I'm hiking along a coast where whales and dolphins frolic.

The Indian Ocean carves out rocky headlands, and long, sand beaches are cradled beneath mountains.

I'm wandering along a trail on South Africa's famed Garden Route.

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[man sings in an African language] ♪ ♪ South Africa, with its rare quality of light, its rich abundance of wildlife, and it's eye-popping coastline.

There's no place like it in the world.

And along the coast runs a narrow strip between the mountains and the sea.

It's a place known as the Garden Route.

♪ ♪ The Gard Route has nothing to do with gardens and everything to do with wild, rugged, gorgeous coastline.

The name comes from the incredible variety of plant species found here, many indigenous only to this patch of earth.

Yet garden of delights it is, with its roiling sea teeming with life, endless opportunities for adventure, and its splendid resorts.

Capping it all off is a detour to South Africa's wine country where vineyards sprawl in glorious valleys under towering peaks.

♪ ♪ I'm following the Garden Route between Storms River and Mossel Bay, with excursions to Franschhoek for wine and Hermanus for whales.

Dozens of nature reserves rub shoulders with exclusive resorts and pretty seaside towns.

The Garden Route can be driven in a day, but who'd want to?

At every bend is another marine park or lagoon or river.

You can fish, kayak, bike, hike, jump, surf, swim, whale watch, canoe, or simply stand and stare at the sheer scale of the mountains, the crescent beaches, and the myriad moods of the sea.

Travel inland on the eastern side of the Garden Route and you can visit a private game reserve for a thrilling, malaria-free safari.

Robberg Peninsula juts into the Indian Ocean, and a hike here is a cliff-clinging adventure... a chance to walk alongthe edge t with the sea roaring at my feet.

This moderate hike packs a lot of bang for its buck, and it's quintessential Garden Route scenery.

There are 3 hiking routes at Robberg of varying difficulty.

Hikers can reserve a hut to overnight in and can even hire someone to carry in supplies.

On this September day, I'm virtually alone with the cormorants and gulls.

Walk along this coastline and you'll not only be rewarded with views to die for, but you may also see whales and dolphins frolicking in the turquoise sea.

On my y back up the rocky trail, I see them-- flippers, then a spout.

Southern right whales make this coast home from around June to December every year.

It's common to see groups of males in a mating mood, swimming and spinning alongside a female.

Having survived the cliffs at Robberg, I want to test my nerves by checking out the world's highest bungee jump.

Bloukrans is the highest and largest bridge in Africa and the 3rd highest in the world.

Oh my god.

Oh my god!

I admit, I can't even walk out to where the bungee jump begins.

This is the single scariest view and scariest place I've ever been in my life.

The team at Face Adrenalin operates the jump, and those crazy enough to get on the platform are instructed thoroughly in all the ins and outs of bungee madness.

♪ ♪ I understand that once you finally step off the platform, adrenaline takes over, and the 709-foot plunge to the Bloukrans River feels like a dream.

To me, nightmare, thank you very much.

♪ ♪ After all that adventure it's only fitting that I spend the night in a treehouse.

♪ ♪ The Trogon House is no ordinary treehouse.

♪ ♪ This luxury forest resort is intimate, exclusive, and nothing can match the thrill of being suspended in the canopy in rooms with glass walls and ceilings.

♪ ♪ Bop over to the coast at any number of spots along the Garden Route for a sunset view and a stroll.

Hikers interested in long treks can sign up for trails like the 25 mile Otter Trail a vigorous hike from hut to hut along the wild coast.

The number of hikers allowed on the trail is limited, so early reservations are necessary.

But the policy does ensure solitude amongst the rocks and swells.

♪ ♪ One of the Garden Route's most popular and exclusive bays is Plettenberg Bay.

From November to January, this holiday resort explodes with sun and surf seekers from all over the world.

♪ ♪ Here on the town's sandy beach, I board an expedition with Ocean Blue Adventures in search of whales and dolphins.

♪ ♪ [applause] ♪ ♪ Right off the bat, we sidle up to a colony of Cape fur Seals.

A subspecies of the brown fur seal, these animals divide their time between land and sea.

Baby fur seals have long been hunted for their rich, dark pelts.

In 1893 these seals were protected for the first time.

It wouldn't be South Africa if it wasn't shaking me up a bit, but any thoughts of sea sickness are quickly erased when the massive head of a southern right whale appears right near our boat.

We cut the motor and let them come to us.

♪ ♪ Southern right whales are so named because they were considered the right whales to kill.

