Top 5 things to do in South Africa in January

In 2010, South Africa wasn't just a country, it was a sporting dream: but there is so much more to discover in the rainbow nation

1. Come dancing

Kaapse Klopse Minstrel Festival, Cape Town

Lace up your dancing shoes – musicians dressed as minstrels get Cape Town’s toes tapping as their traditional banjo-driven tunes provide the soundtrack.

2. Go on a lion hunt

Madikwe Game Reserve, North-West Province

Start the new year with an adventure – head to one of South Africa’s finest reserves, a malaria-free, lion-packed delight where the Big Five await.

www.madikwe-game-reserve.co.za

3. Remember the brave

Battlefields of KwaZulu-Natal

Hire an experienced guide to explore the battlefields and bring to life the clash at Rorke’s Drift (January 1879), famously recreated by Michael Caine and co in Zulu.

www.battlefields.kzn.org.za

4. Play frogger

Matotoland, Mpumalanga

Every summer, the amphibious denizens around Chrissiesmeer create a ribbiting spectacle – countless frogs sing their croaking song. Get involved on a frogging safari: catch, count and identify scores of species.

5. Dive with sharks 

Protea Banks, KwaZulu-Natal

The warm Indian Ocean waters are alive with marine predators – and January marks the start of the best time to dive with tiger sharks, as well as bull, hammerhead and striking giant guitar sharks.