Johannesburg is one of the largest cities in South Africa. Situated in the Highveld area of Gauteng, the city is modern and well facilitated. Accommodation ranges from exclusive 5 star hotels to backpackers, game lodges and B&B’s. The 4×4 courses available are Bass Lake Adventures, Hennops Off-Road Trail and Protea Eco Adventures. The tour takes two days in Johannesburg so there is plenty of time to experience the restaurants, mall, theatres, Gold Reef City Theme Park and the historical places of the city. The next destination in the tour is Parys, a small town with a vibrant personality situated on the edge of the Vredefort Dome, a massive meteor crater. The accommodation is the typical town type: B&B’s, guesthouses, campsites, lodges and self catering. The town boasts a 4×4 trail; the Berakah Eco Trail which can be completed in one day or if you want to spend 2 days exploring the trail there are basic overnight facilities on sight.

After spending a night in Parys, the tour moves onto Dundee for one night. This is a small town in the Kwa Zulu Natal Midlands that is steeped in history from the many wars fought between the Zulu, English and Dutch soldiers. The accommodation in Dundee is available in B&B’s, guesthouses, lodges and a historic hotel. The 4×4 trails available are the Bonani Wild and Wonderful Safari trail which is situated in a game park and other independent trails around the area. The Battlefields are well worth a visit and many informative tours are available to visit all the sights. From Dundee, the next destination in the tour is Underberg, a town in the Drakensberg where 4×4 trails are in abundance.

After a night in Underberg in one of their many guesthouses, B&B’s or self catering options, the tour heads to Coffee Bay, a delightful and quiet town on the East Coast of South Africa. Coffee Bay is named because of the cargo ship containing coffee Beans which sank just of the coast there. The town is a relaxed paradise with many open air coffee bars and lounges, two main hotels and a beautiful coastline. There is the famous “hole in the wall” rock (a piece of rock in the ocean with the centre carved out through repeated bashing by the ocean) and 4×4 trails are in abundance in this area, as are hiking and horse riding trails.

The next part of the tour heads to East London: the windy city which is situated on the Buffalo River and the Indian Ocean and is the only river port city in South Africa. East London has fantastic 4×4 facilities offered by the Wild Coast Getaway: however these tours take up to three days and if only stopping for one night in East London, the option to take is Primitive Acres Trails where a number of off road adventures are available. The company offers quad biking, mountain biking and 4×4ing and there are many other forms of entertainment available such as wind surfing, swimming and shopping malls. East London has all amenities available in terms of accommodation as it is a city, as does Port Elizabeth which is the next stop on the tour after a night in East London. Port Elizabeth is further South along the coast and is positioned in the fabulous Garden Route. The 4×4 options available are the Baviaans/Kouga experience, Continental Off-Road Academy, Green Adventures and the Maitland Mines Fund Day. The city also offers game parks, golf and a unique cultural experience.

From Port Elizabeth, the next stop over of the tour involves Tsitsikamma; an area with lush vegetation and panoramic scenery. Tsitsikamma is named “the place of many waters” (translation from Koisan) and has 4×4 trails, the Tsitsikamma Mountains, Monkey World and an elephant park nearby. There are also water sports such as river rafting, canoeing, kayaking, and swimming available. Accommodation includes the usual options such as B&B’s and guesthouses and there is also accommodation available in the Tsitsikamma National park. The 4×4 trail available is an incredible journey into the National Park and takes approximately 8 hours to finish. The trail is challenging so always bring emergency supplies.

After spending a night in Tsitsikamma the tour has reached Day 10. By now the tour has traversed across four provinces: Gauteng, Kwa Zulu-Natal, Eastern Cape and the destination that is next on the itinerary is Mossel Bay in the Garden Route of the Western Cape. This is a sea side lovely town with a lot of action and adventure going on! The 4×4 trails available are on Bonniedale Farm, the Duine Route and the Kouma Fynbos Route. However the town also offers sand duning, bungee jumping, river rafting, surfing and many more activies. There is a nature park, scuba diving, helicopter rides and much more.