They swim slowly near shore, they float when dead, and they have a high oil content.

They were hunted for that oil, which was used to light street lamps, and their elastic baleen, or whale bone, used to make corsets and whips.

They average about 50 feet long and can weigh more than 50 tons.

To put that in perspective, a right whale is about the size of 11 elephants.

Dolphins are always on the move.

We caught a pod flying through the water.

Bottle-nosed dolphin are the most common type of dolphin.

They're extremely social and travel in groups.

♪ ♪ The Garden Route is a haven for outdoor enthusiasts, and there's no shortage of fabulous resorts.

It's one thing to relax, enjoy the sound of the paddles in the placid water on a peaceful river, but South Africa turns it up a notch when that peaceful river ends in a remote ocean beach with waves crashing on huge fluted rocks, and another still if this happens to be the beach owned by your private resort.

Pezula Resort is not only a resort, it's also a community of homes.

♪ ♪ Yes, you can enjoy a spectacular round on a championship golf course and all the amenities of a 5-Star hotel, but behind the scenes, Pezula has an environmental goal that includes the reintroduction of indigenous flora and fauna.

Jessica, what was all this land before it was resort and private homes?

Well, before we started redevelopment, it was an old forestry plantation.

So they were growing a lot of pine trees and gum trees on the property.

(Rudy) Are those trees native to South Africa?

(Jessica) No.

I noticed you've taken down many of these trees.

Why is that?

These exotic trees compete with our natural vegetation for resources, so that is the reason for their removal.

Do they drink a lot of water?

They do indeed drink a lot of water, yes.

So what is the intention of what you're doing with the land here?

Basically the drive is to get the property to return to its natural state, which would have been Afromontane forest, which you see around you, and fynbos.

We're also trying to bring back some wildlife to the area.

(Rudy) When you bring them back,will t?

(Jessica) Yes, they will indeed, yeah.

When you look at a place like Pezula and the project as a whole and what they're busy achieving as far as the rehabilitation of the habit is concerned, it is by all means extremely positive.

(Rudy) So it's actually better off as a resort and housing development than it was when it was... (Jessica) As a forestry plantation, correct, yes.

(Rudy) The property encompasses more than 1500 acres of forest, river, and most spectacularly, beach front.

♪ ♪ Nelson Mandela has vacationed in one of the resort's 2 beachside castles.

♪ ♪ These splendid abodes are available for rent, and all the guests at Pezula can swim at Noetzie Beach; then enjoy lunch in the Montrose Castle or on the terrace.

♪ ♪ I'm thirsty, and the best solution lies on a detour from the Garden Route.

♪ ♪ Along the way, I encounter several ostrich farms.

♪ ♪ These birds are raised for their lean meat, huge eggs, and feathers.

West of the Garden Route is the best wine region you've never heard of, and of course, it's drop-dead gorgeous.

On February 2nd, 1659, the Dutch governor Jan Van Riebeeck wrote in his diary, "Today, praise be to God, wine was made for the first time from Cape grapes."

Franschhoek means French Quarter in Dutch, and into this stunning valley in the 17th century came a group of French Huguenots fleeing persecution.

The newly arrived French took aantage of the sea-soaked climate, the sandy soil, and the dry heat to develop the wines for which this region is now famous.

Not surprisingly, it's become the gourmet capital of South Africa, with more than 41 wineries in this valley and plenty of fabulous restaurants.

In fact, there's so much to taste in this valley that it would be a shame to rush.

♪ ♪ I'm settling in to the boutique hotel that sprang up around one of the world's most celebrated restaurants.

Cozy, luxurious, and cloaked in greenery, Le Quartier Francais is a beloved institution in Franschhoek for its simple elegance, the owner's dedication to the local community, and most especially, its restaurant.

Cheers.

Welcome to Franschhoek.

The Tasting Room, Quartier's Francais restaurant, has many times and in many different publications been named one of the top 50 restaurants in the world.

Chef Margot Janse passionately pursues recipes with South African ingredients.

A meal at the restaurant here ranks as a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

What do we have here, Chef?

Well, for you I've prepared a carpaccio of Karoo lamb.

Karoo is a...?

Karoo is a semidesert area.

It's a large area in South Africa famous for the lamb.

They eat the indigenous bushes, which gives it a very fragrant, almost herbaceous flavor.

And for you, I have prepared a tea bag filled with dried biltong.

Biltong is almost like beef jerky.

It's also in snacks.

It's often made from game, from beef.

