Known by the Victorians as the ‘Dark Continent’ because it was even at that late date relatively unexplored, beautiful Africa still rewards visitors with the exciting thrill of discovery.

From Lake Victoria’s magnificent falls to the coral islands of Zanzibar or the Ngorongoro crater, this extraordinary continent is a magnificent destination for those prepared to step off the more beaten holiday tracks.

Africa’s wildlife is unmatched: not only the ‘big five’ – lion, elephant, buffalo, leopard and rhinoceros – but a bewildering array of other creatures from camels to crocodiles await to delight the traveller. Yet Africa has far more to offer than ‘just’ magnificent scenery and extraordinary wildlife.

It is believed that mankind originated here, and this huge continent – covering more than a fifth of the earth’s land mass – boasts the results of centuries of constant human endeavour, from Egypt’s pyramids to the famous Cape Winelands of Southern Africa.

Just as symbolic of mankind’s efforts is the Cape to Cairo railway – the 19th Century dream of empire-builder Cecil Rhodes. He never saw the great project finished (there’s still a 500-mile gap in the rails even today), but what has been built is an extraordinary tribute to man’s ingenuity. It is also the perfect way to see this remarkable continent at first hand, in luxury…