South Africa has come a long way since apartheid. Belinda Weber visited as it prepares to host the football World Cup in 2010, and found a diverse and beautiful country

I must admit, I had reservations about visiting South Africa. I grew up when apartheid was in place and remembered news footage of violent protests, shootings and riots. Arriving at Johannesburg airport, I couldn't have been more surprised. True, sniffer dogs were patrolling the arrivals area, but they were searching out contraband fruit and other foods that people had snaffled from their airline meals and were hoping to eat later. Heathrow is a far more intimidating airport, with the increased security and armed police everywhere.

Markets and nightlife
Johannesburg is a lively city, with huge skyscrapers and enormous hotels. There are plenty of markets and shops to satisfy any bargain-hunting urges you may have. Street hawkers are wise to the current exchange rates, and will haggle hard to get a good price.

They're also good at guilt-tripping the tourists with sad stories, and all compete fiercely for your custom. To unsuspecting Westerners, this can feel threatening, but many of the handicrafts are beautifully made and well worth the effort of haggling. Head to the Newtown Cultural Precinct in the evening. The Market Theatre, which nurtured a protest theatre throughout the apartheid years, continues to put on entertaining performances and the complex surrounding it has restaurants serving delicious North African specialities.

Must-see museums
The Apartheid Museum at the corner of Northern Parkway and Gold Reef Road is well worth a visit. The outer courtyard is dominated by seven pillars which display the fundamental values of South Africa's first fully democratic parliament: democracy, equality, reconciliation, diversity, responsibility, respect and freedom, and these sentiments do echo around the city.

Entry tickets to the museum are colour coded and allocated randomly, but allow access by different doors. This simple segregation is hugely efficient and gives an insight into how the apartheid system operated. The museum is dedicated to South Africa's turbulent 20th century history and provides a fascinating glimpse into how life was then. It is unflinching in its treatment of what happened in the townships and is an extremely moving museum.

Try to also visit the Hector Pieterson Museum, named after the 12-year-old schoolboy who was one of many children shot by police while protesting against the use of Afrikaans as the official language in township schools, and the Nelson Mandela Museum, former home to the South African president and full of his personal artefacts.

Township life
Soweto (a shortened form of South Western Townships) was much bigger than I'd imagined and is another thriving city with a population of over three million. There's lots of building work going on here, to improve local housing and also provide shopping centres. And, with an eye to the 2010 World Cup, the public transport system is also getting an overhaul.

There's a genuine feeling of pride in people's accomplishments and belief in a more democratic way of life. Many small businesses, such as Chez Alina, a restaurant serving huge quantities of local specialities, thrive. Alina herself is a remarkable character, who often joins you at the table. She opened her restaurant in 1997, and now employs six other people to help her.

Local kids provide the entertainment here, as they come and dance for you after you've finished eating. After lunch, take a wander down Vilakazi Street, where Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu both lived. Their houses are clearly marked.

Going on safari
No trip to Africa would be complete without a safari and the Madikwe Reserve, near the border with Botswana, is only an hour's flight from Johannesburg. Much smaller than the Kruger National Park, but with the added advantage that it is malaria-free, Madikwe is home to the full range of African animals, and is regarded as one of the better conservation areas.

Our game drives were packed with activity and we were lucky enough to see all the 'big five' - lion, leopard, buffalo, elephant and rhino - along with countless antelope and zebra. The reserve is also home to wild dogs and cheetahs.

Madikwe is a relatively new reserve that opened in 1991. The land is reclaimed farmland and many of the animals have been relocated from other parts of the country. The land, which lies on the edges of the Kalahari, is mostly open grassland with bushveld, and is home to over 350 species of birds.

Unashamed luxury
Staying in the park is a fantastic experience. We were based at the Royal Madikwe Lodge, which is seriously luxurious. The suites are sumptuously furnished with dark woods and billowing white mosquito nets. Each has its own bathroom with a choice of indoor or outdoor showers (if you don't mind an audience of baboons watching you wash), and a huge bath from which you watch zebra, antelope and even elephants wander by on their way to the Lodge's watering hole.