After a night in Mossel Bay, the tour departs for Caledon. Caledon is known as the capital of the Overberg area and has good 4×4ing facilities available. The courses include the Caledon Casino Off-Road Course, the Caledon Hotel, The Glen Oakes Trail and the Voorhoede Trail. The accommodation offered is farm accommodation, guesthouses, B&B’s, hotels and self catering. Caledon has a museum and golfing facilities available. After the one night stopover in Caledon, the tour heads for De Doorns, a town situated in the Hex River Valley amongst fertile soil. The town has rock climbing facilities, horse riding, vineyards to explore, game reserves and game viewing drives as well as the obvious 4×4 trails. Those offered are the Hex River Trail and the Impangele 4×4 Trail situated just outside the town. The Impangele Trail is a fantastic collection for vehicles and quad bikes alike. There are accommodation facilities offered at a reduced rate, as well as accommodation available in the town such as B&B’s, guesthouses, self catering, guest farms and hotels.

The tour spends the eleventh day and night in De Doorns and then heads for Sutherland. This is a small Karoo town in the Northern Cape which is the coldest place in South Africa! Famous for its telescopes and interests in the cosmos, the town also offers star gazing, hiking, horse riding, hunting and 4×4ing of course. Skurweberg Holiday farm offers all of these experiences and the 4×4ing facilities are for all skill levels. The accommodation available in Sutherland is B&B’s, guesthouses, guest lodges, hotels and self catering. Whilst in Sutherland it is well worth a guided star gaze as the view of the night sky is unprecedented. The following day the tour sets off for Beaufort West, another small town in the Karoo in the Western Cape. Beaufort West is renowned for its large collection of fossils and the frequent occurrence of finding them in the country side around the town. The town is rich with history and is a typical Karoo town with its quirky ways and means. The 4×4ing facilities in Beaufort West include trails in the Karoo National Park, the Badshoek Game Farm, Hillandale Farm and Mountain and Ko-Ka Tsara Bush Camp, so there will never be a shortage of trails to test out. The accommodation available is guesthouses, guest lodges, hotels, B&B’s and self catering. There is also accommodation available in the Karoo National park.

Following the 14th day and night in Beauforst West, the tour heads to its next destination: Vryburg. This town is situated in the North West province and is an area covered in Savannah grasslands and populated with game. The 4×4 facilities available are at Firecloud Adventures where a 7 day tour is available through the Kalahari from Vryburg. As this leg of the tour only stops for one night, the itinerary will need to be changed if participating in this 4×4 trek. The other activities available in Vryburg are horse riding, shooting, golf and a game farm where self driven tours and mountain biking is available throughout the reserve. Accommodation ranges from B&B’s, guest lodges and guest farms to accommodation in the game farm. After spending a night in Vryburg, the trip moves on to its second last destination of the tour: Potchefstroom. This city has no 4×4 facilities available, but the town has many other activities to enjoy. Potchefstroom is the first town founded in the Transvaal republic and is steeped in history which can be explored in the museums and national monuments available. There is also hiking, golf, a bird sanctuary, a game park and a nature reserve. The accommodation offered in the city is self catering, guesthouses or B&B’s.

After Potchefstroom, the last destination in the tour is Johannesburg once again where three days and two nights await in the place of gold. Any opportunities which were passed by on the first few can now be experienced at leisure. After 18 nights of touring and 4×4ing, the 19th day in Johannesburg is the final day and end of the tour. The tour has travelled through Gauteng, Kwa Zulu-Natal, Eastern Cape, Western Cape, Northern Cape, North West Province and Gauteng once more!

Wildlife safaris top the list of adventure vacations. Though certainly ubiquitous in Africa, it is also available in many locations such as Alaska, Ecuador, Croatia, Costa Rica, Peru and a few others. What could be more adventurous than spending the night in a tent under the same sky as lions, leopards, and rhinos? The last thing you hear before you doze of would be the deep throated growls denoting a feeding frenzy and the first thing you see in the early dawn might be pug marks just outside your tent.

No adventure vacation is complete without a spot of bungee jumping or tandem skydiving. Conquering that extreme fear that paralysis, you go for it, and come away a stronger, more confident person than the erstwhile quivering mass of nerves. This should surely spur you on to more exciting things in life. Sometimes climbing a mountain gets you the same ecstatic feeling as falling off an aircraft while skydiving. As you eventually scale the heights and stand on a peak, you know you’ve conquered more than a mountain. Adventure vacations have their moments.

