South Africa is all grown up. In the 11 years since apartheid crumbled and tourism hit the cape, trips have gone from on-the-ground tourist adventures to high-octane thrill rides. But today, the mix is just right. On the ten-day trip outlined below, you'll surf the perfect barrel, tour wine country, and sleep in the home of a Xhosa tribesman. Even better, since you'll be using the continent's best highway system, a single road trip leads to it all.

Cape Town Cruisin'
For a scenic intro to the former Dutch colonial port, catch a taxi to the Platteklip Gorge Trail, which starts at the base of the 3,563-foot (1,086-meter) Table Mountain. A two-mile (three-kilometer) scramble to the summit rewards hikers with mesmerizing views of Cape Town and Africa's southwest coast. The adrenaline specialists of the Adventure Center can outfit you for a 367-foot rappel (112-meter) back to sea level ($37; www.adventureshop.co.za) and take you surfing at Cape Town's legendary beaches. In Cape Town proper, while a night away at one of Cedric's Lodges (see "House of Spirit," below right), but don't get too comfortable: Some of the area's best attractions lie just outside the city's limits. For an "only here" day trip, take Chapman's Peak Drive south to the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve, where the Atlantic and Indian Oceans collide. Get a closer look along the Cape of Good Hope Trail, which starts at the reserve's ranger station, then return to Cape Town for Namibian oysters and crayfish at Willoughby & Co. (+27-21-418-6115), a seaside favorite sandwiched between shops and jazz clubs on the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront.
 
Eastern Passage
The real road trip starts and ends on route N2, which winds east from Cape Town along sleepy, verdant mountains, rugged coast, and fishing villages for 500 miles (805 kilometers) to East London. The trip is best done in four days. Stop first in Franschhoek, where French Huguenots founded vineyards in the 17th century. The Auberge La Dauphine leads wine-tasting tours and offers peaceful lodging with mountain views ($70; www.ladauphine.co.za). Your next stop, Hermanus, 124 miles (200 kilometers) south, plays host to migrating gray whales from July to November; its Schulphoek Seafront Guesthouse ($90; www.schulphoek.co.za) is a foodie favorite. On day three, use Plettenberg Bay's Ocean Watch Guest House ($88; www.anoceanwatchguesthouse.co.za) as a staging area for trips into the primeval forests of Tsitsikamma National Park. Finally, on the drive's last leg, stop at Addo Elephant National Park, South Africa's version of a drive-thru exotic animal farm—but instead of a few haggard ostriches, you'll find elephants, lions, monkeys, and the occasional leopard. Stay the night in nearby Port Elizabeth's Admiralty Beach House ($63; www.theadmiralty.co.za), which has luxurious rooms and a swimming pool.
 
Ritual Offerings
At road's end, 245 miles (394 kilometers) from Ado, lies East London, gateway to one of South Africa's best kept secrets—the rarely visited, largely undeveloped Eastern Cape. African Heartland Journeys leads five-day tours to the region's green hills, coastal bluffs, and desolate beaches with many opportunities for hiking, kayaking, and mountain biking along the way. Spend the last two days in a village of Xhosa tribesmen, where you'll learn their rituals, sleep in their thatched huts, and toast the trip with a glass of home-brewed corn beer.
 
House of Spirit
When you're ready to inject a dose of art and culture into your South Africa experience, head to the galleries and jazz clubs of Cape Town's de Waterkant district, the former site of the city's slave quarters. In the middle of the action, Cedric's Lodges (www.newsinafrica.co.za), a triumvirate of boutique guest houses, has spacious rooms and suites ($120 and up), each with local accents and its own sense of style.
 
VITALS:
When to Go: The best time to visit is September to November, when the austral spring brings temperatures in the 60s (around 18 degrees Celsius).
 
Air Travel: British Airways flies from New York City to Cape Town ($1,630; www.ba.com). If you are in East London, South African Airways gets you from Umtata to Johannesburg ($155). 
 
Outfitter: Ashland, Oregon-based Go2South Africa (www.go2southafrica.com) can arrange flights, car rental, hotels, and a five-day tour with African Heartland Journeys ($555, including meals, lodging, and equipment; www.africanheartland.co.za).


Find more great adventure travel options in Africa in the pages of Adventure magazine's September 2005 issue.