We've dried it and made a tea bag out of it.

You steep the tea bag for about 50 seconds and have a bite of the chilled gem squash, and buchu foam, and take a sip of the hot concentrate.

Bon appetit.

Enjoy.

(Rudy) Merci.

Thank you, Chef.

From Franschhoek, the valley is your oyster.

You can nip over to the picturesque streets of neighboring town Stellenbosch, drink in the rural splendors, and visit any number of world-class wineries.

Tell me about terrior South African wines here in Franschhoek.

Well in Franschhoek, we're sitting in the bottom of the valley with really quite deep, sandy soils.

For us to really produce top quality we focus on the whites, maybe Chardonnay, Sauvignon blanc, and Chenin blanc.

Where do your reds come from?

Reds come from Stellenbosch region.

Terre Avare?

Terre Avare--different slopes close to the ocean, and more clay, more fertile soil as well.

That's big.

Horse breeding and wine making drew renown businessman and philanthropist Graham Beck inland from Cape Town to this valley.

Today his wineries produce some of the finest South African wines.

Pieter, what grapes do very well in South Africa?

I think any grape that loves sunshine will do well in South Africa.

In particular, whites.

I would think Sauvignon blanc, Chardonnay, and Chenin blancs.

And then on the red wines, I think Shiraz as a category is hugely strong in South Africa.

Then followed by cabernet, merlot, and maybe a little bit of pinot noir is starting to show its head way.

(Rudy) And sparkling wine is a specialty, isn't it?

It's a specialty.

My nickname is bubbles.

Very, very tiny bubbles.

"Tiny Bubbles" as Don Ho used to say, yeah.

On the palate, this is an aperitif.

This is made from Chardonny Pinot noir.

That's fabulous.

very, very nice.

So what red have you brought today?

This is a cofermentation.

This is Shiraz and Viognier.

It's called The Joshua, this particular...

The Joshua is the mainstay of our reds.

It's on the top of the pinnacle of our red wine program at the moment.

What a great nose.

We get concentrations of licorice spice.

How old?

This is very smooth.

It's beautiful.

It's '03 vintage.

'03 in South Africa was a gorgeous vintage, and we're extremely happy.

Fabulous.

Thank you very much.

It's a pleasure for us.

Nice being here.

Cheers!

Cheers!

♪ Ever heard of pairing cured meats and wine?

I hadn't, so I stopped by Moreson Wine Estate where the chef cures his own meats and creates unheard-of combinations.

What do you have in front of you here?

We have a small collection of some of the home-cured meats that we're quite well known for, and we'd like to pair them with the wines for your... Let's do it, but you cure all these meats?

(Neil) Yup, everything is made onsite; no additives, no chemicals, no binders, no rubbish-- real meat, cured and dried properly.

Should I have a sip of the wine first?

Yes.

Okay, sip of the wine first.

That's nice.

I like Sauvignon blanc a lot.

This is saucisson sec, it's a French style dry sausage.

It's pure pork, salt and pepper.

Something that's so simple, but it just tastes so wonderful.

You make it right here?

(Neil) Yeah, right here.

Oh yeah.

This could turn into a habit for me.

That's funny; I never would've thought of a Sauvignon blanc with a sausage.

I think of it with oysters or something briny.

Whenever we do something with white wine and a cured meat, people go oh no!

You can't do that!

How dare you!

It's disgusting!

Well, just taste the combination and see what you think.

I'll back you up on that; what else did you want to pair with?

(Neil) The Italian squash salami with the farm's brilliant Chardonnay.

Salami with Chardonnay.

Okay, you promise?

(Neil) Promise.

Cross my heart.

Mmm!

That's in-your-face salami.

Yup.

Here it goes.

Smooth as silk.

It's like velvet.

This is great.

Thanks very much for introducing me to white wine and cured meats.

It's a pleasure.

Thank you.

This has been quite an eye-opening experience from both the meat and the wine standpoint.

♪ ♪ Nestled in Franschhoek Valley, Cabriere Estates was originally granted to a French Huguenot farmer named Pierre Jourdan in 1694.

In 1989, Achim Von Arnim, the current proprietor, took the bold step of planting the world's most demanding grape, Pinot noir.

(Achim) It all happened in Burgundy working in the vineyards, and the clay was sticking to the soles of my Levi shoes.

Because that's the Terre Avar in Burgundy for Pinot noir.

(Achim) Clay and stones, the soil must be marginal, and that's where the great Pinot noirs are grown.

