By Chris Leadbeater
Cape Town? Been there. The Masai Mara? Done that. Egypt? Got the Pyramids T-shirt. If you fancy visiting Africa this year, why not try one of these less-seen marvels?
Although it has become better known of late as travellers seek less trodden patches of the continent, Botswana's Okavango Delta will still please intrepid types. Much of the appeal is the curious nature of the area's existence. Once part of a vanished ancient lake, the delta is fed by the Okavango River, a waterway that, despite being the fourth largest in Africa, has no path to the sea. Instead, the overspill runs aground on the parched tongue of the Kalahari Desert, leaving a trapped area of wetland in northern Botswana packed with wildlife. Visitors may well see hippos, rhinos and crocodiles as well as lions, elephants and buffalos - while 400 feathered species soar overhead.
Stay: If you want to get back to nature without roughing it,
Pom
Pom Camp offers seriously comfortable tented accommodation.
While some of Africa's game reserves are names recognised across the world, Chobe National Park is the subject of more select admiration. This is partly to do with its location, huddled in the north-east corner of Botswana. Not that those who make the trip are in danger of disappointment. The Okavango Delta's neighbour is a diverse region of marsh, open plain and forest - and home to a range of wildlife every bit as roaring and snarling as the next-door wetlands. The chief attraction, though, is the elephants. Chobe has 50,000 or so of the be-trunked beasts, mainly the huge Kalahari Elephant - and seeing them splash in the Chobe River is one of nature's great shows.
Stay: Chobe
Chilwero lodge offers cottages that directly overlook the Chobe River.
The recent sight of celebrities slogging up Mount Kilimanjaro has focused attention on Tanzania. But those who want to investigate this engaging country might be better off in Zanzibar, the archipelago that lies 15 miles off the east coast of the continent. The two main islands, Unguja (also confusingly known as Zanzibar) and Pemba, soak up most visitors, not least the former, with its capital Zanzibar City (can you spot a theme here?). The archipelago was once an independent state and trading power - a past written all over the Stone Town quarter of the capital, with its spice markets. And don't miss the beaches - on the south-east coast of Unguja, or at Kendwa in the north.
Stay: La
Gemma Dell' Est does five-star resort sophistication right on Kendwa Beach.
Most travellers flock to Kenya for the Masai Mara and Tsavo National Park,
yet there is much to say for combining safari and beach. Mombasa has been a
major port since the 12th century, but is now Kenya's main sand-and-sea hotspot.
Oman, Portugal and Britain all appreciated its charms at various points in history,
and its coveted status is still visible in the Portuguese-built 16th century
Fort Jesus. This is a big visitor attraction, although the chief draw of this
island city is its shoreline, especially Shelly, Tiwi and Diani beaches, south
of the city. The latter was even showered in stardust in 2005 when A-list globetrotters
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie popped in for a holiday.
Stay: Papillon
Lagoon Reef resort sits on Diani Beach, and has a PADI dive school.
South Africa has plenty of landmark locations - Cape Town, Cape Agulhas, the
lush winelands - but also many 'hidden' corners. The pick may well be Kwazulu-Natal.
Boxed in by Mozambique above its head and the Indian Ocean to its right, South
Africa's most easterly province is rich in appeal. The Drakensberg Mountains
offer rugged scenery. The Anglo-Zulu War battlefields at Isandlwana and Rorke's
Drift are poignant history. The Elephant Coast does tiny villages, remote beaches
and pristine wetlands - Isimangaliso Wetland Park is a UNESCO World Heritage
Site. Then there is Durban, a cosmopolitan city blessed with excellent beaches
along its Golden Mile.
Stay: The four-star Southern
Sun Elangeni lies on Durban's surf-heaven Golden Mile.
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Chris Leadbeater is a freelance travel journalist. He writes regularly
for the Daily Mail. His favourite destinations are Cuba, the USA and Paris.