If you dream of visiting the beautiful countries that sit beneath the equator such as South America, Oceania and South Africa, then why not make 2012 your year to turn those dreams into reality!  With daily flights from most main European airports and a whole range of self-drive and escorted tours to choose from, your adventure to the south is now more accessible than ever before, you just need to make the next step and book it!

South Africa is a wonderful destination for Europeans and from now until May, you are pretty much guaranteed sunny days, warm nights, great wine tasting opportunities and all the activities you could possibly wish for, but if you have never been to South Africa before – where do you start?

Well, there are plenty of different travel options such as city breaks and self-drives, but if you prefer to travel with a group of like-minded people then an escorted tour is definitely the way to go.  Escorted tours have certainly advanced over the years, and while some may find overcrowded coach tours with a packed itinerary appealing, most travellers prefer something a little more intimate where their travel arrangements are taken care of, but they are free to come and go as the please.

The perfect holiday for singles, couples and groups, escorted tours provide the opportunity to visit far more places than you might if travelling alone, and if you choose one of the more ‘comfortable’ small group tours, then you may find you pick up some great new friends along the way!

Our first escorted tour to South Africa was a wonderful experience and we shared our luxury mini bus with just four other people, a couple from Australia, a Lady Doctor from China and our wonderful South African guide Ananda. Driving from Cape Town up the illustrious Garden Route, it didn’t take long for us all to become friends, and with such a mix of nationalities, there were plenty of fun stories and jokes to share around the dinner table.

When you travel with a group of people from around the world, it makes your own travel experience that little bit more special, so why not try an escorted tour this year and treat yourself to a wonderful South African Experience.