefining ourselves.

Pinotage is our national grape, developed in the 1920s by Professor Perold in Stellenbosch. It’s a unique, interesting grape, and we’re still learning how to manage it. It’s producing beautiful, world-acclaimed wines. Our flag bearers are pinotage for red and, for white, our chenin blanc.

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I was a dental technician until 2014 when I appeared on MasterChef South Africa’s third season. Afterwards, I became a restaurateur, opening 4Roomed right here in the township I grew up in. The name comes from the standard four-roomed homes found in the oldest townships across the country. When my mother moved us to Khayelitsha in the ’80s, she built an incredible community by welcoming people to stay with us. The four-roomed homes were about sharing; there were no fences between homes. And I grew up thinking we were all family.

What’s the concept behind your South African township cuisine?

You’ll find a lot of South African restaurants don’t serve South African-inspired meals. It’s become a lot about fast food because of the demands of work and life. With our cuisine, we want to tell stories about growing up in a township. We want to evoke nostalgia and pride.

Tell us about one of your dishes

In the olden days, there was a pumpkin and pap dish called umqa. My twist is that we make it with butternut and nutmeg, with a drizzle of truffle oil. I wanted to create this because umqa is the most undermined dish! I’ve had guests say, “I don’t want to have umqa, it’s a peasant meal.” But when they taste it — although it might remind them of how they struggled growing up, eating this as their breakfast, lunch and dinner — they say, “Oh this reminds me of my gran.”

Which dish are you most proud of?

There’s a dessert called amkhekhe, inspired by a popular scone you’d find in townships. I’ve revamped the recipe, added some citrus flavours, chocolate chips and a yuzu syrup. And we love adding whatever grows in the garden, in this case gooseberries and nasturtium flowers. And it gets topped with a burnt sugar decoration, which is a nod to the sugar I burnt on Masterchef that got me kicked off!

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