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15 January 2016 by Debbie Mayger
To make their pound go further, British travellers are currently looking to the wildlife-filled national parks, dive sites and natural wonders of South Africa. Amid unrest in the currency markets – a knock on from shaky trading conditions in China – the rand has hit a historical low meaning excellent discounts on travel. In fact, your pound will buy you around double the amount of rand than it would have done five years ago.
To reflect this, an 11-day tailor-made tour designed to take in Cape Town and the best of the country’s whale-watching season and vineyards will now cost £1,445 (incl. flights) where it would have been £1,945 previously – a saving of £1,050 per couple. On it, you’ll also relax on Cape Town’s beautiful beaches, summit the iconic Table Mountain and visit Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for 27 years. With the extra rand lining your pockets, you might want to upgrade to the Belmond Mount Nelson Hotel, a luxury hotel located on the slopes of Table Mountain.
Alternatively, spot Lions, Rhinos, Leopards, Buffalos and Elephants – often referred to as the big five – from the luxury lodges of Kruger National Park. Or, there’s the rich topography and vegetation of the Garden Route. However, just as exchange rates have proved favourable, they could very easily turn around, so we recommend you book soon to avoid disappointment.