Once home to Nelson Mandela, as well as many other political freedom fighters, Robben Island prison is a World Heritage Site and an unforgettable experience and insight into the Apartheid era.

The Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens are a beautiful celebration of South African flora, covering an impressive 528 hectares of stunning indigenous South African plants, streams, ponds, and walkways. You can spend anything from a couple of hours to a whole day at the gardens, strolling along the pretty pathways, perhaps stopping for a lazy picnic.

Cape Town's Castle of Good Hope is South Africa's oldest building. It houses a fascinating combination of military and cultural history dating back to 1652, which you can experience during guided tours through the castle, visiting dungeons, a dolphin pool and the blacksmith.

The Two Oceans Aquarium found at the V&A Waterfront is home to some wild and wonderful species, and includes a Predator Exhibit containing ragged tooth sharks, yellowtail, garrick and more. You can also see several types of ray and a beautiful turtle through a huge acrylic panel. The aquarium is a fantastic experience for the whole family.

For an eye opening experience, take a tour of one of the many townships located around Cape Town and see how the majority of Cape Town's population lives. Township tours are normally accompanied by a resident of the area and offer an insight into local industry or community projects.

For a more traditional side of Egypt, visit Old Sharm, which is easily reachable in a taxi for a very reasonable price. This is where all the city's workers can be found, and shows a more traditional side of Egypt, with many bazaars and street vendors.