When I came back to South Africa, I'd fallen totally in love with Pinot noir, and I was walking through this property, d the clay stuck to the soles of these same Levi shoes.

Boom!

Boom!

I phoned Evan Archer he said... (Rudy) He's an expert on Pinot.

(Achim) He saw the soil and said if I didn't plant Pinot noir on this property, he would never speak to me again.

(man) This is the 2005 Haute Cabriere Pinot Noir.

It's lovely to pore Pinot noir just 1/3 of the glass that you can swirl it around, and then the aromas and bouquet... Oh, isn't this bouquet enticing?

It's lovely.

Especially this vintage.

It's got that firmness at the end.

Oh, it's going to last a long time.

I was shown by a French girl how to do sabrage, and she explained to me based on Napoleon saying it is obligatory to drink champagne at victory and necessary at defeat-- I thought he covered himself rather well-- but the French cavalry officers were prepared to die for their country, but not of thirst, so if the cork got stuck in the bottle, they'd take their saber-- you hold the bottle in that hand, and I'm just going to assist you.

We're going to take the saber along the seam of the bottle, and we're going to go one, 2, and 3!

We have a lot of fun with wine.

Do not put in on the mantlepiece.

Now Rudy, you're going to be knighted as an honorary member of the French cavalry, and you will wear this cork on your epaulet in full dress regalia, and anybody seeing you will salute you.

There you are, Sir.

Well it's about darn time!

♪ ♪ Every spring, the coast of South Africa hosts one of nature's most spectacular displays.

Whales come to bays near Cape Town to calve and to play.

When Hermanus Pieters first came here to graze his sheep nearly 200 years ago, hundreds of whales packed Walker Bay.

Today, visitors only see dozens, but it's still an impressive sight.

Southern Right whales leave their summer feeding grounds off Antarctica and swim to the coast of South Africa to mate between June and December of each year.

The peak viewing season is between August and October.

The whales often pop up for a look around, it's called "spy hopping," and it allows for a look at their calloused-covered heads, a handy identification tool for distinguishing and tracking the whales.

On this September day, mothers and their calves are out playing.

Whales calve in warmer waters because their babies don't have sufficient blubber to withstand the cold sea around Antarctica.

Calves weigh about 4 tons at birth, and they gain weight rapidly as they drink more than 50 gallons of milk per day.

The mothers could lose as much as 8 tons before they migrate back to Antarctica to feed.

♪ ♪ From whales to wine country, everything is larger than life on the Garden Route.

♪ ♪ Here you can feel the full force of nature, the primordial call of the sea, the magical mountains.

South Africa simultaneously dwarfs you with its majesty and moves you with its bounty.

Who can forget sunset on the Indian Ocean, sparkling wine served Napoleon style, or dolphins leaping through a breaking wave?

The Garden Route is anything but tame.

It's one of the world's great wild places.

Too soon the sun is setting on my African adventure.

Already I can't wait to come back.

Reporting from South Africa, I'm Rudy Maxa.

See you next time.

Jewelry, textiles, and hand-carved wood objects are great deals in South Africa.

The open street markets usually have the best prices, and bargaining is common and accepted.

Specialty shops such as African Image in downtown Cape Town often have unusual collector items from all over the continent.

Lodging in South Africa is unusually varied, running the gamut from home stays in townships in B&Bs to topflight hotels such as Cape Grace in Cape Town.

In between are quirky, distinctive hotels that spare no luxury, such as Trogon.

A glass-walled getaway tucked in a forest along the Garden Route, it makes you feel as if you're in a 5-Star treehouse.

And, of course, the comforts of safari accommodations often surprise first-time visitors, who expect an outdoor, summer, camplike experience.

(woman) For links and photos of the places featured in "Rudy Maxa's World," and other savvy traveling tips, visit maxa.tv.

To order DVDs of "Rudy Maxa's World," visit maxa.tv.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ CC--Armour Captioning & TPT (woman) Funding for "Rudy Maxa's World" is provided by the following... (woman) Orbitz salutes the neverending spirit of adventure and as a proud sponsor of "Rudy Maxa's World" Orbitz offers comprehensive information on the world's great destinations.

From custom vacation packages to in-depth mobile tools your trip begins on Orbitz.

Take vacation back!

[Korean janggu drums play in bright rhythm] (man) Korea, be one with earth and sky.

(woman) And by Delta, serving hundreds of destinations worldwide.

Information to plan your next trip available at delta.com.

[orchestral fanfare] ♪ ♪