Where to choose for your return to the Southern Hemisphere

Queenstown, New Zealand

This lakeside resort town is one of the country’s most popular destinations for its setting on the shore of Lake Wakatipu against the backdrop of the Southern Alps, its adventure sports, and for being a gateway to the region’s vineyards and historic mining towns. Thrill-seekers can bungee off Kawarau Gorge Suspension Bridge and jet-boat on the Shotover and Dart rivers, while winter brings the chance to ski. Historic Arrowtown is well worth a tour, and there’s a heritage steamboat to ride as well as the Skyline Gondola.

Melbourne, Australia

The hip Victoria capital is one worth visiting for its foodie scene alone, but also offers great culture (including venues dedicated to the aboriginal Kooris of this region), fashion, beaches and sports – the Melbourne Cricket Ground is the world’s biggest and includes the Australian Sports Museum and stadium tours. We also love heading to Phillip Island to watch the evening ritual of the Penguin Parade by the world’s biggest colony of little penguins (Eudyptula minor).

Cape Town, South Africa

Highlights of any visit to this southwest coast port city are riding the rotating cable-cars up Table Mountain, touring the living museum of Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned, and discovering Boulders Beach with its African penguins. We can also recommend a visit to Bo-Kaap, the Malay quarter, once racially segregated and now a hub of culture, history, music and delicious food. These attractions aside, what we also rate about Cape Town is that due to its having only a two-hour time difference from the UK, you won’t suffer any jetlag.

Patagonia, Argentina

Shared with Chile and covering nearly all of the southern portion of mainland Argentina, this region is one of steppes, grasslands and deserts. Our don’t-miss here is Los Glaciares National Park, where you can admire the dazzling Perito Moreno Glacier and hike part of Monte Fitz Roy. This is also the place for one of the world’s greatest driving adventures – the legendary Ruta 40 (RN 40/Route 40), which runs parallel to the Andes for nearly 5,000 spectacular kilometres.

Mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar

This east African country and the ‘Spice Island’ that forms part of it make for the perfect combination of luxury safari and beach holiday. Tanzania’s vast wilderness areas include the plains of Serengeti National Park, a safari mecca populated by the ‘big five’ (elephant, lion, leopard, buffalo, rhino), and Kilimanjaro National Park, with Africa’s highest mountain. Zanzibar, meanwhile, is best known for its iridescent white sands but also has a UNESCO-listed capital, Stone Town, well worth exploring.

Peru

Back on the travel list after a challenging few months, this magical country needs all the tourist income it can get so local communities and businesses can recover. Home to part of the Amazon rainforest, it’s best known for its archaeological sites, including the ancient Incan city of Machu Picchu, the Sacred Valley, the Inca Trail and the colonial city of Cusco. But don’t miss a stopover in coastal capital Lima with its UNESCO-listed colonial centro historico and its pre-Columbian art.

To book your holiday in one of these southern hemisphere destinations, or for other inspiration, call your Travel Counsellor.

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