Adventure vacations do not have to be confined to the land or air. You can take it to the water as you go swimming with sharks, jet boating, or even deep sea fishing with gritty real life fishermen for whom rough seas are simply a minor annoyance. For pure, unadulterated fright, there’s nothing to beat whitewater rafting. This sport has its moments of sheer panic that deliver quite an adrenalin surge to your adventure vacation. White water rafting vacations are quite the rage in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the US and many European countries. The Grand Canyon in the US is quite a popular venue for this activity and makes for a spectacular adventure vacation in combination with the other attractions available at this natural wonder.

At least for some, an adventure vacation would be visiting a totally alien culture where no one speaks your language. Everything from the food, the weather, public transport, and the law of the land would be something you have no idea about or had just read about. You are in for an adventure vacation of the senses that can deal lusty blows just as surely as whiplash from a bad bungee dive.

Many of the larger campsites have so much to offer that people are really amazed that they haven’t been camping on their holidays all the time. It’s so much cheaper than staying in a hotel, and even though camping isn’t as fancy you can still get many of the same amenities that you would get at a place that’s much more expensive. If you want chocolates on your pillow every night and a turn-down service for your bed, camping probably isn’t the thing for you, but if you want to spend time enjoying nature with family and friends you can have a great time on your camping holiday. Don’t let what you remember about the experience from years ago cloud your judgement and opinion of how much fun it can be today.

Taking the kids to a campsite with you won’t be a problem, either, because there are so many things to do now. There are usually great places to eat, there are game rooms, and there are pools, as well as toilet facilities and hot showers. Of course, you’ll also have the opportunity to get acquainted with other people who are enjoying camping in Europe just as much as you are, and that can be a great way to forge lasting friendships and to have more fun while you’re on holiday, too.

You’ll meet other campers, and if you bring your children along there will certainly be other children that they can play with. It’s less structured than a hotel and less isolated than some cottages, making it a good choice for those who like to relax and be sociable with others around them. Having the amenities that are available helps as well, because you can just go play a game, swim in the pool, hike, go to a restaurant, or engage in all sorts of other activities and you don’t have to leave the campground to do it.

Consider a camping and caravanning holiday to really explore what can be found on a modern day campsite when camping in France or in Europe.

Carter Caves is located 30 miles west of Ashland, Kentucky. It’s home to more than 20 spectacular caverns. These subterraneous wonders sprawl beneath the forested Appalachian hills, and can be explored via a number of lighted and unlighted cave tours. A small fee is charged for tours to aid in the park’s upkeep. Special tours for beginning and experienced spelunkers are also available (schedule ahead).

Among the most impressive caves is Cascade Cave, with its exceptionally beautiful underground waterfall (which towers over 30 feet high), X Cave (named for the shape of its passages), which is noticed for its a lot of astounding rock formations, and Saltpeter Cave, a spot rich in early Kentucky history. The largest cave in the park is Bat Cave. This huge cavern is the winter home of thousands of rare bats, and as such is toured only during the summer.

Carter Caves State Resort Park has plenty of fun to offer visitors aboveground as well. Guests can hike along 20 miles of wooded nature trails and enjoy great Kentucky scenery; the trails range from easy to difficult levels, so there’s something for hikers of every age and power. Yachting enthusiasts can take a relaxing canoe trip down Tygart’s Creek. Anglers will be thrilled by the opportunities at Carter Caves Lake, Kentucky’s only trophy bass lake, which is home to bluegill, catfish, and crappie in addition to largemouth bass. Golfers are invited to test their skills on the resort’s gorgeous 9-hole regulation golf course, then enjoy a break at its fully-equipped pro shop, where they can get rental riding carts, pull carts, clubs and more (the course is open year-round, weather permitting).

Guests who would like to spend more than a few hours at Carter Caves State Resort Park have lots of excellent lodging choices. Lewis Caveland Lodge is an attractive fieldstone lodge that offers 28 rooms with full amenities. The 10 newly built cottages are beautiful 2-bedroom, 2-bathroom affairs with automatic dishwashers, microwave ovens and covered decks with scenic views of the hills. The tent and sleeping bag crowd can hit one of the campground’s 89 campsites and enjoy the 1st-class utilities, which include a dump station, and two central service buildings with rest rooms and showers.

Whether you’re after outdoor fun, natural splendor or just a few days respite from the rat-race, you just can’t top a trip to the Bluegrass State and Kentucky’s Carter Caves State Resort Park.