Hello again dear traveller,

July is the very heart of winter in the southern hemisphere but it has its own charm, especially in the snowy mountains of Lesotho, arguably one of southern Africa's best-kept secrets in terms of rugged beauty and remoteness. Our destination is Maliba Mountain Lodge, located in the tiny mountain kingdom of Lesotho which itself is totally surrounded by South Africa. Roughly the size of Belgium, the prominent Maluti mountain range that runs through the country at about 1,000m above sea level, gives Lesotho its other name - the "Kingdom in the Sky". The lodge itself is situated in a pristine sub-alpine wilderness area within the Tsehlanyane National Park in Northern Lesotho. The temperature plummeted into the minuses as we headed higher and higher into the mountains and it started to snow... But Maliba Lodged proved to be one of the most luxurious and beautiful of all the places I have stayed.

A few hundred kilometres away lies Granny Mouse House. Tucked away in the midlands of KwaZulu Natal in South Africa, this absolutely gorgeous Country House and Spa is an off-beat, Tudor style retreat from the world, offering cosy log fires, warm wood furniture and fixtures, beautiful paintings and chandeliers hanging from the cosy thatched roofs – not to speak of the beautiful chalets and all the exciting activities the area has to offer.

South Africa's Western Cape region is another area known for its wild wind and rain swept winter weather but we find sanctuary here too in the form of the unspeakably elegant Grand Provence Wine Farm and accommodation. Fit for royalty and set in the airbrushed Franschhoek Valley, the plush and luxurious Grande Provence is a feast for the senses – with prices to match....

And finally we take you to a place where summer reigns all year round –the beautiful and diverse southern African country of Tanzania. Set amidst dense indigenous forests the Selous Serena Camp is the ultimate wilderness retreat. With 360-degree views over the surrounding bush, the twelve widely spaced tents are presented in time-honoured safari style, with natural thatch roofs, elegant Victorian-styled bathrooms, private viewing decks.

From the bush we go to the beach in the form of the world-famous resort island of Zanzibar and the stunning Zanzibar Serena Hotel in historic and unique Stone Town.

I hope you enjoy reading the July issue of ChinAfrica Travel as much as I did writing it!

Until next month, Bon Voyage.

Jo Kromberg, Editor