Adventures in Africa

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.