With a wide range of national parks and open plains, the southern plateaus of Africa attract thousands of tourists eager to catch glimpses of rare and dangerous creatures on safari tours.

But there are also a variety of different routes for those looking to head off the beaten path and explore more of the continents' picturesque and unpredictable landscape. Fly-drive and self-drive packages to countries such as Namibia, Botswana and South Africa are widely available. Flights and car rental are usually included in the price, but it's always best to double check. Such tours can take you through national parks to scenic coastal drives.

Such tours usually fly to cities such as Cape Town and Windhoek, with a set itinerary for the journey - such trips are usually spread around a timescale - usually a fortnight - so you can make best use of your car hire service.

For those wanting to embark on fly-drive holidays, the time you are on the road varies depending on the itinerary you select - although such timescales are usually provided as guides, giving you the freedom to choose what to see and do along the way to your stop for the night.

As well as the vast countryside and variety of wildlife on the open plains and plateaus, safari tours can be included along the route - usually involving stopovers in national parks or game reserves.

Accommodation can vary from tour to tour, there are a number of reserves along the way which include basic hotel facilities, as well as the opportunity to camp under the night sky, listening to the sounds of the night wildlife passing through camp. Be wary however, for many of the stops along the way operate a camping-only basis, although many packages offer hire of equipment as well as car rental.