RAVEL GAME FOR AN Have a wild time with the animals in South Africa

WITH details of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s royal tour of Africa being released, we visit one of their scheduled stops – spectacular South Africa. AS a pair of lions prowl towards us, I hold my breath while they pass just inches away.

“Don’t worry, they won’t eat you,” our safari ranger says.

As they slink off, our group collectively exhales.

We are in a safari truck in Kariega Game Reserve in South Africa’s Eastern Cape where moments like this are commonplace.

The 20,000-acre reserve has a range of stunning terrain including dense monkey-filled forests, lush plains full of zebra, and meandering rivers home to hordes of hippos.

Guests can explore on foot as well as in a vehicle, with the opportunity to meet all the stars of the Lion King.

Across two days of safari we saw a baby elephant learning to eat grass, a three-month-old rhino nuzzling its mum, and skittish warthogs.

On another day we spotted a sleeping lioness, giraffe families huddling together, and a baby baboon riding on the back of its mum.

Getting out of our gameviewing vehicle we enjoyed a bush walk under the scorching sun and encountered a herd of giraffe, snoozing hippos, and buffalo playing tag.

After a long day’s safari, we stopped on a hill to watch a magnificent African sunset, accompanied by a few magnificent African beers.

There are five lodges at Kariega and we stayed at Ukhozi with its infinity pool and tasty wine collection. We enjoyed both, as well as local musical performances after a sumptuous dinner.

The magic continued back at our rooms, with each lodge commanding views of endless greenery – as well as a private plunge pool.

We started our South Africa trip in Cape Town, a sunsoaked city set in a basin surrounded by mountains and miles of sandy beaches.

It has a distinct cosmopolitan atmosphere and is home to the affluent beach suburbs of Clifton and Camps Bay where people-watching is second to none. Don’t miss the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art, housing the largest collection of modern African art in the world.

Just outside the city are vineyards galore dotted with beautiful Cape Dutch architecture. And a drive along the spectacular coast with the Atlantic crashing below is a must.

Viewing Cape Town from the air is equally impressive, offering an amazing bird’s eye view of the city, surrounding vineyards and mountains. NAC Helicopters do a 30 minute guided tour with champagne for £35.

The next day we hit the streets early to explore Green Market Square in the centre of the city, a popular market full of crafts and delicacies.

As well as having more craft beers and biltong (like beef jerky, only better) than you can shake a stick at, the market is surrounded by independent shops and restaurants.

It’s just a short drive to Table Mountain, named one of Seven Wonders of Nature in 2016. You can hike to the top of this 1,085m colossus or hop on the revolving cable car.

We were staying in the shadow of the mountain at the AC Hotel by Marriott, Cape Town Waterfront where you can swim in a rooftop pool.

The following day we made the two-hour drive east to