Safari on foot

For a safari holiday free of the usual "circus of 4x4s" stuffed with "annoying tourists", look no further than the Madikwe reserve in South Africa, says Clemency Burton-Hill in the Observer. It stretches over 300 "staggeringly beautiful" square miles next to the border with Botswana, and is home to all of the "Big Five" (lion, elephant, leopard, rhinoceros and buffalo) – but as there are only 35 lodges in the whole area, you can go for days without seeing another game vehicle. Nor need you spend all your time in the jeep: guests at lodges with rifle licences can explore with rangers on foot. And since the whole area is malaria-free, you can sleep safely under the stars in specially built hides. Exsus Travel (020 7292 5060) offers a 10-night South African safari tour including Madikwe from £4,600. ·