The outdoor plunge pool on the deck is perfect for cooling off in after a strenuous morning of watching wildlife!

The Lodge is unashamedly opulent, but still manages to feel cosy and friendly. Owned by Dr Chai Patel, the Chief Executive of the Priory Group, the philosophy of the Lodge is one of caring, both for the guests and local communities. While guests enjoy the exclusive use of the Lodge, the tailor-made safaris, delicious foods, and unobtrusive but dedicated care from the staff, the local community benefits from the Bright Future Trust.

This organisation was set up by the Royal Madikwe and focuses on health, education and sustainable enterprises in the surrounding communities. The Lodge donates 20 per cent of its profits to the charity, which has so far raised over £78,500. Its latest project was installing playground equipment to benefit children in seven schools in local rural communities.

Another day, another country
After such a long-haul flight, it's good to add an 'extra' on to your holiday, and in our case, we opted for a trip to Zambia to see the Victoria Falls. Staying at The Royal Livingstone on the banks of the Zambezi River is like being transported back in time. The entire resort, which also houses The Zambezi Sun resort, is set in a National Park, and so animals have free reign. There's even a sign warning you to look out for crocodiles by one of the resorts ponds.

Monkeys are regularly chased off the tables in the terrace restaurant, and will swipe the tasty cakes and pastries from your high tea if your attention is momentarily diverted! Although they look cute, guests are warned that they are not friendly, and I must admit, I retreated into my bedroom when one bared his teeth at me as I tried to photograph it. The zebra seemed altogether friendlier and didn't mind being photographed while grazing beside the swimming pool.

The smoke that thunders
The Victoria Falls themselves are stunning, as you would expect from one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World. Rainbows dance in front of you, caught in the droplets of water that shower down as you find the perfect view. Thank heavens for digital cameras as I clicked off literally hundreds of shots of the legendary falls.

Known locally as 'Mosi-oa-Tunya', which translates as 'the smoke that thunders', the falls were renamed after the English Queen when Dr David Livingstone saw them in November 1855. Each time you see the falls, they seem to change, so make sure you visit at different times of day to enjoy them at their best.

Take a boat ride from the sun deck bar of The Royal Livingstone to Livingstone Island, and stand on the same spot as the intrepid explorer of old. Here you can peak over the very edge of the falls into the foaming torrents below, before enjoying lunch. At certain times of year, the brave (or foolhardy) can swim across the currents to a small pool on the lip of the falls, called the Devil's Armchair. From this perch, they can truly claim to have been on the edge of the world.

Adventure tourism has arrived in Livingstone, and you can choose from a range of white-knuckle experiences including bungee jumping off the Victoria Falls Railway Bridge, white-water rafting in the Zambezi, jet-boating, microlighting or even flying in a Tiger Moth. We chose a helicopter flight over the Falls and for 15 minutes were spellbound by the views. We even saw elephants and giraffes from our vantage point - the icing on the cake of a fabulous experience.

To finish off the trip, we treated ourselves to a massage, which took place in a tent overlooking the Zambezi. Although I didn't see much of the river, there is something magical about listening to hippos grunting and grumbling while having your shoulders kneaded.

Tips for travellers

As in most large cities, opportunist crime is prevalent in Johannesburg, so tourists are warned against wandering around dangling expensive jewellery or cameras from their wrists.

Young children are usually not allowed on safari, but at the Royal Madikwe they are welcomed. Because of its exclusivity (your party are the only guests at the Lodge), even very young children can experience the sights and sounds of the African Bush, with family game drives. Knowledgeable rangers will assess which animals the children would enjoy seeing, and try to tailor the game drives accordingly. There are also nannies on hand at the Lodge to entertain the kids while parents relax. For more information visit www.royalmadikwe.co.za

Sun International, which owns The Royal Livingstone resort, also contributes to local charities and works to improve the lives of the local communities. For more information about the hotel complex visit www.sun-international.com

The grounds at The Royal Livingstone complex are regularly sprayed with insecticide and all the rooms have mosquito repellents but you will need to take anti-malarials if you visit Zambia.

South African Airways flies from Johannesburg to Livingstone in Zambia every day. It also operates twice daily flights from Heathrow.