World Cup 2010: Whistle-stop Trips Through South Africa

South Africa is one of the most desirable places to visit in the world—particularly this summer, when from June 11 to July 11 the country plays host to the much-anticipated FIFA World Cup. To help you make the best use of your time in this sprawling country, here are three perfect whistle-stop itineraries.

Cape Town and the Winelands

You could spend weeks in Cape Town and not see a fraction of what it has to offer, so here's a quick-fire plan that will give you a taste of South Africa's most cosmopolitan city.

Start off with a classic hop-on, hop-off City Sightseeing bus tour to get your bearings, then stroll along Long Street, popping in and out of shops and sampling traditional South African fare like bobotie (spiced minced meat with an egg toping) or springbok at restaurants such as Café Ganesh in the trendy Observatory neighborhood.

Take the aerial tram up to the top of Table Mountain—or, better yet, hike it if you're in shape. Check out the stalls at Green Market Square for native goods and trinkets, and book yourself on a Cape Malay cooking safari in colorful Bo Kaap if you want to take a taste of native cuisine home with you.

But where will you sleep? Those who want to stay in true luxury will love the brand new One & Only Cape Town, situated near the bustling V&A Waterfront. With an amazing infinity pool—complete with bubble bed—a state-of-the-art spa, a Nobu outpost and Gordon Ramsay restaurant (Maze), and rooms boasting incredible views of Table Mountain, you'll be the envy of all your pals back home.

If you're seeking a downtown stay—and one that's not quite as much a strain on the wallet—check out quirky Grand Daddy Hotel on Long Street, which mixes contemporary rooms and comforts with a rooftop of themed, eccentric Airstream trailer suites. The club and restaurant are always booming with activity and filled with pretty young things, and the rooftop bar offers a great escape from the chaos of downtown Cape Town.

South Africa's mountainous wine region, Stellenbosch, and Cape Point, where the Indian and Atlantic Oceans meet, are both within an hour's drive of Cape Town. Be sure to factor in time to pay both spots a visit. Just be wary of baboons: The pesky critters are everywhere.

The Garden Route

An iconic drive comparable to California's Highway 1, the Garden Route winds its way in and out of valleys and along the coast from Cape Town east to Port Elizabeth, spanning nearly 500 miles. Your first stop along the way is at the Grootbos Private Nature Reserve just outside of Gansbaii, perched high above the coastline with sweeping views of the Indian Ocean. With extravagantly equipped standalone bungalows, Grootbos is about as posh as it gets. If you are adventurous, check out cage diving with great white sharks—this is the most famous spot in the world to do it—or take advantage of one of the educational nature treks that Grootbos offers.

On your second day, you can pop through Mossel Bay en route inland to Oudtshoorn, home to the famous ostrich farms, where you can stand on an ostrich egg or even attempt to ride one of the grounded avians. You also might want to check out Cango Wildlife Ranch, where you can go cage diving with alligators or pet a cheetah, and Cango Caves, two of the area's big draws. Have lunch at Buffelsdrift Lodge, where you dine above a lake filled with sleeping hippos and might spot elephants roaming in the distance. Spend the night outside of Oudtshoorn in a quaint three-bedroom guesthouse called Cheetah Lodge, where the service and friendliness are both incomparable.

From there, you can drive further east and spend time in one of two coastal towns: Knysna or Plettenberg Bay (dubbed simply "Plett” by residents). In Knysna, you needn't plan any activities beyond your stay at Pezula, as the resort has more than enough to do on its roster to keep you busy for days. Boasting some of the finest tennis courts in the land, not to mention an 18-hole championship golf course, Pezula has been known to attract many a professional athlete, including Roger Federer, who used to keep a residence here.

Plettenberg Bay is quieter than Knysna and has nature opportunities to boot. Don't pass up a night's stay at Hog Hollow Country Lodge, where you'll have floor-to-ceiling views of the jungle from your private quarters. The food is superb, and dinner—five-star cuisine with five-star service and company—is served nightly in a communal setting so you'll get to know neighbors who seem to come from every corner of the map.

Within a stone's throw from Hog Hollow are the area's three main draws: Monkeyland, an open primate sanctuary where every type of monkey imaginable inhabits the trees and bushes; elephant Sanctuary, where you can learn more about, hold hands (and trunks) with and even ride atop a pachyderm; and Birds of Eden, where a number of avians swoop just above your head in a dome-like setting.

Your journey ends just up the road in George, which houses a regional airport and offers South African Airways flights back to Cape Town, Johannesburg or a number of other domestic hubs.

African Safari

Atop many a traveler's lifelong bucket list is a timeless journey through the African bush. There are countless purveyors from which to choose, making it awfully difficult to settle on one if you're a rookie to the area; however, one lodge company trumps all the rest. With a mission for building up local communities and creating awareness and sustainability, &Beyond's goals—not to mention service and facilities—are top notch.

With a safari lodge and tented camp from which to choose, &Beyond's Ngala Private Game Reserve puts an entire game park at your disposal. And unlike popular Kruger park, which borders Ngala, you can both off-road it in the bush—making animal sightings all the more frequent and exciting—as well as ride in an open-top truck. (Kruger rules are that you must ride in an enclosed vehicle.)

You'll fly into Hoedspruit and be shuttled an hour to Ngala, where an open, airy lodge with all the comforts of home awaits you. Each morning and afternoon you'll go on a game drive, where sightings of lions, cheetahs, leopards, elephants, giraffes, hyenas and much, much more are commonplace. At night, you'll be served a full three-course meal out under the stars. In the afternoon, you can go on organized activities like bush walks, or take advantage of the lodge's central swimming pool.